印度教的共同基础
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印度教的共同基础
辨喜抵达拉合尔时，雅利安社（Arya Samaj）与永恒法学会（Sanatana Dharma Sabha）的领袖们共同为他举行了盛大的欢迎仪式。在拉合尔短暂停留期间，辨喜发表了三场演讲。第一场讲题为"印度教的共同基础"，第二场讲题为"虔信（Bhakti）"，第三场是那著名的"吠檀多（Vedanta）"演讲。第一场演讲时，他如此说道：
这片土地，被视为神圣的雅利安国度（Aryavarta）中最为圣洁之所；这便是我们伟大的摩奴（Manu）所述及的梵行地（Brahmavarta）。正是这片土地，激起了那股对灵性的宏大渴望——啊，历史已然表明，这渴望将在未来的岁月中洪流般漫卷世界。正是这片土地，犹如其奔涌的大河一般，灵性的渴望在此汇聚磅礴，穿越世界的广度，以雷鸣般的声音宣示自身。正是这片土地，首当其冲地承受了一切侵入印度之异族的冲击；这英雄的土地，首先将自己的胸膛袒露于每一次外族野蛮人对雅利安国度的入侵之前。正是这片土地，历经诸多苦难，至今仍未完全失去其荣光与力量。正是在这里，近世温柔的那纳克（Nanak）传播了他对世界奇异的爱。正是在这里，他那宽广的胸怀向外敞开，双臂伸展，拥抱整个世界，不仅是印度教徒，更包括穆斯林。正是在这里，我们民族最后的、最为光辉的英雄之一——古鲁·戈宾德·辛格（Guru Govinda Singh）——为宗教的事业洒下了自己与至亲至爱者的热血，即便被那些他为之流血的人所遗弃，仍然退向南方，以受伤雄狮之姿，悄然含冤而逝，口中没有一句怨怼祖国之语，没有一声怨言。
在这片古老的土地上，五河之地的儿女们，我站在您们面前，不是以导师（Guru）的身份——因为我所懂得可以传授的实在太少——而是以一个从东方来此，与西方兄弟交换致意之词、互相印证见解的人的身份。我在此不是为了找出我们之间的分歧，而是为了发现我们的共识之处。我在此竭力理解，我们在什么基础上可以永远保持兄弟情谊，在什么根基上那从永恒起便已发出的声音可以愈来愈强大。我在此竭力向您们提出建设性的工作，而非破坏性的。批评的时代已经过去，我们在等待建设性的工作。世界有时需要批评，甚至是激烈的批评；但那不过是一时之需，而永恒的工作是进步与建设，而非批评与破坏。在过去的百余年间，这片土地上涌现了大量的批评声浪，西方科学的全力冲击被施加于所有的阴暗角落，其结果是，这些角落和裂缝变得比其他任何东西都更加突出。这自然而然地在这片土地上激起了一大批卓越的思想者，他们伟大而光辉，心怀对真理与正义的热爱，对祖国的深情，以及最重要的——对宗教和神的炽烈热爱；正因这些伟大灵魂感受如此深刻、爱得如此深沉，他们才对一切自认为错误之事加以批评。荣耀归于这些过去的伟大灵魂！他们已然成就了许多善事；但当今时代的声音正向我们传来，它说："够了！"批评已经足够，找毛病已经足够，重建与构造的时代已经到来；聚集我们散落的力量，将其凝聚于一点，并以此引领这个民族踏上向前的征程——这个民族几乎已经停滞了数百年——这一时代已经到来。房子已被清扫干净，让它重新住人。道路已经开辟。雅利安人的子孙们，前进吧！
诸位，这便是驱使我来到您们面前的动力，在开篇我便可以向您们声明，我不属于任何党派，也不属于任何教派。在我眼中，它们都是伟大而光辉的，我爱它们一切，我毕生都在尝试发现其中的善与真。因此，我今晚的计划是向您们呈示我们所认同的要点，竭力发现一处我们可以达成一致的基础；若蒙主恩典，这样的状态成为可能，就让我们接受它，将其从理论付诸实践。我们是印度教徒。我对"印度教徒（Hindu）"这个词的使用，绝无任何贬义，我也不赞同那些认为这个词带有贬义的人。在古代，它不过意味着居住在印度河（Indus）彼岸的人们；时至今日，恨我们的人或许对它赋予了恶意的诠释，但名称不过如此。关键在于我们自身——"印度教徒"这个名称究竟代表一切光辉、一切灵性，还是仅仅停留为一个含有耻辱意味的词，意指受压迫者、无用者、异教徒。若这个词当下有任何不好的意思，无所谓；让我们以行动来证明，这是任何语言所能创造的最高贵的词汇。不以祖先为耻，这一直是我的人生原则之一。我是有史以来最为自豪的人之一，但让我坦率地告诉您们，我的自豪不是为了我自己，而是因为我的先祖。我对过去研究越深，回望越久，这种自豪感便愈发增强，它赋予了我信念的力量与勇气，将我从尘土中托举起来，使我致力于实现那些伟大先祖们所规划的宏伟蓝图。雅利安古人的子孙们，愿蒙主恩典，您们也拥有同样的自豪，愿对先祖的信念流淌进您们的血液，愿它成为您们生命不可分割的一部分，愿它为世界的救赎而发挥作用！
在竭力找出我们所有人认同的确切共识——我们民族生命共同基础——之前，有一件事我们必须记住。正如每个人都有其个体性，每个民族也有其民族个体性。正如一个人在某些特征与个性上有别于他人，一个民族也在某些独特的特征上有别于其他民族；正如每个人的使命都是在自然的经济体系中完成某一特定目的，正如他的特定人生轨道由其过去的业力（Karma）所决定，民族亦是如此——每个民族都有其须要履行的命运，每个民族都有其须要传达的信息，每个民族都有其须要完成的使命。因此，从一开始，我们就必须了解我们自己种族的使命，它须要履行的命运，它在民族行进中须要占据的位置，以及它须要为民族和声所贡献的音符。在我们国内，孩子们自幼便听说一些故事，说某些蛇头上藏有宝石，无论对蛇做什么，只要宝石还在，蛇就不会死。我们听说巨人和妖怪的灵魂寄存于某些小鸟身上的故事，只要那只鸟安然无恙，世上就没有任何力量能杀死这些巨人；尽管可以将他们砍得粉碎，或对他们做任何事，这些巨人都无法死去。民族也是如此，有某一关键之点是一个民族生命的中心，民族性之所在，只要那一点未被触动，这个民族就不会消亡。借此，我们便可以理解世界历史上从未出现过的最奇妙的现象。一波又一波的野蛮征服滚过了这片我们钟爱的土地。"安拉胡阿克巴尔！"的呼声响彻云霄达数百年之久，没有任何一个印度教徒知道自己的末日何时到来。这是世界所有历史名地中遭受苦难最深、被征服次数最多的土地。然而我们作为一个民族，实际上依旧如故，随时准备再次面对种种困难；不仅如此，近年来有迹象表明，我们不仅依然强健，而且已准备好走向世界，因为生命的标志是扩展。
我们今日发现，我们的思想与观念已不再囿于印度的边界，无论我们愿意与否，它们都在向外传播，渗入各民族的文献，在各民族中占有一席之地，在某些地方甚至取得了举足轻重的主导地位。这背后的解释是，印度对世界进步总量所作出的巨大贡献，是人类心灵所能涉及的最伟大、最崇高、最壮美的主题——那便是哲学与灵性。我们的先祖曾尝试过许多其他的事情；和其他民族一样，他们最初也致力于揭示外在自然的奥秘，正如我们所知，凭借他们那非凡的智慧，这个奇妙的民族本可在那一领域创造出让世界永远引以为傲的奇迹。但他们放弃了，转向了更高的事物；从吠陀（Vedas）的篇章中，更高的声音响起："能使我们认识那永恒不变者的学问，才是最伟大的学问！"自然之学，变幻无常、转瞬即逝，是死亡、苦难与悲痛的世界，固然伟大，确实伟大；但对于那永恒不变者的学问——唯有那慈祥者，才有和平，才有永恒的生命，才有完美，才有一切苦难的终止——我们的先祖认为，那才是一切学问中最崇高的。毕竟，那些只能给我们带来食物与衣物、赋予我们统治同类之权力的学问，那些只能教我们如何征服同类、统治他们的学问，教强者欺压弱者的学问——他们若有意为之，本可以发现这些。但赞美主，他们立刻抓住了另一面，那一面更为壮丽，无比崇高，无比令人心旷神怡，直至它成为民族的特质，直至它作为父子相传的遗产流传数千年，直至它成为我们不可分割的一部分，直至它渗透在流淌于我们血脉中的每一滴血里，直至它成为我们的第二天性，直至宗教与印度教徒的名字合为一体。这便是民族的特质，这一点无可触犯。携带刀兵与战火的野蛮人，带来野蛮宗教的野蛮人，没有任何一个能够触动这核心，没有任何一个能够触动那"宝石"，没有任何一个有力量杀死那寄居着这个民族灵魂的"小鸟"。因此，这便是这个民族的生命力之所在，只要它长存，天下就没有任何力量能消灭这个民族。世界上所有的折磨与苦难都将从我们身上滑过而不留痕迹，我们将如那羯罗陀（Prahlada）一般，从火焰中走出，只要我们坚守这我们所有遗产中最伟大的一项——灵性。若一个印度教徒没有灵性，我就不称他为印度教徒。在其他国家，一个人或许首先是政治的，然后才有少许宗教；但在印度这里，我们人生首要、最紧迫的责任，是首先成为灵性的人，然后若有时间，再让其他事情顺其自然。牢记这一点，我们将更好地理解，为何在当今时代，为了我们的民族福祉，我们首先必须寻求这个民族所有的灵性力量，正如昔日所做、未来也将永远如此。印度的民族团结必须是聚合其分散的灵性力量。印度的一个民族必须是那些心跳着相同灵性节拍之人的联合。
