六至十 室利·普里亚·纳特·辛哈
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中文
六
回忆录——印度饥荒问题与自我牺牲的工作者——东方与西方——是悦性还是惰性——乞丐之国——"施与受"的法则——直面指出他人缺点，但在众人面前赞扬其美德——人人皆可成为辨喜——不间断的梵行是力量的秘密——三摩地与工作
【室利·普里亚·纳特·辛哈】
我家与斯瓦米吉的家很近，我们是同一街区的少年，我经常和他一起玩耍。从少年时代起，我就对他有一种特别的吸引力，我真诚地相信他将成为一个伟大的人物。当他成为游方僧（Sannyasin）时，我们曾以为，这样一个人的辉煌前程就此付诸东流了。
后来，当他前往美国时，我在报纸上读到了他在芝加哥宗教议会上的演讲以及在美国各地的其他演讲报道，我想，火焰永远不可能被布匹所遮蔽；斯瓦米吉内心的火焰此刻已经迸发出来；多年的花蕾终于绽放了。
过了一段时间，我得知他已经回到印度，并在马德拉斯发表了一系列激动人心的演讲。我阅读了那些演讲，惊叹于印度教中竟蕴含着如此崇高的真理，而且能够被阐述得如此清晰透彻。他拥有多么非凡的力量啊！他究竟是人还是神？
斯瓦米吉来到加尔各答时，掀起了一股巨大的热潮，我们追随他来到科西波尔恒河边西尔家的花园别墅。几天后，在拉贾·罗陀康特·德夫的宅邸，这位"加尔各答之子"面对蜂拥而至的人群，发表了一篇鼓舞人心的演讲以回应欢迎辞，加尔各答第一次聆听了他的声音，全城为之倾倒。但这些都是众所周知的事实。
他来到加尔各答之后，我非常渴望能单独见到他，像少年时那样自由地与他交谈。但他身边总是围着一群热切的求教者，交谈不曾间断；所以有一段时间我一直没有找到机会，直到有一天我们在恒河边的花园里散步。他立刻像从前那样开始和我——他少年时代的玩伴——交谈。我们之间刚交换了几句话，便反复有人来传话，说许多绅士前来拜访他。他最后有些不耐烦了，对传话的人说："给我片刻喘息吧，孩子；让我和这位少年时代的伙伴说几句话；让我在露天待一会儿。去欢迎那些来客，请他们坐下，给他们递上烟草，请他们稍候片刻。"
当我们再次独处时，我问他："斯瓦米吉，你是一位圣人。人们为你的迎接仪式募集了捐款，我原以为，鉴于我国的饥荒，你会在抵达加尔各答之前发电报说：'不要在我的迎接仪式上花一分钱，把全部款项捐给饥荒救济基金。'但我发现你并没有这样做。这是怎么回事？"
斯瓦米吉：恰恰相反，我倒是希望能激起一股巨大的热潮。你难道看不出来吗，没有这样的事情，人们怎么会被吸引到室利·罗摩克里希纳身边，怎么会因他的名字而被点燃？这场盛典是为我个人举行的吗？还是因此而荣耀了他的名字？看看人们心中产生了多么强烈的渴望，想要了解他！现在他们将逐渐认识他，这难道不是有利于国家的吗？如果人们不了解那个为国家福祉而来的人，他们怎能获得福祉？当他们了解他真正是什么样的人时，真正的人——真正意义上的人——就会被造就出来；而当有了这样的人，驱走国土上的饥荒等灾难还需要多久呢？所以我说，我倒是希望加尔各答能有一些热闹和轰动，这样公众才会倾向于相信室利·罗摩克里希纳的使命；否则，为我大费周章有什么用呢？我在乎这些吗？我现在比过去在你家和你一起玩耍时变得更伟大了吗？我现在和从前一模一样。告诉我，你发现我有什么变化吗？
虽然我说了"没有，我没发现有什么值得一提的变化"，但在心里我想的却是："你如今确实已经成了神。"
斯瓦米吉继续说道："饥荒在我们国家已经成为一个常态，现在仿佛已成为一种附着于我们的灾祸。你在其他国家见过如此频繁的饥荒肆虐吗？没有，因为其他国家有真正的人，而在我们的国家，人已经变得形同死物，完全麻木了。让人们首先通过学习室利·罗摩克里希纳，通过了解他的真实面目，来学会放弃他们自私的天性，然后才会从他们中间产生真正的努力去遏制频繁发生的饥荒。渐渐地，我也会在那个方向上努力；你会看到的。"
我说：那太好了。那么你打算在这里发表许多演讲吧，否则他的名字怎么传播呢？
斯瓦米吉：胡说八道！绝对不行！
为使他的名字被世人知晓，还有什么没做到的吗？在这方面已经做得够多了。在这个国家，演讲不会起什么作用。我们受过教育的同胞们会听这些演讲，充其量会鼓掌叫好，说声"讲得好"；仅此而已。然后他们就会回家，正如我们所说，把所听到的一切和饭菜一起消化掉！对一块生锈的旧铁不断敲打有什么用呢？它只会碎裂成碎片。首先应该把它烧得通红，然后才能通过敲打将其塑造成任何形状。在我们的国家，如果不在人们面前树立一个光辉而鲜活的榜样，任何事情都无济于事。我们需要的是一些年轻人，他们愿意放弃一切，为国家的事业牺牲自己的生命。我们应该首先塑造他们的生命，然后才能期待真正的成果。
我说：斯瓦米吉，有一件事一直令我困惑——当我国的人们因为无法理解自己的宗教而纷纷皈依外来宗教，如基督教、伊斯兰教等的时候，你不为他们做些什么，却反而跑到英国和美国去宣讲印度教。
斯瓦米吉：你难道看不到如今形势已经变了吗？我们国家的人还有力量去接受并实践真正的宗教吗？他们所拥有的不过是自以为非常具有悦性的骄傲而已。他们曾经确实是悦性的，这毫无疑问，但如今他们已经堕落到了很低的地步。从悦性的堕落会使人一头栽入惰性！这正是发生在他们身上的事。你认为一个完全不努力的人——一个只是关在房间里念诵诃利圣名的人——一个即使亲眼目睹他人面前发生了大量的不义和暴行也无动于衷、保持安静的人——拥有悦性的品质吗？绝非如此，他只不过被深沉的惰性所笼罩。一个国家的人民连果腹的食物都得不到，怎么能修行宗教呢？一个国家的人民心中对享受的欲望尚未得到丝毫满足，怎么可能产生出离心呢？因此，首先要找到途径和方法，使人们能够吃饱饭，有足够的物质享受，能够稍微享受一下生活；然后，真正的离欲（Vairagya）就会逐渐到来，他们才会做好准备在生活中证悟宗教。英国和美国的人民，他们充满了多么强烈的变性啊！他们已经对各种世俗享受感到厌倦了。而且，基督教作为一种信仰和迷信的宗教，与我们的往世书宗教处于同一层次。随着教育和文化的传播，西方人已经无法在其中获得安宁。他们目前的状态是这样的——只要给他们一个推动，就能使他们达到悦性。再者，在当今时代，你会像听一个身着白面（西方人）来给你讲授你自己的宗教时那样认真地听一位身穿破衣的游方僧的话吗？
我说：正是如此，斯瓦米吉！N.N.戈什先生说的也完全是这个意思。
斯瓦米吉：是的，当我的西方弟子们在获得适当的修行和觉悟之后，大批来到这里，问你们："你们都在做什么？你们怎么这么缺乏信仰？你们的礼仪和宗教、风俗习惯和道德在任何方面都不逊色，你们知道吗？我们甚至认为你们的宗教是最高的！"——那时你就会看到，我们许多有权有势的人物都会倾听他们。这样，他们将能够为这个国家做出巨大的贡献。不要以为他们会来这里充当你们宗教的导师（Guru）。在实用科学等方面，他们无疑会是你们的导师，以改善物质条件，而我们国家的人在一切与宗教有关的事务上将是他们的导师。这种在宗教领域中的师徒关系将永远存在于印度和世界其他地区之间。
