吠檀多
本译文由人工智能辅助工具生成，可能存在不准确之处。如需查阅权威文本，请参考英文原文。
AI-translated. May contain errors. For accurate text, refer to the original English.
中文
吠檀多（Vedanta）
（1897年11月12日讲于拉合尔）
人类生活于两重世界之中——其一为外在世界，其二为内在世界。自远古以来，人类的进步几乎沿着这两重世界的轨道并行展开。探索始于外部，人类起初试图从外在自然中获取一切深邃问题的答案。人类渴望从周遭万物中汲取美与崇高的满足，渴望以具体的语言表达自身及内心深处的一切；而他所得到的回应确实宏伟壮阔——关于上帝与礼拜的至为奇妙的观念，以及对美的至为陶醉的表达。崇高的理念确实源自外在世界。然而，另一扇门为人类在其后打开，展现出一个更为崇高、更为壮美、无限更为广阔的宇宙。在吠陀（Vedas）的业力篇（Karma Kânda）中，我们发现了最为奇妙的宗教理念，关于主宰宇宙之创造者、守护者与毁灭者的最为奇妙的理念被呈现于我们面前，有时以最能震撼灵魂的语言加以表述。你们大多数人或许还记得《梨俱吠陀本集》（Rig-Veda Samhitâ）中那段最为奇妙的颂诗，其中描绘了混沌的景象——也许是迄今为止最为崇高的描述。尽管如此，我们发现这不过是对外在崇高的一幅图画，我们发现它终究仍是粗糙的，某种物质性的东西依然黏附其上。我们发现，它不过是用物质的语言、有限的语言表达无限——它是肌肉的无限，而非心灵的无限；它是空间的无限，而非思想的无限。因此，在智慧篇（Jnâna Kânda）的第二部分中，我们发现采用的是一种全然不同的方法。前者是在外在自然中寻求宇宙真理，是试图从物质世界获取生命深层问题的解答。यस्यैते हिमवन्तो महित्वा——"喜马拉雅山彰显其荣耀"。这是一个宏大的理念，然而对印度而言，它还不够宏大。印度的心灵不得不退而转向，探索取了一个全然不同的方向——从外在转向内在，从物质转向心灵。于是发出了这样的呼声："人死之后，他归于何处？"अस्तीत्येके नायमस्तीति चैके——"有人说他依然存在，有人说他已然消逝；请问，死亡之王，真理究竟是什么？"我们在这里看到了一种全然不同的方法。印度的心灵从外在世界获取了一切可以获取的东西，却仍感不满足；它渴望更深地探索，潜入自身的灵魂，最终得到了终极的答案。
奥义书（Upanishads，奥义书——Upanishads），或曰吠檀多，或曰阿兰若迦（Âranyakas），或曰密义（Rahasya），正是吠陀这一部分的名称。在这里，我们立刻发现宗教已经摆脱了一切外在的形式。在这里，我们立刻发现灵性之事不再以物质的语言来表述，而是以灵性的语言来表述——以至精微者的语言表达至精微的内容。不再有任何粗糙之物附着其上，不再有任何与世俗事务的妥协。奥义书中那些仙人（Rishi，仙人——Rishi）的伟大心灵，大胆而勇敢，超越了当今时代的理解范畴，向人类宣示最为高尚的真理，毫无妥协，毫无恐惧。我的同胞们，这正是我希望呈现于你们面前的。即便是吠陀的智慧篇也是一片浩瀚的海洋；要理解其中哪怕一点点，都需要许多生命的时间。罗摩奴阇（Râmânuja）对奥义书有这样一句至为中肯的评语：它们构成了吠陀的头颅、双肩与冠顶；确实，奥义书已成为现代印度的圣典。印度教徒对吠陀业力篇怀有至高的敬意，然而就实际目的而言，我们知道，数千年来，"天启"（Shruti）所指的便是奥义书，仅仅是奥义书。我们知道，我们所有的伟大哲人，无论是毗耶娑（Vyâsa）、帕坦迦利（Patanjali）、乔达摩（Gautama），乃至所有哲学之父——伟大的迦毗罗（Kapila）本人——每当他们需要为其著作寻找权威依据时，无一例外地都在奥义书中找到，而不在其他任何地方，因为其中蕴含的是永恒的真理。
有些真理只在特定的方向、特定的情境和特定的时代中才是真实的——它们建立于时代的制度之上。另有一些真理则建立于人的本性之上，只要人类自身存续，这些真理就必将长存。唯有这些真理才是真正普遍的，尽管印度历经了社会环境、衣着方式、饮食习俗、礼拜方式的种种变迁，这些圣典（Shrutis）中的普遍真理，这些奇妙的吠檀多理念，依然以其固有的崇高屹立其中，不可动摇，不可征服，不朽而永恒。然而，奥义书中发展出的所有理念的萌芽，早已在业力篇中被传授了。一切吠檀多派别所必须接受的宇宙论，以及构成印度一切思想学派共同基础的心理学，早已在彼处阐发完备，并呈现于世界面前。因此，在我们开始探讨灵性部分——吠檀多——之前，有必要先对业力篇略作说明；而首先，我想解释我使用"吠檀多"一词的含义。
不幸的是，现代印度有一种错误的观念，认为"吠檀多"一词仅指不二论（Advaita）体系；但你们必须始终记住，在现代印度，三大基础典籍（Prasthânas）在研究一切宗教体系时被视为同等重要。首先是天启，即天启（Shrutis），我的意思是奥义书。其次，在我们的哲学体系中，毗耶娑（Vyasa）的经典（Sutras）因其综合了所有先行哲学体系而具有最高的地位。这些体系并不相互矛盾，而是层层相承，主题逐渐展开，最终在毗耶娑的经典中达到顶峰。而在奥义书与这些系统整理吠檀多奇妙真理的经典之间，是《薄伽梵歌》（Bhagavad Gita，薄伽梵歌——Bhagavad Gita）——吠檀多的神圣注疏。
因此，奥义书、毗耶娑经典与《薄伽梵歌》，被印度每一个声称正统权威的派别所共同奉持，无论是二元论者、特殊不二论者，还是不二论者；这三大基础典籍是每一派别的共同权威。我们看到，无论是商羯罗（Shankaracharya，商羯罗——Shankara）、罗摩奴阇（Râmânuja）、摩陀婆（Madhvâchârya）、婆罗婆（Vallabhâcharya），还是柴坦尼亚（Chaitanya）——任何想要开创一个新派别的人——都不得不以这三大典籍为依据，而仅对其作出新的注疏。因此，将"吠檀多"一词局限于源自奥义书的某一体系，是不正确的。所有这些都涵盖于"吠檀多"这一词之下。特殊不二论者与不二论者同样有权被称为吠檀多论者；事实上，我要更进一步说，我们所说的"印度教徒"与"吠檀多论者"实质上是同义词。我希望你们注意，这三大体系在印度几乎自古以来就一直并行流传；因为你们不应相信商羯罗是不二论体系的发明者。在商羯罗出生之前，它就已存在了数千年；他不过是其最后的代表之一。特殊不二论体系亦然：在罗摩奴阇出现之前，它同样已存在了数千年，这从他所撰写的注疏中即可得知；二元论体系与其他体系并立共存，亦复如是。以我有限的知识，我已得出结论：它们并不相互矛盾。
正如在六大哲学体系（Darshanas）中，我们发现它们是那宏大原则的乐音逐渐展开，从遥远深处的轻柔低音开始，在不二论的凯旋号角中达到顶峰；同样，在这三大体系中，我们也发现人类心灵逐步走向更高更高的理想，直至一切融入那奇妙的统一，并在不二论体系中最终实现。因此，这三者并不矛盾。另一方面，我必须告诉你们，这里存在着一个被不少人犯下的错误。我们发现，一位不二论的导师（Guru，导师——Guru）会将那些专门阐述不二论的经文完整保留，同时试图将二元论或限定非二元论的经文解释为他自己的含义。同样，我们发现二元论的导师试图将他们的二元论含义读入不二论的经文之中。我们的上师们都是伟大的人物，然而有句话说得好："即便是上师的过失也必须指出来。"我认为，他们仅在这一点上犯了错误。我们无须对经文进行强行曲解，无须诉诸任何形式的宗教不诚实，无须纠缠于任何文法上的无谓争论，无须试图将我们自己的观念强加于从未有此意图的经文之中；一旦你理解了"修行资格差别"（Adhikârabheda）这一奇妙学说，工作便变得清晰而容易。
诚然，奥义书有这样一个统一的主题：कस्मिन्नु भगवो विज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवति——"知晓了什么，一切便都得知晓？"以现代语言说，奥义书的主题是在多样性之中寻求终极的统一。知识无非是在差异之中发现统一。每一门科学都以此为基础；人类一切知识都建立于在众多差异现象之中发现统一的基础上。如果说我们所谓的科学——只不过是人类知识的小小碎片——的任务是在少数不同的现象中发现统一，那么当面前的课题是在这奇妙多样的宇宙中发现统一时，这一任务就变得无比艰巨了。在这个宇宙中，名与形、物质与灵性之中存在着数不清的差异——每一思想与其他每一思想相异，每一形态与其他每一形态相异。然而，要在这无数的层面与无尽的世界（Lokas）中加以调和，在这无限的多样性之中发现统一，正是奥义书的主题。另一方面，"阿鲁那达提方法"（Arundhati Nyâya）同样适用。要让人看见细小的阿鲁那达提星，先让他注视其附近最大、最明亮的星，让他先将目光固定于此，然后引导他望向阿鲁那达提就会容易得多。这便是我们面前的任务，而为了证明我的观点，我只须让你们看奥义书本身。几乎每一章都以二元论的教导——崇拜（Upâsanâ）——开始。上帝最初被教导为创造这个宇宙、守护这个宇宙并最终将一切归于其身的某位存在。他是应被礼拜的，是自然——外在与内在——的统治者与引导者，尽管他看起来好像在自然之外、在外部。再进一步，我们发现同一位导师教导说，这位上帝并不在自然之外，而是内在于自然之中。最后，两种观念都被扬弃，凡是真实的，便是祂；没有任何差别。तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो——"悉达多啊，你就是那个。"那内在遍存者最终被宣示为与人类灵魂中的那个是同一的。这里没有妥协；这里没有对他人意见的畏惧。真理，大胆的真理，以大胆的语言被宣示出来；而今天我们同样需要以同样大胆的语言宣示真理，凭借上帝的恩典，我希望自己至少是那敢于成为如此大胆的宣示者之一。
让我们回到预备性的内容上来。有两件事需要首先理解——其一是所有吠檀多学派共有的心理学层面，其二是宇宙论层面。我将先谈后者。今天，我们发现现代科学的奇妙发现如雷霆般震撼着我们，开启了我们从未梦想过的奇观。然而其中许多不过是对古代已有发现的重新发现。就在不久前，现代科学才发现，即便在各种力量的多样性之中，也存在着统一。它刚刚发现，它所谓的热、磁、电等等，都可以相互转化为一种单一的力，因此以一个名称来表达所有这些，无论你选择怎样称呼它。然而，这在《本集》（Samhita）中早已完成；它古老而久远，其中我们已经遇到了这个关于力的概念。所有的力，无论你称之为引力、吸引力还是排斥力，无论它们以热、电还是磁的形式表现自身，都不过是那单一能量的变体。无论它们以思想的形式——从人的内在感官（Antahkarana）即内在器官中反射而出——还是以行动的形式——从外在器官中发出——其源泉所称为的，便是气（Prâna）。那么，气又是什么？气是振动（Spandana）。当这整个宇宙复归其原始状态时，这无限的力会怎样？难道他们认为它会消灭？当然不会。如果它消灭了，下一波的原因将是什么？因为运动正以波的形式进行——起伏、下落、再起伏、再下落。这里有一个词"创造"（Srishti），用以表达宇宙。请注意，这个词并不意味着创造。我在讲英语时颇感无奈；我必须尽力翻译梵文词汇。它是"射出"（Srishti），是"投射"。在一个周期结束时，一切变得越来越精微，复归于最初的状态——万物从中涌现出来——在那里静歇一段时间，静默以待，随时准备再度涌现。这便是"创造"，即投射。那么，所有这些力，这些气，将归于何处？它们复归于原初之气，而这气几乎变得静止不动——并非完全静止；这正是《吠陀颂》（Vedic Sukta）中所描述的："它在无振动中振动"——阿尼达瓦塔（Ânidavâtam）。奥义书中有许多晦涩难解的技术性词语。例如，"瓦塔"（Vâta）这个词，有时指气，有时指运动，人们常将两者混淆。我们必须警惕这一点。那么，你所谓的物质将归于何处？力渗透一切物质；它们都溶入空（Âkâsha），又从空中重新涌现；这个空（Akasha）是原始的物质。无论你将其译为以太还是其他任何东西，其理念是：这个空是物质的原始形态。这个空在气的作用下振动，当下一次创造来临时，随着振动加快，空被激荡成所有这些波形——我们称之为太阳、月亮和星系。
我们再次读到：यदिदं किंच जगत् सर्व प्राण एजति निःसृतम्——"宇宙中的一切，皆由气的振动而投射出来。"你们必须注意"Ejati"这个词，因为它来自"Eja"——振动。"Nihsritam"——投射出来。"Yadidam Kincha"——宇宙中的一切。
这是宇宙论层面的一部分。其中包含许多细节。例如，这一过程如何发生，最初如何有以太，以太如何产生其他事物，以太如何开始振动，以及由此如何产生气（Vâyu）。但这里的一个核心理念是，较粗糙者源自较精微者。粗糙的物质是最后涌现的、最外在的，而在这粗糙的物质之前存在着更精微的物质。然而，我们看到，整个问题已被归结为两者，却尚未达到最终的统一。力的统一是气，物质的统一称为空（Akasha）。在它们之间还能再找到统一吗？它们能融合为一吗？现代科学在这里沉默了，它尚未找到出路；而如果它正在找到出路，正如它曾缓慢地发现同样的古老之气与同样的古老之空一样，它将不得不沿着同样的路线前进。
下一个统一体是那遍在的非人格存在，在古老的神话中以梵天（Brahmâ）——四面梵天——之名为人所知，在心理学上则称为大智（Mahat）。这便是两者相汇之处。你所谓的心灵，不过是被大脑这张网捕获的大智的一个碎片，而所有被大脑之网捕获的心灵的总和，便是你们所说的"集体"（Samashti），即聚合，即宇宙整体。分析还须更进一步；它尚未完成。在这里，我们每一个人都仿佛是一个小宇宙，而整个世界合在一起便是大宇宙。然而，凡在个体（Vyashti，个体）中存在的，我们可以有把握地推断，在外在也发生着类似的事情。如果我们有能力分析自己的心灵，我们可以有把握地推断，宇宙心灵中也发生着同样的事情。心灵究竟是什么，这便是问题所在。在现代，在西方国家，随着物理科学的迅猛进步，随着生理学一步步攻克旧宗教的一个个堡垒，西方人不知何处立足，因为令他们大为沮丧的是，现代生理学在每一步上都将心灵与大脑等同起来。而在印度，我们对此向来深知。这是印度少年最先学到的命题——心灵是物质，只是较为精微。身体是粗糙的，在身体背后是我们所谓的"精微体"（Sukshma Sharira），即精微的身体，或曰心灵。这同样是物质性的，只是较为精微；而它并非真我（Âtman，真我——Atman）。
我不打算将这个词翻译成英文，因为这个概念在欧洲并不存在；它是不可翻译的。德国哲学家的现代尝试是将"Atman"一词译为"Self"，而在该词被普遍接受之前，使用它是不可能的。姑且称其为"Self"或任何名称，它就是我们的真我。这个真我是背后真实的人。正是真我以物质性的心灵作为其工具——其内在器官（Antahkarana，这是心理学上心灵的术语）——而心灵则借助一系列内在器官来运作身体的可见器官。这个心灵是什么？就在不久前，西方哲学家才开始认识到，眼睛并非真正的视觉器官，在眼睛背后还有其他器官——感官（Indriyas），若这些感官被摧毁，一个人即便像因陀罗（Indra）那样拥有千眼，也不会有任何视觉。啊，你们的哲学正是以这样的假设为出发点——视觉并非指外在的视觉。真正的视觉属于内在器官，属于内部的脑中枢。你们可以随意称呼它们，但感官并不是眼睛、鼻子或耳朵。所有这些感官加上意（Manas）、觉（Buddhi）、心（Chitta）、我执（Ahamkâra）等等的总和，便是所谓的心灵；而如果现代生理学家告诉你说，大脑便是所谓的心灵，大脑由如此众多的器官构成，你们完全不必惊慌；告诉他你们的哲学家历来就知道这一点——这是你们宗教最基本的原则之一。
那么，我们现在需要理解的是：意（Manas）、觉（Buddhi）、心（Chitta）、我执（Ahamkara）等等究竟是什么含义。首先让我们来看"心"（Chitta）。它是心灵的质料——大智（Mahat）的一部分——是心灵本身（包括其各种状态）的总称。设想在一个夏日的傍晚，有一面湖水，平滑而宁静，水面上没有一丝涟漪。设想有人向这湖中投入一块石头。会发生什么？首先是动作，给予水面的冲击；接着，水向上涌起，向石头送回一个反应，而这反应以波浪的形式呈现。水首先微微振动，随即以波浪的形式送回反应。让我们将"心"比作这面湖，而外在的对象便如同投入湖中的石头。一旦它借助这些感官与任何外在对象接触——感官必须在那里，将这些外在对象携入内部——便会产生一种振动，这就是所谓的"意"（Manas），即不确定的状态。接着是反应，即决定性的功能——"觉"（Buddhi），随着觉的闪现，"我"（Aham）的观念与外在对象一同涌现。设想有一只蚊子停在我的手上。这个感觉被传递到我的"心"，心微微振动——这便是心理学上的意。然后是反应，随即浮现出我的手上有一只蚊子、我必须将其驱走的想法。如此，这些石头被投入湖中；但在湖的情形中，每一次冲击都来自外在世界，而在心灵之湖的情形中，冲击可能来自外在世界，也可能来自内在世界。这整个系列便是所谓的"内在器官"（Antahkarana）。
与此同时，还有一件事需要了解，这将有助于我们在后来理解不二论体系。就是这个：你们所有人都见过珍珠，其中大多数人知道珍珠是如何形成的。一粒沙子进入珠蚌的贝壳，在那里引起刺激，蚌体对这刺激产生反应，用自身的汁液包裹住这小小的颗粒。汁液凝结后便形成了珍珠。整个宇宙也是如此，它就是由我们形成的那颗珍珠。我们从外在世界得到的不过是那个冲击。即便要意识到那个冲击，我们也必须有所反应；而一旦我们有所反应，我们实际上已将自身心灵的一部分投射向那个冲击；当我们对其有所了解时，那实际上是我们自己的心灵——被那冲击所塑造的心灵。因此，即便是那些想要相信外部世界存在着某种坚固而确定的实在性的人——他们在当今生理学时代无法不承认这一点——也应明白：假设我们用"x"来表示外部世界，那么我们真正知道的是"x"加上心灵；而心灵这一要素是如此之大，它已经覆盖了那个整体上保持未知且不可知的"x"；因此，即便存在一个外部世界，它也永远是未知且不可知的。我们所知道的，是被我们自己的心灵所塑造、形成、铸就的那个外部世界。对内在世界亦是如此。同样的道理适用于我们自身的灵魂——真我。为了认识真我，我们必须通过心灵来认识它；因此，我们对这个真我所知道的一切，不过是真我加上心灵。也就是说，真我被心灵覆盖、塑造和铸就，如此而已。我们稍后会回到这个问题，但请记住这里所说的内容。
接下来需要理解的是：有一个问题浮现出来——身体是一种连续物质流的名称，每时每刻我们都在向其中添加物质，每时每刻物质也从其中被抛出——如同一条不断流淌的河流，大量的水持续不断地变换位置；然而，我们在想象中把整个东西合而为一，称之为同一条河流。我们称什么为河流？每时每刻水在变化，河岸在变化，环境在每时每刻变化，那么河流究竟是什么？它是这一系列变化的名称。心灵亦然。这便是那伟大的"刹那识论"（Kshanika Vijnâna Vâda）学说，极为难以理解，却在佛教哲学中以最为严密、最为符合逻辑的方式阐发出来；它在印度兴起，是对吠檀多某些部分的反驳。这一反驳必须得到回应，我们将在后来看到，它只能由不二论来回应，别无他途。我们还将看到，尽管人们对不二论持有种种奇特的看法，对不二论心存种种恐惧，它却是世界的救赎，因为唯有其中方可找到事物的根本道理。二元论和其他体系作为礼拜的方式都很好，令心灵感到满足，也许已经帮助心灵向前推进；然而，如果人想要同时理性而虔信，那么不二论是世界上唯一适合他的体系。好了，现在，我们要将心灵视作类似的河流，一端不断流入，另一端不断流出。那个我们称之为真我（Atman）的统一体在哪里？这里的理念是：尽管身体持续变化，尽管心灵持续变化，在我们之中仍有某种不变之物，使我们关于事物的观念显得不变。当来自不同方向的光线照射到一块屏幕、一面墙，或某种不变之物上时，只有在那时，它们才有可能形成统一，只有在那时，它们才有可能形成一个完整的整体。在人类的各种器官中，哪里存在着这种统一体——仿佛各种观念投射于其上，从而成为统一并形成一个完整整体？这显然不能是心灵本身，因为心灵也在变化。因此，必定存在某种既非身体又非心灵、不变、永恒之物，我们所有的观念和感觉投射其上，形成统一与完整的整体；这便是真正的灵魂，是人的真我（Atman）。既然一切物质性之物——无论你称之为精微物质还是心灵——都必然是变化的，既然你所谓的粗糙物质、外在世界，与那个相比也必然是变化的，这个不变之物就不能是物质性的实体；因此它是灵性的，也就是说，它不是物质——它是不可摧毁的、不变的。