这片土地上历来不乏各种教派。如今有足够多的教派，未来也将有足够多的教派，因为我们宗教的特质在于：在抽象原理上给予了如此宽广的余地，以至于尽管此后在细节上发展出许许多多，所有这些细节都是对那些如头顶上的苍穹般广阔、如自然本身般永恒的原理的阐发。因此，教派作为一个必然的结果，必定会存在于此，但不必然存在的，是门派之争。教派必须存在，但门派主义无须存在。世界不会因门派主义而变得更好，但世界若没有教派也无法运转。一群人无法做所有的事。世界上那几近无穷的能量，无法由少数人来掌管。由此我们立刻看到，迫使我们走上这种分工之路的必然性——划分为不同的教派。为了灵性力量的运用，让教派存在吧；但当我们最古老的典籍明确宣告，这种差异不过是表象，尽管存在一切分歧，其间仍有一根和谐的丝线——那美丽的统一——贯穿其中，那我们还有必要彼此争斗吗？我们最古老的典籍已然宣告：
एकं सव्दिप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति । ——"存在者唯一，智者以不同的名称称之。"
因此，若在印度这片历来尊重所有教派的土地上，存在这些教派之间的门户之争，存在不同教派之间的斗争，存在嫉妒与仇恨，这便是我们这些敢于自称那些先辈之后裔者的耻辱。
有某些伟大的原理，我认为，无论是毗湿奴派（Vaishnavas）、湿婆派（Shaivas）、萨克提派（Shaktas）还是象神派（Ganapatyas），无论是属于古老的吠檀多学派还是近现代的学派，无论是属于古老保守的教派还是近现代的改革教派，我们都是合一的，任何自称印度教徒者都相信这些原理。当然，在这些原理的诠释与阐释上存在差异，这种差异理应如此，也理应被允许，因为我们的标准并非将每个人都限定在我们自己的立场上。强迫每一个人按照我们自己对事物的诠释来付诸行动、按照我们自己的方式生活，那将是一种罪过。在座者或许都会在第一点上达成一致：我们相信吠陀（Vedas）是宗教奥秘的永恒教导。我们所有人都相信，这部圣典无始无终，与同样无始无终的自然共存；我们所有的宗教分歧，我们所有的宗教争论，当我们立于这部圣典面前时都必须终止；我们都同意，这是我们所有灵性分歧的最终申诉法庭。我们对于吠陀是什么，或许持有不同的看法。或许有某一教派认为某一部分比另一部分更为神圣，但这无关紧要，只要我们都说：我们都是吠陀中的兄弟，这些可敬的、永恒的、奇妙的典籍，是我们今日所拥有的一切善、圣、纯的源泉。那么，如果我们都相信这一切，就让这一原理首先在这片土地的每个角落广泛传扬。若此为真，就让吠陀获得它始终值得的、我们都相信的那种崇高地位。首先，便是吠陀。我们所有人都相信的第二点是神，整个宇宙的创造者与维系者，宇宙周期性地复归于神，并在其他时期再度投射出来，显现出我们称之为宇宙的这一无限景象。我们对神的观念或许各有不同。有人可能相信一位完全人格化的神，另一人可能相信一位有人格却非人类的神，还有人可能相信一位完全无人格的神，而所有这些都可以从吠陀中得到支持。但我们终究都是信神者；也就是说，那些不相信一切由此而来、万物于其中存在、万物最终都必归于的最奇妙的无限力量的人，不能被称为印度教徒。若果真如此，就让我们竭力在这片土地上到处传扬这一理念。传扬您所拥有的任何关于神的观念，这无关紧要，我们不会为此争论，但要传扬神；这便是我们所需要的一切。一种观念或许优于另一种，但请记住，没有一种是坏的。一种是好的，另一种是更好的，再一种也许是最好的，但"坏"这个字在我们宗教的范畴中没有立足之地。因此，愿主赐福所有那些以任何他们喜欢的形式传扬神之名的人！传扬得越多，对这个民族越有益。让我们的孩子在这种理念中成长，让这种理念进入最贫穷、最卑微的家庭，也进入最富有、最高贵的家庭——神之名的理念。
我要在您们面前呈示的第三个理念是：与世界上所有其他种族不同，我们不相信这个世界仅仅是在若干千年前被创造的，并将在某一特定的日期被永远毁灭。我们也不相信人类的灵魂是随同这个宇宙凭空被创造出来的。这是我认为我们所有人都能达成一致的另一点。我们相信自然界无始无终；只是在特定的时期，外部宇宙的这些粗糙物质会回归其更精微的状态，如此保持一段时间，再次向外投射，显现出我们称之为自然的这一无限全景。这种波浪般的运动，甚至在时间开始之前就已经运行，贯穿永恒，并将持续无限长的时间。
其次，所有印度教徒都相信，人不仅仅是一具粗糙的物质躯体；不仅仅是在这之中有一个更精微的躯体——心灵——还有某种更伟大的东西——因为躯体会变化，心灵也会变化——有某种超越，那便是人的真我（Atman）——我无法将这个词翻译给您们，任何翻译都会有失偏颇——即便超越了这个精微之体，还有某种东西，那便是人的真我（Atman），它无始无终，不知何为死亡。然后是这一特别的理念，有别于其他所有人类种族——这个真我（Atman）居住于一个又一个身体之中，直到不再有兴趣继续如此，便获得解脱（Moksha），不再轮回（Samsara）转生，这便是我们的经典（Shastras）所宣扬的轮回（Samsara）理论与永恒灵魂的理论。这是我们所有人都同意的另一点，无论我们属于哪个教派。在灵魂与神的关系上，或许存在差异。根据一个教派，灵魂可能与神永远有别；根据另一个教派，它可能是那无限之火的一粒火花；再根据其他教派，它可能与那无限者合一。我们对于此的诠释是什么并不重要，只要我们坚守一个基本信念——灵魂是无限的，这个灵魂从未被创造，因此永远不会死亡，它必须经历并进化入各种身体，直至在人类的身体中达至完善——在这一点上，我们是一致的。然后是那最具区分性、最为壮丽，也是在灵性领域有史以来最为奇妙的发现。在座中，或许有些人曾研究过西方的思想，已经注意到还有另一个根本的差异，将一切西方事物与一切东方事物一刀截然分开。正是这一点：我们所持有的——无论我们是萨克提派（Shaktas）、太阳崇拜者（Sauras）还是毗湿奴派（Vaishnavas），甚至无论我们是佛陀（Buddha）的追随者还是耆那教徒（Jainas）——我们在印度都持有这样的信念：灵魂就其本性而言是纯净而完美的，在力量上无限，在本质上至福。只是，根据二元论者（dualist）的观点，灵魂这种天然的至福因过去的恶业而有所收缩，通过神的恩典它将再次展开并展示其完美；而根据一元论者（monist）的观点，即便是收缩这一观念也是部分的错误，是摩耶（Maya）的帷幔使我们以为灵魂已失去其力量，但那力量其实是完全显现的。无论差异如何，我们都到达了核心之处，而在那里，立刻呈现出东西方之间无法调和的根本差异。东方人向内凝视，寻求一切伟大与善美的事物。当我们礼拜时，我们闭上双眼，试图在内心寻找神。西方人则向外抬眼，仰望外在的神。对西方人来说，他们的宗教典籍是受到神启示的（inspired），而对我们而言，我们的典籍是呼出的（expired）；它们如同呼吸，来自神，从先知们的心中涌现，他们是真言观者（Mantra-drashtâs）。
这是一个需要深刻理解的重要之点，我的朋友们，我的兄弟们，让我告诉您们，这是我们未来必须坚持的一个要点。因为我深信，请您们理解这一事实——从一个日夜认为自己什么都不是的人身上，不会产生任何善果。若一个人日夜认为自己可悲、低微、一无是处，他便将成为一无是处之人。若您说"是的，是的，'我是，我是'"，您就将如此成为；而若您说"我不是"，认为自己什么都不是，日夜冥想自己什么都不是这一事实，啊，您将什么都不是。这是您们应当记住的伟大事实。我们是全能者的子女，我们是那无限神圣之火的火花。我们怎么可能是一无是处呢？我们是一切，随时准备做一切，能够做一切，人必须做一切。这种对自身的信念存在于我们先祖的心中，这种对自身的信念是推动他们在文明的进程中不断向前迈进的动力；而若曾有退化、若曾有缺陷，请留意我的话，您们将发现那退化正是从我们的人民失去这种对自身信念的那一天开始的。失去对自身的信念，意味着失去对神的信念。您们是否相信那无限的、善良的天命在您们之中并通过您们发挥作用？若您们相信这无所不在者，那内在之主（Antaryamin），存在于每一个原子中，如梵文所说，彻头彻尾（Ota-prota），贯穿您们的身、心与灵，您们怎能灰心丧气？我或许是一个小水泡，而您或许是高山般的巨浪。无所谓！那无限的海洋，是我的背景，也是您的背景。那无限的生命、力量与灵性的海洋，同样是我的，也是您的。我已经合一——从我出生之时，从我生命的本质——我便与那无限的生命、无限的善意和无限的力量处于瑜伽（Yoga）的合一之中，如同您一样，尽管您或许如高山般巍峨。因此，我的兄弟们，将这拯救生命的、伟大的、崇高的、壮丽的道理传授给您们的孩子，甚至从他们出生之时便开始。您不必教他们不二论（Advaitism）；教他们二元论（Dvaitism），或任何您喜欢的"论"，但我们已经看到，这是贯穿整个印度的共同之"论"；这关于灵魂的奇妙学说，关于灵魂的完美性，是所有教派所共同信持的。正如我们伟大的哲学家迦毗罗（Kapila）所言，若纯净不是灵魂的本性，它就永远无法在事后获得纯净，因为任何天生不完美的东西，即便获得了完美，那完美也会再次消逝。若不纯净是人的本性，那么即便人在五分钟内变得纯净，他终究还是要保持不纯净的。迟早，这种纯净会消散、退去，旧有的天然不纯净将再度肆虐。因此，我们所有的哲学家都说，善是我们的本性，完美是我们的本性，而非不完美、非不纯净——我们应当记住这一点。请记住那位伟大圣者的美丽榜样：在临终之际，他嘱咐自己的心去回忆他所有的伟大事业和伟大思想。在那里，您不会发现他在教自己的心去回忆自己所有的软弱与愚蠢。愚蠢是有的，软弱必然存在，但请始终记住您的真实本性——那是治愈软弱的唯一方法，那是治愈愚蠢的唯一方法。