我说：这怎么可能呢，斯瓦米吉？考虑到他们看待我们的那种仇视态度，他们似乎不太可能纯粹出于无私的动机来为我们做善事。
斯瓦米吉：他们确实有许多理由恨我们，所以他们也许可以为自己的仇恨找到正当理由。首先，我们是一个被征服的民族，而且世界上没有哪个国家的人像我们这样沦为乞丐之国！构成最低种姓的广大民众，由于数百年来不断遭受高种姓的暴政，每走一步都被他们拳打脚踢，已经完全丧失了男子气概，变得像职业乞丐一样；而那些比这些人高一个等级的人，读了几页英文之后，就拿着请愿书在政府办公室门口徘徊。每当有一个二三十卢比的职位空缺时，就有五百个文学士和硕士来申请！而且，天哪！这些请愿书的措辞多么稀奇古怪！"先生，我家里没有吃的，我的妻子和孩子正在挨饿；我最谦卑地恳求您，先生，给我一些谋生的手段来养活我和我的家人，否则我们就要饿死了！"即使他们进入了公职，也把一切自尊抛到九霄云外，奉行最恶劣形式的奴性。这就是广大民众的状况。你们当中那些受过高等教育的显要人物组成各种团体，扯着嗓子大声疾呼："唉，印度一天天走向毁灭！啊，英国统治者，允许我们的同胞担任国家的高级职务吧，把我们从饥荒中解救出来吧"，如此等等，日日夜夜以永恒的"给予"和"给予"之声响彻天际！他们所有言辞的主旨就是："给我们，多给我们一些吧，英国人！"天哪！他们还能给你们什么呢？他们已经给了铁路、电报、有序的行政管理——几乎完全镇压了盗匪，提供了科学教育——他们还能再给什么呢？谁会完全无私地给予他人呢？好吧，他们已经给了你们这么多；让我问你，作为回报你们给了他们什么呢？
我说：我们能给什么呢，斯瓦米吉？我们缴纳税款啊。
斯瓦米吉：是吗？你们真的给了吗？你们是自愿给他们纳税的，还是因为他们维持了国内的和平而强制征收的？坦率地告诉我，对于他们为你们所做的一切，你们回报了什么？你们也有他们所没有的东西可以给予。你们去英国，但那也是以乞丐的姿态——祈求教育。有些人去了，他们在那里最多做的事情，也许是在一些演讲中称赞西方人的宗教，然后回来。多么了不起的成就啊！怎么，你们没有什么可以给予他们的吗？你们拥有无价之宝，可以给予——把你们的宗教给他们，把你们的哲学给他们！研究整个世界的历史，你就会发现，你在任何地方遇到的每一个崇高理想都源于印度。自古以来，印度就是人类社会珍贵思想的矿藏；她自己孕育了崇高的思想，并将之慷慨地传播到整个世界。英国人今天在印度，就是为了汲取那些更高的理想，获得吠檀多（Vedanta）的知识，深入那个属于你们的永恒宗教的深邃奥秘。用那些无价之宝来交换你们从他们那里获得的东西吧。主带我去了他们的国家，就是为了消除他们加在我们身上的乞丐骂名。去英国仅仅为了乞讨是不对的。他们为什么要永远施舍给我们呢？有谁会永远施舍呢？像乞丐一样伸手接受施舍并非自然法则。施与受才是自然法则。任何不遵守这一法则的个人、阶层或民族都不会在生活中繁荣。我们也必须遵循这一法则。这就是我去美国的原因。那里的人们对宗教的渴求是如此强烈，即使有千百个像我这样的人前去，也有足够的空间。长久以来，他们一直在把自己拥有的物质财富分享给你们，现在是你们与他们分享你们无价之宝的时候了。你会看到他们的仇恨之情将多么迅速地被对你们的信仰、虔诚和崇敬所取代，他们将如何不请自来地为你们的国家做善事。他们是一个英雄的民族——他们从不忘记别人对他们的善行。
我说：斯瓦米吉，你在西方的演讲中频繁而雄辩地论述了我们的民族才能和美德，你也提出了许多有力的证据来展示我们对宗教的全心热爱；但现在你却说我们已经充满了惰性；同时你又认定我们是向世界传授仙人的永恒宗教的导师！这怎么说得通呢？
斯瓦米吉：你的意思是说，我应该四处奔走，在公众面前大肆渲染你们的缺点吗？难道我不应该向他们展示标志你们民族特色的美德吗？直面告诉一个人他的缺点，以友善的精神使他信服，让他加以改正，这始终是好的——但你应该在别人面前赞扬他的美德。室利·罗摩克里希纳曾说，如果你反复告诉一个坏人他是好人，他终将变好；同样，一个好人如果不断被说成坏人，他也会变坏。在西方那里，我已经充分地向人们指出了他们的不足。你要知道，在我之前，所有从我们国家去西方的人都在他们面前高唱赞歌，称颂他们的美德，而只把我们的缺点大声传入他们的耳中。因此，他们学会了恨我们也就不足为奇了。正因如此，我向他们展示了你们的美德，也向他们指出了他们的恶习，正如我现在告诉你们你们的弱点和他们的优点一样。不管你们已经变得多么充满惰性，古代仙人本性的某些东西，不论多么微少，无疑仍然存在于你们之中——至少还有那个框架在。但这并不意味着一个人应该急于立刻承担起宗教导师的角色，跑到西方去传教。首先，一个人必须在独处中完全塑造自己的宗教生活，必须在出离心上臻于圆满，并且必须保持不间断的梵行。惰性已经侵入了你们——那又怎样？惰性难道不能被摧毁吗？它可以在转瞬之间被摧毁！正是为了摧毁这种惰性，薄伽梵·室利·罗摩克里希纳才降临我们中间。
我说：但是谁能像你一样呢，斯瓦米吉？
斯瓦米吉：你以为我死后就不会再有辨喜了吗！刚才来到我面前演奏音乐的那群年轻人，你们所有人都因为他们沉迷于迷醉药物而看不起他们，视他们为无用之辈，但如果主愿意，他们中的每一个人都可能成为一个辨喜！如果世界需要辨喜，就不会缺少辨喜——千千万万个辨喜将会出现——从哪里来，谁知道呢！要确信，我所做的工作不是辨喜的工作，而是他的工作——主自己的工作！如果一位总督退任了，皇帝必定会派另一位接替他。不管你们被惰性笼罩得多么深重，要知道，只要你们以赤诚之心皈依他，一切都将消散。时机恰到好处，因为世间疾病的医者已经到来。借着他的圣名，如果你们着手工作，他将通过你们亲自成就一切。惰性本身将被转化为最高的悦性！
我说：无论你怎么说，我都无法使自己相信这些话。谁能拥有你那种阐释哲学的雄辩之才呢？
斯瓦米吉：你不知道！那种力量可以降临每个人。那种力量会降临于这样的人——他怀着证悟神的唯一目标，连续十二年保持不间断的梵行。我自己就是这样修行梵行的，因此，可以说我脑中的一层屏障被移除了。正因如此，我不再需要为任何关于哲学这样微妙主题的演讲做准备或思考。假设我明天要演讲；我要讲的一切将在今晚像一幅幅画面一样在我眼前流过；第二天在演讲中，我把所见到的一切用语言表达出来。所以你现在应该明白了，这并非我独有的力量。任何人如果连续十二年修行不间断的梵行，都必定会获得它。如果你这样做了，你也会得到它。我们的经典并没有说只有某某人才能获得而其他人不能！
