Religion not opposed to Science

 Religion not opposed to Science

"In the opinion of the house, Religion is not opposed to Science." I participated in the debate competition organized by Vivekananda Seva Samiti on the above topic, on the dias of Sri Rama Krishna Math, Hyderabad in Feb 1984 for college sudents. I spoke for the topic. The following is the gist of what I spoke. I was presented with a book bt Swami Ranganathananda at the end of the program.

Respected elders and my dear friends, 

Before proceeding with the argument that "Religion is not opposed to Science" I would like to place before you my ideas about Religion and Science.

We cannot deny that there is "something" within every being apart from the material composition of the body which is not the body; that which is the source of thoughts and ideas and that which suffers both pains and pleasures. This "something" is what we call the "soul".

Religion says that this soul is divine, infinite truth and immortal. And this soul is clouded by the physical body with worldly passions and ignorance. And true religion is the realization of this divine nature existing in every individual by shattering ignorance and renunciating the worldly comforts. What do we get realizing God? We live in eternal bliss. It would be appropriate to quote Swami Vivekananda who defines religion as, "Religion is realization, not talk nor doctorine, however beautiful they may be; it is being and becoming; it is the whole soul changed into what it believes. That is religion." This realization is based on a set of spiritual laws concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the universe.

And what is science? Science is the systemaitised study of facts about man and his environment. And the existence of the universe is a fact. Every fact has a cause behind it and some laws governing it. Therefore there must be some cause behind this universe. So Science as many scientists define is a sincere pursuit of this truth. The objectives of Religion and Science being the same, we cannot say that religion is opposed to science.

Even though the objectives are same, their ways of approaching the truth are different. The way of approach of Science is that, it proceeds from known facts to the unknown ones. It is basically concerned with the physical and material world. It rests on theories and experiments. When experiments coincide with theories, they are transformed into laws or principles. These laws aor principles are in turn applied in everyday life which have led to so many discoveries and inventions which are responsible for easy and comfortable life, that a present man is leading now. Religion is directly concerned with cause which it believes it to be the inner world. It is also based on theories and experiments. Having been successful with the experiments, the theories were developed into laws known as spiritual laws. These can be verified only through experience. These spiritual laws inculcate in man the basic qualities of man such as discipline, concentration, control of senses, moral and ethical values. These qualities make a man think systematically and create in man the devotion for cause which gives a fragile man significance and value. And systematic thinking helps man to penetrate into the very depths of the facts around him and to extract maximum information about them. These are pre-requisites for any man to strive in any discipline. Thus we can say that religion accelerates the pace of science. 

Religion has been describing God with different kind of phrases such as God is beginningless and endless, He is infinite, immortal etc. These things make a man hard to imagine the nature of God and thus becomes averse to religion and orients towards science. Since analogies reduce confusion and make understanding easy, we can observe some. Some scientist rightly points out that, "anything that science discovers is beyond the reach of direct observation; we cannot see energy; nor the gravitational force nor the molecules of gases nor the explosions in the nerve cells. It is only the premises of science and not conclusions which are not directly observed. In mathematics, we find that a number line extends from - infinity to + infinity, which means that the line is beginningless and endless. In physics, it has been proved that the sum total of cosmic energy is constant. That is it cannot be changed. It is neither created nor destroyed. Thus energy is immortal. And anything immortal is divine. Now, we can understand the nature of the soul. 

Hence I conclude that the truths which were being cherished in the bosom of religion for ages are now being explained in a more authoritative language and Religion is only glad about it.  Therefore Religion is not opposed to Science in any way as long as it is the sincere pursuit of the truth.

Three Qualifications of a Student to succeed in God-Realization

Three Qualifications of a Student to succeed in God-Realization

(My notes when I was 21 years old)

Reference do not remember, perhaps Swami Vivekannada)

Three things are necessary for the student who wishes to succeed to realize God.

First: Give up all ideas of enjoyment in this world and the next. Care only for God and Truth. We are here to know Truth, not for any enjoyment. Leave that to brutes who enjoy as we never care. Man is a thinking being and must struggle on until he conquers death, until he sees the light. He must not spend himself in vain talking that bears no fruit. Worship of society and popular opinion is idolatory. The soul has no sex, no country, no place, no time.

Second: Intense desire to know Truth and God. Be eager for them, long for them as a drowning man longs for breath. Want only God, take nothing else, let not "seeming" cheat you any longer. Turn from all and seek only God.

Third: The six trainings: 

First: Restraining the mind going outwards.

Second: Restraining the senses

Third: Turning the mind inward.

Fourth: Suffering everything without murmuring.

Fifth: Fastening the mind to one idea.

Sixth: Think constantly of your real nature.

Get rid of superstition. Do not hypnotise yourself into a belief in your own inferiority. Day and night, tell yourself what you really are, until you realise, actually realise, your oneness with God.

A New Humanity - Daaji

 

A New Humanity - Daaji
Sunday, January 28, 2024, Kanha Shanti Vanam

Namaste everyone.

We are to embark on a new, a great celebration that will trigger a reinforcement of what our Hierarchies have been dreaming of—a new humanity. One cannot remain jailed in this human form. Transcend, become humane; then you already know the next step, which is Their responsibility, to become divine. Further, they promise from Divinity to Absolute. This is the journey of Sahaj Marg, our Heartfulness Way.

Babuji says: in order to prepare ourselves for that, all sincere seekers of Divinity, those who are really keen on transforming themselves, may become joyful, blissful carriers of spirituality and participate more intensely. We begin with this: he says, insist with those abhyasis who are sincere and seeking to transform themselves as best as possible, without exerting too much, take a few individual face-to-face sittings with preceptors before the bhandara, starting today. One sitting today, two sittings tomorrow, and it goes on, even if you take sittings during the bhandara. Meditate, take more sittings, but don’t exert yourself to the point of exhaustion. One or two sittings a day is enough, half an hour only.   Before you do this exercise, try to study your inner spiritual state and your emotional state. Babuji also conveys: hang your miseries, your pain, on his shoulders. He says, I’m willing to take all your pains and miseries. Give them to me. Free yourself from all that. How will you do that? Is it as easy as saying, “Babuji, have these problems of mine?” Yes it is. Try it and see what happens.   I’m mesmerized by this message. That is Their generosity and that is Their promise, also. Thank you.

Inventure and Imperience

 

Inventure and Imperience

There are now two new beautiful additions to the Spiritual literature of the world and vocabulary, that more pointedly indicate all about spirituality - Inventure and Imperience. 

Spirituality is all about inner adventure which is now called Inventure, the word coined by Revered Master Kamlesh D Patel (known affectionately as Daaji), the Global Guide of Heartfulness Meditation. 

Spirituality is also all about the inner experience, that is now termed as Imperience again coined by a great philosopher and advanced Preceptor of Heartfulness Meditation. 

Adventure is so called, (generally means the external journey), because it is a journey taken up boldly to discover something we know not what; prepared or geared up to face any challenge that can happen on the way; the results can be thrilling and revealing; even the right goal is discovered as one moves on. Inventure is also exactly like that except that the journey is within the inner recesses of our mind and heart. There is a bottomless-pit within each one of us, full of challenges. The ONLY difference if at all is there is that there can be someone who invisibly facilitates this journey called Yatra; and this invisible help is called Guru. 

Spiritual imperiences are infinite and indicators of our movement, revelations and expansion of consciousness and thus result in the real spiritual evolution of the individual.