接下来将会出现另一个问题：抛开那些仅仅起源于外在世界的旧论据——关于"设计"的论据，谁创造了这个外在世界，谁创造了物质，等等——这里的理念是仅从人的内在本性来认识真理，问题以与关于灵魂的问题同样的方式浮现。假定每个人之中都存在着一个不变的灵魂，它既非心灵也非身体，那么在众灵魂之间仍然存在着理念的统一、情感的统一、同情的统一。我的灵魂如何能对你的灵魂产生作用？有什么媒介可以使它产生作用？有什么媒介可以使它起效？我如何能对你的灵魂有任何感应？什么东西同时与你的灵魂和我的灵魂相接触？因此，在形而上学上，承认另一个灵魂是必要的，因为必须有一个与所有不同灵魂接触的灵魂，在物质之中并通过物质起作用——一个涵盖并渗透世界中所有无数灵魂的灵魂，所有灵魂在其中并通过其而生活、同情、相爱、彼此工作。而这个普遍的灵魂就是最高真我（Paramâtman），是宇宙的主宰上帝。再者，由于灵魂并非由物质构成，既然它是灵性的，它就不能服从物质的法则，不能被物质的法则所评判。因此，它是不可征服的、无生无死、不变的。
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः॥
नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः॥
——"武器不能劈砍此真我，火不能焚烧，水不能浸湿，风不能吹干。常住、遍在、稳固、不动、永恒，此乃人之真我。"据《薄伽梵歌》与吠檀多，这个个体真我也是"遍在"（Vibhu）的；而依据迦毗罗（Kapila），它是无处不在的。当然，印度有些派别认为真我是"极微"（Anu），即无限微小的；但他们的意思是在显现中是极微的；其真实本性是遍在的、无所不在的。
还有另一个理念——也许令人震惊，却是一个典型的印度理念，而且如果说有任何理念是我们所有派别所共同的，那便是这一个。因此，我请你们特别注意这一理念并将其铭记于心，因为这是我们在印度所拥有的一切的根本基础。这个理念是这样的：你们听说过西方世界的德国和英国学者所宣扬的物理进化论。它告诉我们，不同动物的身体实际上是同一的；我们所看到的差异不过是同一序列的不同表达；从最卑微的虫子到最高尚、最圣洁的人，不过是同一个——一个变化为另一个，如此这般，越走越高，直至臻于完善。我们也有这个理念。我们的瑜伽（Yoga，瑜伽——Yoga）修行者帕坦迦利宣示——जात्यन्तरपरिणामः प्रकृत्यापूरात्——一个物种——"物种"（Jâti）即种类——变化为另一个物种——进化；"变化"（Parinâma）意味着一件事变化为另一件事，正如一个物种变化为另一个物种。我们与欧洲人的不同在哪里？帕坦迦利说："原质充盈"（Prakrityâpurât），即"通过原质（Prakriti，原质——Prakriti）的充盈"。欧洲人说，是竞争、自然选择与性选择等等，迫使一种身体取得另一种形态。但这里有另一个理念，一个更为精当的分析，更深入地洞察事物，指出"通过原质的充盈"。这种原质的充盈意味着什么？我们承认，阿米巴不断进化，直至成为佛陀（Buddha，佛陀——Buddha）；我们承认这一点，但同时我们同样确定——除非你以某种形式将能量注入一台机器，否则你不可能从中获得相应的功。能量的总量保持不变，无论它取什么形式。如果你想在某一端得到一定量的能量，你就必须在另一端注入它；它可能以另一种形式出现，但从中产生的能量必须是相同的。因此，如果佛陀是变化的一端，那么最初的阿米巴也必然已是佛陀。如果佛陀是进化了的阿米巴，那么阿米巴就是"内卷"（involved）了的佛陀。如果这个宇宙是近乎无限量的能量的显现，那么当这个宇宙处于"大毁灭"（Pralaya）状态时，它必定代表着同等量的"内卷"能量。不可能是其他样子。由此得出，每一个灵魂都是无限的。从匍匐于我们脚下的最卑微的虫子，到最高尚最伟大的圣人，所有存在都拥有这无限的力量、无限的纯净与无限的一切。不同之处只在于显现的程度。那条虫子只是显现了那能量的极小一部分，你已显现了更多，另一位神人（god-man）显现了更多：这便是所有的差别。然而，那无限的力量始终都在。帕坦迦利说：ततः क्षेत्रिकवत्——"如同灌溉田地的农夫。"他通过田地的一个小角落，从某处的水库引水，也许他有一个小小的闸门阻止水流涌入他的田地。当他需要水时，他只须打开闸门，水便凭借自身的力量涌入。力量无须添加，它已经储存在水库中了。因此，我们每一个人，每一个存在，都以如此一个水库为其背景——无限的力量、无限的纯净、无限的极乐、无限的存在——只是这些闸门、这些身体，阻碍着我们将自己真正是什么、达到其最大程度地表达出来。
随着这些身体变得越来越精细地组织化，随着惰性（Tamoguna）转变为激性（Rajoguna），激性转变为纯质（Sattvaguna），这种力量与纯净越来越多地显现出来；正因如此，我们的人民一向对饮食问题如此谨慎。也许原初的理念已经失传，正如我们的婚姻制度一样——尽管这与当前论题并无直接关联，我可以以此为例。如有另一个机会，我将向你们详谈这些；但现在让我告诉你们，我们的婚姻制度背后的理念，是能够实现真正文明的唯一理念。此外别无他途。如果允许男人或女人随意选取任何女人或男人为妻为夫，如果个人快乐、动物本能的满足被允许在社会中横行放纵，其结果必定是邪恶的——邪恶的孩子、奸佞而魔性的孩子。啊，每个国家的人，一方面制造着这些残忍的孩子，另一方面又增派警力来压制这些野蛮之徒。问题不在于如何以这种方式消灭邪恶，而在于如何防止邪恶的诞生。只要你生活在社会中，你的婚姻必然影响到社会的每一个成员；因此，社会有权规定你应与谁结婚、不应与谁结婚。此地的婚姻制度背后蕴含着这样伟大的理念，亦即他们所说的新郎新娘的"星相种性"（astrological Jati）。顺带一提，依据摩奴（Manu）法典，出于淫欲而生的孩子不是雅利安人（Aryan）。那些其受孕乃至死亡均依照吠陀规范的孩子，才是雅利安人。是的，在每个国家，这样的雅利安孩子越来越少，其结果便是我们所谓的"黑铁时代"（Kali Yuga）这大量的罪恶。然而我们已经失去了所有这些理想——确实，我们现在无法将所有这些理念贯彻到最大程度——我们完全正确地认识到，我们已将一些伟大的理念变成了近乎讽刺漫画。令人悲叹的是，当今的父母并不如古时那般，社会的受教育程度也不如往昔，社会对个体的关爱也不如从前。然而，无论实践结果多么有缺陷，原则是健全的；如果其应用已经出现瑕疵，如果某种方法失败了，那就接受这原则并将其更好地付诸实践；何必扼杀这原则？饮食问题亦然。具体工作细节是不好的，确实非常不好，然而这并不损害这一原则。这一原则是永恒的，必须长存。重新付诸实践，作出一种改良的应用。
这便是真我（Atman）的伟大理念，印度每一个宗派都必须相信它。只是，正如我们将会看到的，二元论者宣称，这个真我通过恶业（evil works）而变得"收缩"（Sankuchita），即其力量与本性全部收缩；而通过善业，那本性再度扩展。而不二论者则说，真我从未扩展也从未收缩，只是看起来如此。它看起来像是已经收缩了。这是唯一的不同，然而所有人都持有同一个理念：我们的真我已经拥有一切力量，没有任何东西会从外部来到它这里，没有任何东西会从天而降进入其中。请注意，你们的吠陀不是被外在灵感的，而是从内在呼出的——不是来自外部的任何地方，而是居于每个灵魂之中的永恒法则。吠陀在蚂蚁的灵魂中，在天神（Deva，天神——Deva）的灵魂中。那只蚂蚁只须进化，获得一位圣人或仙人（Rishi）的身体，吠陀便将涌现出来——那永恒的法则表达着自身。这便是需要理解的伟大理念：我们的力量已然是我们自己的，我们的解脱（Moksha，解脱——Moksha）已然在我们之内。要么说它已经收缩了，要么说它被摩耶（Mâyâ）的面纱所遮蔽了，这无关紧要；这个理念已然在那里；你们必须相信它，相信每个人的可能性——即便在最卑微的人之中，也存在着与佛陀同等的潜能。这便是真我的学说。
然而，这里出现了一场激烈的争论。佛教徒同样将身体分析为一股物质的流，同样将心灵分析为另一股。至于这个真我，他们声称它是不必要的；所以我们根本无须假定有一个真我。物质（substance）与依附于物质的属性（qualities）有什么用处？我们说"功德"（Gunas），即属性，仅仅是属性。假定两个原因时，若一个就能解释全部，在逻辑上是不合理的。争论持续下去，所有持有"实体"（substance）学说的理论都被佛教徒推翻。那些坚持实体与属性这一学说的人——即你有一个灵魂，我有一个灵魂，每个人都有一个独立于心灵和身体的灵魂，每个人都是一个个体——全线溃败。
至此，我们已经看到，二元论的理念是正确的：有身体，有精微体——心灵——有这真我，而在所有真我之中并通过所有真我，是那最高真我（Paramâtman），即上帝。困难在于，这个真我（Atman）与最高真我（Paramatman）都被称为"实体"，心灵、身体以及所谓的实体如同众多属性一样依附其上。没有人曾见过实体，没有人能够想象；思考这个实体有什么用处？为什么不成为"刹那论者"（Kshanikavâdin），并说凡是存在的不过是这一系列心理流，如此而已？它们相互不依附，不形成一个统一体，一个接一个，如同海浪，从不完整，从不形成一个统一的整体。人是一系列的波浪，当一个消逝时，它激起另一个，而这些波形的止息就是所谓的涅槃（Nirvana，涅槃——Nirvana）。你们看到，二元论在这面前哑口无言；它不可能提出任何论证，二元论的上帝也无法在此保留。那个无所不在、却是一个不用手创造、不用脚行走等等的人格神的理念，以及他像陶工（Kumbhakâra）制造陶壶（Ghata）一样创造了宇宙的理念——佛教徒宣称，这是幼稚的，如果这便是上帝，他要与这个上帝战斗而不是礼拜它。这个宇宙充满苦难；若它是一个上帝的作品，我们便要与这个上帝战斗。其次，这个上帝在逻辑上是不通的且是不可能的，你们所有人都知道这一点。我们无须深究"设计论"的缺陷，因为我们所有的"刹那论者"都已充分揭示了它们；因此，这个人格神也崩塌了。
真理，唯有真理，是不二论者的格言。सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं। सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः——"真理而非谬误终将胜利。通过真理，通往诸神之路——天道（Devayâna）——得以铺就。"每个人都在那面旗帜下前行；啊，然而这不过是以自己的立场压垮他人更弱立场的方式。你带着你的二元论上帝理念前来，想与那崇拜神像的可怜人争辩，你以为自己理性得惊人，可以令他困窘；然而，如果他转过身来砸碎你的人格神，并将其称为虚构的理想，你又将如何？你退缩到信仰之中，或提出"无神论者"的指控——这是弱者的古老呼声，凡是击败他的人便被称为无神论者。如果你要理性，就在所有方面都理性；如若不然，就允许他人享有你为自己所要求的同样权利。你如何能证明这个上帝的存在？另一方面，几乎可以反驳它的存在。没有丝毫证据证明祂的存在，反对的论证却十分有力。你如何证明祂的存在——有你的上帝，有祂的"功德"（Gunas），以及无数个作为实体的灵魂，每个灵魂都是一个个体？你在什么意义上是一个个体？你不是以身体的意义，因为你今天所知道的比古时的佛教徒所知道的还要清楚——太阳中的物质刚刚成为你身上的物质，又将离开成为植物中的物质；那么，先生，你的个体性在哪里？同样的道理适用于心灵。你的个体性在哪里？你今晚有一种想法，明天又有另一种。你的思维方式不同于你孩提时代的思维方式；老年人的思维方式也不同于他们年轻时的思维方式。那么你的个体性在哪里？不要说它在意识中，在"我执"（Ahamkara）中，因为这只涵盖了你存在的一小部分。当我与你们交谈时，我的所有器官都在运作，而我对此并无意识。如果意识是存在的证明，那么它们便不存在，因为我对它们没有意识。那么，用你的人格神理论来说，你又在哪里？你如何能证明这样一个上帝？
再者，佛教徒会站出来宣称——这不仅不合逻辑，而且不道德，因为它教导人成为懦夫、向外寻求帮助，而没有人能给予他这种帮助。宇宙就在这里，是人创造了它；那么，为什么依靠一个无人曾见过、感受过或从中得到过帮助的虚构存在呢？那么，你们为什么要让自己成为懦夫，教导你们的孩子说，人最高的状态是像一只狗，匍匐于这虚构的存在面前，说你们软弱、不洁，说你们是宇宙中一切卑贱之物？另一方面，佛教徒还可以辩称，你们不仅在说谎，而且给你们的孩子带来了巨大的邪恶；因为，请注意，这个世界是一个催眠的世界。你对自己说什么，你便成为什么。伟大的佛陀最初说的话之一便是："你所想的，便是你；你将要想的，便是你将成为的。"如果这是真的，就不要教导自己说你什么都不是，啊，说除非得到某位不住在这里、坐在云端以上的某人的帮助，否则你什么也做不了。结果将是你每天都会变得越来越软弱。通过不断重复"主啊，我们非常不洁，请使我们纯洁"，结果是你会将自己催眠入各种罪恶之中。啊，佛教徒说，你们在每个社会中所见到的百分之九十的罪恶，都源于这个人格神的理念；这是关于人的一种可怕理念，认为这生命的显现——这生命的奇妙显现——的目的与归宿，是成为像一只狗一样。佛教徒对毗湿奴派（Vaishnava）信徒说：如果你的理想、你的目标与归宿是前往上帝居住的地方——毗湿奴净土（Vaikuntha）——并在那里双手合十永远站立于祂面前，那么自尽还不如那样做。佛教徒甚至可以辩称，正因如此，他要创造涅槃，即寂灭，以逃离这种状态。我现在将这些理念以一个佛教徒的身份呈现在你们面前，因为如今所有这些不二论的理念都被说成会让你们不道德，我正试图向你们展示另一方的观点。让我们大胆而勇敢地面对双方。
我们首先看到，这个人格神创造世界的理念是无法得到证明的；今天有任何孩子能相信这一点吗？因为一个陶工制造了一个陶壶，所以一个上帝创造了世界！如果如此，那么你的陶工也是上帝；而如果有人告诉你说祂没有头和手而行事，你可以将他送进精神病院。有史以来，你的人格神——你一生向其祈求的宇宙创造者——曾经帮助过你吗？这是现代科学的下一个挑战。他们将证明，你所得到的任何帮助，都本可通过你自己的努力得到，甚至更好——你本不必将精力耗费在那哭嚎上，不去哭泣哀号，你反而可以做得更好。我们还看到，随着这个人格神的理念，专制与祭司权力也随之而来。凡是这种理念存在之处，专制与祭司权力便告盛行；佛教徒说，除非这个谎言被彻底打倒，否则专制不会终止。只要人认为自己必须在一个超自然存在面前俯首帖耳，就永远会有祭司来要求权利与特权，让人在他们面前俯首帖耳，而这些可怜的人将继续请求某位祭司为他们充当调停者。你可以废除婆罗门，然而请记住我的话，那些这样做的人将取而代之，且有过之而无不及，因为婆罗门多少还有一定的宽宏大量，而这些暴发户总是最恶劣的暴君。一个乞丐若获得财富，他便认为整个世界不过是一根稻草。因此，只要这个人格神的理念存在，就必须有这些祭司，就不可能指望社会拥有任何伟大的道德。祭司权力与专制携手并行。为什么会被发明出来？因为古时某些强大的人将人民握于手中，说道：你们必须服从我们，否则我们将消灭你们。这便是问题的症结所在。महद्भयं वज्रमुद्यतम्——这便是那雷霆之神的理念，他诛杀所有不服从他的人。
接着，佛教徒说，你们到目前为止已经完全理性了：一切都是业力（Karma）法则的结果。你们相信无数灵魂，而灵魂是无生无死的，这种对无数灵魂的相信以及对业力法则的信仰，无疑是完全合乎逻辑的。因必有果，现在必有过去的因，并将在未来产生结果。印度教徒说，业力是"惰性"（Jada）而非"精神"（Chaitanya），因此需要某种精神来使这一因结出果实。精神是否真的必要来使植物结出果实？如果我种下种子并浇水，精神是不必要的。你可以说最初有某种精神，但灵魂本身就是精神，不需要其他任何东西。如果人类的灵魂也拥有它，那么正如否定灵魂而相信业力法则的耆那教徒（Jains）所说，对上帝的需要在哪里？你在哪里合乎逻辑，你在哪里合乎道德？当你批评不二论并担心它会导致不道德时，只要读一读二元论派别在印度的所作所为。如果有两万名不二论的恶棍，也有两万名二元论的恶棍。一般而言，二元论的恶棍将更多，因为理解不二论需要更好的心灵类型，而不二论者几乎无法被吓倒。那么，你们印度教徒还剩下什么？没有出路可以脱离佛教徒的掌握。你们可以引用吠陀，但他不相信它。他会说："我的三藏（Tripitakas）另有说法，而且它们无始无终，甚至不是佛陀所写的——因为佛陀说他不过是在复诵它们——它们是永恒的。"他还补充说："你们的是错误的，我们的才是真正的吠陀，你们的是婆罗门祭司伪造的，因此统统都是废话。"你们如何逃脱？
这里有一条出路。先来看第一个反驳——形而上学上的反驳，即实体与属性是不同的。不二论者说，不然。实体与属性之间并没有差别。你们都知道那个古老的比喻：绳子被误认为是蛇，当你看见蛇时，你根本看不见绳子，绳子已经消失了。将事物分为实体与属性，不过是哲学家头脑中形而上学的某种东西，因为它们在实际效果中从来不可能分开。如果你是一个普通人，你看见的是属性；如果你是一位伟大的瑜伽行者（Yogi），你看见的是实体；但你从来不会同时看见两者。所以，佛教徒啊，你们关于实体与属性的争论，不过是一种在事实上站不住脚的错误计算。但若实体没有属性的限定，就只能有一个。如果你从灵魂中取去属性，并说明这些属性实际上在心灵中，是强加于灵魂上的，那么就永远不可能有两个灵魂，因为属性是一个灵魂与另一个灵魂之间差别的原因。你如何知道一个灵魂与另一个灵魂是不同的？是依据某些区别性的标志，某些属性。而当属性不存在时，又如何有差别？因此，并非有两个灵魂，只有一个，而你的最高真我（Paramatman）是多余的，这个灵魂本身就是最高真我。那个被称为最高真我的，被称为个体真我（Jivâtman）的，等等，都是同一个；而你们那些说灵魂是"遍在"（Vibhu）、无所不在的数论派（Sânkhyas）等二元论者，你们又如何能设立两个无限？只能有一个。还有什么？这个唯一之物就是那个唯一的无限真我，其他一切都是它的显现。佛教徒止步于此，然而事情并不到此为止。
不二论者的立场并非仅仅是一种软弱的批评。不二论者在他人靠近时批评他们，然后只是将其推开，如此而已；然而他提出了自己的立场。他是唯一既批评又不仅仅停留于批评和引经据典的人。这里就是了。你们说宇宙是一种持续运动的事物。在个体（Vyashti，个体）之中，一切都在运动；你在运动，桌子在运动，运动无所不在——这是"轮回"（Samsâra，轮回——Samsara），持续的运动——这是"世界"（Jagat）。因此，在这个"世界"（Jagat）之中，不可能有个体性，因为个体性意味着不变；不可能有任何变化的个体性，这是自相矛盾的说法。在我们这个小小的世界——"世界"（Jagat）——之中，不存在任何个体性。思想与情感、心灵与身体、人类与动植物，都处于持续的流变状态之中。然而，假设你将宇宙视为一个统一的整体——它能变化或运动吗？肯定不能。运动只有在与某种运动较少或完全静止的东西相比较时才是可能的。因此，宇宙作为一个整体是静止不动、不可改变的。所以，当你且仅当你是宇宙的全体时，你才是一个个体——当"我即宇宙"的证悟降临时。这便是为什么吠檀多论者说，只要有二，恐惧便不止息。唯当一个人看不见另一个，感受不到另一个，唯当一切归于一体——只有那时恐惧才会止息，只有那时死亡才会消逝，只有那时轮回才会消逝。因此，不二论教导我们：人的个体性在于其普遍性，而不在于其特殊性。只有当你是整体时，你才是不朽的。只有当你是宇宙时，你才是无惧且无死的；那时，你所谓的宇宙与你所谓的上帝是同一个，与你所谓的存在是同一个，与你所谓的整体是同一个。它是那个唯一不可分割的存在，被视作多元的世界——正如我们所见，以及与我们处于同等心理状态的其他人所见。那些积累了稍为善好业力并获得更好心理状态的人，死后将其视为天界（Svarga），看见因陀罗（Indra）等等。更高的人将以同样的方式将其视为梵天界（Brahma-Loka），而完善者既不见大地，也不见天界，亦不见任何世界（Loka）。宇宙将已消逝，梵（Brahman，梵——Brahman）将取而代之。