我说：斯瓦米吉，你还记得吗，有一天，在你出家之前，我们坐在——的家里，你试图向我们解释三摩地（Samadhi）的奥秘。当我质疑你所说的真实性，说在这个迦利年代（Kali Yuga）三摩地是不可能的时候，你斩钉截铁地说："你是想亲眼见到三摩地，还是想亲身体验？我自己就入三摩地，我也能让你入三摩地！"你话音未落，一个陌生人走来，我们就没有再继续那个话题了。
斯瓦米吉：是的，我记得那次的情形。
后来，在我恳求他让我获得三摩地时，他说："你看，连续多年不断地演讲和辛勤工作，变性在我身上变得太占主导了。因此那种力量现在可以说被掩盖在了我的内部。如果我放下所有的工作，到喜马拉雅山去独处冥想一段时间，那种力量就会再次在我身上显现。"
七
回忆录——调息法——读心术——前世的知识
一两天后，当我走出家门准备去拜访斯瓦米吉时，遇到了两位朋友，他们表示想同我一起去，因为他们想向斯瓦米吉请教一些关于调息法（Pranayama）的问题。我听说，去拜访寺庙或游方僧时不应空手而去，应该带些供品；于是我们带了一些水果和甜食，将它们摆放在他面前。斯瓦米吉用双手接过它们，举到头顶，甚至在我们向他行礼之前就先向我们致意了。同行的两位朋友中有一位曾是他的同窗。斯瓦米吉立刻认出了他，询问了他的近况和安好。然后他让我们在他身旁坐下。还有许多其他人也来拜望和聆听他。在回答了几位绅士提出的一些问题后，斯瓦米吉在谈话过程中开始谈论调息法。他首先运用现代科学解释了心识如何产生物质，然后继续阐释调息法是什么。我们三个人事先都仔细阅读过他那本名为《胜王瑜伽》（Raja-Yoga）的著作。但从那天我们从他口中听到的关于调息法的内容来看，我觉得他所拥有的知识中只有极少一部分被记录在了那本书里。我也理解到，他所说的并非纯粹的书本知识，因为如果没有亲身证悟真理，谁能如此清晰而详尽地解释宗教中所有错综复杂的问题，即便借助科学也做不到？
他关于调息法的谈话从下午三点半一直持续到晚上七点半。当聚会散去、我们离开时，我的同伴问我，斯瓦米吉怎么能知道他们心中的疑问，以及是否是我事先将他们想问的问题告诉了他。
在这之后的几天，我在巴格巴扎尔已故普里亚·纳特·穆克吉家中见到了斯瓦米吉。在场的有斯瓦米·梵天南达、斯瓦米·瑜伽南达、G.C.戈什先生、阿图尔·巴布，还有一两位其他朋友。我说："斯瓦米吉，那天和你一起去拜访的两位先生，他们想问你一些关于调息法的问题，那些问题是他们在你回国之前很久阅读你的《胜王瑜伽》一书时产生的，他们当时就告诉过我。但那天，在他们向你提问之前，你自己就提出了他们心中的疑惑并加以解答了！他们非常惊讶，问我是否事先把他们的疑问透露给了你。"斯瓦米吉回答说："类似的事情在西方发生过很多次，人们经常问我：'你怎么能知道萦绕在我们心中的问题？'这种洞察力在我身上并不经常出现，但在室利·罗摩克里希纳那里，它几乎是时刻都在的。"
在这个话题上，阿图尔·巴布问他："你在《胜王瑜伽》中说过，人可以了知自己前世的一切。你自己知道吗？"
斯瓦米吉：是的，我知道。
阿图尔·巴布：你知道些什么？你介意说出来吗？
斯瓦米吉：我能知道——我确实知道——但我不愿详细说明。
八
东西方音乐的艺术与科学
那是一八九八年七月的一个傍晚，在贝鲁尔尼拉姆巴尔·穆克吉花园别墅的僧院里。斯瓦米吉与他所有的弟子一起禅修，禅修结束后出来坐在一间屋子里。由于大雨倾盆、冷风呼啸，他关上门，伴着坦普拉琴开始唱歌。歌唱结束后，接着进行了一场关于音乐的长谈。斯瓦米·希瓦南达问他："西方音乐是什么样的？"
斯瓦米吉：哦，非常好；其中有一种和声的完美，是我们尚未达到的。只不过对于我们未经训练的耳朵来说，它听起来不太好，因此我们不喜欢它，觉得歌手们像豺狼一样嚎叫。我最初也有同样的印象，但当我开始专注地聆听并仔细研究之后，我越来越理解它了，并为之深深倾倒。任何艺术都是如此。匆匆一瞥一幅精心完成的画作，我们无法理解其美在何处。况且，除非眼力受到了一定程度的训练，否则无法欣赏一件艺术品中微妙的笔触和色彩融合、内在的天才。我们真正的音乐存在于赞歌（Kirtana）和固定旋律（Dhrupada）之中；其余的则因按照伊斯兰方法调制而被破坏了。你以为用鼻音唱塔帕（Tappa）短小轻快的调子，忽高忽低地从一个音符跳到另一个音符，就是音乐世界中最好的东西吗？并非如此。除非在每个音阶中每个音符都得到充分发挥，否则整个音乐科学就被破坏了。在绘画中，通过与自然保持接触，你可以把它画得多么艺术都行；这样做没有害处，结果只会是好的。同样，在音乐中，你可以在遵循科学的前提下展示任何程度的技巧，听起来会悦耳动听。穆斯林来到印度后采纳了不同的拉格和拉吉尼。但他们在塔帕歌曲的艺术上打上了如此浓重的自身色彩印记，以至于音乐中的所有科学都被摧毁了。
问：为什么呢，大师？谁不喜欢塔帕音乐呢？
斯瓦米吉：蟋蟀的鸣叫声在某些人听来也很悦耳。桑塔尔人也认为他们的音乐是所有音乐中最好的。你似乎不明白，当一个音符紧接着另一个音符如此迅速地出现时，它不仅剥夺了音乐的一切优雅，反而造成了不和谐。七个基本音符的排列组合不正是形成了不同的旋律，即所谓的拉格和拉吉尼吗？在塔帕中，如果含混地越过整个旋律创造新的曲调，而且在此之上，还用颤音将声音提到最高音，请问拉格怎么能保持完整呢？再者，如果音乐中仅仅为了效果而如此大量地使用轻快短促的乐句，音乐的诗意就被完全摧毁了。在塔帕流行之后，按照歌曲所要传达的意蕴来歌唱这一传统在我国完全消失了。如今，随着戏剧的改进，真正的艺术似乎在稍微复兴；但另一方面，对拉格和拉吉尼的一切尊重却越来越被抛到九霄云外。
因此，对于那些精通固定旋律演唱艺术的大师而言，听塔帕是一种痛苦。但在我们的音乐中，抑扬顿挫——即声音或乐音有规律的起伏——是非常出色的。法国人最先发现并欣赏了这一特点，并试图将其改编引入他们的音乐。在他们这样做之后，整个欧洲现在已经彻底掌握了它。
问：大师，他们的音乐似乎主要是雄壮的军乐风格，而我们的音乐中这一元素似乎完全缺失。
斯瓦米吉：哦，不，我们也有。在军乐中，和声是极为需要的。我们严重缺乏和声，因此这一特点表现得不那么明显。我们的音乐一直在稳步进步。但当穆斯林来到时，他们以这样一种方式占据了音乐，使得音乐之树再也无法继续生长。西方人的音乐远为先进。他们的音乐中既有悲壮的情感，也有英雄气概，正如其应有的那样。但我们那古老的葫芦制成的乐器却没有得到任何进一步的改进。
问：哪些拉格和拉吉尼是军乐风格的？
斯瓦米吉：如果配以和声，并据此调好乐器，每一种拉格都可以变成军乐风格。一些拉吉尼也可以变成军乐。
谈话到此结束，因为晚餐时间到了。晚餐后，斯瓦米吉询问了从加尔各答来到僧院过夜的客人们的住宿安排，然后回到自己的卧室。
九
古代师门同住制度——当今大学体制——缺乏信仰——我们拥有民族历史——西方科学与吠檀多的结合——所谓高等教育——技术教育与民族化教育的需要——真实友的故事——纯粹的书本学习与出离者的教育——室利·罗摩克里希纳与学者们——建立由修行者主持学院的僧院——编写童书——停止早婚！——派遣未婚毕业生赴日本的计划——日本强大的秘密——亚洲与欧洲的艺术——艺术与实用——服饰风格——饮食问题与贫困。