看来，这数个要点是印度所有各种宗教教派的共同之处，或许在未来，在这共同的平台上，保守的与自由的宗教人士，旧式的与新式的，可以携手共进。最重要的是，还有另一件需要记住的事，令我遗憾的是，我们不时忘记它——在印度，宗教意味着亲证（realisation），除此之外别无其他。"相信某种教义，您便得救"——这一说法永远无法在我们之中传授，因为我们不相信这一点。您是什么，取决于您自身。您是，凭借神的恩典与您自己的努力，成为您现在的样子。单纯地相信某些理论与教义，并不能给您带来太多帮助。从印度灵性天空中发出的那威力无比的词语，是"亲证（Anubhuti）"——实证，而我们的典籍是唯一一再声明的："主是可以被见到的"。确实是大胆、勇敢之语，但与其核心一样真实；每一个音节，每一次振动，都是真实的。宗教是需要去亲证的，而非仅仅聆听；它不是像鹦鹉一样学说某种教义。也不是单纯的理智认同——那什么都不是；而是必须进入我们自身之内。啊，因此，我们有神存在的最大证明，不是因为我们的理性这样说，而是因为神已被古人以及今人所见到。我们相信灵魂，不仅仅因为有充分的理由证明其存在，更因为在过去的印度，有数以千计的人，如今仍有许多人已经亲证，未来也将有数以千计的人亲证并见到他们自己的灵魂。人若不能见到神、体证到自己的灵魂，便无从解脱。因此，最重要的是，让我们理解这一点，我们对它理解得越深，印度的门派主义就会越少，因为唯有已经亲证神、见到神的那个人才是宗教意义上的人。在他身上，绳结已被斩断，在他身上唯一，疑惑已然平息；唯有他，见到了那至近者与至远者，从行为的果报中获得了自由。啊，我们往往将口舌之争误作宗教真理，将智识上的长篇大论误作伟大的灵性亲证，继而便产生了门派主义，继而便产生了争斗。若我们一旦理解，这亲证才是唯一的宗教，我们便会审视自己的内心，发现自己距离亲证宗教真理究竟有多遥远。然后我们便会理解，我们自己也是在黑暗中摸索，并在领引他人走入同样的黑暗；那时我们便会停止门派主义、争吵与斗争。问那个想要挑起门派之争的人："您见到了神吗？您见到了真我（Atman）吗？若您没有，您有什么资格传扬祂的名——您在黑暗中行走，却试图领我进入同样的黑暗——盲者领引盲者，两者都跌入深坑？"
因此，在您去批评他人之前，请多加思量。让他们沿着各自的道路去追寻亲证，只要他们在自己心中竭力寻见真理；而当那宽广、赤裸的真理将被见到时，他们便会发现那奇妙的至福——奇妙的是，印度每一位先知，每一位亲证过真理的人，皆为其作证。那时，从那颗心中流出的，将唯有爱的言语，因为它已被祂所触动——那爱本身的精华。到那时，也唯有到那时，所有门派之争才将止息，我们才能处于理解的位置，才能将那"印度教徒"这个词与每一个持有这名称的人，带入我们的心中，加以拥抱，热烈地爱戴。请留意，到那时，也唯有到那时，当"印度教徒"这个名称令您浑身如受电击般涌动起力量时，您才是一个真正的印度教徒。到那时，也唯有到那时，当无论来自哪个国家、操我们的语言或任何其他语言、持有这名称的每一个人，立刻成为您最亲近、最亲爱之人时，您才是一个真正的印度教徒。到那时，也唯有到那时，当任何持有这名称的人的困苦进入您的心中，令您感受如同您自己的孩子在受苦一般，您才是一个真正的印度教徒。到那时，也唯有到那时，当您愿意为他们承受一切之时，就像我在这篇讲演开头所引用的那个伟大榜样——您们伟大的古鲁·戈宾德·辛格（Guru Govind Singh）——那样，您才是一个真正的印度教徒。被驱逐出这片土地，为抵抗其压迫者而战，为捍卫印度教宗教而洒下自己的热血，眼见自己的孩子倒在战场上——啊，这位伟大的古鲁的榜样，被那些他曾为之洒血的人所遗弃，他那受伤的雄狮，平静地从战场退往南方，含冤而逝，但他的唇间没有一句诅咒逃出，以责怪那些忘恩负义地抛弃了他的人！请留意，你们每一个人都将不得不成为一个戈宾德·辛格，若您们想要为您们的国家有所贡献。您们或许会看到您们同胞身上千百个缺点，但请留意他们那印度教徒的血脉。他们是您们须要礼拜的第一批神明，即便他们对您们做了一切伤害之事，即便他们每一个人都向您们发出诅咒，您们也要向他们送去爱的言语。若他们驱逐您们，就像那头强大的雄狮戈宾德·辛格一样，在沉默中退隐，含冤而逝。这样的人才配称为印度教徒；这样的理想应该永远摆在我们面前。让我们将一切斧钺都埋葬；将这股宏大的爱的洪流向四面八方散发出去。
让他们随心所欲地谈论印度的复兴吧。让我以一个毕生从事工作——至少是尽力从事工作——之人的身份告诉您们：若您们不具备灵性，印度就不会有任何复兴。不仅如此，整个世界的福祉也依赖于此。因为我必须坦率地告诉您们，西方文明的根基已经被动摇至其根基之处。那最为宏伟的建筑，若建于物质主义那松软的沙土根基之上，终有一日必将崩溃，终将倾倒覆灭。世界的历史是我们的见证。一个又一个民族兴起，并将其伟大建立于物质主义之上，宣称人不过是物质。啊，在西方的语言中，一个人"放弃了灵魂（gives up the ghost）"，但在我们的语言中，一个人"放弃了身体"。西方人首先是一具身体，然后才有一个灵魂；而对我们来说，一个人首先是灵魂与精神，他拥有一具身体。两者之间，存在着天壤之别的世界。因此，所有那些建立于物质舒适等沙土根基之上的文明，都已经一个接一个地从世界上消失，在短暂的存续之后无迹可寻；但印度的文明，以及那些曾坐在印度脚边倾听学习的民族——日本与中国的文明——至今仍然存续，甚至显示出复兴的迹象。它们的生命如同凤凰，被摧毁了千次，却随时准备更为辉煌地涅槃（Nirvana）般再生。但一种物质主义的文明一旦崩塌，就再也无法重新崛起；那幢建筑一旦倒塌，便永久地碎裂成片。因此，请有耐心，请等待，未来正为我们储备着。
不要急躁，不要去模仿任何其他人。这是我们须要记住的另一重要教训；模仿不是文明。我或许将自己装扮成一位王公的样子，但这能使我成为王公吗？狮皮下的驴子，永远成不了雄狮。懦弱的模仿，永远不能带来进步。它实在是一个人极度堕落的标志。啊，当一个人开始憎恨自己时，最后的打击便降临了。当一个人开始为自己的先祖感到羞耻时，终点便到来了。我在这里，是印度教这个民族中最微不足道的一员，然而为我的民族、为我的先祖感到自豪。我为自称印度教徒感到自豪，我为自己是您们不肖的仆人而自豪。我为自己是您们的同胞而自豪——您们，那些圣者（Rishis）的后裔，您们，那些世界上所见过的最为光辉的仙人（Rishis）的后裔。因此，请对您们自身怀有信心，请为您们的先祖感到自豪，而不是为之羞耻。不要模仿，不要模仿！每当您处于他人的控制之下，您便失去了自己的独立性。若您即便是在灵性的事务上，也在他人的指令下行事，您便会慢慢失去一切能力，甚至是思考的能力。通过您自己的努力，将您所拥有的东西显现出来，但不要模仿，尽管要从他人那里学取精华。我们必须向他人学习。您将种子埋入土中，给予它大量的泥土、空气与水分以供滋养；当种子长成植株、长成参天大树时，它变成了泥土吗？它变成了空气吗？它变成了水吗？它成为了那棵强壮的植株、那棵参天大树，遵循其自身的本性，吸收了给予它的一切。让这成为您们的立场。我们确实有许多东西要向他人学习，是的，那个拒绝学习的人已经死了。我们的摩奴（Manu）宣告：
आददीत परां विद्यां प्रयत्नादवरादपि। अन्त्यादपि परं धर्म स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि।
——"即便从出身低微者处，也要通过服侍而勤勉地学习最高的知识；即便从末等人（Chandala）处，也要通过服侍他来学习解脱之道；即便家世低微，也要取其中的美德之女为妻。"从他人处学习一切善美之物，但将它纳入您自身，并以您自己的方式加以消化；不要变成他人。不要被拽离这印度的生命之流；不要有哪怕片刻的念头，认为若所有印度人都着装、饮食、行为举止都像另一个民族，对印度会更好。您们知道放弃哪怕几年的习惯有多难。主知道有多少千年的历史在您们的血脉中流淌；这个民族独特的专化生命已经以一种方式流淌，主知道已经流淌了多少千年；您们是说，那股几乎已经抵达其海洋的洪流，能够再返回喜马拉雅山的积雪吗？这是不可能的！试图这样做只会将它截断。因此，请为民族的生命洪流让路。移除那些阻碍这条洪流进步道路的障碍，清洁它的通道，疏通河床，它将凭借自身的自然冲力奔涌而出，民族将继续驰骋向前，不断进步。