我们能认识这个梵吗？我曾向你们谈到《本集》（Samhita）中对无限的描绘。在这里，我们将发现所展示的是另一面——无限的内在之维。那是肌肉的无限。在这里，我们将有思想的无限。在那里，以正面的语言尝试描绘无限；而在这里，那种语言已经失败，所尝试的是以否定的语言来描绘它。这里是这个宇宙，即便承认它就是梵，我们能认识它吗？不！不！你们必须再次清楚地理解这一点。这个疑问会一再向你们袭来：如果这就是梵，我们如何能认识它？विज्ञातारमरे केन विजानीयात्——"认知者如何能被认知？"认知者如何能被认知？眼睛看见一切；它们能看见自身吗？它们不能——知识这一事实本身就是一种降格。雅利安人的子孙们，你们必须记住这一点，因为其中隐藏着一个重大的故事。所有向你们袭来的西方诱惑，在形而上学上都以这样一件事为基础——不存在比感官知识更高的东西。在东方，我们在吠陀中说，这种知识低于事物本身，因为它永远是一种限制。当你想认知一件事情时，它立即被你的心灵所限制。他们说，回想一下那个蚌造珍珠的例子，看看知识如何是一种限制——将事物纳入意识，而非整体地认识它。这对所有知识都是真实的，它对于无限岂能更少？你如何能如此限制那一切知识之实体，那"见证者"（Sâkshi）——没有祂你便不可能有任何知识，那没有任何属性、是整个宇宙的见证者、我们自身灵魂的见证者？你如何能认识祂？你用什么手段将祂束缚起来？一切，整个宇宙，都是这样一种徒劳的尝试。这无限的真我，仿佛试图看见自己的面容，而一切众生——从最卑微的动物到最高的天神——都如同众多镜子，让祂在其中映照自身；祂不断取用更多的镜子，发现它们都不够，直至在人的身体中祂认识到它是有限中的有限，一切都是有限的，无限不可能在有限中得到任何表达。于是，逆向的行进开始了，这就是所谓的"离欲"（Vairâgya，离欲——Vairagya），即弃绝。从感官撤回，从感官撤回！"不要走向感官"，这是"离欲"的格言。这是所有道德的格言，这是所有福祉的格言；因为你们必须记住，在我们这里，宇宙始于苦行（Tapasyâ，苦行——Tapas），始于弃绝；随着你向后退去，所有的形式都在你面前显现，并被一一搁置，直至你回归你真实所是的那个。这便是解脱（Moksha，解脱——Moksha），即从束缚中获得自由。
我们必须理解这个理念：विज्ञातारमरे केन विजानीयात्——"如何认知认知者？"认知者不能被认知，因为若被认知，它便不再是认知者。如果你在镜中看你的眼睛，那个反射不再是你的眼睛，而是别的东西，只是一种反射。那么，若这个灵魂、这个普遍的无限存在——也就是你——只是一个见证者，它有什么用处？它不能像我们一样生活、行动、享受世界。人们无法理解见证者如何能享受。"哦，"他们说，"你们印度教徒通过这个你们是见证者的学说，变得静默无为、毫无用处！"首先，只有见证者才能享受。如果有一场摔跤比赛，谁能享受它——是那些参与其中的人，还是那些旁观的人——局外者？你对生活中任何事物的见证越多，你就越享受它。这便是"极乐"（Ânanda）；因此，只有当你成为这个宇宙的见证者时，无限的极乐才能是你的；只有那时你才是一个"解脱者"（Mukta Purusha）。唯有见证者才能毫无欲望地工作，没有上天堂的念头，没有受责备的念头，没有受赞扬的念头。唯有见证者享受，其他任何人都不能。
来谈不二论的道德层面，在形而上学层面与道德层面之间，有一个问题，即摩耶（Mâyâ）的理论。不二论体系中的这些要点，每一个都需要多年才能理解，需要数月才能解释。因此，如果我只是匆匆涉及它们，请你们见谅。这个摩耶的理论，在所有时代都是最难以理解的事情。请让我用几句话告诉你们，它肯定不是一种理论，而是三个理念的结合——"方处时因"（Desha-Kâla-Nimitta），即空间、时间和因果——而这空间、时间与因果进一步被化约为"名色"（Nâma-Rupa），即名称与形态。设想海洋中有一个波浪。波浪与海洋的区别只在于其形态与名称，而这形态与名称不可能有任何独立于波浪的存在；它们只与波浪同在。波浪可以平息，但同等量的水仍然存在，即便那依附于波浪的名与形永远消逝。这个摩耶，便是使我与你之间、所有动物与人之间、天神与人之间产生差别的东西。事实上，正是这个摩耶使得真我（Atman）仿佛被困于如此众多的无数存在之中，而这些存在只有通过名与形才能相互区别。如果你任它去，让名与形消逝，所有这些多样性便永远消逝，而你便回归你真实所是的那个。这便是摩耶。
它再次不是一种理论，而是一种事实的陈述。当实在论者宣称这张桌子存在时，他的意思是这张桌子拥有其独立的存在，它不依赖于宇宙中任何其他事物的存在，即便整个宇宙被摧毁湮灭，这张桌子仍将一如现在地存在。稍加思考便会告诉你，这不可能如此。感官世界中的一切都是依赖的与相互依赖的，相对的与相互关联的，一方的存在依赖于另一方。因此，我们认识事物有三个步骤：第一，每件事物都是个别的，与其他一切相分离；第二，是发现所有事物之间的关系与相互关联；第三，是发现我们所见的多是同一的一。无知者关于上帝的第一个观念是，这个上帝在宇宙之外的某处——也就是说，关于上帝的概念极为人格化；祂所做的事与人所做的完全相同，只是规模更大、层次更高。我们已经看到，这个上帝的理念如何在区区几句话中就被证明是不合理且不充分的。接下来的理念是在处处显现的力量中的理念。这便是我们在《昌迪》（Chandi）中得到的真正的人格神，然而请注意，这并非你们将一切良善品质之库归于其中的那个上帝。你们不能有两个上帝——上帝与撒旦；你们必须只有一个，并且敢于称祂为善与恶。只有一个，并承担其逻辑的后果。我们在《昌迪》中读到："我们向你致敬，哦，神圣母亲，她以平静居于每个存在之中。我们向你致敬，哦，神圣母亲，她以纯洁居于所有存在之中。"同时，我们必须承担称祂为"一切形态"的全部后果。"一切都是极乐，哦，伽尔吉（Gârgi）；凡有极乐之处，皆有神圣的一分。"你可以随意运用它。在我面前的这束光，你可以用它给一个穷人一百卢比，另一个人可以用它伪造你的名字，但光对两者都是同一的。这是第二个阶段。而第三个是，上帝既不在自然之外，也不在自然之内，而是上帝与自然、灵魂与宇宙，都是可以互相转换的词语。你从未见过两件事；是你们的形而上学词汇欺骗了你们。你们假定你们是一个身体并拥有一个灵魂，你们同时是两者。这怎么可能？在你自己的心灵中试想一下。如果你们中有一位瑜伽行者，他以精神（Chaitanya）来认识自身，对他而言，身体已经消失。一个普通人以身体来认识自身；灵性的理念已从他那里消逝；然而，因为存在着这样的形而上学观念——人有身体有灵魂以及所有这些东西——你们便认为它们全都同时存在。每次一件事。当你见到物质时，不要谈论上帝；你见到的是结果，仅仅是结果；而原因你无法见到，一旦你能见到原因，结果便已消逝。那么世界在哪里，是谁将它取走了？
"那常住的纯意识，那绝对的极乐，超越一切界限，超越一切比较，超越一切属性，永恒自由，如天空般无边，无有部分，绝对，完善——如此之梵，哦圣者，哦智者，在三摩地（Samâdhi，三摩地——Samadhi）中在智者（Jnâni）的心中闪耀。"（《辨别冠顶宝》（Vivekachudamani）第408颂）
"一切自然的变化在那里永远止息，那是超越一切思想的思想，与一切平等却无有平等者，不可量度，为吠陀所宣示，是我们所称之'存在'中的本质，完善——如此之梵，哦圣者，哦智者，在三摩地中在智者的心中闪耀。"（同上，第409颂）
"超越一切生死，那无限者，无可比拟，如宇宙在'大毁灭'（Mahâpralaya）中被水浸没——上有水，下有水，四周皆是水，而在那水面上没有一个波浪，没有一丝涟漪——静默而宁和，一切幻象均已消亡，一切争斗与争吵，愚人与圣人之战，永远止息——如此之梵，哦圣者，哦智者，在三摩地中在智者的心中闪耀。"（同上，第410颂）
那个时刻也会到来，当它到来时，世界便已消逝。
如此，我们已经看到，这个梵、这个实在，是未知且不可知的——不是在不可知论者的意义上，而是因为要认识祂将是一种亵渎，因为你已经是祂了。我们也已经看到，这个梵既不是这张桌子，却又是这张桌子。取去名与形，凡有实在之处，便是祂。祂是一切事物中的实在。
"你是那女人，你是那男人，你是那少年，也是那少女，你是那拄杖而行的老人，你是宇宙中的一切与一切。"这便是不二论的主题。再说几句话。我们在这里发现，这就是事物本质的解释。我们已经看到，唯有在这里，我们才能在逻辑与科学知识的全面冲击面前站稳脚跟。在这里，理性终于有了坚实的基础；与此同时，印度的吠檀多论者并不诅咒先前的步骤；他回顾并祝福它们，他知道它们是真实的，只是被错误地感知了，被错误地陈述了。它们是同样的真理，只不过是透过摩耶的玻璃看到的——也许是扭曲的——然而仍是真理，仅仅是真理。无知之人从外部所见的那个上帝，略有所知之人所见的渗透宇宙的那个上帝，以及圣人实证为其自身真我、整个宇宙本身的那个——这一切都是同一个存在，同一个本体，从不同的立场所见，透过不同的摩耶之镜所见，被不同的心灵所感知，所有的差别皆由此而起。不仅如此，而且一种观点必定导向另一种观点。科学与普通知识之间的差别是什么？在黑暗的夜晚走出去，如果那里有什么异常现象发生，问一个路人原因是什么。十有八九，他会告诉你那是鬼怪造成的现象。他总是在外部追寻鬼魂与灵异，因为这是无明（avidyâ，无明）的本性——在结果之外寻求原因。如果一块石头落下，无知的人说那是魔鬼或鬼魂扔的，但科学的人说那是自然的法则，是引力的法则。
到处都在进行的科学与宗教之间的争论是什么？宗教被如此大量来自外部的解释所累赘——一个天使负责太阳，另一个负责月亮，等等，无穷无尽。每一种变化都由某个灵来引起，共同的一点是，它们都在事物之外。而科学意味着，事物的原因是通过事物本身的性质来探寻的。随着科学一步步进步，它已将对自然现象的解释从灵魂和天使的手中接过来。因为不二论在灵性事务上也做了同样的事，所以它是最具科学精神的宗教。这个宇宙并非由任何宇宙之外的上帝创造，也不是任何外在天才的作品。它是自我创造、自我消解、自我显现的，是那唯一的无限存在——梵。"你即是那，悉达多！"（Tattvamasi Shvetaketo）
如此，你们看到，这，且唯有这，而非任何其他，才能是唯一具有科学精神的宗教。面对现代教育程度不高的印度每日泛滥的关于科学的空谈，面对我每天听到的关于理性主义与理性的大量言论，我希望你们整个宗派都会转变过来，敢于成为不二论者，并敢于以佛陀的话语向世界宣讲它——बहुजनहिताय बहुजनसुखाय——"为了众生的利益，为了众生的幸福。"如果你们不这样做，我视你们为懦夫。如果你们无法克服自己的懦弱，如果你们的恐惧是你们的借口，那就允许他人同等的自由，不要试图打垮那些可怜的拜神像者，不要称他为魔鬼，不要四处向每一个不完全同意你们的人传道。首先知晓，你们自己就是懦夫；若社会令你们惊恐，若你们过去的迷信令你们如此惶恐，那么这些迷信将更大程度地令那些无知者惊恐和束缚。这便是不二论者的立场。对他人怀有慈悲。上帝保佑，若明天整个世界都成为不二论者，不仅在理论上，而且在实证上——那该多好！然而若这不可能，让我们做次好的事；让我们牵起无知者的手，始终一步一步引导他们，如他们所能承受的那样；并知晓，印度所有宗教成长中的每一步都是进步的。不是从坏到好，而是从好到更好。
关于道德关系，还有些话要说。我们的年轻人如今轻率地谈论——他们从哪里学来的，上帝只知道——说不二论使人不道德，因为若我们都是一体，都是上帝，那么道德还有什么必要！首先，这是野兽的论点——野兽只能被鞭子所约束。如果你们是这样的野兽，宁可自尽，也不要以需要鞭子约束的人类自居。若鞭子被拿走，你们都将是魔鬼！若情况如此，你们全都该被消灭。对你们没有任何帮助；你们必须永远生活在这鞭子与棍棒之下，没有解脱，没有出路。
其次，唯有不二论且仅仅是不二论能够解释道德。每种宗教都宣扬，一切道德的本质是为他人行善。为什么呢？要无私。为什么我应该？某个上帝这样说了？那不关我的事。某些经典宣示了它？就让他们宣示；那对我无关紧要；让他们全都来说吧。即便他们说了，那与我何干？每人为己，让别人自生自灭——这至少是世界上许多人的全部道德。我应当道德的原因是什么？除非你来认识《薄伽梵歌》所给出的真理，否则你无法解释它："那在自身中见到所有人、在所有人中见到自身的人，如此看见同一个上帝居于所有存在中，那个圣者，不再以自我杀害真我。"通过不二论认识，无论你伤害谁，你都是在伤害自己；他们全都是你。无论你知道与否，通过所有的手你都在劳作，通过所有的脚你都在行走，你是享受宫殿的国王，你是街头过着悲惨生活的乞丐；你在无知者中，也在有学之士中；你在软弱的人中，也在强大的人中——知晓这一点，生出同情心。这就是为什么我们不得伤害他人。这就是为什么即便我不得不挨饿，我也不在乎，因为届时有数百万张嘴同时在吃，而那些都是我的嘴。因此，我不应在意我和我的亲人会如何，因为整个宇宙都是我的，我同时在享受所有的极乐；又有谁能杀死我或宇宙？道德就在这里。这里，在不二论中，道德才得到了解释。其他体系教导了道德，却无法给出其根本原因。那么，就解释而言，说到这里。
收获是什么？是力量。摘去那催眠的面纱，你将其蒙在了世界之上；不要向人类发送软弱的思想与言语。知晓，所有的罪与所有的恶可以用一个词来概括，那便是软弱。软弱是一切恶行中的动力；软弱是一切自私的根源；软弱使人伤害他人；软弱使人表现出他们实际上并非的样子。让他们全都知道自己真正是什么；让他们日夜重复自己是什么。"我即是祂"（Soham）。让他们随着母乳将这个力量的理念——"我即是祂，我即是祂"——一同吸入体内。首先要聆听这个——श्रोतव्यो मन्तव्यो निदिध्यासितव्यः——等等。然后让他们思考它，而从那思想、那颗心中，将涌现出这世界前所未见的作为。还需做什么？啊，有人说不二论是不切实际的；也就是说，它在物质层面上尚未显现。在某种程度上，这是真实的，因为请记住吠陀的这句话：
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म ओमित्येकाक्षरं परम्।
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा यो यदिच्छति तस्य तत् ॥
——"唵（Om，唵——Om）——此单一音节是梵；唵——此单一音节是至高的实在；知晓此唵之秘密者，无论他想要什么，那他便能得到。"啊，因此，首先知晓这唵的秘密——即你是那唵；知晓这"汝即是那"（Tattvamasi）的秘密，然后，只有那时，无论你想要什么，都将向你而来。如果你想在物质上伟大，就相信你是如此。我也许是一个小气泡，而你也许是山高般的波浪，然而要知道，对我们两者而言，那无限的海洋是背景，那无限的梵是我们力量与力量的宝库，我们都可以随意取用，我这个气泡和你这座山高的波浪都可以。因此，要相信你们自己。不二论的秘密是：先相信你们自己，然后再相信任何其他事物。在世界历史上，你们会发现，只有那些相信自己的民族才变得伟大而强盛。在每个民族的历史上，你们总会发现，只有那些相信自己的个体才变得伟大而强盛。这里，在印度，来了一个英国人，他只不过是一个文书，由于资金匮乏和其他原因，他两次试图结束自己的生命；而当他失败后，他相信了自己，他相信自己生来是要成就大事的；这个人成了克莱夫勋爵（Lord Clive），那个帝国的奠基者。如果他相信了那些牧师的话，一生都匍匐而行——"哦主啊，我软弱，我卑微"——他会在哪里？在一所精神病院。你们也被这些邪恶的教导弄成了疯子。我走遍了整个世界，亲眼见到了这些关于谦卑的软弱教导对人类的恶劣影响。我们的孩子就是这样被培养的，难道令他们成为半疯子是奇怪的事吗？
这是实践层面的教导。因此，要相信你们自己，如果你们想要物质财富，就为之努力；它会向你们而来。如果你们想要在智识上有所成就，就在智识的层面上努力，你们将成为智识上的巨人。如果你们想要达到自由，就在灵性的层面上努力，你们将获得自由，并进入涅槃——永恒的极乐。然而，不二论的一个缺点是，它长期以来只在灵性层面被实践，而不在其他层面；现在，时机已到，你们必须使它切实可行。它不再是一个秘义（Rahasya），一个秘密；它不再只居于山洞、森林和喜马拉雅山中的修行者之中；它必须来到人民每日的日常生活之中；它必须在国王的宫殿里、在隐士的洞穴里付诸实践；它必须在穷人的茅屋里、在街头的乞丐身上付诸实践，到处都是——在任何地方，它都能被付诸实践。因此，不要担心你是一个女人还是一个首陀罗（Shudra），因为正如克里希纳（Krishna，克里希纳——Krishna）所说，这种宗教是如此伟大，即便其中的一点点也会带来大量的善。
因此，雅利安人的儿女们，不要闲坐；奋起，警醒，不达目标，誓不停歇。这不二论被付诸实践的时机已经到来。让我们把它从天堂带到大地；这是当下的使命。啊，我们古代先祖的声音在告诉我们，把它从天堂带到大地。让你们的教导渗透整个世界，直至它们渗入社会的每一个毛孔，直至它们成为每个人的共同财富，直至它们成为我们生活的一部分，直至它们进入我们的血脉，在每一滴血液中汩汩流淌。
啊，你们也许会惊讶地听到，作为实践的吠檀多论者，美国人比我们更好。我曾经站在纽约的海滨，看着来自不同国家的移民——被压垮的、被践踏的、绝望的、无法直视任何人的，手中只有一小包破衣服作为全部的财产，这一切还都是破烂的；如果他们看见一个警察，便感到害怕，试图走到路的另一侧。然而，请注意，六个月后，这些人走路昂首挺胸，衣着整洁，直视每个人的眼睛；是什么造成了这奇妙的差别？说吧，这个人来自亚美尼亚或其他某个地方，在那里他曾被压垮到无法辨认的程度，在那里每个人都告诉他，他天生就是奴隶，注定一生都处于卑微的状态，在那里他稍有动作便遭践踏。在那里，一切都仿佛在对他说："奴隶！你是奴隶，就呆在那里。你生而无望，你必须保持无望。"甚至连空气都仿佛在他耳边低语："你没有希望；你必须是无望的奴隶"，而强壮的人将他的生命之力榨干。当他踏上纽约的街道时，他发现一位穿着考究的绅士向他握手；一个衣衫褴褛，另一个衣冠楚楚，这并没有任何区别。他又向前走了一步，看见有一家餐厅，那里有绅士在餐桌旁用餐，而他也被请入同一张餐桌的一角就座。他四处游走，发现了一种新的生活——在那里，他是人群中的一个人。也许他去了华盛顿，与美国总统握手；也许在那里，他看见来自遥远乡村的人、农民和衣着简朴的人，都在与总统握手。然后，摩耶的面纱从他身上滑落了。他是梵，那曾被催眠入奴役与软弱中的人再次觉醒，他站起来，发现自己是一个人中之人。啊，在我们这个国家——吠檀多的真正诞生地——我们的大众被催眠了数千年，进入那种状态。接触他们是污染，与他们坐在一起是污染！他们生而无望，必须保持无望！其结果是，他们一直在沉沦，沉沦，沉沦，已经堕落到一个人所能沦落的最低境地。世界上有哪个国家的人必须与牲畜同宿？对此，不要责怪任何其他人，不要犯无知者的错误。结果在这里，原因也在这里。我们自己应当受责。昂然而立，要大胆，将责任揽于自身肩上。不要到处向他人泼污水；你所受的一切苦难，你是唯一的原因，也是全部的原因。
拉合尔的年轻人们，因此要理解这一点——这个巨大的罪孽，是世代相传的民族性的罪孽，压在我们的肩膀上。我们没有希望。你们可以建立数千个团体、两万个政治集会、五万个机构。在那种同情、那种爱、那颗为所有人而思考的心出现之前，这一切都将毫无用处；在佛陀之心再次降临印度之前，在克里希纳的话语被付诸实际运用之前，我们没有希望。你们不断模仿欧洲人及其团体与集会，但让我给你们讲一个故事——一个我亲眼所见的事实。一批缅甸人被此地的一些人——结果是欧亚混血儿——带到伦敦去。他们在伦敦展示这些人，收取所有的钱，然后将这些缅甸人带到欧洲大陆，并将他们留在那里，任凭他们自生自灭。这些可怜的人不懂任何欧洲语言的只言片语，但在奥地利的英国领事将他们送回伦敦。他们在伦敦举目无亲，完全无助。然而有一位英国女士得知了他们的情况，将这些来自缅甸的外国人接入自己家中，给予他们自己的衣服、自己的床以及一切，然后将消息发给报纸。请注意，第二天，整个国家仿佛被震动了一般。款项如潮水般涌入，这些人得到了帮助，并被送回了缅甸。他们所有的政治及其他机构，都建立在这样的同情心之上；它是爱的磐石基础——至少对于他们自己是如此。他们也许不爱整个世界；缅甸人也许是他们的敌人；但在英格兰，毋庸置疑，存在着对本国人民、对真理、对正义以及对陌生过客的慈善的这种伟大的爱。如果我不告诉你们我在西方每个国家是多么奇妙而好客地受到接待，我将是最忘恩负义的人。这里，建立其上的心在哪里？我们一旦开始成立一个小小的股份公司，便试图相互欺骗，整个事情就轰然倒塌。你们谈论模仿英国人，建立像他们那样强大的一个民族。然而，根基在哪里？我们的只是沙子，因此建筑顷刻间就倒塌了。