那是新僧院建成约两年之后，所有斯瓦米都住在那里时，有一天早上我来拜访我的导师。斯瓦米吉见到我便微笑了，询问了我的近况等，然后说："你今天打算留下来，是吗？"
"当然。"我说。经过各种寒暄之后，我问道："大师，你对教育我们的少年有什么想法？"
斯瓦米吉：师门同住（Guru-griha-vasa）——与导师同住。
问：怎样实行呢？
斯瓦米吉：像古代那样。但在这种教育中必须融合现代西方科学。两者都是必需的。
问：那么，当今大学体制有什么缺陷呢？
斯瓦米吉：它几乎完全是缺陷的集合。它不过是一台制造文员的完美机器。如果仅此而已，我甚至还要感谢上天。但不止如此！看看人们是如何丧失信仰的。他们声称薄伽梵歌（Gita）不过是后人添加的，吠陀（Vedas）不过是乡野之歌！他们乐于掌握关于印度以外事物和国家的每一个细节，但如果你问他们，他们甚至不知道自己七代以内先祖的名字，更不用说十四代了！
问：但那又有什么关系呢？不知道先祖的名字有什么要紧的？
斯瓦米吉：不要这么想。一个没有自己历史的民族在这个世界上什么也不是。你相信吗，一个拥有这样的信仰和自豪——觉得"我出身高贵"——的人，难道会堕落为坏人？怎么可能呢？那份对自身的信仰会约束他的行为和情感，以至于他宁死也不会做错事。因此，民族历史使一个民族保持自律，不允许它堕落到如此低的地步。哦，我知道你会说："但我们没有这样的历史！"是的，按照像你这样想的人来看确实没有。按照你们那些了不起的大学学者的看法也没有；同样，那些匆匆游历西方一趟回来、穿着欧式服装宣称"我们什么都没有，我们是野蛮人"的人也这么认为。当然，我们的历史确实与其他国家的不太一样。假设我们吃米饭，而英国人不吃。你会因此就以为他们全都饿死了、快要灭绝了吗？他们凭借本国容易获取或生产的、适合他们的食物活得很好。同样，我们有我们自己的历史，完全是我们应有的样子。你闭上眼睛哭喊"唉！我们没有历史！"难道就能使那段历史消亡吗？有眼能见的人会在那里发现一段光辉的历史，凭借那段历史的力量，他们知道这个民族仍然活着。但那段历史需要重新书写。它应该被重新阐述，使之适应我们的人民通过西方教育在当今时代所获得的理解方式和思维习惯。
问：那要怎样做呢？
斯瓦米吉：这个话题太大了，现在谈不完。不过，要实现这一点，就需要恢复古老的"与导师同住"制度以及类似的教育方式。我们需要的是西方科学与吠檀多（Vedanta）的结合，以梵行为指导座右铭，以及对自身的信仰。我们还需要废除那种教育制度——那种制度就像那个人听说驴可以被打成马，就不断鞭打他的驴一样来教育我们的少年。
问：您这是什么意思？
斯瓦米吉：你看，没有人能教会任何人。老师以为自己在教学，这恰恰毁了一切。因此吠檀多说，人的内心蕴含着一切知识——即使在少年身上也是如此——它只需要被唤醒，而这正是老师的工作。我们对少年要做的不过是让他们学会用自己的智慧来正确运用双手、双腿、耳朵、眼睛等，最终一切都将变得容易。但根本在于宗教。宗教好比米饭，其余一切就像配菜。只吃配菜会消化不良，只吃米饭也是如此。我们的教育者把少年们变成了鹦鹉，把大量的科目塞进他们的脑子里，毁了他们的头脑。从一个角度来看，你倒应该感谢总督提出的改革大学制度的方案，那实际上等于废除了高等教育；这个国家至少可以有喘息的时间。天哪！为毕业搞得多么大惊小怪，过几天一切就冷下来了！而所有这一切之后，他们学到的不过是：我们拥有的宗教和习俗都是坏的，而西方人拥有的都是好的！到头来，他们连自己都养活不了！这种高等教育存在还是消亡又有什么关系呢？如果人们能获得一点技术教育，好找到工作挣钱糊口，而不是无所事事地到处闲逛哭求职位，那倒更好。
问：是的，马尔瓦里人更聪明，因为他们不接受公职，大多数人从事某种贸易。
斯瓦米吉：胡说八道！他们正在将国家引向毁灭。他们对自身的利益所知甚少。你们倒好得多，因为你们更关注制造业。如果他们投入生意的那些资金——用来只赚取微薄利润的——被用于开办几家工厂和作坊，而不是让欧洲人从大部分交易中获利、填满欧洲人的口袋，那不仅有利于国家的福祉，而且也会给他们自身带来多得多的利润。只有喀布尔人才真正不在乎公职——独立精神渗透在他们的骨髓之中。你试试建议他们当中任何一个人去做公务员，看看会怎样！
问：那么，大师，如果废除了高等教育，人们不是会像以前一样变得像牛一样愚蠢吗？
斯瓦米吉：胡说！狮子怎么可能变成豺狼？你在说什么呢？这片自古以来用知识哺育了全世界的土地的子民，难道会因为柯曾勋爵废除了高等教育就变得像牛一样愚蠢吗？
问：但想想我们的人民在英国人到来之前是什么样子，现在又是什么样子。
斯瓦米吉：难道高等教育仅仅是指学习物质科学和用机器制造日常用品吗？高等教育的作用在于找到解决人生问题的方法，这正是现代文明世界深邃思索所致力的课题，但在我们国家，它早在几千年前就被解决了。
问：但你们的吠檀多也差点消亡了吧？
斯瓦米吉：也许是这样。在时间的流逝中，吠檀多的光芒有时似乎将要熄灭，而当那种情况发生时，主就必须化身为人；他于是给宗教注入如此强大的生命和力量，使它以不可抵挡的活力再度运行一段时间。那生命和力量已经重新注入其中了。
问：大师，有什么证据表明印度曾自由地将自己的知识贡献给了世界其他地区？
斯瓦米吉：历史本身就是见证。世界上所有提升灵魂的思想和各个知识分支，经过适当的考证都会发现它们的根源在印度。
斯瓦米吉满怀热情地在这个话题上详细论述。当时他的健康状况很差，而且由于夏季的酷热，他频频口渴饮水。最后他说："亲爱的辛吉，请给我倒一杯冰水，我会把一切向你解释清楚。"喝了冰水之后，他重新开始说道：
斯瓦米吉：你知道，我们需要的是在不受外国控制的情况下学习属于我们自己的各个知识分支，同时学习英语和西方科学；我们需要技术教育以及一切能发展工业的东西。这样，人们就不用四处求职，而能够自己赚取足够的收入养活自己，还能为未雨绸缪储蓄一些。
问：那天你正要说的关于梵文寄宿学校制度的事是什么？
斯瓦米吉：你没有读过奥义书（Upanishads）中的故事吗？我给你讲一个。真实友（Satyakama）去跟随他的导师过梵行者的生活。导师把一些牛交给他照管，送他带着牛去了森林。许多个月过去了，当真实友发现牛的数量翻了一倍时，他想回到导师身边。在回去的路上，一头公牛、火以及一些其他动物给了他关于至高梵（Brahman）的教导。当弟子回来时，导师仅凭看他一眼就知道弟子已经领悟了至高梵的知识。这个故事所要传达的道理是：真正的教育是通过与自然持续不断的交融而获得的。