这些便是我冒昧向您们建议的，在印度从事灵性工作的思路。还有许多其他伟大的问题，由于时间不足，我今晚无法在您们面前一一呈述。例如，有那关于种姓（caste）的奇妙问题。我毕生都在研究这个问题，权衡其利弊；我在印度几乎每一个省份都研究过这个问题。我与几乎每个地方各个种姓的人都有过交往，我在自己心中已困惑不堪，甚至无法把握其意义的大略轮廓。我越努力研究它，就越感到困惑。不过，最终我发现，一线微光正在我面前显现，我开始隐约感受到它的意义了。此外，还有关于饮食的另一重大问题。那确实是一个重大问题，并非我们通常以为的那般无足轻重。我得出的结论是，我们现在对饮食所坚持的那些做法，其实非常奇特，正是与经典（Shastras）所要求的背道而驰的——也就是说，我们因忽视所食所饮之物应有的纯净而自食苦果；我们已经失去了其真正的精神所在。
还有其他几个问题，我想在您们面前提出，并展示这些问题如何可以得到解决，如何付诸实践；但不幸的是，会议直至很晚才得以就序，我不希望再继续占用您们的时间了。因此，我将关于种姓与其他事项的想法留待日后的场合再叙。
现在，还有一句话，然后我将就这些灵性观念作一结语。宗教在印度已经长期处于静止的状态。我们所需要的，是使它变得动态。我希望它进入每个人的生命之中。宗教，就像过去一贯如此，必须进入王者的宫殿，也必须进入这片土地上最贫穷农民的家庭。那属于全体共同遗产的宗教，那属于这个民族普世生来就有之权的宗教，必须被自由地带到每一扇门前。印度的宗教必须像神的空气一样，自由而易于获取。这便是我们须要在印度成就的那种工作，但并非通过建立小教派和在差异的要点上争斗。让我们在我们所有人认同的地方传扬，让那些差异自行得到修正。正如我一再对印度人民所说的那样，若在一个房间里有数百年的黑暗，而我们走进这个房间，开始呼喊："哦，好黑暗啊，好黑暗啊！"，黑暗会消散吗？带进光明，黑暗便会立刻消逝。这便是改变人心的秘诀。向他们提示更高的事物；首先相信人。为何要从人堕落、退化的信念出发呢？我从未在任何情况下对人失去信心，即便是在他们最糟糕的状态下。无论在哪里，只要我对人怀有信心，尽管起初前景不总是光明，但终究会在漫长的岁月中得到证实。请对人怀有信心，无论他在您面前显现为博学之人还是最为无知之人。请对人怀有信心，无论他在您面前显现为天使还是魔鬼本身。首先对人怀有信心，然后在怀有信心之后，相信若他有缺陷，若他犯了错误，若他接受了最粗鄙、最卑劣的教义，请相信这些并非来自他的真实本性，而是来自缺乏更高理想。若一个人趋向虚假，是因为他无法得到真实。因此，纠正虚假的唯一方法，便是向他提供真实。这样做，然后让他自行比较。您给予他真理，您的工作便已完成。让他在自己心中，将它与他已拥有的东西加以比较；请留意我的话，若您真的给予了他真理，虚假必将消逝，光明必将驱散黑暗，真理将带出善美之物。若您想从灵性上改变这个国家，这便是方法；这便是道路，而非争斗，甚至不是告诉人们他们所做的是错误的。将善美之物置于他们面前，看他们是多么热切地接受它，看那从未消逝的神性——那永远活在人性之中的神性——如何被唤醒，伸出双手，渴求一切善美与光辉之物。
愿祂——我们民族的创造者、维系者与守护者，我们先祖的神——无论以毗湿奴（Vishnu）、湿婆（Shiva）、萨克提（Shakti），还是象神（Ganapati）之名被称颂，无论被礼拜为有属性之神（Saguna）还是无属性之神（Nirguna），无论被礼拜为有人格的还是无人格的——愿祂，那被我们的先祖所认识并以如下词语所呼告的神：
एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति । ——"存在者唯一，智者以不同的名称称之"——愿祂以其无比的爱进入我们之中；愿祂将祂的赐福遍洒于我们，愿祂使我们彼此理解，愿祂使我们以真实的爱、以对真理炽烈的爱，为彼此而工作，愿对我们个人名声、个人威望、个人利益哪怕最微小的渴望，都不要进入这一印度灵性复兴的伟大事业之中！
English
THE COMMON BASES OF HINDUISM
On his arrival at Lahore the Swamiji was accorded a grand reception by the leaders, both of the Ârya Samâj and of the Sanâtana Dharma Sabhâ. During his brief stay in Lahore, Swamiji delivered three lectures. The first of these was on "The Common Bases of Hinduism", the second on "Bhakti", and the third one was the famous lecture on "The Vedanta". On the first Occasion he spoke as follows:
This is the land which is held to be the holiest even in holy Âryâvarta; this is the Brahmâvarta of which our great Manu speaks. This is the land from whence arose that mighty aspiration after the Spirit, ay, which in times to come, as history shows, is to deluge the world. This is the land where, like its mighty rivers, spiritual aspirations have arisen and joined their strength, till they travelled over the length and breadth of the world and declared themselves with a voice of thunder. This is the land which had first to bear the brunt of all inroads and invasions into India; this heroic land had first to bare its bosom to every onslaught of the outer barbarians into Aryavarta. This is the land which, after all its sufferings, has not yet entirely lost its glory and its strength. Here it was that in later times the gentle Nânak preached his marvellous love for the world. Here it was that his broad heart was opened and his arms outstretched to embrace the whole world, not only of Hindus, but of Mohammedans too. Here it was that one of the last and one of the most glorious heroes of our race, Guru Govinda Singh, after shedding his blood and that of his dearest and nearest for the cause of religion, even when deserted by those for whom this blood was shed, retired into the South to die like a wounded lion struck to the heart, without a word against his country, without a single word of murmur.
