Vivekananda on the Vedas (part 214)

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SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS

By Sister Gayatriprana

part 214

 

2. Brahman, the Ultimate Generalization of Vedanta, Can Satisfy the Demands of

the Scientific World

 

If there be any religious theories which can stand the two tests [of

generalization and explanation of a thing from its own nature], they will be

acceptable to the modern mind, to the thinking mind. Any other theory which we

ask modern people to believe on the authority of priests, or churches, or books,

they are unable to accept, and the result is a hideous mass of unbelief. Even in

those in whom there is an external display of belief, in their hearts is a

tremendous amount of unbelief. The rest shrink away from religion, as it were,

and give it up, regarding it as priestcraft only. (38)

 

What is the fight between science and religion everywhere? Religions are

encumbered with such a mass of explanations which come from outside - one angel

is in charge of the sun, another of the moon, and so on ad infinitum. Every

change is caused by a spirit, the one common point of agreement being that they

are all outside of the thing. Science means that the cause of the thing is

sought in the nature of the thing itself. As step by step science is

progressing, it has taken the explanation of natural phenomena out of the hands

of spirits and angels. Because Advaitism has done likewise in spiritual matters,

it is the most scientific religion. This universe has not been created by any

cosmic God, nor is it the work of any outside genius. It is self-creating,

self-dissolving, self-manifesting, one infinite Existence, the Brahman.

" Tattvamasi, Svetaketo " - That thou art, O Svetaketu. [Cha. Up., 6.8.7] (39)