知识应该以那种方式获取，否则在学者的私塾里接受教育，你一辈子不过是一只人形的猴子。一个人从少年时代起就应该与品格如烈火般炽热的人同住，眼前要有最高教诲的活生生的范例。仅仅阅读撒谎是罪过这样的文字是没有用的。每个少年都应该被训练实行绝对的梵行，然后，也只有到那时，信仰——虔诚——才会到来。否则，一个没有虔诚信仰的人怎么会不说谎呢？在我们国家，知识的传授一直是通过出离者来实现的。后来，学者们垄断了所有知识，将其限制在私塾之中，只不过是将国家推向了毁灭的边缘。只要出离者（Tyagi）在传授知识，印度就一切顺遂。
问：大师，您这是什么意思？其他国家没有游方僧，但看看他们凭借知识的力量，印度不是俯伏在他们脚下吗！
斯瓦米吉：不要胡说了，亲爱的，听我说。如果传授知识的重任不再次落到出离者的肩上，印度就永远只能替人提鞋。你难道不知道一个不识字但具有出离心的少年，如何令你们那些伟大的老学者们折服？有一次在达克希涅什瓦尔寺庙，负责毗湿奴崇拜的婆罗门弄断了神像的一条腿。学者们被召集到一起发表意见，他们翻阅古籍和手稿后宣布，按照经典的规定，不能继续崇拜这尊破损的神像，必须重新安奉一尊新像。于是引起了巨大的骚动。最后室利·罗摩克里希纳被请来了。他听了之后问道："如果丈夫变成了瘸子，妻子会抛弃他吗？"结果怎样？学者们哑口无言，他们所有的经典注释和博学知识都抵挡不住这句朴素话语的力量。如果你说的是对的，室利·罗摩克里希纳为什么要降临人世，他为什么要如此不遗余力地反对纯粹的书本学习？他带来的那股新的生命力量必须注入学问和教育之中，然后真正的工作才会完成。
问：但说起来容易做起来难。
斯瓦米吉：如果容易的话，就不需要他来了。你们现在要做的是在每个城镇、每个村庄建立一座僧院。你们能做到吗？至少做点什么吧。在加尔各答的中心建立一座大型僧院。一位受过良好教育的修行者应该担任那个中心的负责人，在他之下应设立教授实用科学和技艺的各个部门，每个部门由一位专业的僧人负责。
问：到哪里去找这样的修行者呢？
斯瓦米吉：我们必须培养他们。因此，我总是说需要一些怀着炽热爱国心和出离精神的年轻人。没有人能像出离者那样在如此短的时间内完美地掌握一件事。
沉默片刻后，斯瓦米吉说："辛吉，我们的国家还有那么多事情要做，需要成千上万个像你我这样的人。光说有什么用呢？看看这个国家沦落到了多么可悲的境地；现在就去做些什么吧！我们甚至连一本适合小男孩的好书都没有。"
问：怎么说呢，伊什瓦尔·钱德拉·维迪亚萨加尔不是有那么多给小男孩的书吗？
我话音未落，他就大笑着说：是啊，在那里你读到的是"伊什瓦尔无形，纯意识本质"；"苏巴尔是一个非常好的男孩"，诸如此类。那是不行的。我们必须用孟加拉语和英语编写一些书，从《罗摩衍那》、《摩诃婆罗多》、奥义书等经典中选取短小的故事，用非常简单易懂的语言写成，然后把这些书给我们的小男孩们阅读。
这时已近十一点。天空突然阴沉下来，一阵凉风吹来。斯瓦米吉对即将下雨感到非常高兴。他站起来说："辛吉，我们沿着恒河边散散步吧。"我们就这样做了，他吟诵了迦梨陀娑《云使》中的许多诗节，但始终贯穿他心头的一个思潮就是印度的福祉。他大声说道："你看，辛吉，你能做一件事吗？你能在一段时间内阻止我们少年的婚事吗？"
我说："大师，那些大人们正在千方百计地想办法让婚礼变得更便宜，我们怎么能想那种事呢？"
斯瓦米吉：不要在那件事上操心了；谁能阻挡时代的潮流！所有这些鼓动最终都将化为一场空响，仅此而已。婚礼越贵，对国家越好。考试一过就急急忙忙地结婚，多么匆忙啊！好像不能留下一个单身汉似的，但明年不又是一样的情况！
沉默片刻后，斯瓦米吉又说："如果我能找到一些未婚的毕业生，我也许会试着把他们送到日本去，为他们的技术教育做安排，这样当他们回来时，就可以把所学知识充分运用于印度的利益。那该多好啊！"
问：大师，对我们来说，去日本比去英国更好吗？
斯瓦米吉：当然！依我看，如果我们所有富裕而有教养的人都去日本看一看，他们的眼界就会打开。
问：怎么说呢？
斯瓦米吉：在日本那里，你会看到对知识的精妙吸收，而不像我们这里只有消化不良。他们从欧洲人那里学到了一切，但他们仍然是日本人，没有变成欧洲人；而在我们国家，西化的可怕狂热像瘟疫一样侵袭着我们。
我说："大师，我看过一些日本绘画；不禁对他们的艺术赞叹不已。其灵感似乎是某种属于他们自身的、超越模仿的东西。"
斯瓦米吉：完全正确。他们之所以伟大，正是因为他们的艺术。你难道看不出他们是亚洲人，和我们一样吗？虽然我们几乎失去了一切，但我们仍然保有的东西是了不起的。亚洲人的灵魂与艺术交织在一起。亚洲人从不使用没有艺术感的东西。你难道不知道对我们来说，艺术是宗教的一部分吗？在我们当中，一位能在吉庆场合用米粉糊精美地绘饰地面和墙壁的女子，受到多么大的赞赏！室利·罗摩克里希纳本人就是多么伟大的艺术家啊！
问：英国人的艺术也不错吧？
斯瓦米吉：你真是个蠢人！但责怪你又有什么用呢，这似乎已经成了普遍的思维方式！唉，我们的国家沦落到了这种地步！人们把自己的黄金看成黄铜，而外国人的黄铜在他们眼中却是黄金！这真是现代教育施展的魔法！要知道，自从欧洲人接触到亚洲以来，他们一直在试图将艺术融入自己的生活之中。
我说：大师，如果别人听到你这样说话，他们会以为你是在悲观地看待事物。
斯瓦米吉：自然如此！那些墨守成规的人还能怎么想呢！我多么希望能让你通过我的眼睛看到一切！看看他们的建筑——多么平庸，多么没有意义！看看那些巨大的政府建筑；你仅凭看它们的外表，能辨别出每一栋代表什么含义吗？不能，因为它们都毫无象征意义。再看看西方人的服饰：他们僵硬的外套和紧贴身体的直筒裤子，在我们看来简直不太雅观。不是吗？而且，那里面又有什么美感可言呢！现在，走遍我们的祖国，看看你能否从它们的外观上正确地读出我们建筑所代表的意义，以及其中蕴含了多少艺术！玻璃杯是他们的饮具，而我们的是金属水壶（ghati）；两者哪个更有艺术感？你见过我们乡村农民的房屋吗？
我说：当然见过。
斯瓦米吉：你在那里看到了什么？
我不知道该说什么。不过我回答道："大师，它们无可挑剔地整洁干净，庭院和地面每天都用泥浆精心涂抹过。"
斯瓦米吉：你见过他们储存稻谷的粮仓吗？那里面蕴含着多少艺术！他们泥墙上有着多么丰富多彩的绘画！然后，如果你去看看西方下层民众的生活状况，你立刻就会注意到差别。他们的理想是实用，我们的理想是艺术。西方人在一切事物中追求实用，而在我们这里，到处都是艺术。随着西方教育的传入，我们那些美丽的金属水壶被弃置了，搪瓷玻璃杯取而代之，堂而皇之地占据了我们的家庭！实用的理想就这样深入我们骨髓，以至于看起来几近荒谬。我们现在需要的是艺术与实用的结合。日本在这方面做得非常迅速，因而以巨大的步伐迈进。现在轮到日本人去教导西方人了。
问：大师，世界上哪个民族的穿着最好看？
斯瓦米吉：雅利安人。连欧洲人都承认这一点。他们的服饰以褶皱悬垂，多么如画！大多数民族的宫廷服饰在某种程度上都是对雅利安人的模仿——同样努力使服装保持褶皱垂感，而且这些宫廷服饰与他们各自的民族风格有着明显的不同。