Here, in this ancient land of ours, children of the land of five rivers, I stand before you, not as a teacher, for I know very little to teach, but as one who has come from the east to exchange words of greeting with the brothers of the west, to compare notes. Here am I, not to find out differences that exist among us, but to find where we agree. Here am I trying to understand on what ground we may always remain brothers, upon what foundations the voice that has spoken from eternity may become stronger and stronger as it grows. Here am I trying to propose to you something of constructive work and not destructive. For criticism the days are past, and we are waiting for constructive work. The world needs, at times, criticisms even fierce ones; but that is only for a time, and the work for eternity is progress and construction, and not criticism and destruction. For the last hundred years or so, there has been a flood of criticism all over this land of ours, where the full play of Western science has been let loose upon all the dark spots, and as a result the corners and the holes have become much more prominent than anything else. Naturally enough there arose mighty intellects all over the land, great and glorious, with the love of truth and justice in their hearts, with the love of their country, and above all, an intense love for their religion and their God; and because these mighty souls felt so deeply, because they loved so deeply, they criticised everything they thought was wrong. Glory unto these mighty spirits of the past! They have done so much good; but the voice of the present day is coming to us, telling, "Enough!" There has been enough of criticism, there has been enough of fault-finding, the time has come for the rebuilding, the reconstructing; the time has come for us to gather all our scattered forces, to concentrate them into one focus, and through that, to lead the nation on its onward march, which for centuries almost has been stopped. The house has been cleansed; let it be inhabited anew. The road has been cleared. March children of the Aryans!
Gentlemen, this is the motive that brings me before you, and at the start I may declare to you that I belong to no party and no sect. They are all great and glorious to me, I love them all, and all my life I have been attempting to find what is good and true in them. Therefore, it is my proposal tonight to bring before you points where we are agreed, to find out, if we can, a ground of agreement; and if through the grace of the Lord such a state of things be possible, let us take it up, and from theory carry it out into practice. We are Hindus. I do not use the word Hindu in any bad sense at all, nor do I agree with those that think there is any bad meaning in it. In old times, it simply meant people who lived on the other side of the Indus; today a good many among those who hate us may have put a bad interpretation upon it, but names are nothing. Upon us depends whether the name Hindu will stand for everything that is glorious, everything that is spiritual, or whether it will remain a name of opprobrium, one designating the downtrodden, the worthless, the heathen. If at present the word Hindu means anything bad, never mind; by our action let us be ready to show that this is the highest word that any language can invent. It has been one of the principles of my life not to be ashamed of my own ancestors. I am one of the proudest men ever born, but let me tell you frankly, it is not for myself, but on account of my ancestry. The more I have studied the past, the more I have looked back, more and more has this pride come to me, and it has given me the strength and courage of conviction, raised me up from the dust of the earth, and set me working out that great plan laid out by those great ancestors of ours. Children of those ancient Aryans, through the grace of the Lord may you have the same pride, may that faith in your ancestors come into your blood, may it become a part and parcel of your lives, may it work towards the salvation of the world!