因此，拉合尔的年轻人们，再次高举那威严的不二论旗帜，因为除此之外，你们无法拥有那奇妙的爱——除非你们看见同一个主无处不在。展开那爱的旗帜！"奋起，警醒，不达目标，誓不停歇。"奋起，再度奋起，因为没有弃绝（Vairagya），什么都做不成。如果你们想帮助他人，你们小小的自我必须消逝。用基督徒的话说——你们不能同时服侍上帝与玛门（Mammon）。要有离欲（Vairagya，离欲——Vairagya）。你们的先祖放弃了这个世界，去成就伟大的事业。现今有些人放弃这个世界，是为了帮助自身的解脱。抛掉一切，甚至你们自身的解脱，出去帮助他人。啊，你们总是说着大话，然而这里是摆在你们面前的实践吠檀多。放弃这小小的生命。如果你我和数千个像我们这样的人死于饥饿，那又有什么要紧——只要这个民族还活着？这个民族正在沉沦，无数百万人的诅咒压在我们头上——那些我们在他们口渴将死之时给了他们沟渠水喝的人，而那时终年不竭的活水就在一旁流淌；那数百万无名的人，我们任由其在富庶之中饿死；那数百万人，我们向其谈论不二论，却对其满怀憎恨；那数百万人，我们为其发明了"世俗习惯"（Lokâchâra）的学说，我们理论上告诉他们，我们都是一样的，都与同一个主是一体的，却没有半分的实践。"然而，我的朋友们，它必须只在心里，而绝非在实践中！"擦去这污点。"奋起，警醒。"这小小的生命消逝了又有什么要紧？每个人都必须死去——圣人或罪人，富人或穷人。身体不会为任何人长存。奋起，警醒，要完全真诚。我们印度人的虚伪是可怕的；我们所需要的是品格，那种使一个人如铁钳般紧扣某事不放的沉稳与品格。
"让圣人责备或赞美，让吉祥天女（Lakshmi）今日降临或离去，让死亡就在此刻降临或在百年之后；那个从不在正道上迈出一步错步的人，才是真正的智者。"奋起，警醒，因为时光在流逝，我们所有的精力将在无谓的空谈中被耗尽。奋起，警醒，让小事、对细枝末节的争吵、对小小教义的争斗统统抛诸脑后，因为这里有所有工作中最伟大的工作，这里有那些正在沉沦的数百万人。当穆罕默德教徒最初来到印度时，印度有多少印度教徒；然而请看，今天他们如何日渐凋零！每一天他们都将越来越少，直至完全消失。就让他们消失，然而，随着他们消失的，将是那些奇妙的理念——尽管带有种种缺陷和种种误解，他们仍是这些理念的代表。随着他们消失的，将是这奇妙的不二论——一切灵性思想的冠顶珍宝。因此，奋起，警醒，伸出你们的双手来保护世界的灵性。而首先，让我们为自己的国家将其付诸实践。我们所需要的，与其说是灵性，不如说是将不二论稍微带入物质世界。先有面包，然后才有宗教。我们给他们塞了太多的宗教，而这些可怜的人却一直在挨饿。任何教义都无法满足饥饿的渴望。这里有两个诅咒：第一是我们的软弱，第二是我们的憎恨，我们干涸的心灵。你们可以宣讲百万种教义，你们可以有数亿个宗派；啊，然而，在你们拥有一颗能够感受的心之前，这一切都是空谈。为他们而感受，如你们的吠陀所教导你们的，直至你们发现他们是你们自己身体的一部分，直至你们认识到，你与他们——穷与富，圣与罪——都是那无限整体的各个部分，那你们称之为梵的无限整体。
诸位，我已尝试将不二论体系中一些最为辉煌的要点呈现于你们面前，而现在，将其付诸实践的时机已到——不仅在这个国家，而且在任何地方。现代科学及其大锤般的打击，正在将所有到处存在的二元论宗教的瓷器基础砸得粉碎。不仅在这里，二元论者对经文进行曲解，直至它们再也无法延伸——因为经文不是橡皮——也不仅在这里，他们试图躲进角落和缝隙来保护自己；在欧洲和美洲，情况还要严重。甚至在那里，来自印度的这些理念的某些部分也将不得不前去。它已经到了那里。它将不得不成长、扩展，并拯救那里的文明。因为在西方，旧的秩序正在消逝，让位于一种新的秩序，那便是对黄金的崇拜，对玛门的崇拜。因此，这种旧的粗糙的宗教体系还不如现代的体系——即竞争与黄金——要好。没有任何民族，无论多么强大，能建立在这样的基础之上；世界历史告诉我们，所有具有这样基础的民族都已死去而成为历史。首先，我们必须阻止这样一股浪潮涌入印度。因此，向每个人宣讲不二论，使宗教能够承受现代科学的冲击。不仅如此，你们还将不得不帮助他人；你们的思想将帮助欧洲和美洲走出困境。但最重要的，让我再次提醒你们，这里需要的是实践工作，而其中的第一部分，便是你们应当走向那些正在沉沦的印度数百万民众，牵起他们的手，铭记克里希纳的话语：
इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः।
निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्मात् ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिताः॥
——"即便在今生，那些心灵稳固地安住于一切平等中的人，已经征服了相对的存在；因为上帝是纯粹的，对所有人都是平等的；因此，这样的人被称为安住于上帝之中。"
English
THE VEDANTA
(Delivered at Lahore on 12th November, 1897)
Two worlds there are in which we live, one the external, the other internal. Human progress has been made, from days of yore, almost in parallel lines along both these worlds. The search began in the external, and man at first wanted to get answers for all the deep problems from outside nature. Man wanted to satisfy his thirst for the beautiful and the sublime from all that surrounded him; he wanted to express himself and all that was within him in the language of the concrete; and grand indeed were the answers he got, most marvellous ideas of God and worship, and most rapturous expressions of the beautiful. Sublime ideas came from the external world indeed. But the other, opening out for humanity later, laid out before him a universe yet sublimer, yet more beautiful, and infinitely more expansive. In the Karma Kânda portion of the Vedas, we find the most wonderful ideas of religion inculcated, we find the most wonderful ideas about an overruling Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer of the universe presented before us in language sometimes the most soul-stirring. Most of you perhaps remember that most wonderful Shloka in the Rig-Veda Samhitâ where you get the description of chaos, perhaps the sublimest that has ever been attempted yet. In spite of all this, we find it is only a painting of the sublime outside, we find that yet it is gross, that something of matter yet clings to it. Yet we find that it is only the expression of the Infinite in; the language of matter, in the language of the finite, it is,. the infinite of the muscles and not of the mind; it is the infinite of space and not of thought. Therefore in the second portion of Jnâna Kânda, we find there is altogether a different procedure. The first was a search in external nature for the truths of the universe; it was an attempt to get the solution of the deep problems of life from the material world. यस्यैते हिमवन्तो महित्वा — "Whose glory these Himalayas declare". This is a grand idea, but yet it was not grand enough for India. The Indian mind had to fall back, and the research took a different direction altogether; from the external the search came to the internal, from matter to mind. There arose the cry, "When a man dies, what becomes of him?" अस्तीत्येके नायमस्तीति चैके — "Some say that he exists, others that he is gone; say, O king of Death, what is the truth?" An entirely different procedure we find here. The Indian mind got all that could be had from the external world, but it did not feel satisfied with that; it wanted to search further, to dive into its own soul, and the final answer came.
The Upanishads, or the Vedanta, or the Âranyakas, or Rahasya is the name of this portion of the Vedas. Here we find at once that religion has got rid of all external formalities. Here we find at once that spiritual things are told not in the language of matter, but in the language of the spirit; the superfine in the language of the superfine. No more any grossness attaches to it, no more is there any compromise with things of worldly concern. Bold, brave, beyond the conception of the present day, stand the giant minds of the sages of the Upanishads, declaring the noblest truths that have ever been preached to humanity, without any compromise, without any fear. This, my countrymen, I want to lay before you. Even the Jnana Kanda of the Vedas is a vast ocean; many lives are necessary to understand even a little of it. Truly has it been said of the Upanishads by Râmânuja that they form the head, the shoulders, the crest of the Vedas, and surely enough the Upanishads have become the Bible of modern India. The Hindus have the greatest respect for the Karma Kanda of the Vedas, but, for all practical purposes, we know that for ages by Shruti has been meant the Upanishads, and the Upanishads alone. We know that all our great philosophers, whether Vyâsa, Patanjali, or Gautama, and even the father of all philosophy, the great Kapila himself, whenever they wanted an authority for what they wrote, everyone of them found it in the Upanishads, and nowhere else, for therein are the truths that remain for ever.
There are truths that are true only in a certain line, in a certain direction, under certain circumstances, and for certain times — those that are founded on the institutions of the times. There are other truths which are based on the nature of man himself, and which must endure so long as man himself endures. These are the truths that alone can be universal, and in spite of all the changes that have come to India, as to our social surroundings, our methods of dress, our manner of eating, our modes of worship — these universal truths of the Shrutis, the marvellous Vedantic ideas, stand out in their own sublimity, immovable, unvanquishable, deathless, and immortal. Yet the germs of all the ideas that were developed in the Upanishads had been taught already in the Karma Kanda. The idea of the cosmos which all sects of Vedantists had to take for granted, the psychology which has formed the common basis of all the Indian schools of thought, had there been worked out already and presented before the world. A few words, therefore, about the Karma Kanda are necessary before we begin the spiritual portion, the Vedanta; and first of all I should like to explain the sense in which I use the word Vedanta.
Unfortunately there is the mistaken notion in modern India that the word Vedanta has reference only to the Advaita system; but you must always remember that in modern India the three Prasthânas are considered equally important in the study of all the systems of religion. First of all there are the Revelations, the Shrutis, by which I mean the Upanishads. Secondly, among our philosophies, the Sutras of Vyasa have the greatest prominence on account of their being the consummation of all the preceding systems of philosophy. These systems are not contradictory to one another, but one is based on another, and there is a gradual unfolding of the theme which culminates in the Sutras of Vyasa. Then, between the Upanishads and the Sutras, which are the systematising of the marvellous truths of the Vedanta, comes in the Gita, the divine commentary of the Vedanta.