顺便说一下，辛吉，戒掉穿那些可悲的欧式衬衫的习惯吧。
问：为什么，大师？
斯瓦米吉：因为那些衬衫在西方人那里只是作为内衣穿着的。他们从不喜欢看到衬衫穿在外面。孟加拉人这样做是多么错误！好像什么都可以随便穿一样，好像穿衣没有不成文的规矩似的，好像没有祖先的风格可循一样！我们的人因为吃了低种姓碰过的食物就被逐出种姓，如果穿不规范的服装也适用同样的法则，那倒挺好。你们为什么不能按照我们自己的风格来改编你们的服饰呢？采用欧式衬衫和外套有什么道理呢？
这时开始下雨了，午餐铃也响了。于是我们和其他人一起进去领受供食（Prasada）。用餐时，斯瓦米吉对我说："应该吃浓缩的食物。用大量米饭填饱肚子是懒惰的根源。"过了一会儿，他又说："看看日本人，他们每天吃两三次米饭配豆汤。但即使是体格强壮的人每次也只吃一点点，虽然餐数可能更多。他们当中富裕的人每天吃肉。而我们一天两次把自己塞到喉咙，可以说我们所有的精力都消耗在消化那么大量的米饭上了！"
问：像我们孟加拉人这样贫穷，吃肉行得通吗？
斯瓦米吉：为什么不行？你们可以少量食用。每天半磅就足够了。真正的弊病是懒惰，这是我们贫穷的主要原因。假设一家公司的老板对某人不满意，减了他的薪水；或者一个家庭中三四个养家糊口的儿子突然死了一个；他们怎么办？他们立刻削减孩子的牛奶量，或者改为一天一餐，晚上吃一点爆米花之类的！
问：但在那种情况下他们还能怎么办呢？
斯瓦米吉：他们为什么不能努力多挣一些来维持食物的标准呢？但不！他们非要去当地的聚会场所白白消磨时光！哦，如果他们知道自己浪费了多少时间就好了！
十
按照种姓与品性辨别四种姓——西方的婆罗门和刹帝利——孟加拉的家族导师制度
有一次，斯瓦米吉住在加尔各答已故巴拉拉姆·巴苏家中时，我去看他。在长时间谈论了日本和美国之后，我问他："斯瓦米吉，你在西方有多少弟子？"
斯瓦米吉：相当多。
问：两三千？
斯瓦米吉：也许更多。
问：他们都是由你亲自用真言（Mantra）启蒙的吗？
斯瓦米吉：是的。
问：你允许他们念诵唵（Om）了吗？
斯瓦米吉：是的。
问：大师，你怎么能这样呢？人们说首陀罗无权念诵唵，除了婆罗门以外谁都不行。而且，西方人是蔑利车（外族人），连首陀罗都算不上。
斯瓦米吉：你怎么知道我启蒙的那些人不是婆罗门呢？
我说：在耶婆那人和蔑利车的土地上，你到哪里找婆罗门呢？
斯瓦米吉：我的弟子们全都是婆罗门！我完全承认，除了婆罗门以外没有人有权念诵唵——这话千真万确。但婆罗门的儿子不一定总是婆罗门；虽然他极有可能成为婆罗门，但他也可能成不了。你没有听说过巴格巴扎尔的阿戈尔·查克拉瓦尔蒂的侄子变成了清道夫，实际上在做他所入种姓的一切卑下事务吗？他不是婆罗门的儿子吗？
婆罗门种姓和婆罗门品质是两回事。在印度，一个人凭种姓被认为是婆罗门，但在西方，应该凭婆罗门的品质来认定。正如有三种属性——悦性、变性和惰性——同样也有表明一个人是婆罗门、刹帝利、吠舍或首陀罗的品质。婆罗门和刹帝利的品质在我国正在消亡；但在西方，他们如今已经达到了刹帝利的层次，下一步就是婆罗门层次；许多人已经具备了那种资质。
问：那么你所称的婆罗门就是天性具有悦性的人。
斯瓦米吉：完全正确。正如每个人身上或多或少都有悦性、变性和惰性——这三种属性之一总有某种程度的存在——同样，构成婆罗门、刹帝利、吠舍或首陀罗的品质也或多或少地内在于每个人之中。但有时候，其中某种品质会以不同程度占主导地位，并相应地表现出来。以一个人在不同活动中的表现为例：当他受雇为他人服务以获得报酬时，他处于首陀罗状态；当他忙于经营自己的生意以谋利时，他是吠舍；当他为匡扶正义而战斗时，刹帝利的品质在他身上显现；当他冥想神或在与神相关的谈话中度过时光时，他就是婆罗门。自然而然地，一个人完全有可能从一个种姓转变为另一个种姓。否则，毗湿瓦密特罗怎么变成了婆罗门，而持斧罗摩又怎么变成了刹帝利呢？
问：你说的似乎很有道理，但为什么我们的学者和家族导师不教导我们同样的道理呢？
斯瓦米吉：这正是我们国家的一大弊病。但这个话题暂且搁下吧。
斯瓦米吉在这里高度赞扬了西方人的务实精神，以及他们在修行宗教时这种精神是如何体现的。
我说：确实如此，大师，我听说当他们修行宗教时，他们的灵性力量和超能力发展得非常迅速。前几天斯瓦米·萨拉达南达给我看了他一位西方弟子写的一封信，信中描述了写信人仅仅修行了四个月就高度发展出的灵性力量。
斯瓦米吉：你看到了吧！现在你明白西方到底有没有婆罗门了。你们这里也有婆罗门，但他们以可怕的暴政将国家推到了毁灭的边缘，结果他们天生所有的品质也在逐渐消失。导师用真言启蒙弟子，但这已经变成了他的一门生意。而且如今导师和弟子之间的关系是多么奇妙啊！也许导师家里没有饭吃，他的妻子把这件事告诉他，说："亲爱的，再去你的弟子那里走走吧。你整天玩骰子能使我们免于饥饿吗？"婆罗门回答说："好吧，明天早上提醒我。我听说我那个弟子某某最近运气不错，而且我也好久没去看他了。"这就是你们孟加拉的家族导师制度沦落到的地步！西方的僧侣制度还没有如此堕落；总体而言，比你们的要好一些！
——
English
VI
Reminiscences—The Problem of Famines in India and Self-Sacrificing Workers—East and West—Is it Sattva or Tamas—A Nation of Mendicants—The "Give and Take" Policy—Tell a Man his Defects Directly but Praise his Virtues Before Others—Vivekananda Everyone may Become—Unbroken Brahmacharya is the Secret of Power—Samadhi and Work
[Shri Priya Nath Sinha]
Our house was very close to Swamiji's, and since we were boys of the same section of the town, I often used to play with him. From my boyhood I had a special attraction for him, and I had a sincere belief that he would become a great man. When he became a Sannyasin we thought that the promise of a brilliant career for such a man was all in vain.