Before trying to find out the precise point where we are all agreed, the common ground of our national life, one thing we must remember. Just as there is an individuality in every man, so there is a national individuality. As one man differs from another in certain particulars, in certain characteristics of his own, so one race differs from another in certain peculiar characteristics; and just as it is the mission of every man to fulfil a certain purpose in the economy of nature, just as there is a particular line set out for him by his own past Karma, so it is with nations — each nation has a destiny to fulfil, each nation has a message to deliver, each nation has a mission to accomplish. Therefore, from the very start, we must have to understand the mission of our own race, the destiny it has to fulfil, the place it has to occupy in the march of nations, the note which it has to contribute to the harmony of races. In our country, when children, we hear stories how some serpents have jewels in their heads, and whatever one may do with the serpent, so long as the jewel is there, the serpent cannot be killed. We hear stories of giants and ogres who had souls living in certain little birds, and so long as the bird was safe, there was no power on earth to kill these giants; you might hack them to pieces, or do what you liked to them, the giants could not die. So with nations, there is a certain point where the life of a nation centres, where lies the nationality of the nation, and until that is touched, the nation cannot die. In the light of this we can understand the most marvellous phenomenon that the history of the world has ever known. Wave after wave of Barbarian conquest has rolled over this devoted land of ours. "Allah Ho Akbar!" has rent the skies for hundreds of years, and no Hindu knew what moment would be his last. This is the most suffering and the most subjugated of all the historic lands of the world. Yet we still stand practically the same race, ready to face difficulties again and again if necessary; and not only so, of late there have been signs that we are not only strong, but ready to go out, for the sign of life is expansion.
We find today that our ideas and thoughts are no more cooped up within the bounds of India, but whether we will it or not, they are marching outside, filtering into the literature of nations, taking their place among nations, and in some, even getting a commanding dictatorial position. Behind this we find the explanation that the great contribution to the sum total of the world's progress from India is the greatest, the noblest, the sublimest theme that can occupy the mind of man — it is philosophy and spirituality. Our ancestors tried many other things; they, like other nations, first went to bring out the secrets of external nature as we all know, and with their gigantic brains that marvellous race could have done miracles in that line of which the world could have been proud for ever. But they gave it up for something higher; something better rings out from the pages of the Vedas: "That science is the greatest which makes us know Him who never changes!" The science of nature, changeful, evanescent, the world of death, of woe, of misery, may be great, great indeed; but the science of Him who changes not, the Blissful One, where alone is peace, where alone is life eternal, where alone is perfection, where alone all misery ceases — that, according to our ancestors, was the sublimest science of all. After all, sciences that can give us only bread and clothes and power over our fellowmen, sciences that can teach us only how to conquer our fellow-beings, to rule over them, which teach the strong to domineer over the weak — those they could have discovered if they willed. But praise be unto the Lord, they caught at once the other side, which was grander, infinitely higher, infinitely more blissful, till it has become the national characteristic, till it has come down to us, inherited from father to son for thousands of years, till it has become a part and parcel of us, till it tingles in every drop of blood that runs through our veins, till it has become our second nature, till the name of religion and Hindu have become one. This is the national characteristic, and this cannot be touched. Barbarians with sword and fire, barbarians bringing barbarous religions, not one of them could touch the core, not one could touch the "jewel", not one had the power to kill the "bird" which the soul of the race inhabited. This, therefore, is the vitality of I the race, and so long as that remains, there is no power under the sun that can kill the race. All the tortures and miseries of the world will pass over without hurting us, and we shall come out of the flames like Prahlâda, so long as we hold on to this grandest of all our inheritances, spirituality. If a Hindu is not spiritual I do not call him a Hindu. In other countries a man may be political first, and then he may have a little religion, but here in India the first and the foremost duty of our lives is to be spiritual first, and then, if there is time, let other things come. Bearing this in mind we shall be in a better position to understand why, for our national welfare, we must first seek out at the present day all the spiritual forces of the race, as was done in days of yore and will be done in all times to come. National union in India must be a gathering up of its scattered spiritual forces. A nation in India must be a union of those whose hearts beat to the same spiritual tune.
There have been sects enough in this country. There are sects enough, and there will be enough in the future, because this has been the peculiarity of our religion that in abstract principles so much latitude has been given that, although afterwards so much detail has been worked out, all these details are the working out of principles, broad as the skies above our heads, eternal as nature herself. Sects, therefore, as a matter of course, must exist here, but what need not exist is sectarian quarrel. Sects must be but sectarianism need not. The world would not be the better for sectarianism, but the world cannot move on without having sects. One set of men cannot do everything. The almost infinite mass of energy in the world cannot tie managed by a small number of people. Here, at once we see the necessity that forced this division of labour upon us — the division into sects. For the use of spiritual forces let there be sects; but is there any need that we should quarrel when our most ancient books declare that this differentiation is only apparent, that in spite of all these differences there is a thread of harmony, that beautified unity, running through them all? Our most ancient books have declared: एकं सव्दिप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति । — "That which exists is One; sages call Him by various names." Therefore, if there are these sectarian struggles, if there are these fights among the different sects, if there is jealousy and hatred between the different sects in India, the land where all sects have always been honoured, it is a shame on us who dare to call ourselves the descendants of those fathers.
There are certain great principles in which, I think, we — whether Vaishnavas, Shaivas, Shâktas, or Gânapatyas, whether belonging to the ancient Vedantists or the modern ones, whether belonging to the old rigid sects or the modern reformed ones — are all one, and whoever calls himself a Hindu, believes in these principles. Of course there is a difference in the interpretation, in the explanation of these principles, and that difference should be there, and it should be allowed, for our standard is not to bind every man down to our position. It would be a sin to force every man to work out our own interpretation of things, and to live by our own methods. Perhaps all who are here will agree on the first point that we believe the Vedas to be the eternal teachings of the secrets of religion. We all believe that this holy literature is without beginning and without end, coeval with nature, which is without beginning and without end; and that all our religious differences, all our religious struggles must end when we stand in the presence of that holy book; we are all agreed that this is the last court of appeal in all our spiritual differences. We may take different points of view as to what the Vedas are. There may be one sect which regards one portion as more sacred than another, but that matters little so long as we say that we are all brothers in the Vedas, that out of these venerable, eternal, marvellous books has come everything that we possess today, good, holy, and pure. Well, therefore, if we believe in all this, let this principle first of all be preached broadcast throughout the length and breadth of the land. If this be true, let the Vedas have that prominence which they always deserve, and which we all believe in. First, then, the Vedas. The second point we all believe in is God, the creating, the preserving power of the whole universe, and unto whom it periodically returns to come out at other periods and manifest this wonderful phenomenon, called the universe. We may differ as to our conception of God. One may believe in a God who is entirely personal, another may believe in a God who is personal and yet not human, and yet another may believe in a God who is entirely impersonal, and all may get their support from the Vedas. Still we are all believers in God; that is to say, that man who does not believe in a most marvellous Infinite Power from which everything has come, in which everything lives, and to which everything must in the end return, cannot be called a Hindu. If that be so, let us try to preach that idea all over the land. Preach whatever conception you have to give, there is no difference, we are not going to fight over it, but preach God; that is all we want. One idea may be better than another, but, mind you, not one of them is bad. One is good, another is better, and again another may be the best, but the word bad does not enter the category of our religion. Therefore, may the Lord bless them all who preach the name of God in whatever form they like! The more He is preached, the better for this race. Let our children be brought up in this idea, let this idea enter the homes of the poorest and the lowest, as well as of the richest and the highest — the idea of the name of God.
The third idea that I will present before you is that, unlike all other races of the world, we do not believe that this world was created only so many thousand years ago, and is going to be destroyed eternally on a certain day. Nor do we believe that the human soul has been created along with this universe just out of nothing. Here is another point I think we are all able to agree upon. We believe in nature being without beginning and without end; only at psychological periods this gross material of the outer universe goes back to its finer state, thus to remain for a certain period, again to be projected outside to manifest all this infinite panorama we call nature. This wavelike motion was going on even before time began, through eternity, and will remain for an infinite period of time.