The Upanishads, the Vyâsa-Sutras, and the Gita, therefore, have been taken up by every sect in India that wants to claim authority for orthodoxy, whether dualist, or Vishishtâdvaitist, or Advaitist; the authorities of each of these are the three Prasthanas. We find that a Shankaracharya, or a Râmânuja, or a Madhvâchârya, or a Vallabhâcharya, or a Chaitanya — any one who wanted to propound a new sect — had to take up these three systems and write only a new commentary on them. Therefore it would be wrong to confine the word Vedanta only to one system which has arisen out of the Upanishads. All these are covered by the word Vedanta. The Vishishtadvaitist has as much right to be called a Vedantist as the Advaitist; in fact I will go a little further and say that what we really mean by the word Hindu is really the same as Vedantist. I want you to note that these three systems have been current in India almost from time immemorial; for you must not believe that Shankara was the inventor of the Advaita system. It existed ages before Shankara was born; he was one of its last representatives. So with the Vishishtadvaita system: it had existed ages before Ramanuja appeared, as we already know from the commentaries he has written; so with the dualistic systems that have existed side by side with the others. And with my little knowledge, I have come to the conclusion that they do not contradict each other.
Just as in the case of the six Darshanas, we find they are a gradual unfolding of the grand principles whose music beginning far back in the soft low notes, ends in the triumphant blast of the Advaita, so also in these three systems we find the gradual working up of the human mind towards higher and higher ideals till everything is merged in that wonderful unity which is reached in the Advaita system. Therefore these three are not contradictory. On the other hand I am bound to tell you that this has been a mistake committed by not a few. We find that an Advaitist teacher keeps intact those texts which especially teach Advaitism, and tries to interpret the dualistic or qualified non-dualistic texts into his own meaning. Similarly we find dualistic teachers trying to read their dualistic meaning into Advaitic texts. Our Gurus were great men, yet there is a saying, "Even the faults of a Guru must be told". I am of Opinion that in this only they were mistaken. We need not go into text-torturing, we need not go into any sort of religious dishonesty, we need not go into any sort of grammatical twaddle, we need not go about trying to put our own ideas into texts which were never meant for them, but the work is plain and becomes easier, once you understand the marvellous doctrine of Adhikârabheda.
It is true that the Upanishads have this one theme before them: कस्मिन्नु भगवो विज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवति। — "What is that knowing which we know everything else?" In modern language, the theme of the Upanishads is to find an ultimate unity of things. Knowledge is nothing but finding unity in the midst of diversity. Every science is based upon this; all human knowledge is based upon the finding of unity in the midst of diversity; and if it is the task of small fragments of human knowledge, which we call our sciences, to find unity in the midst of a few different phenomena, the task becomes stupendous when the theme before us is to find unity in the midst of this marvellously diversified universe, where prevail unnumbered differences in name and form, in matter and spirit — each thought differing from every other thought, each form differing from every other form. Yet, to harmonise these many planes and unending Lokas, in the midst of this infinite variety to find unity, is the theme of the Upanishads. On the other hand, the old idea of Arundhati Nyâya applies. To show a man the fine star Arundhati, one takes the big and brilliant nearest to it, upon which he is asked to fix his eyes first, and then it becomes quite easy to direct his sight to Arundhati. This is the task before us, and to prove my idea I have simply to show you the Upanishads, and you will see it. Nearly every chapter begins with dualistic teaching, Upâsanâ. God is first taught as some one who is the Creator of this universe, its Preserver, and unto whom everything goes at last. He is one to be worshipped, the Ruler, the Guide of nature, external and internal, yet appearing as if He were outside of nature and external. One step further, and we find the same teacher teaching that this God is not outside of nature, but immanent in nature. And at last both ideas are discarded, and whatever is real is He; there is no difference. तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो — "Shvetaketu, That thou art." That Immanent One is at last declared to be the same that is in the human soul. Here is no Compromise; here is no fear of others' opinions. Truth, bold truth, has been taught in bold language, and we need not fear to preach the truth in the same bold language today, and, by the grace of God, I hope at least to be one who dares to be that bold preacher.
To go back to our preliminaries. There are first two things to be understood — one, the psychological aspect common to all the Vedantic schools, and the other, the cosmological aspect. I will first take up the latter. Today we find wonderful discoveries of modern science coming upon us like bolts from the blue, opening our eyes to marvels we never dreamt of. But many of these are only re-discoveries of what had been found ages ago. It was only the other day that modern science found that even in the midst of the variety of forces there is unity. It has just discovered that what it calls heat, magnetism, electricity, and so forth, are all convertible into one unit force, and as such, it expresses all these by one name, whatever you may choose to call it. But this has been done even in the Samhita; old and ancient as it is, in it we meet with this very idea of force I was referring to. All the forces, whether you call them gravitation, or attraction, or repulsion, whether expressing themselves as heat, or electricity, or magnetism, are nothing but the variations of that unit energy. Whether they express themselves as thought, reflected from Antahkarana, the inner organs of man, or as action from an external organ, the unit from which they spring is what is called Prâna. Again, what is Prana? Prana is Spandana or vibration. When all this universe shall have resolved back into its primal state, what becomes of this infinite force? Do they think that it becomes extinct? Of course not. If it became extinct, what would be the cause of the next wave, because the motion is going in wave forms, rising, falling, rising again, falling again? Here is the word Srishti, which expresses the universe. Mark that the word does not mean creation. I am helpless in talking English; I have to translate the Sanskrit words as best as I can. It is Srishti, projection. At the end of a cycle, everything becomes finer and finer and is resolved back into the primal state from which it sprang, and there it remains for a time quiescent, ready to spring forth again. That is Srishti, projection. And what becomes of all these forces, the Pranas? They are resolved back into the primal Prana, and this Prana becomes almost motionless — not entirely motionless; and that is what is described in the Vedic Sukta: "It vibrated without vibrations" — Ânidavâtam. There are many technical phrases in the Upanishads difficult to understand. For instance, take this word Vâta; many times it means air and many times motion, and often people confuse one with the other. We must guard against that. And what becomes of what you call matter? The forces permeate all matter; they all dissolve into Âkâsha, from which they again come out; this Akasha is the primal matter. Whether you translate it as ether or anything else, the idea is that this Akasha is the primal form of matter. This Akasha vibrates under the action of Prana, and when the next Srishti is coming up, as the vibration becomes quicker, the Akasha is lashed into all these wave forms which we call suns, moons, and systems.
We read again: यदिदं किंच जगत् सर्व प्राण एजति निःसृतम् — "Everything in this universe has been projected, Prana vibrating." You must mark the word Ejati, because it comes from Eja — to vibrate. Nihsritam — projected. Yadidam Kincha — whatever in this universe.