Afterwards, when he went to America, I read in newspapers reports of his lectures at the Chicago Parliament of Religions and others delivered in various place, of America, and I thought that fire can never remain hidden under a cloth; the fire that was within Swamiji had now burst into a flame; the bud after so many years had blossomed.
After a time I came to know that he had returned to India, and had been delivering fiery lectures at Madras. I read them and wondered that such sublime truths existed in the Hindu religion and that they could be explained so lucidly. What an extraordinary power he had! Was he a man or a god?
A great enthusiasm prevailed when Swamiji came to Calcutta, and we followed him to the Sil's garden-house, on the Ganga, at Cossipore. A few days later, at the residence of Raja Radhakanta Dev, the "Calcutta boy" delivered an inspiring lecture to a huge concourse of people in reply to an address of welcome, and Calcutta heard him for the first time and was lost in admiration. But these are facts known to all.
After his coming to Calcutta, I was very anxious to see him once alone and be able to talk freely with him as in our boyhood. But there was always a gathering of eager inquirers about him, and conversations were going on without a break; so I did not get an opportunity for some time, until one day when we went out for a walk in the garden on the Ganga side. He at once began to talk, as of old, to me, the playmate of his boyhood. No sooner had a few words passed between us than repeated calls came, informing him that many gentlemen had come to see him. He became a little impatient at last and told the messenger, "Give me a little respite, my son; let me speak a few words with this companion of my boyhood; let me stay in the open air for a while. Go and give a welcome to those who have come, ask them to sit down, offer them tobacco, and request them to wait a little."
When we were alone again, I asked him, "Well, Swamiji, you are a Sâdhu (holy man). Money was raised by subscription for your reception here, and I thought, in view of the famine in this country, that you would wire, before arriving in Calcutta, saying, 'Don't spend a single pice on my reception, rather contribute the whole sum to the famine relief fund'; but I found that you did nothing of the kind. How was that?"
Swamiji: Why, I wished rather that a great enthusiasm should be stirred up. Don't you see, without some such thing how would the people be drawn towards Shri Ramakrishna and be fired in his name? Was this ovation done for me personally, or was not his name glorified by this? See how much thirst has been created in the minds of men to know about him! Now they will come to know of him gradually, and will not that be conducive to the good of the country? If the people do not know him who came for the welfare of the country, how can good befall them? When they know what he really was, then men—real men—will be made; and when will be such men, how long will it take to drive away famines etc. from the land? So I say that I rather desired that there should be some bustle and stir in Calcutta, so that the public might be inclined to believe in the mission of Shri Ramakrishna; otherwise what was the use of making so much fuss for my sake? What do I care for it? Have I become any greater now than when I used to play with you at your house? I am the same now as I was before. Tell me, do you find any change in me?
Though I said, "No, I do not find much change to speak of", yet in my mind I thought, "You have now, indeed, become a god."
Swamiji continued: "Famine has come to be a constant quantity in our country, and now it is, as it were, a sort of blight upon us. Do you find in any other country such frequent ravages of famine? No, because there are men in other countries, while in ours, men have become akin to dead matter, quite inert. Let the people first learn to renounce their selfish nature by studying Shri Ramakrishna, by knowing him as he really was, and then will proceed from them real efforts trying to stop the frequently recurring famines. By and by I shall make efforts in that direction too; you will see."
Myself: That will be good. Then you are going to deliver many lectures here, I presume; otherwise, how will his name be preached?
Swamiji: What nonsense! Nothing of the kind!
Has anything left undone by which his name can be known? Enough has been done in that line. Lectures won't do any good in this country. Our educated countrymen would hear them and, at best, would cheer and clap their hands, saying, "Well done"; that is all. Then they would go home and digest, as we say, everything they had heard, with their meal! What good will hammering do on a piece of rusty old iron? It will only crumble into pieces. First, it should be made red-hot, and then it can be moulded into any shape by hammering. Nothing will avail in our country without setting a glowing and living example before the people. What we want are some young men who will renounce everything and sacrifice their lives for their country's sake. We should first form their lives and then some real work can be expected.
Myself: Well, Swamiji, it has always puzzled me that, while men of our country, unable to understand their own religion, were embracing alien religions, such as Christianity, Mohammedanism, etc., you, instead of doing anything for them, went over to England and America to preach Hinduism.
Swamiji: Don't you see that circumstances have changed now? Have the men of our country the power left in them to take up and practice true religion? What they have is only pride in themselves that they are very Sâttvika. Time was when they were Sattvika, no doubt, but now they have fallen very low. The fall from Sattva brings one down headlong into Tamas! That is what has happened to them. Do you think that a man who does not exert himself at all, who only takes the name of Hari, shutting himself up in a room, who remains quiet and indifferent even when seeing a huge amount of wrong and violence done to others before his very eyes, possesses the quality of Sattva? Nothing of the kind, he is only enshrouded in dark Tamas. How can the people of a country practice religion who do not get even sufficient food to appease their hunger? How can renunciation come to the people of a country in whose minds the desires for Bhoga (enjoyment) have not been in the least satisfied? For this reason, find out, first of all, the ways and means by which men may get enough to eat and have enough luxuries to enable them to enjoy life a little; and then gradually, true Vairâgya (dispassion) will come, and they will be fit and ready to realise religion in life. The people of England and America, how full of Rajas they are! They have become satiated with all sorts of worldly enjoyment. Moreover, Christianity, being a religion of faith and superstition, occupies the same rank as our religion of the Purânas. With the spread of education and culture, the people of the West can no more find peace in that. Their present condition is such that, giving them one lift will make them reach the Sattva. Then again, in these days, would you accept the words of a Sannyasin clad in rags, in the same degree as you would the words of a white-face (Westerner) who might come and speak to you on your own religion?
Myself: Just so, Swamiji! Mr. N. N. Ghosh also speaks exactly to the same effect.
Swamiji: Yes, when my Western disciples after acquiring proper training and illumination will come in numbers here and ask you, "What are you all doing? Why are you of so little faith? How are your rites and religion, manners, customs, and morals in any way inferior? We even regard your religion to be the highest!"—then you will see that lots of our big and influential folk will hear them. Thus they will be able to do immense good to this country. Do not think for a moment that they will come to take up the position of teachers of religion to you. They will, no doubt, be your Guru regarding practical sciences etc., for the improvement of material conditions, and the people of our country will be their Guru in everything pertaining to religion. This relation of Guru and disciple in the domain of religion will for ever exist between India and the rest of the world. Myself: How can that be, Swamiji? Considering the feeling of hatred with which they look upon us, it does not seem probable that they will ever do good to us, purely from an unselfish motive.