Next, all Hindus believe that man is not only a gross material body; not only that within this there is the finer body, the mind, but there is something yet greater — for the body changes and so does the mind — something beyond, the Âtman — I cannot translate the word to you for any translation will be wrong — that there is something beyond even this fine body, which is the Atman of man, which has neither beginning nor end, which knows not what death is. And then this peculiar idea, different from that of all other races of men, that this Atman inhabits body after body until there is no more interest for it to continue to do so, and it becomes free, not to be born again, I refer to the theory of Samsâra and the theory of eternal souls taught by our Shâstras. This is another point where we all agree, whatever sect we may belong to. There may be differences as to the relation between the soul and God. According to one sect the soul may be eternally different from God, according to another it may be a spark of that infinite fire, yet again according to others it may be one with that Infinite. It does not matter what our interpretation is, so long as we hold on to the one basic belief that the soul is infinite, that this soul was never created, and therefore will never die, that it had to pass and evolve into various bodies, till it attained perfection in the human one — in that we are all agreed. And then comes the most differentiating, the grandest, and the most wonderful discovery in the realms of spirituality that has ever been made. Some of you, perhaps, who have been studying Western thought, may have observed already that there is another radical difference severing at one stroke all that is Western from all that is Eastern. It is this that we hold, whether we are Shâktas, Sauras, or Vaishnavas, even whether we are Bauddhas or Jainas, we all hold in India that the soul is by its nature pure and perfect, infinite in power and blessed. Only, according to the dualist, this natural blissfulness of the soul has become contracted by past bad work, and through the grace of God it is again going to open out and show its perfection; while according to the monist, even this idea of contraction is a partial mistake, it is the veil of Maya that causes us to think the, soul has lost its powers, but the powers are there fully manifest. Whatever the difference may be, we come to the central core, and there is at once an irreconcilable difference between all that is Western and Eastern. The Eastern is looking inward for all that is great and good. When we worship, we close our eyes and try to find God within. The Western is looking up outside for his God. To the Western their religious books have been inspired, while with us our books have been expired; breath-like they came, the breath of God, out of the hearts of sages they sprang, the Mantra-drashtâs.
This is one great point to understand, and, my friends, my brethren, let me tell you, this is the one point we shall have to insist upon in the future. For I am firmly convinced, and I beg you to understand this one fact - no good comes out of the man who day and night thinks he is nobody. If a man, day and night, thinks he is miserable, low, and nothing, nothing he becomes. If you say yea, yea, "I am, I am", so shall you be; and if you say "I am not", think that you are not, and day and night meditate upon the fact that you are nothing, ay, nothing shall you be. That is the great fact which you ought to remember. We are the children of the Almighty, we are sparks of the infinite, divine fire. How can we be nothings? We are everything, ready to do everything, we can do everything, and man must do everything. This faith in themselves was in the hearts of our ancestors, this faith in themselves was the motive power that pushed them forward and forward in the march of civilisation; and if there has been degeneration, if there has been defect, mark my words, you will find that degradation to have started on the day our people lost this faith in themselves. Losing faith in one's self means losing faith in God. Do you believe in that infinite, good Providence working in and through you? If you believe that this Omnipresent One, the Antaryâmin, is present in every atom, is through and through, Ota-prota, as the Sanskrit word goes, penetrating your body, mind and soul, how can you lose, heart? I may be a little bubble of water, and you may be a mountain-high wave. Never mind! The infinite ocean is the background of me as well as of you. Mine also is that infinite ocean of life, of power, of spirituality, as well as yours. I am already joined — from my very birth, from the very fact of my life — I am in Yoga with that infinite life and infinite goodness and infinite power, as you are, mountain-high though you may be. Therefore, my brethren, teach this life-saving, great, ennobling, grand doctrine to your children, even from their very birth. You need not teach them Advaitism; teach them Dvaitism, or any "ism" you please, but we have seen that this is the common "ism" all through India; this marvellous doctrine of the soul, the perfection of the soul, is commonly believed in by all sects. As says our great philosopher Kapila, if purity has not been the nature of the soul, it can never attain purity afterwards, for anything that was not perfect by nature, even if it attained to perfection, that perfection would go away again. If impurity is the nature of man, then man will have to remain impure, even though he may be pure for five minutes. The time will come when this purity will wash out, pass away, and the old natural impurity will have its sway once more. Therefore, say all our philosophers, good is our nature, perfection is our nature, not imperfection, not impurity — and we should remember that. Remember the beautiful example of the great sage who, when he was dying, asked his mind to remember all his mighty deeds and all his mighty thoughts. There you do not find that he was teaching his mind to remember all his weaknesses and all his follies. Follies there are, weakness there must be, but remember your real nature always — that is the only way to cure the weakness, that is the only way to cure the follies.
It seems that these few points are common among all the various religious sects in India, and perhaps in future upon this common platform, conservative and liberal religionists, old type and new type, may shake hands. Above all, there is another thing to remember, which I am sorry we forget from time to time, that religion, in India, means realisation and nothing short of that. "Believe in the doctrine, and you are safe", can never be taught to us, for we do not believe in that. You are what you make yourselves. You are, by the grace of God and your own exertions, what you are. Mere believing in certain theories and doctrines will not help you much. The mighty word that came out from the sky of spirituality in India was Anubhuti, realisation, and ours are the only books which declare again and again: "The Lord is to be seen". Bold, brave words indeed, but true to their very core; every sound, every vibration is true. Religion is to be realised, not only heard; it is not in learning some doctrine like a parrot. Neither is it mere intellectual assent — that is nothing; but it must come into us. Ay, and therefore the greatest proof that we have of the existence of a God is not because our reason says so, but because God has been seen by the ancients as well as by the moderns. We believe in the soul not only because there are good reasons to prove its existence, but, above all, because there have been in the past thousands in India, there are still many who have realised, and there will be thousands in the future who will realise and see their own souls. And there is no salvation for man until he sees God, realises his own soul. Therefore, above all, let us understand this, and the more we understand it the less we shall have of sectarianism in India, for it is only that man who has realised God and seen Him, who is religious. In him the knots have been cut asunder, in him alone the doubts have subsided; he alone has become free from the fruits of action who has seen Him who is nearest of the near and farthest of the far. Ay, we often mistake mere prattle for religious truth, mere intellectual perorations for great spiritual realisation, and then comes sectarianism, then comes fight. If we once understand that this realisation is the only religion, we shall look into our own hearts and find how far we are towards realising the truths of religion. Then we shall understand that we ourselves are groping in darkness, and are leading others to grope in the same darkness, then we shall cease from sectarianism, quarrel, arid fight. Ask a man who wants to start a sectarian fight, "Have you seen God? Have you seen the Atman? If you have not, what right have you to preach His name — you walking in darkness trying to lead me into the same darkness — the blind leading the blind, and both falling into the ditch?"
Therefore, take more thought before you go and find fault with others. Let them follow their own path to realisation so long as they struggle to see truth in their own hearts; and when the broad, naked truth will be seen, then they will find that wonderful blissfulness which marvellously enough has been testified to by every seer in India, by every one who has realised the truth. Then words of love alone will come out of that heart, for it has already been touched by Him who is the essence of Love Himself. Then and then alone, all sectarian quarrels will cease, and we shall be in a position to understand, to bring to our hearts, to embrace, to intensely love the very word Hindu and every one who bears that name. Mark me, then and then alone you are a Hindu when the very name sends through you a galvanic shock of strength. Then and then alone you are a Hindu when every man who bears the name, from any country, speaking our language or any other language, becomes at once the nearest and the dearest to you. Then and then alone you are a Hindu when the distress of anyone bearing that name comes to your heart and makes you feel as if your own son were in distress. Then and then alone you are a Hindu when you will be ready to bear everything for them, like the great example I have quoted at the beginning of this lecture, of your great Guru Govind Singh. Driven out from this country, fighting against its oppressors, after having shed his own blood for the defence of the Hindu religion, after having seen his children killed on the battlefield — ay, this example of the great Guru, left even by those for whose sake he was shedding his blood and the blood of his own nearest and dearest — he, the wounded lion, retired from the field calmly to die in the South, but not a word of curse escaped his lips against those who had ungratefully forsaken him! Mark me, every one of you will have to be a Govind Singh, if you want to do good to your country. You may see thousands of defects in your countrymen, but mark their Hindu blood. They are the first Gods you will have to worship even if they do everything to hurt you, even if everyone of them send out a curse to you, you send out to them words of love. If they drive you out, retire to die in silence like that mighty lion, Govind Singh. Such a man is worthy of the name of Hindu; such an ideal ought to be before us always. All our hatchets let us bury; send out this grand current of love all round.