This is a part of the cosmological side. There are many details working into it. For instance, how the process takes place, how there is first ether, and how from the ether come other things, how that ether begins to vibrate, and from that Vâyu comes. But the one idea is here that it is from the finer that the grosser has come. Gross matter is the last to emerge and the most external, and this gross matter had the finer matter before it. Yet we see that the whole thing has been resolved into two, but there is not yet a final unity. There is the unity of force, Prana, there is the unity of matter, called Akasha. Is there any unity to be found among them again? Can they 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.
The next unity is the omnipresent impersonal Being known by its old mythological name as Brahmâ, the fourheaded Brahma and psychologically called Mahat. This is where the two unite. What is called your mind is only a bit of this Mahat caught in the trap of the brain, and the sum total of all minds caught in the meshes of brains is what you call Samashti, the aggregate, the universal. Analysis had to go further; it was not yet complete. Here we were each one of us, as it were, a microcosm, and the world taken altogether is the macrocosm. But whatever is in the Vyashti, the particular, we may safely conjecture that a similar thing is happening also outside. If we had the power to analyse our own minds, we might safely conjecture that the same thing is happening in the cosmic mind. What is this mind is the question. In modern times, in Western countries, as physical science is making rapid progress, as physiology is step by step conquering stronghold after stronghold of old religions, the Western people do not know where to stand, because to their great despair, modern physiology at every step has identified the mind with the brain. But we in India have known that always. That is the first proposition the Hindu boy learns that the mind is matter, only finer. The body is gross, and behind the body is what we call the Sukshma Sharira, the fine body, or mind. This is also material, only finer; and it is not the Âtman.
I will not translate this word to you in English, because the idea does not exist in Europe; it is untranslatable. The modern attempt of German philosophers is to translate the word Atman by the word "Self", and until that word is universally accepted, it is impossible to use it. So, call it as Self or anything, it is our Atman. This Atman is the real man behind. It is the Atman that uses the material mind as its instrument, its Antahkarana, as is the psychological term for the mind. And the mind by means of a series of internal organs works the visible organs of the body. What is this mind? It was only the other day that Western philosophers have come to know that the eyes are not the real organs of vision, but that behind these are other organs, the Indriyas, and if these are destroyed, a man may have a thousand eyes, like Indra, but there will be no sight for him. Ay, your philosophy starts with this assumption that by vision is not meant the external vision. The real vision belongs to the internal organs, the brain-centres inside. You may call them what you like, but it is not that the Indriyas are the eyes, or the nose, or the ears. And the sum total of all these Indriyas plus the Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Ahamkâra, etc., is what is called the mind, and if the modern physiologist comes to tell you that the brain is what is called the mind, and that the brain is formed of so many organs, you need not be afraid at all; tell him that your philosophers knew it always; it is one of the very first principles of your religion.
Well then, we have to understand now what is meant by this Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Ahamkara, etc. First of all, let us take Chitta. It is the mind-stuff — a part of the Mahat — it is the generic name for the mind itself, including all its various states. Suppose on a summer evening, there is a lake, smooth and calm, without a ripple on its surface. And suppose some one throws a stone into this lake. What happens? First there is the action, the blow given to the water; next the water rises and sends a reaction towards the stone, and that reaction takes the form of a wave. First the water vibrates a little, and immediately sends back a reaction in the form of a wave. The Chitta let us compare to this lake, and the external objects are like the stones thrown into it. As soon as it comes in contact with any external object by means of these Indriyas — the Indriyas must be there to carry these external objects inside — there is a vibration, what is called Manas, indecisive. Next there is a reaction, the determinative faculty, Buddhi, and along with this Buddhi flashes the idea of Aham and the external object. Suppose there is a mosquito sitting upon my hand. This sensation is carried to my Chitta and it vibrates a little; this is the psychological Manas. Then there is a reaction, and immediately comes the idea that I have a mosquito on my hand and that I shall have to drive it off. Thus these stones are thrown into the lake, but in the case of the lake every blow that comes to it is from the external world, while in the case of the lake of the mind, the blows may either come from the external world or the internal world. This whose series is what is called the Antahkarana.
Along with it, you ought to understand one thing more that will help us in understanding the Advaita system later on. It is this. All of you must have seen pearls and most of you know how pearls are formed. A grain of sand enters into the shell of a pearl oyster, and sets up an irritation there, and the oyster's body reacts towards the irritation and covers the little particle with its own juice. That crystallises and forms the pearl. So the whole universe is like that, it is the pearl which is being formed by us. What we get from the external world is simply the blow. Even to be conscious of that blow we have to react, and as soon as we react, we really project a portion of our own mind towards the blow, and when we come to know of it, it is really our own mind as it has been shaped by the blow. Therefore it is clear even to those who want to believe in a hard and fast realism of an external world, which they cannot but admit in these days of physiology — that supposing we represent the external world by "x", what we really know is "x" plus mind, and this mind-element is so great that it has covered the whole of that "x" which has remained unknown and unknowable throughout; and, therefore, if there is an external world, it is always unknown and unknowable. What we know of it is as it is moulded, formed, fashioned by our own mind. So with the internal world. The same applies to our own soul, the Atman. In order to know the Atman we shall have to know It through the mind; and, therefore, what little we know of this Atman is simply the Atman plus the mind. That is to say, the Atman covered over, fashioned and moulded by the mind, and nothing more. We shall return to this a little later, but we will remember what has been told here.
The next thing to understand is this. The question arose that this body is the name of one continuous stream of matter — every moment we are adding material to it, and every moment material is being thrown oft by it — like a river continually flowing, vast masses of water always changing places; yet all the same, we take up the whole thing in imagination, and call it the same river. What do we call the river? Every moment the water is changing, the shore is changing, every moment the environment is changing, what is the river then? It is the name of this series of changes. So with the mind. That is the great Kshanika Vijnâna Vâda doctrine, most difficult to understand, but most rigorously and logically worked out in the Buddhistic philosophy; and this arose in India in opposition to some part of the Vedanta. That had to be answered and we shall see later on how it could only be answered by Advaitism and by nothing else. We will see also how, in spite of people's curious notions about Advaitism, people's fright about Advaitism, it is the salvation of the world, because therein alone is to be found the reason of things. Dualism and other isms are very good as means of worship, very satisfying to the mind, and maybe, they have helped the mind onward; but if man wants to be rational and religious at the same time, Advaita is the one system in the world for him. Well, now, we shall regard the mind as a similar river, continually filling itself at one end and emptying itself at the other end. Where is that unity which we call the Atman? The idea is this, that in spite of this continuous change in the body, and in spite of this continuous change in the mind, there is in us something that is unchangeable, which makes our ideas of things appear unchangeable. When rays of light coming from different quarters fall upon a screen, or a wall, or upon something that is not changeable, then and then alone it is possible for them to form a unity, then and then alone it is possible for them to form one complete whole. Where is this unity in the human organs, falling upon which, as it were, the various ideas will come to unity and become one complete whole? This certainly cannot be the mind itself, seeing that it also changes. Therefore there must be something which is neither the body nor the mind, something which changes not, something permanent, upon which all our ideas, our sensations fall to form a unity and a complete whole; and this is the real soul, the Atman of man. And seeing that everything material, whether you call it fine matter, or mind, must be changeful, seeing that what you call gross matter, the external world, must also be changeful in comparison to that — this unchangeable something cannot be of material substance; therefore it is spiritual, that is to say, it is not matter — it is indestructible, unchangeable.
Next will come another question: Apart from those old arguments which only rise in the external world, the arguments in support of design — who created this external world, who created matter, etc.? The idea here is to know truth only from the inner nature of man, and the question arises just in the same way as it arose about the soul. Taking for granted that there is a soul, unchangeable, in each man, which is neither the mind nor the body, there is still a unity of idea among the souls, a unity of feeling, of sympathy. How is it possible that my soul can act upon your soul, where is the medium through which it can work, where is the medium through which it can act? How is it I can feel anything about your souls? What is it that is in touch both with your soul and with my soul? Therefore there is a metaphysical necessity of admitting another soul, for it must be a soul which acts in contact all the different souls, and in and through matter — one Soul which covers and interpenetrates all the infinite number of souls in the world, in and through which they live, in and through which they sympathise, and love, and work for one another. And this universal Soul is Paramâtman, the Lord God of the universe. Again, it follows that because the soul is not made of matter, since it is spiritual, it cannot obey the laws of matter, it cannot be judged by the laws of matter. It is, therefore, unconquerable, birthless, deathless, and changeless.
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः॥
नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः॥
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः॥
नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः॥
— "This Self, weapons cannot pierce, nor fire can burn, water cannot wet, nor air can dry up. Changless, allpervading, unmoving, immovable, eternal is this Self of man." We learn according to the Gita and the Vedanta that this individual Self is also Vibhu, and according to Kapila, is omnipresent. Of course there are sects in India which hold that the Self is Anu, infinitely small; but what they mean is Anu in manifestation; its real nature is Vibhu, all-pervading.
There comes another idea, startling perhaps, yet a characteristically Indian idea, and if there is any idea that is common to all our sects, it is this. Therefore I beg you to pay attention to this one idea and to remember it, for this is the very foundation of everything that we have in India. The idea is this. You have heard of the doctrine of physical evolution preached in the Western world by the German and the English savants. It tells us that the bodies of the different animals are really one; the differences that we see are but different expressions of the same series; that from the lowest worm to the highest and the most saintly man it is but one — the one changing into the other, and so on, going up and up, higher and higher, until it attains perfection. We had that idea also. Declares our Yogi Patanjali — जात्यन्तरपरिणामः प्रकृत्यापूरात्। One species — the Jâti is species — changes into another species — evolution; Parinâma means one thing changing into another, just as one species changes into another. Where do we differ from the Europeans? Patanjali says, Prakrityâpurât, "By the infilling of nature". The European says, it is competition, natural and sexual selection, etc. that forces one body to take the form of another. But here is another idea, a still better analysis, going deeper into the thing and saying, "By the infilling of nature". What is meant by this infilling of nature? We admit that the amoeba goes higher and higher until it becomes a Buddha; we admit that, but we are at the same time as much certain that you cannot get an amount of work out of a machine unless you have put it in in some shape or other. The sum total of the energy remains the same, whatever the forms it may take. If you want a mass of energy at one end, you have got to put it in at the other end; it may be in another form, but the amount of energy that should be produced out of it must be the same. Therefore, if a Buddha is the one end of the change, the very amoeba must have been the Buddha also. If the Buddha is the evolved amoeba, the amoeba was the involved Buddha also. If this universe is the manifestation of an almost infinite amount of energy, when this universe was in a state of Pralaya, it must have represented the same amount of involved energy. It cannot have been otherwise. As such, it follows that every soul is infinite. From the lowest worm that crawls under our feet to the noblest and greatest saints, all have this infinite power, infinite purity, and infinite everything. Only the difference is in the degree of manifestation. The worm is only manifesting just a little bit of that energy, you have manifested more, another god-man has manifested still more: that is all the difference. But that infinite power is there all the same. Says Patanjali: ततः क्षेत्रिकवत्। — "Like the peasant irrigating his field." Through a little corner of his field he brings water from a reservoir somewhere, and perhaps he has got a little lock that prevents the water from rushing into his field. When he wants water, he has simply to open the lock, and in rushes the water of its own power. The power has not to be added, it is already there in the reservoir. So every one of us, every being, has as his own background such a reservoir of strength, infinite power, infinite purity, infinite bliss, and existence infinite — only these locks, these bodies, are hindering us from expressing what we really are to the fullest.
And as these bodies become more and more finely organised, as the Tamoguna becomes the Rajoguna, and as the Rajoguna becomes Sattvaguna, more and more of this power and purity becomes manifest, and therefore it is that our people have been so careful about eating and drinking, and the food question. It may be that the original ideas have been lost, just as with our marriage — which, though not belonging to the subject, I may take as an example. If I have another opportunity I will talk to you about these; but let me tell you now that the ideas behind our marriage system are the only ideas through which there can be a real civilisation. There cannot be anything else. If a man or a woman were allowed the freedom to take up any woman or man as wife or husband, if individual pleasure, satisfaction of animal instincts, were to be allowed to run loose in society, the result must be evil, evil children, wicked and demoniacal. Ay, man in every country is, on the one hand, producing these brutal children, and on the other hand multiplying the police force to keep these brutes down. The question is not how to destroy evil that way, but how to prevent the very birth of evil. And so long as you live in society your marriage certainly affects every member of it; and therefore society has the right to dictate whom you shall marry, and whom you shall not. And great ideas of this kind have been behind the system of marriage here, what they call the astrological Jati of the bride and bridegroom. And in passing I may remark that According to Manu a child who is born of lust is not an Aryan. The child whose very conception and whose death is according to the rules of the Vedas, such is an Aryan. Yes, and less of these Aryan children are being produced in every country, and the result is the mass of evil which we call Kali Yuga. But we have lost all these ideals — it is true we cannot carry all these ideas to the fullest length now — it is perfectly true we have made almost a caricature of some of these great ideas. It is lamentably true that the fathers and mothers are not what they were in old times, neither is society so educated as it used to be, neither has society that love for individuals that it used to have. But, however faulty the working out may be, the principle is sound; and if its application has become defective, if one method has failed, take up the principle and work it out better; why kill the principle? The same applies to the food question. The work and details are bad, very bad indeed, but that does not hurt the principle. The principle is eternal and must be there. Work it out afresh and make a re-formed application.
This is the orate great idea of the Atman which every one of our sects in India has to believe. Only, as we shall find, the dualists, preach that this Atman by evil works becomes Sankuchita, i.e. all its powers and its nature become contracted, and by good works again that nature expands. And the Advaitist says that the Atman never expands nor contracts, but seems to do so. It appears to have become contracted. That is all the difference, but all have the one Idea that our Atman has all the powers already, not that anything will come to It from outside, not that anything will drop into It from the skies. Mark you, your Vedas are not inspired, but expired, not that they came from anywhere outside, but they are the eternal laws living in every soul. The Vedas are in the soul of the ant, in the soul of the god. The ant has only to evolve and get the body of a sage or a Rishi, and the Vedas will come out, eternal laws expressing themselves. This is the one great idea to understand that our power is already ours, our salvation is already within us. Say either that it has become contracted, or say that it has been covered with the veil of Mâyâ, it matters little; the idea is there already; you must have to believe in that, believe in the possibility of everybody — that even in the lowest man there is the same possibility as in the Buddha. This is the doctrine of the Atman.
But now comes a tremendous fight. Here are the Buddhists, who equally analyse the body into a material stream and as equally analyse the mind into another. And as for this Atman, they state that It is unnecessary; so we need not assume the Atman at all. What use of a substance, and qualities adhering to the substance? We say Gunas, qualities, and qualities alone. It is illogical to assume two causes where one will explain the whole thing. And the fight went on, and all the theories which held the doctrine of substance were thrown to the ground by the Buddhists. There was a break-up all along the line of those who held on to the doctrine of substance and qualities, that you have a soul, and I have a soul, and every one has a soul separate from the mind and body, and that each one is an individual.
So far we have seen that the idea of dualism is all right; for there is the body, there is then the fine body — the mind — there is this Atman, and in and through all the Atmans is that Paramâtman, God. The difficulty is here that this Atman and Paramatman are both called substance, to which the mind and body and so-called substances adhere like so many qualities. Nobody has ever seen a substance, none can ever conceive; what is the use of thinking of this substance? Why not become a Kshanikavâdin and say that whatever exists is this succession of mental currents and nothing more? They do not adhere to each other, they do not form a unit, one is chasing the other, like waves in the ocean, never complete, never forming one unit-whole. Man is a succession of waves, and when one goes away it generates another, and the cessation of these wave-forms is what is called Nirvana. You see that dualism is mute before this; it is impossible that it can bring up any argument, and the dualistic God also cannot be retained here. The idea of a God that is omnipresent, and yet is a person who creates without hands, and moves without feet, and so on, and who has created the universe as a Kumbhakâra (potter) creates a Ghata (pot), the Buddhist declares, is childish, and that if this is God, he is going to fight this God and not worship it. This universe is full of misery; if it is the work of a God, we are going to fight this God. And secondly, this God is illogical and impossible, as all of you are aware. We need not go into the defects of the "design theory", as all our Kshanikas have shown them full well; and so this Personal God fell to pieces.
