Spiritual Import of Religious Festivals : 18-5. SWAMI KRISHNANANDA
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14/09/2019
18. The Purpose of Philosophy-5.
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A talk given on the 1st of February, 1979, while inaugurating the 24th Conference of the All-India Philosophical Congress, at the Sivananda Ashram.
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The whole universal Reality is planted in himself, a significance which is brought out beautifully in a great teaching in the Chhandogya Upanishad which goes by the name of Vaisvanara Vidya. 'Vaisvanara' is called 'Atman' at the same time. The two words are really very significant and they are not used merely casually. The word 'Vaisvanara' signifies the universal aspect of Reality. Reality is not confined to any particular object. It is ubiquitous, present everywhere. But it is not present everywhere as the physical space outside, of which you are cognisant as an individual subject, as a percipient. The Vaisvanara definition of Reality as the omnipresent Being is not to be construed in the sense of a universal object to be perceived, cognised or known by an individual subject.
To remove this misconception, the Upanishad also calls this Vaisvanara as the Atman, as the Knower also. So, this universal Being is also the Knower of that being. It is not X, Y, Z or A, B, C knowing that universal Vaisvanara. But the Atman-hood or the Selfhood, which is the characteristic of any percipient or knower, is not to be separated from this reality of the Vaisvanara, so that Vaisvanara is also the Atman and the Atman is Vaisvanara. In order that you may not mistake Reality for an object outside, the word Atman is used to signify its Subjectivity. Again, in order that you may not mistake this subjectivity for an individualistic existence, you are also told at the same time that it is not merely the Atman, but it is also Vaisvanara.
It is the farthermost dimension of objective reality; at the same time it is the deepest subjectivity. So when you combine in a beautiful blend, in an integration, the deepest subjectivity of consciousness with the largest dimension of universality, you get what you call God or the Absolute. The attunement of your personality with this Reality is the wisdom that you possess. And philosophy is the art of directing our mind or reason towards the achievement of this great ideal which is what we usually call Moksha or the salvation of all mankind, of all creation.
This is the glorious vision of philosophy. You are philosophers, you are blessed souls, divinities walking on earth. It is in this sense that great thinkers like Plato define philosophy. You are not merely teaching philosophy to students. You are communicating the wisdom of God. You are radiating the light of Reality, Truth or Satya, for the peace, well-being and solidarity of all beings in the world. You are, in a sense, makers of mankind. You are not merely teachers confined to classrooms, but, in a sense I may say, the destinies of mankind are in your hands, because of your dedication to Truth, which alone will succeed – "Satyameva jayate nanritam".
May I once again invoke the grace of the Almighty upon you all, so that your enlightened being may shed this light of Truth throughout mankind, and lead it along the right path of the pursuit of Reality for the blessedness not merely of one individual but of the whole humanity
The End
Next : 19. To Thine Own Self Be True
To be continued ..
=========================================================================
14/09/2019
18. The Purpose of Philosophy-5.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A talk given on the 1st of February, 1979, while inaugurating the 24th Conference of the All-India Philosophical Congress, at the Sivananda Ashram.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The whole universal Reality is planted in himself, a significance which is brought out beautifully in a great teaching in the Chhandogya Upanishad which goes by the name of Vaisvanara Vidya. 'Vaisvanara' is called 'Atman' at the same time. The two words are really very significant and they are not used merely casually. The word 'Vaisvanara' signifies the universal aspect of Reality. Reality is not confined to any particular object. It is ubiquitous, present everywhere. But it is not present everywhere as the physical space outside, of which you are cognisant as an individual subject, as a percipient. The Vaisvanara definition of Reality as the omnipresent Being is not to be construed in the sense of a universal object to be perceived, cognised or known by an individual subject.
To remove this misconception, the Upanishad also calls this Vaisvanara as the Atman, as the Knower also. So, this universal Being is also the Knower of that being. It is not X, Y, Z or A, B, C knowing that universal Vaisvanara. But the Atman-hood or the Selfhood, which is the characteristic of any percipient or knower, is not to be separated from this reality of the Vaisvanara, so that Vaisvanara is also the Atman and the Atman is Vaisvanara. In order that you may not mistake Reality for an object outside, the word Atman is used to signify its Subjectivity. Again, in order that you may not mistake this subjectivity for an individualistic existence, you are also told at the same time that it is not merely the Atman, but it is also Vaisvanara.
It is the farthermost dimension of objective reality; at the same time it is the deepest subjectivity. So when you combine in a beautiful blend, in an integration, the deepest subjectivity of consciousness with the largest dimension of universality, you get what you call God or the Absolute. The attunement of your personality with this Reality is the wisdom that you possess. And philosophy is the art of directing our mind or reason towards the achievement of this great ideal which is what we usually call Moksha or the salvation of all mankind, of all creation.
This is the glorious vision of philosophy. You are philosophers, you are blessed souls, divinities walking on earth. It is in this sense that great thinkers like Plato define philosophy. You are not merely teaching philosophy to students. You are communicating the wisdom of God. You are radiating the light of Reality, Truth or Satya, for the peace, well-being and solidarity of all beings in the world. You are, in a sense, makers of mankind. You are not merely teachers confined to classrooms, but, in a sense I may say, the destinies of mankind are in your hands, because of your dedication to Truth, which alone will succeed – "Satyameva jayate nanritam".
May I once again invoke the grace of the Almighty upon you all, so that your enlightened being may shed this light of Truth throughout mankind, and lead it along the right path of the pursuit of Reality for the blessedness not merely of one individual but of the whole humanity
The End
Next : 19. To Thine Own Self Be True
To be continued ..
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