Vivekanada on the Vedas (part 219)

[Guest guest]

Earlier postings can be seen at http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/veda.htm

 

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS

By Sister Gayatriprana

part 219

 

 

 

Q: What is the antagonism of Vedantic thought to Western science?

 

Swami Vivekananda: No antagonism at all. We are in harmony with it. Our theory

of evolution and of akasha and prana is exactly what your modern philosophies

have. (49)

 

This is the harmony between Vedantic theories and modern science:

 

 

Brahman Absolute

 

Mahat or Ishwara Primal creative activity

 

Prana and akasha Force and matter

 

 

Mr. Tesla was charmed to hear about the Vedantic prana and akasha and about the

kalpas [cosmic cycles] which, according to him, are the only theories modern

science can entertain. Now, both akasha and prana are again produced from cosmic

mahat, the universal mind, the Brahma or Ishwara. Mr. Tesla thinks he can

demonstrate Mathematically that force and matter are reducible to potential

energy. I am to go and see him next week to get this new Mathematical

demonstration. In that case, the Vedantic cosmology will be placed on the surest

of foundations. [This apparently never materialized] (50)

 

 

2. Theories of Force and Matter, Ancient and Modern, Have Not Yet Solved the

Mystery of the Universe

 

The minds of the people from whom the Vedas came were intent upon following

principles, discovering principles. They had not time to work upon details or to

wait for them; they wanted to go deep into the heart of things. Something beyond

was calling to them, as it were, and they could not wait. Scattered throughout

the Upanishads we find that the details of subjects which we now call modern

sciences are often very erroneous, but, at the same time, their principles are

correct. For instance the idea of ether - which is one of the latest theories of

modern science - is to be found in our ancient literature in forms much more

developed than is the modern scientific theory of ether today; but it was in

principle. When they tried to demonstrate the workings of that principle, they

made many mistakes….

 

Coming to the principles, we find these Vedic thinkers were very courageous and

wonderfully bold in propounding large and generalized theories. Their solution

of the mystery of the universe from the external world was as satisfactory as it

could be. The detailed workings of modern science do not bring the question one

step nearer to solution, because the principles have failed. If the theory of

ether failed in ancient times to give a solution to the mystery of the universe,

working out the details of that ether theory would not bring us much nearer to

the truth….

 

What I mean is that, in their inquiry into the principle the Hindu thinkers were

as bold - and, in some cases, much bolder - than the moderns. They made some of

the grandest generalizations that have yet been reached, and some still remain

as theories which modern science has yet to get, even as theories. For instance,

they not only arrived at the ether theory, but went beyond and classified mind

also as a still more rarefied ether. Beyond that again, they found a still more

rarefied ether. Yet that was no solution; it did not solve the problem [of the

secret of the universe]. No amount of knowledge of the external world could

solve the problem. " But " , says the scientist, " we are just beginning to know a

little. Wait a few thousand years and we shall get at the solution. " " No " , say

the Vedantists; for they have proved beyond all doubt that the mind is limited,

that it cannot go beyond certain limits - time, space, and causation. (51)

 

Can prana and akasha be melted into one? Our modern science is mute here, it has

not yet found its way out: and if it is doing so, just as it has been slowly

finding the same old prana and the same ancient akasha, it will have to move

along the same lines. (52)