Truth, and nothing but truth, is the watchword of the Advaitist. सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं। सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः — "Truth alone triumphs, and not, untruth. Through truth alone the way to gods, Devayâna, lies." Everybody marches forward under that banner; ay, but it is only to crush the weaker man's position by his own. You come with your dualistic idea of God to pick a quarrel with a poor man who is worshipping an image, and you think you are wonderfully rational, you can confound him; but if he turns round and shatters your own Personal God and calls that an imaginary ideal, where are you? You fall back on faith and so on, or raise the cry of atheism, the old cry of a weak man — whosoever defeats him is an atheist. If you are to be rational, be rational all along the line, and if not, allow others the same privilege which you ask for yourselves. How can you prove the existence of this God? On the other hand, it can be almost disproved. There is not a shadow of a proof as to His existence, and there are very strong arguments to the contrary. How will you prove His existence, with your God, and His Gunas, and an infinite number of souls which are substance, and each soul an individual? In what are you an individual? You are not as a body, for you know today better than even the Buddhists of old knew that what may have been matter in the sun has just now become matter in you, and will go out and become matter in the plants; then where is your individuality, Mr. So-and-so? The same applies to the mind. Where is your individuality? You have one thought tonight and another tomorrow. You do not think the same way as you thought when you were a child; and old men do not think the same way as they did when they were young. Where is your individuality then? Do not say it is in consciousness, this Ahamkara, because this only covers a small part of your existence. While I am talking to you, all my organs are working and I am not conscious of it. If consciousness is the proof of existence they do not exist then, because I am not conscious of them. Where are you then with your Personal God theories? How can you prove such a God?
Again, the Buddhists will stand up and declare — not only is it illogical, but immoral, for it teaches man to be a coward and to seek assistance outside, and nobody can give him such help. Here is the universe, man made it; why then depend on an imaginary being outside whom nobody ever saw, or felt, or got help from? Why then do, you make cowards of yourselves and teach your children that the highest state of man is to be like a dog, and go crawling before this imaginary being, saying that you are weak and impure, and that you are everything vile in this universe? On the other hand, the Buddhists may urge not only that you tell a lie, but that you bring a tremendous amount of evil upon your children; for, mark you, this world is one of hypnotisation. Whatever you tell yourself, that you become. Almost the first words the great Buddha uttered were: "What you think, that you are; what you will think, that you will be." If this is true, do not teach yourself that you are nothing, ay, that you cannot do anything unless you are helped by somebody who does not live here, but sits above the clouds. The result will be that you will be more and more weakened every day. By constantly repeating, "we are very impure, Lord, make us pure", the result will be that you will hypnotise yourselves into all sorts of vices. Ay, the Buddhists say that ninety per cent of these vices that you see in every society are on account of this idea of a Personal God; this is an awful idea of the human being that the end and aim of this expression of life, this wonderful expression of life, is to become like a dog. Says the Buddhist to the Vaishnava, if your ideal, your aim and goal is to go to the place called Vaikuntha where God lives, and there stand before Him with folded hands all through eternity, it is better to commit suicide than do that. The Buddhists may even urge that, that is why he is going to create annihilation, Nirvana, to escape this. I am putting these ideas before you as a Buddhist just for the time being, because nowadays all these Advaitic ideas are said to make you immoral, and I am trying to tell you how the other side looks. Let us face both sides boldly and bravely.
We have seen first of all that this cannot be proved, this idea of a Personal God creating the world; is there any child that can believe this today? Because a Kumbhakara creates a Ghata, therefore a God created the world! If this is so, then your Kumbhakara is God also; and if any one tells you that He acts without head and hands, you may take him to a lunatic asylum. Has ever your Personal God, the Creator of the world to whom you cry all your life, helped you — is the next challenge from modern science. They will prove that any help you have had could have been got by your own exertions, and better still, you need not have spent your energy in that crying, you could have done it better without that weeping and crying. And we have seen that along with this idea of a Personal God comes tyranny and priestcraft. Tyranny and priestcraft have prevailed wherever this idea existed, and until the lie is knocked on the head, say the Buddhists, tyranny will not cease. So long as man thinks he has to cower before a supernatural being, so long there will be priests to claim rights and privileges and to make men cower before them, while these poor men will continue to ask some priest to act as interceder for them. You may do away with the Brahmin, but mark me, those who do so will put themselves in his place and will be worse, because the Brahmin has a certain amount of generosity in him, but these upstarts are always the worst of tyrannisers. If a beggar gets wealth, he thinks the whole world is a bit of straw. So these priests there must be, so long as this Personal God idea persists, and it will be impossible to think of any great morality in society. Priestcraft and tyranny go hand in hand. Why was it invented? Because some strong men in old times got people into their hands and said, you must obey us or we will destroy you. That was the long and short of it. महद्भयं वज्रमुद्यतम्। — It is the idea of the thunderer who kills every one who does not obey him.
Next the Buddhist says, you have been perfectly rational up to this point, that everything is the result of the law of Karma. You believe in an infinity of souls, and that souls are without birth or death, and this infinity of souls and the belief in the law of Karma are perfectly logical no doubt. There cannot be a cause without an effect, the present must have had its cause in the past and will have its effect in the future. The Hindu says the Karma is Jada (inert) and not Chaitanya (Spirit), therefore some Chaitanya is necessary to bring this cause to fruition. Is it so, that Chaitanya is necessary to bring the plant to fruition? If I plant the seed and add water, no Chaitanya is necessary. You may say there was some original Chaitanya there, but the souls themselves were the Chaitanya, nothing else is necessary. If human souls have it too, what necessity is there for a God, as say the Jains, who, unlike the Buddhists, believe in souls and do not believe in God. Where are you logical, where are you moral? And when you criticise Advaitism and fear that it will make for immorality, just read a little of what has been done in India by dualistic sects. If there have been twenty thousand Advaitist blackguards, there have also been twenty thousand Dvaitist blackguards. Generally speaking, there will be more Dvaitist blackguards, because it takes a better type of mind to understand Advaitism, and Advaitists can scarcely be frightened into anything. What remains for you Hindus, then? There is no help for you out of the clutches of the Buddhists. You may quote the Vedas, but he does not believe in them. He will say, "My Tripitakas say otherwise, and they are without beginning or end, not even written by Buddha, for Buddha says he is only reciting them; they are eternal." And he adds, "Yours are wrong, ours are the true Vedas, yours are manufactured by the Brahmin priests, therefore out with them." How do you escape?
Here is the way to get out. Take up the first objection, the metaphysical one, that substance and qualities are different. Says the Advaitist, they are not. There is no difference between substance and qualities. You know the old illustration, how the rope is taken for the snake, and when you see the snake you do not see the rope at all, the rope has vanished. Dividing the thing into substance and quality is a metaphysical something in the brains of philosophers, for never can they be in effect outside. You see qualities if you are an ordinary man, and substance if you are a great Yogi, but you never see both at the same time. So, Buddhists, your quarrel about substance and qualities has been but a miscalculation which does not stand on fact. But if substance is unqualified, there can only be one. If you take qualities off from the soul, and show that these qualities are in the mind really, superimposed on the soul, then there can never be two souls for it is qualification that makes the difference between one soul and another. How do you know that one soul is different from the other? Owing to certain differentiating marks, certain qualities. And where qualities do not exist, how can there be differentiation? Therefore there are not two souls, there is but One, and your Paramatman is unnecessary, it is this very soul. That One is called Paramatman, that very One is called Jivâtman, and so on; and you dualists, such as the Sânkhyas and others, who say that the soul is Vibhu, omnipresent, how can you make two infinities? There can be only one. What else? This One is the one Infinite Atman, everything else is its manifestation. There the Buddhist stops, but there it does not end.
The Advaitist position is not merely a weak one of criticism. The Advaitist criticises others when they come too near him, and just throws them away, that is all; but he propounds his own position. He is the only one that criticises, and does not stop with criticism and showing books. Here you are. You say the universe is a thing of continuous motion. In Vyashti (the finite) everything is moving; you are moving, the table is moving, motion everywhere; it is Samsâra, continuous motion; it is Jagat. Therefore there cannot be an individuality in this Jagat, because individuality means that which does not change; there cannot be any changeful individuality, it is a contradiction in terms. There is no such thing as individuality in this little world of ours, the Jagat. Thought and feeling, mind and body, men and animals and plants are in a continuous state of flux. But suppose you take the universe as a unit whole; can it change or move? Certainly not. Motion is possible in comparison with something which is a little less in motion or entirely motionless. The universe as a whole, therefore, is motionless, unchangeable. You are therefore, an individual then and then alone when you are the whole of it, when the realization of "I am the universe" comes. That is why the Vedantist says that so long as there are two, fear does not cease. It is only when one does not see another, does not feel another, when it is all one — then alone fear ceases, then alone death vanishes, then alone Samsara vanishes. Advaita teaches us, therefore, that man is individual in being universal, and not in being particular. You are immortal only when you are the whole. You are fearless and deathless only when you are the universe; and then that which you call the universe is the same as that you call God, the same that you call existence, the same that you call the whole. It is the one undivided Existence which is taken to be the manifold world which we see, as also others who are in the same state of mind as we. People who have done a little better Karma and get a better state of mind, when they die, look upon it as Svarga and see Indras and so forth. People still higher will see it, the very same thing, as Brahma-Loka, and the perfect ones will neither see the earth nor the heavens, nor any Loka at all. The universe will have vanished, and Brahman will be in its stead.
Can we know this Brahman? I have told you of the painting of the Infinite in the Samhita. Here we shall find another side shown, the infinite internal. That was the infinite of the muscles. Here we shall have the Infinite of thought. There the Infinite was attempted to be painted in language positive; here that language failed and the attempt has been to paint it in language negative. Here is this universe, and even admitting that it is Brahman, can we know it? No! No! You must understand this one thing again very clearly. Again and again this doubt will come to you: If this is Brahman, how can we know it? विज्ञातारमरे केन विजानीयात् — "By what can the knower be known?" How can the knower be known? The eyes see everything; can they see themselves? They cannot: The very fact of knowledge is a degradation. Children of the Aryans, you must remember this, for herein lies a big story. All the Western temptations that come to you, have their metaphysical basis on that one thing — there is nothing higher than sense-knowledge. In the East, we say in our Vedas that this knowledge is lower than the thing itself, because it is always a limitation. When you want to know a thing, it immediately becomes limited by your mind. They say, refer back to that instance of the oyster making a pearl and see how knowledge is limitation, gathering a thing, bringing it into Consciousness, and not knowing it as a whole. This is true about all knowledge, and can it be less so about the Infinite? Can you thus limit Him who is the substance of all knowledge, Him who is the Sâkshi, the witness, without whom you cannot have any knowledge, Him who has no qualities, who is the Witness of the whole universe, the Witness in our own souls? How can you know Him? By what means can you bind Him up? Everything, the whole universe, is such a false attempt. This infinite Atman is, as it were, trying to see His own face, and all, from the lowest animals to the highest of gods, are like so many mirrors to reflect Himself in, and He is taking up still others, finding them insufficient, until in the human body He comes to know that it is the finite of the finite, all is finite, there cannot be any expression of the Infinite in the finite. Then comes the retrograde march, and this is what is called renunciation, Vairâgya. Back from the senses, back! Do not go to the senses is the watchword of Vairagya. This is the watchword of all morality, this is the watchword of all well-being; for you must remember that with us the universe begins in Tapasyâ, in renunciation, and as you go back and back, all the forms are being manifested before you, and they are left aside one after the other until you remain what you really are. This is Moksha or liberation.
This idea we have to understand: विज्ञातारमरे केन विजानीयात् — "How to know the knower?" The knower cannot be known, because if it were known, it will not be the knower. If you look at your eyes in a mirror, the reflection is no more your eyes, but something else, only a reflection. Then if this soul, this Universal, Infinite Being which you are, is only a witness, what good is it? It cannot live, and move about, and enjoy the world, as we do. People cannot understand how the witness can enjoy. "Oh," they say, "you Hindus have become quiescent, and good for nothing, through this doctrine that you are witnesses! " First of all, it is only the witness that can enjoy. If there is a wrestling match, who enjoys it, those who take part in it, or those who are looking on — the outsiders? The more and more you are the witness of anything in life, the more you enjoy it. And this is Ânanda; and, therefore, infinite bliss can only be yours when you have become the witness of this universe; then alone you are a Mukta Purusha. It is the witness alone that can work without any desire, without any idea of going to heaven, without any idea of blame, without any idea of praise. The witness alone enjoys, and none else.
Coming to the moral aspect, there is one thing between the metaphysical and the moral aspect of Advaitism; it is the theory of Mâyâ. Everyone of these points in the Advaita system requires years to understand and months to explain. Therefore you will excuse me if I only just touch them en passant. This theory of Maya has been the most difficult thing to understand in all ages. Let me tell you in a few words that it is surely no theory, it is the combination of the three ideas Desha-Kâla-Nimitta — space, time, and causation — and this time and space and cause have been further reduced into Nâma-Rupa. Suppose there is a wave in the ocean. The wave is distinct from the ocean only in its form and name, and this form and this name cannot have any separate existence from the wave; they exist only with the wave. The wave may subside, but the same amount of water remains, even if the name and form that were on the wave vanish for ever. So this Maya is what makes the difference between me and you, between all animals and man, between gods and men. In fact, it is this Maya that causes the Atman to be caught, as it were, in so many millions of beings, and these are distinguishable only through name and form. If you leave it alone, let name and form go, all this variety vanishes for ever, and you are what you really are. This is Maya.
It is again no theory, but a statement of facts. When the realist states that this table exists, what he means is, that this table has an independent existence of its own, that it does not depend on the existence of anything else in the universe, and if this whole universe be destroyed and annihilated, this table will remain just as it is now. A little thought will show you that it cannot be so. Everything here in the sense-world is dependent and interdependent, relative and correlative, the existence of one depending on the other. There are three steps, therefore, in our knowledge of things; the first is that each thing is individual and separate from every other; and the next step is to find that there is a relation and correlation between all things; and the third is that there is only one thing which we see as many. The first idea of God with the ignorant is that this God is somewhere outside the universe, that is to say, the conception of God is extremely human; He does just what a man does, only on a bigger and higher scale. And we have seen how that idea of God is proved in a few words to be unreasonable and insufficient. And the next idea is the idea of a power we see manifested everywhere. This is the real Personal God we get in the Chandi, but, mark me, not a God that you make the reservoir of all good qualities only. You cannot have two Gods, God and Satan; you must have only one and dare to call Him good and bad. Have only one and take the logical consequences. We read in the Chandi: "We salute Thee, O Divine Mother, who lives in every being as peace. We salute Thee, O Divine Mother, who lives in all beings as purity." At the same time we must take the whole consequence of calling Him the All-formed. "All this is bliss, O Gârgi; wherever there is bliss there is a portion of the Divine," You may use it how you like. In this light before me, you may give a poor man a hundred rupees, and another man may forge your name, but the light will be the same for both. This is the second stage. And the third is that God is neither outside nature nor inside nature, but God and nature and soul and universe are all convertible terms. You never see two things; it is your metaphysical words that have deluded you. You assume that you are a body and have a soul, and that you are both together. How can that be? Try in your own mind. If there is a Yogi among you, he knows himself as Chaitanya, for him the body has vanished. An ordinary man thinks of himself as a body; the idea of spirit has vanished from him; but because the metaphysical ideas exist that man has a body and a soul and all these things, you think they are all simultaneously there. One thing at a time. Do not talk of God when you see matter; you see the effect and the effect alone, and the cause you cannot see, and the moment you can see the cause, the effect will have vanished. Where is the world then, and who has taken it off?
"One that is present always as consciousness, the bliss absolute, beyond all bounds, beyond all compare, beyond all qualities, ever-free, limitless as the sky, without parts, the absolute, the perfect — such a Brahman, O sage, O learned one, shines in the heart of the Jnâni in Samâdhi. (Vivekachudamani, 408).
"Where all the changes of nature cease for ever, who is thought beyond all thoughts, who is equal to all yet having no equal, immeasurable, whom Vedas declare, who is the essence in what we call our existence, the perfect — such a Brahman, O sage, O learned one, shines in the heart of the Jnani in Samadhi. (Ibid., 409)
"Beyond all birth and death, the Infinite One, incomparable, like the whole universe deluged in water in Mahâpralaya — water above, water beneath, water on all sides, and on the face of that water not a wave, not a ripple — silent and calm, all visions have died out, all fights and quarrels and the war of fools and saints have ceased for ever — such a Brahman, O sage, O learned one, shines in the heart of the Jnani in Samadhi." (Ibid., 410)
That also comes, and when that comes the world has vanished.
We have seen then that this Brahman, this Reality is unknown and unknowable, not in the sense of the agnostic, but because to know Him would be a blasphemy, because you are He already. We have also seen that this Brahman is not this table and yet is this table. Take off the name and form, and whatever is reality is He. He is the reality in everything.