Let them talk of India's regeneration as they like. Let me tell you as one who has been working — at least trying to work — all his life, that there is no regeneration for India until you be spiritual. Not only so, but upon it depends the welfare of the whole world. For I must tell you frankly that the very foundations of Western civilisation have been shaken to their base. The mightiest buildings, if built upon the loose sand foundations of materialism, must come to grief one day, must totter to their destruction some day. The history of the world is our witness. Nation after nation has arisen and based its greatness upon materialism, declaring man was all matter. Ay, in Western language, a man gives up the ghost, but in our language a man gives up his body. The Western man is a body first, and then he has a soul; with us a man is a soul and spirit, and he has a body. Therein lies a world of difference. All such civilisations, therefore, as have been based upon such sand foundations as material comfort and all that, have disappeared one after another, after short lives, from the face of the world; but the civilisation of India and the other nations that have stood at India's feet to listen and learn, namely, Japan and China, live even to the present day, and there are signs even of revival among them. Their lives are like that of the Phoenix, a thousand times destroyed, but ready to spring up again more glorious. But a materialistic civilisation once dashed down, never can come up again; that building once thrown down is broken into pieces once for all. Therefore have patience and wait, the future is in store for us.
Do not be in a hurry, do not go out to imitate anybody else. This is another great lesson we have to remember; imitation is not civilisation. I may deck myself out in a Raja's dress, but will that make me a Raja? An ass in a lion's skin never makes a lion. Imitation, cowardly imitation, never makes for progress. It is verily the sign of awful degradation in a man. Ay, when a man has begun to hate himself, then the last blow has come. When a man has begun to be ashamed of his ancestors, the end has come. Here am I, one of the least of the Hindu race, yet proud of my race, proud of my ancestors. I am proud to call myself a Hindu, I am proud that I am one of your unworthy servants. I am proud that I am a countryman of yours, you the descendants of the sages, you the descendants of the most glorious Rishis the world ever saw. Therefore have faith in yourselves, be proud of your ancestors, instead of being ashamed of them. And do not imitate, do not imitate! Whenever you are under the thumb of others, you lose your own independence. If you are working, even in spiritual things, at the dictation of others, slowly you lose all faculty, even of thought. Bring out through your own exertions what you have, but do not imitate, yet take what is good from others. We have to learn from others. You put the seed in the ground, and give it plenty of earth, and air, and water to feed upon; when the seed grows into the plant and into a gigantic tree, does it become the earth, does it become the air, or does it become the water? It becomes the mighty plant, the mighty tree, after its own nature, having absorbed everything that was given to it. Let that be your position. We have indeed many things to learn from others, yea, that man who refuses to learn is already dead. Declares our Manu: आददीत परां विद्यां प्रयत्नादवरादपि। अन्त्यादपि परं धर्म स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि। — "Take the jewel of a woman for your wife, though she be of inferior descent. Learn supreme knowledge with service even from the man of low birth; and even from the Chandâla, learn by serving him the way to salvation." Learn everything that is good from others, but bring it in, and in your own way absorb it; do not become others. Do not be dragged away out of this Indian life; do not for a moment think that it would be better for India if all the Indians dressed, ate, and behaved like another race. You know the difficulty of giving up a habit of a few years. The Lord knows how many thousands of years are in your blood; this national specialised life has been flowing in one way, the Lord knows for how many thousands of years; and do you mean to say that that mighty stream, which has nearly reached its ocean, can go back to the snows of its Himalayas again? That is impossible! The struggle to do so would only break it. Therefore, make way for the life-current of the nation. Take away the blocks that bar the way to the progress of this mighty river, cleanse its path, clear the channel, and out it will rush by its own natural impulse, and the nation will go on careering and progressing.
These are the lines which I beg to suggest to you for spiritual work in India. There are many other great problems which, for want of time, I cannot bring before you this night. For instance, there is the wonderful question of caste. I have been studying this question, its pros and cons, all my life; I have studied it in nearly every province in India. I have mixed with people of all castes in nearly every part of the country, and I am too bewildered in my own mind to grasp even the very significance of it. The more I try to study it, the more I get bewildered. Still at last I find that a little glimmer of light is before me, I begin to feel its significance just now. Then there is the other great problem about eating and drinking. That is a great problem indeed. It is not so useless a thing as we generally think. I have come to the conclusion that the insistence which we make now about eating and drinking is most curious and is just going against what the Shastras required, that is to say, we come to grief by neglecting the proper purity of the food we eat and drink; we have lost the true spirit of it.
There are several other questions which I want to bring before you and show how these problems can be solved, how to work out the ideas; but unfortunately the meeting could not come to order until very late, and I do not wish to detain you any longer now. I will, therefore, keep my ideas about caste and other things for a future occasion.
Now, one word more and I will finish about these spiritual ideas. Religion for a long time has come to be static in India. What we want is to make it dynamic. I want it to be brought into the life of everybody. Religion, as it always has been in the past, must enter the palaces of kings as well as the homes of the poorest peasants in the land. Religion, the common inheritance, the universal birthright of the race, must be brought free to the door of everybody. Religion in India must be made as free and as easy of access as is God's air. And this is the kind of work we have to bring about in India, but not by getting up little sects and fighting on points of difference. Let us preach where we all agree and leave the differences to remedy themselves. As I have said to the Indian people again and again, if there is the darkness of centuries in a room and we go into the room and begin to cry, "Oh, it is dark, it is dark!", will the darkness go? Bring in the light and the darkness will vanish at once. This is the secret of reforming men. Suggest to them higher things; believe in man first. Why start with the belief that man is degraded and degenerated? I have never failed in my faith in man in any case, even taking him at his worst. Wherever I had faith in man, though at first the prospect was not always bright, yet it triumphed in the long run. Have faith in man, whether he appears to you to be a very learned one or a most ignorant one. Have faith in man, whether he appears to be an angel or the very devil himself. Have faith in man first, and then having faith in him, believe that if there are defects in him, if he makes mistakes, if he embraces the crudest and the vilest doctrines, believe that it is not from his real nature that they come, but from the want of higher ideals. If a man goes towards what is false, it is because he cannot get what is true. Therefore the only method of correcting what is false is by supplying him with what is true. Do this, and let him compare. You give him the truth, and there your work is done. Let him compare it in his own mind with what he has already in him; and, mark my words, if you have really given him the truth, the false must vanish, light must dispel darkness, and truth will bring the good out. This is the way if you want to reform the country spiritually; this is the way, and not fighting, not even telling people that what they are doing is bad. Put the good before them, see how eagerly they take it, see how the divine that never dies, that is always living in the human, comes up awakened and stretches out its hand for all that is good, and all that is glorious.
May He who is the Creator, the Preserver, and the Protector of our race, the God of our forefathers, whether called by the name of Vishnu, or Shiva, or Shakti, or Ganapati, whether He is worshipped as Saguna or as Nirguna, whether He is worshipped as personal or as impersonal, may He whom our forefathers knew and addressed by the words, एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति । — "That which exists is One; sages call Him by various names" — may He enter into us with His mighty love; may He shower His blessings on us, may He make us understand each other, may He make us work for each other with real love, with intense love for truth, and may not the least desire for our own personal fame, our own personal prestige, our own personal advantage, enter into this great work of me spiritual regeneration of India!
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