"Religion is realization; not talk, not doctrine, nor theories, however beautiful they may be. It is being and becoming, not hearing and acknowledging, it is the whole soul becoming changed into what it believes." Swami Vivekananda
Continuing our learnings from the Saints and Philosophers of the period 1750-1950 CE, we shall pick up a few threads on Dharma and Ethical Living from the phenomenal work of another great Spiritual philosopher cum Patriotic Saint, Swami Vivekananda. Born in Jan 1863 as Narendra Nath Datta, he grew into a great Indian Hindu monk, expressing Religion, Dharma and Ethics in a rationale manner using plain, commonsense language for the masses to easily understand and apply in life.
As a chief disciple of Indian mystic Saint Ramakrishna Paramhans, he became a key figure in introducing Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga with utmost clarity and rationale to the western world. While traveling all over India, he felt necessity of infusing into the minds of people, a Faith in themselves, so that they can come out of economic backwardness and poverty. He founded" Ramakrishna Mission", an organization to spread his messages on Religion, Dharma, Ethics, Spirituality and Universal Oneness. He also established Belur Math, a permanent abode for monastery and monastic order.
While going through "The Complete Works Of Swami Vivekananda",I have been overwhelmed by the richness of enormous storehouse of Spiritual and Ethical Treasure, based on his teachings and addresses delivered during his stay in Western World for about 4 years from year 1893 to 1897, and in Sri Lanka and various parts of India thereafter. Eminent British historian " A L Basham" stated, " In centuries to come, Vivekananda will be remembered as one of the main molders of the modern world." Though extremely difficult to pick up selective few messages and teachings, I shall attempt to share a few of these, limiting to my area of work, in two of my blogs, the current one, Blog 21 and the next one in line, Blog 22.
As a chief disciple of Indian mystic Saint Ramakrishna Paramhans, he became a key figure in introducing Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga with utmost clarity and rationale to the western world. While traveling all over India, he felt necessity of infusing into the minds of people, a Faith in themselves, so that they can come out of economic backwardness and poverty. He founded" Ramakrishna Mission", an organization to spread his messages on Religion, Dharma, Ethics, Spirituality and Universal Oneness. He also established Belur Math, a permanent abode for monastery and monastic order.
While going through "The Complete Works Of Swami Vivekananda",I have been overwhelmed by the richness of enormous storehouse of Spiritual and Ethical Treasure, based on his teachings and addresses delivered during his stay in Western World for about 4 years from year 1893 to 1897, and in Sri Lanka and various parts of India thereafter. Eminent British historian " A L Basham" stated, " In centuries to come, Vivekananda will be remembered as one of the main molders of the modern world." Though extremely difficult to pick up selective few messages and teachings, I shall attempt to share a few of these, limiting to my area of work, in two of my blogs, the current one, Blog 21 and the next one in line, Blog 22.
- Religion is the manifestation of the Divinity, already present in man. Moreover, Religion may also be called the " Science of Consciousness", and as such Religion and Science are not contradictory, but complimentary. This universal concept frees religion from the hold of superstitions, dogmatism, priest craft and intolerance. It makes religion a noblest pursuit-- the pursuit of supreme freedom, supreme knowledge and supreme happiness. AN EYE OPENER for PURSUING DHARMA as well as ETHICAL LIVING in entire universe.
- All religions are more or less attempts to get beyond Nature----, the crudest or the most developed, expressed thru mythology or symbology, stories of Gods, angels or demons, or thru stories of saints and seers, great men or prophets OR thru abstractions of philosophies; all try to get beyond these limitations,- ( from an address in London on " Maya & Illusion" ),
- Each religion, as it were, takes up one part of the great universal truth and spends its whole force in embodying and typifying that part of the great truth. Each religion has a soul behind it and that soul may differ from the soul of another religion. Yet, a question arises as to whether they contradict or supplement each other, In my view, these are additions and not exclusions. This is the march of Humanity. Man never progresses from Error to Truth, but from Truth to Truth, from Lesser Truth to Higher Truth,--( out of address in California, USA on " The way to the realization of a Universal Religion).
- All religion is to be based on Morality; and Personal Purity is to be counted superior to Dharma. It ought to be known that Achara ( Conduct & Behavior) means purity inside and outside. Inside purity is attained by not speaking Falsehood, by not drinking, by not doing immoral acts and by doing good to others. As you do good to yourself, you must do good to others. ( from a lecture on Bhakti, delivered at Sialkot, Punjab). What a great message on Ethical Living!
- The concept of " Potential Divinity of the Soul", gives a new, ennobling concept of man. Degradation of man has led to enormous increase of immorality, violence, crimes and poor ethical standards. Potential divinity of soul prevents this degradation, divinizes human relationships, makes life more meaningful & worthwhile.
- We should be Pure because Purity is our real nature, our true divine self or Atman. We should love and serve our neighbors because we are all one in Supreme Spirit known as Brahma.In one of his address, Swami Vivekananda did impress upon people the need to observe Purity in Food , sharing a quote from Chhandogya Upanishad," आहार शुद्धो सत्वशुद्धिः , सत्वशुद्धो ध्रुवास्मृति। It meant that when food is pure, then the inner senses get purified. On the purification of inner senses, memory becomes steady. Impure food weakens the power of receptivity of the senses and makes them act in opposition to the will.
- Purity, Patience and perseverance are the three essentials to success, and above all, Love. It is love and love alone that I preach.
- Purity is the bedrock upon which the whole Bhakti- Building rests, Among the long list of attributes, considered conducive to Purity, as given by famous saint Ramanuja and narrated by Swami Vivekananda in his address are; Satya, Truthfulness, Compassion, Ahimsa, Sincerity, Doing good to others without any gain to one's self, Not injuring others by thought, words or deeds, Not coveting other's goods, Not thinking vain thoughts, Absence of jealousy. Once again, a great Ethical message for society indeed!--- ( Ch X, Vol III titled, " The Method & the Means).
- The whole idea of Ethics is that it does not depend on anything unknowable, it does not teach anything unknown. It is in and thru the self that the whole world is known to me. Take off the self and the whole universe vanishes, In and thru the Self, all knowledge comes, --( Out of an address delivered in London on" Practical Vedanta", Vol II).
- Doing good to others is Virtue or Dharma; injuring others is Sin. Strength and manliness (Purusharth) are Virtue, while weakness and Cowardice are Sin; Loving others is a Virtue, hating others is a Sin. Faith in God and in one's own self is a Virtue, while having doubts and doubts is a Sin, knowledge of Oneness is a Virtue and so on.( from one of his address in Vol I).
सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं। सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः।