"Thou art the woman, thou the man, thou art the boy, and the girl as well, thou the old man supporting thyself on a stick, thou art all in all in the universe." That is the theme of Advaitism. A few words more. Herein lies, we find, the explanation of the essence of things. We have seen how here alone we can take a firm stand against all the onrush of logic and scientific knowledge. Here at last reason has a firm foundation, and, at the same time, the Indian Vedantist does not curse the preceding steps; he looks back and he blesses them, and he knows that they were true, only wrongly perceived, and wrongly stated. They were the same truth, only seen through the glass of Maya, distorted it may be — yet truth, and nothing but truth. The same God whom the ignorant man saw outside nature, the same whom the little - knowing man saw as interpenetrating the universe, and the same whom the sage realises as his own Self, as the whole universe itself — all are One and the same Being, the same entity seen from different standpoints, seen through different glasses of Maya, perceived by different minds, and all the difference was caused by that. Not only so, but one view must lead to the other. What is the difference between science and common knowledge? Go out into the streets in the dark, and if something unusual is happening there, ask one of the passers-by what is the cause of it. If is ten to one that he will tell you it is a ghost causing the phenomenon. He is always going after ghosts and spirits outside, because it is the nature of ignorance to seek for causes outside of effects. If a stone falls, it has been thrown by a devil or a ghost, says the ignorant man, but the scientific man says it is the law of nature, the law of gravitation.
What is the fight between science and religion everywhere? Religions are encumbered with such a mass of explanations which come from outside — one angel is in charge of the sun, another of the moon, and so on ad infinitum. Every change is caused by a spirit, the one common point of agreement being that they are all outside the thing. Science means that the cause of a thing is sought out by the nature of the thing itself. As step by step science is progressing, it has taken the explanation of natural phenomena out of the hands of spirits and angels. Because Advaitism has done likewise in spiritual matters, it is the most scientific religion. This universe has not been created by any extra-cosmic God, nor is it the work of any outside genius. It is self-creating, self-dissolving, self-manifesting, One Infinite Existence, the Brahman. Tattvamasi Shvetaketo — "That thou art! O Shvetaketu!"
Thus you see that this, and this alone, and none else, can be the only scientific religion. And with all the prattle about science that is going on daily at the present time in modern half-educated India, with all the talk about rationalism and reason that I hear every day, I expect that; whole sects of you will come over and dare to be Advaitists, and dare to preach it to the world in the words of Buddha, बहुजनहिताय बहुजनसुखाय — "For the good of many, for the happiness of many." If you do not, I take you for cowards. If you cannot get over your cowardice, if your fear is your excuse, allow the same liberty to others, do not try to break up the poor idol-worshipper, do not call him a devil, do not go about preaching to every man, that does not agree entirely with you. Know first, that you are cowards yourselves, and if society frightens you, if your own superstitions of the past frighten you so much, how much more will these superstitions frighten and bind down those who are ignorant? That is the Advaita position. Have mercy on others. Would to God that the whole world were Advaitists tomorrow, not only in theory, but in realisation. But if that cannot be, let us do the next best thing; let us take the ignorant by the hand, lead them always step by step just as they can go, and know that every step in all religious growth in India has been progressive. It is not from bad to good, but from good to better.
Something more has to be told about the moral relation. Our boys blithely talk nowadays; they learn from somebody — the Lord knows from whom — that Advaita makes people immoral, because if we are all one and all God, what need of morality will there be at all! In the first place, that is the argument of the brute, who can only be kept down by the whip. If you are such brutes, commit suicide rather than pass for human beings who have to be kept down by the whip. If the whip is taken away, you will all be demons! You ought all to be killed if such is the case. There is no help for you; you must always be living under this whip and rod, and there is no salvation, no escape for you.
In the second place, Advaita and Advaita alone explains morality. Every religion preaches that the essence of all morality is to do good to others. And why? Be unselfish. And why should I? Some God has said it? He is not for me. Some texts have declared it? Let them; that is nothing to me; let them all tell it. And if they do, what is it to me? Each one for himself, and somebody take the hindermost — that is all the morality in the world, at least with many. What is the reason that I should be moral? You cannot explain it except when you come to know the truth as given in the Gita: "He who sees everyone in himself, and himself in everyone, thus seeing the same God living in all, he, the sage, no more kills the Self by the self." Know through Advaita that whomsoever you hurt, you hurt yourself; they are all you. Whether you know it or not, through all hands you work, through all feet you move, you are the king enjoying in the palace, you are the beggar leading that miserable existence in the street; you are in the ignorant as well as in the learned, you are in the man who is weak, and you are in the strong; know this and be sympathetic. And that is why we must not hurt others. That is why I do not even care whether I have to starve, because there will be millions of mouths eating at the same time, and they are all mine. Therefore I should not care what becomes of me and mine, for the whole universe is mine, I am enjoying all the bliss at the same time; and who can kill me or the universe? Herein is morality. Here, in Advaita alone, is morality explained. The others teach item but cannot give you its reason. Then, so far about explanation.
What is the gain? It is strength. Take off that veil of hypnotism which you have cast upon the world, send not out thoughts and words of weakness unto humanity. Know that all sins and all evils can be summed up in that one word, weakness. It is weakness that is the motive power in all evil doing; it is weakness that is the source of all selfishness; it is weakness that makes men injure others; it is weakness that makes them manifest what they are not in reality. Let them all know what they are; let them repeat day and night what they are. Soham. Let them suck it in with their mothers' milk, this idea of strength — I am He, I am He. This is to be heard first — श्रोतव्यो मन्तव्यो निदिध्यासितव्यः etc. And then let them think of it, and out of that thought, out of that heart will proceed works such as the world has never seen. What has to be done? Ay, this Advaita is said by some to be impracticable; that is to say, it is not yet manifesting itself on the material plane. To a certain extent that is true, for remember the saying of the Vedas:
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म ओमित्येकाक्षरं परम्।
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा यो यदिच्छति तस्य तत् ॥
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म ओमित्येकाक्षरं परम्।
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा यो यदिच्छति तस्य तत् ॥
"Om, this is the Brahman; Om, this is the greatest reality; he who knows the secret of this Om, whatever he desires that he gets." Ay, therefore first know the secret of this Om, that you are the Om; know the secret of this Tattvamasi, and then and then alone whatever you want shall come to you. If you want to be great materially, believe that you are so. I may be a little bubble, and you may be a wave mountain-high, but know that for both of us the infinite ocean is the background, the infinite Brahman is our magazine of power and strength, and we can draw as much as we like, both of us, I the bubble and you the mountain-high wave. Believe, therefore, in yourselves. The secret of Advaita is: Believe in yourselves first, and then believe in anything else. In the history of the world, you will find that only those nations that have believed in themselves have become great and strong. In the history of each nation, you will always find that only those individuals who have believed in themselves have become great and strong. Here, to India, came an Englishman who was only a clerk, and for want of funds and other reasons he twice tried to blow his brains out; and when he failed, he believed in himself, he believed that he was born to do great things; and that man became Lord Clive, the founder of the Empire. If he had believed the Padres and gone crawling all his life — "O Lord, I am weak, and I am low" — where would he have been? In a lunatic asylum. You also are made lunatics by these evil teachings. I have seen, all the world over, the bad effects of these weak teachings of humility destroying the human race. Our children are brought up in this way, and is it a wonder that they become semi-lunatics?
This is teaching on the practical side. Believe, therefore, in yourselves, and if you want material wealth, work it out; it will come to you. If you want to be intellectual, work it out on the intellectual plane, and intellectual giants you shall be. And if you want to attain to freedom, work it out on the spiritual plane, and free you shall be and shall enter into Nirvana, the Eternal Bliss. But one defect which lay in the Advaita was its being worked out so long on the spiritual plane only, and nowhere else; now the time has come when you have to make it practical. It shall no more be a Rahasya, a secret, it shall no more live with monks in caves and forests, and in the Himalayas; it must come down to the daily, everyday life of the people; it shall be worked out in the palace of the king, in the cave of the recluse; it shall be worked out in the cottage of the poor, by the beggar in the street, everywhere; anywhere it can be worked out. Therefore do not fear whether you are a woman or a Shudra, for this religion is so great, says Lord Krishna, that even a little of it brings a great amount of good.
Therefore, children of the Aryans, do not sit idle; awake, arise, and stop not till the goal is reached. The time has come when this Advaita is to be worked out practically. Let us bring it down from heaven unto the earth; this is the present dispensation. Ay, the voices of our forefathers of old are telling us to bring it down from heaven to the earth. Let your teachings permeate the world, till they have entered into every pore of society, till they have become the common property of everybody, till they have become part and parcel of our lives, till they have entered into our veins and tingle with every drop of blood there.
Ay, you may be astonished to hear that as practical Vedantists the Americans are better than we are. I used to stand on the seashore at New York and look at the emigrants coming from different countries — crushed, downtrodden, hopeless, unable to look a man in the face, with a little bundle of clothes as all their possession, and these all in rags; if they saw a policeman they were afraid and tried to get to the other side of the foot-path. And, mark you, in six months those very men were walking erect, well clothed, looking everybody in the face; and what made this wonderful difference? Say, this man comes from Armenia or somewhere else where he was crushed down beyond all recognition, where everybody told him he was a born slave and born to remain in a low state all his life, and where at the least move on his part he was trodden upon. There everything told him, as it were, "Slave! you are a slave, remain so. Hopeless you were born, hopeless you must remain." Even the very air murmured round him, as it were, "There is no hope for you; hopeless and a slave you must remain", while the strong man crushed the life out of him. And when he landed in the streets of New York, he found a gentleman, well-dressed, shaking him by the hand; it made no difference that the one was in rags and the other well-clad. He went a step further and saw restaurant, that there were gentlemen dining at a table, and he was asked to take a seat at the corner of the same table. He went about and found a new life, that there was a place where he was a man among men. Perhaps he went to Washington, shook hands with the President of the United States, and perhaps there he saw men coming from distant villages, peasants, and ill clad, all shaking hands with the President. Then the veil of Maya slipped away from him. He is Brahman, he who has been hypnotised into slavery and weakness is once more awake, and he rises up and finds himself a man in a world of men. Ay, in this country of ours, the very birth-place of the Vedanta, our masses have been hypnotised for ages into that state. To touch them is pollution, to sit with them is pollution! Hopeless they were born, hopeless they must remain! And the result is that they have been sinking, sinking, sinking, and have come to the last stage to which a human being can come. For what country is there in the world where man has to sleep with the cattle? And for this, blame nobody else, do not commit the mistake of the ignorant. The effect is here and the cause is here too. We are to blame. Stand up, be bold, and take the blame on your own shoulders. Do not go about throwing mud at others; for all the faults you suffer from, you are the sole and only cause.
Young men of Lahore, understand this, therefore, this great sin hereditary and national, is on our shoulders. There is no hope for us. You may make thousands of societies, twenty thousand political assemblages, fifty thousand institutions. These will be of no use until there is that sympathy, that love, that heart that thinks for all; until Buddha's heart comes once more into India, until the words of the Lord Krishna are brought to their practical use, there is no hope for us. You go on imitating the Europeans and their societies and their assemblages, but let me tell you a story, a fact that I saw with my own eyes. A company of Burmans was taken over to London by some persons here, who turned out to be Eurasians. They exhibited these people in London, took all the money, and then took these Burmans over to the Continent, and left them there for good or evil. These poor people did not know a word of any European language, but the English Consul in Austria sent them over to London. They were helpless in London, without knowing anyone. But an English lady got to know of them, took these foreigners from Burma into her own house, gave them her own clothes, her bed, and everything, and then sent the news to the papers. And, mark you, the next day the whole nation was, as it were, roused. Money poured in, and these people were helped out and sent back to Burma. On this sort of sympathy are based all their political and other institutions; it is the rock-foundation of love, for themselves at least. They may not love the world; and the Burmans may be their enemies, but in England, it goes without saying, there is this great love for their own people, for truth and justice and charity to the stranger at the door. I should be the most ungrateful man if I did not tell you how wonderfully and how hospitably I was received in every country in the West. Where is the heart here to build upon? No sooner do we start a little joint-stock company than we try to cheat each other, and the whole thing comes down with a crash. You talk of imitating the English and building up as big a nation as they are. But where are the foundations? Ours are only sand, and, therefore, the building comes down with a crash in no time.
Therefore, young men of Lahore, raise once more that mighty banner of Advaita, for on no other ground can you have that wonderful love until you see that the same Lord is present everywhere. Unfurl that banner of love! "Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached." Arise, arise once more, for nothing can be done without renunciation. If you want to help others, your little self must go. In the words of the Christians — you cannot serve God and Mammon at the same time. Have Vairagya. Your ancestors gave up the world for doing great things. At the present time there are men who give up the world to help their own salvation. Throw away everything, even your own salvation, and go and help others. Ay you are always talking bold words, but here is practical Vedanta before you. Give up this little life of yours. What matters it if you die of starvation — you and I and thousands like us — so long as this nation lives? The nation is sinking, the curse of unnumbered millions is on our heads — those to whom we have been giving ditch-water to drink when they have been dying of thirst and while the perennial river of water was flowing past, the unnumbered millions whom we have allowed to starve in sight of plenty, the unnumbered millions to whom we have talked of Advaita and whom we have hated with all our strength, the unnumbered millions for whom we have invented the doctrine of Lokâchâra (usage), to whom we have talked theoretically that we are all the same and all are one with the same Lord, without even an ounce of practice. "Yet, my friends, it must be only in the mind and never in practice!" Wipe off this blot. "Arise and awake." What matters it if this little life goes? Everyone has to die, the saint or the sinner, the rich or the poor. The body never remains for anyone. Arise and awake and be perfectly sincere. Our insincerity in India is awful; what we want is character, that steadiness and character that make a man cling on to a thing like grim death.
"Let the sages blame or let them praise, let Lakshmi come today or let her go away, let death come just now or in a hundred years; he indeed is the sage who does not make one false step from the right path." Arise and awake, for the time is passing and all our energies will be: frittered away in vain talking. Arise and awake, let minor things, and quarrels over little details and fights over little doctrines be thrown aside, for here is the greatest of all works, here are the sinking millions. When the Mohammedans first came into India, what a great number of Hindus were here; but mark, how today they have dwindled down! Every day they will become less and less till they wholly disappear. Let them disappear, but with them will disappear the marvellous ideas, of which, with all their defects and all their misrepresentations, they still stand as representatives. And with them will disappear this marvellous Advaita, the crest-jewel of all spiritual thought. Therefore, arise, awake, with your hands stretched out to protect the spirituality of the world. And first of all, work it out for your own country. What we want is not so much spirituality as a little of the bringing down of the Advaita into the material world. First bread and then religion. We stuff them too much with religion, when the poor fellows have been starving. No dogmas will satisfy the cravings of hunger. There are two curses here: first our weakness, secondly, our hatred, our dried-up hearts. You may talk doctrines by the millions, you may have sects by the hundreds of millions; ay, but it is nothing until you have the heart to feel. Feel for them as your Veda teaches you, till you find they are parts of your own bodies, till you realise that you and they, the poor and the rich, the saint and the sinner, are all parts of One Infinite Whole, which you call Brahman.
Gentlemen, I have tried to place before you a few of the most brilliant points of the Advaita system, and now the time has come when it should be carried into practice, not only in this country but everywhere. Modern science and its sledge-hammer blows are pulverising the porcelain foundations of all dualistic religions everywhere. Not only here are the dualists torturing texts till they will extend no longer — for texts are not India-rubber — it is not only here that they are trying to get into the nooks and corners to protect themselves; it is still more so in Europe and America. And even there something of this idea will have to go from India. It has already got there. It will have to grow and increase and save their civilisations too. For in the West the old order of things is vanishing, giving way to a new order of things, which is the worship of gold, the worship of Mammon. Thus this old crude system of religion was better than the modern system, namely — competition and gold. No nation, however strong, can stand on such foundations, and the history of the world tells us that all that had such foundations are dead and gone. In the first place we have to stop the incoming of such a wave in India. Therefore preach the Advaita to every one, so that religion may withstand the shock of modern science. Not only so, you will have to help others; your thought will help out Europe and America. But above all, let me once more remind you that here is need of practical work, and the first part of that is that you should go to the sinking millions of India, and take them by the hand, remembering the words of the Lord Krishna:
इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः।
निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्मात् ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिताः॥
इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः।
निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्मात् ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिताः॥
"Even in this life they have conquered relative existence whose minds are firm-fixed on the sameness of everything, for God is pure and the same to all; therefore, such are said to be living in God."
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。