Swamiji: They find many reasons to hate us, and so they may justify themselves in doing so. In the first place, we are a conquered race, and moreover there is nowhere in the world such a nation of mendicants as we are! The masses who comprise the lowest castes, through ages of constant tyranny of the higher castes and by being treated by them with blows and kicks at every step they took, have totally lost their manliness and become like professional beggars; and those who are removed one stage higher than these, having read a few pages of English, hang about the thresholds of public offices with petitions in their hands. In the case of a post of twenty or thirty rupees falling vacant, five hundred B.A.s and M.A.s will apply for it! And, dear me! how curiously worded these petitions are! "I have nothing to eat at home, sir, my wife and children are starving; I most humbly implore you, sir, to give me some means to provide for myself and my family, or we shall die of starvation! " Even when they enter into service, they cast all self-respect to the winds, and servitude in its worst form is what they practice. Such is the condition, then, of the masses. The highly-educated, prominent men among you form themselves into societies and clamour at the top of their voices: "Alas, India is going to ruin, day by day! O English rulers, admit our country men to the higher offices of the State, relieve us from famines" and so on, thus rending the air, day and night, with the eternal cry of "Give" and "Give"! The burden of all their speech is, "Give to us, give more to us, O Englishmen! " Dear me! what more will they give to you? They have given railways, telegraphs, well-ordered administration to the country—have almost entirely suppressed robbers, have given education in science—what more will they give? What does anyone give to others with perfect unselfishness? Well, they have given you so much; let me ask, what have you given to them in return?
Myself: What have we to give, Swamiji? We pay taxes.
Swamiji: Do you, really? Do you give taxes to them of your own will, or do they exact them by compulsion because they keep peace in the country? Tell me plainly, what do you give them in return for all that they have done for you? You also have something to give them that they have not. You go to England, but that is also in the garb of a beggar—praying for education. Some go, and what they do there at the most is, perchance, to applaud the Westerner's religion in some speeches and then come back. What an achievement, indeed! Why, have you nothing to give them? An inestimable treasure you have, which you can give—give them your religion, give them your philosophy! Study the history of the whole world, and you will see that every high ideal you meet with anywhere had its origin in India. From time immemorial India has been the mine of precious ideas to human society; giving birth to high ideas herself, she has freely distributed them broadcast over the whole world. The English are in India today, to gather those higher ideals, to acquire a knowledge of the Vedanta, to penetrate into the deep mysteries of that eternal religion which is yours. Give those invaluable gems in exchange for what you receive from them. The Lord took me to their country to remove this opprobrium of the beggar that is attributed by them to us. It is not right to go to England for the purpose of begging only. Why should they always give us alms? Does anyone do so for ever? It is not the law of nature to be always taking gifts with outstretched hands like beggars. To give and take is the law of nature. Any individual or class or nation that does not obey this law never prospers in life. We also must follow that law That is why I went to America. So great is now the thirst for religion in the people there that there is room enough even if thousands of men like me go. They have been for a long time giving you of what wealth they possess, and now is the time for you to share your priceless treasure with them. And you will see how their feelings of hatred will be quickly replaced by those of faith, devotion, and reverence towards you, and how they will do good to your country even unasked. They are a nation of heroes —never do they forget any good done to them.
Myself: Well, Swamiji, in your lectures in the West you have frequently and eloquently dwelt on our characteristic talents and virtues, and many convincing proofs you have put forward to show our whole-souled love of religion; but now you say that we have become full of Tamas; and at the same time you are accrediting us as the teachers of the eternal religion of the Rishis to the world! How is that?
Swamiji: Do you mean to say that I should go about from country to country, expatiating on your failings before the public? Should I not rather hold up before them the characteristic virtues that mark you as a nation? It is always good to tell a man his defects in a direct way and in a friendly spirit to make him convinced of them, so that he may correct himself—but you should trumpet forth his virtues before others. Shri Ramakrishna used to say that if you repeatedly tell a bad man that he is good, he turns in time to be good; similarly, a good man becomes bad if he is incessantly called so. There, in the West, I have said enough to the people of their shortcomings. Mind, up to my time, all who went over to the West from our country have sung paeans to them in praise of their virtues and have trumpeted out only our blemishes to their ears. Consequently, it is no wonder that they have learnt to hate us. For this reason I have laid before them your virtues, and pointed out to them their vices, just as I am now telling you of your weaknesses and their good points. However full of Tamas you may have become, something of the nature of the ancient Rishis, however little it may be, is undoubtedly in you still—at least the framework of it. But that does not show that one should be in a hurry to take up at once the role of a teacher of religion and go over to the West to preach it. First of all, one must completely mould one's religious life in solitude, must be perfect in renunciation and must preserve Brahmacharya without a break. The Tamas has entered into you—what of that? Cannot the Tamas be destroyed? It can be done in less than no time! It was for the destruction of this Tamas that Bhagavân Shri Ramakrishna came to us.
Myself: But who can aspire to be like you, Swamiji ?
Swamiji: Do you think that there will be no more Vivekanandas after I die! That batch of young men who came and played music before me a little while ago, whom you all despise for being addicted to intoxicating drugs and look upon as worthless fellows, if the Lord wishes, each and everyone of them may become a Vivekananda! There will be no lack of Vivekanandas, if the world needs them—thousands and millions of Vivekanandas will appear—from where, who knows! Know for certain that the work done by me is not the work of Vivekananda, it is His work—the Lord's own work! If one governor-general retires, another is sure to be sent in his place by the Emperor. Enveloped in Tamas however much you may be, know all that will clear away if you take refuge in Him by being sincere to the core of your heart. The time is opportune now, as the physician of the world-disease has come. Taking His name, if you set yourself to work, He will accomplish everything Himself through you. Tamas itself will be transformed into the highest Sattva!
Myself: Whatever you may say, I cannot bring myself to believe in these words. Who can come by that oratorical power of expounding philosophy which you have?
Swamiji: You don't know! That power may come to all. That power comes to him who observes unbroken Brahmacharya for a period of twelve years, with the sole object of realising God I have practiced that kind of Brahmacharya myself, and so a screen has been removed, as it were, from my brain. For that reason, I need not any more think over or prepare myself for any lectures on such a subtle subject as philosophy. Suppose I have to lecture tomorrow; all that I shall speak about will pass tonight before my eyes like so many pictures; and the next day I put into words during my lecture all those things that I saw. So you will understand now that it is not any power which is exclusively my own. Whoever will practice unbroken Brahmacharya for twelve years will surely have it. If you do so, you too will get it. Our Shâstras do not say that only such and such a person will get it and not others!
Myself: Do you remember, Swamiji, one day, before you took Sannyâsa, we were sitting in the house of—, and you were trying to explain the mystery of Samâdhi to us. And when I called in question the truth of your words, saying that Samadhi was not possible in this Kali Yuga, you emphatically demanded: "Do you want to see Samadhi or to have it yourself? I get Samadhi myself, and I can make you have it! " No sooner had you finished saying so than a stranger came up and we did not pursue that subject any further.
Swamiji: Yes, I remember the occasion.
Later, on my pressing him to make me get Samadhi, he said, "You see, having continually lectured and worked hard for several years, the quality of Rajas has become too predominant in me. Hence that power is lying covered, as it were, in me now. If I leave all work and go to the Himalayas and meditate in solitude for some time, then that power will again come out in me."
VII
Reminiscences—Pranayama—Thought-Reading—Knowledge of Previous Births
A day or two later, as I was coming out of my house intending to pay a visit to Swamiji, I met two of my friends who expressed a wish to accompany me, for they wanted to ask Swamiji something about Prânâyâma. I had heard that one should not visit a temple or a Sannyâsin without taking something as an offering; so we took some fruits and sweets with us and placed them before him. Swamiji took them in his hands, raised them to his head, and bowed to us before even we made our obeisance to him. One of the two friends with me had been a fellow-student of his. Swamiji recognised him at once and asked about his health and welfare Then he made us sit down by him. There were many others there who had come to see and hear him. After replying to a few questions put by some of the gentlemen, Swamiji, in the course of his conversation, began to speak about Pranayama. First of all, he explained through modern science the origin of matter from the mind, and then went on to show what Pranayama is. All three of us had carefully read beforehand his book called Râja-Yoga. But from what we heard from him that day about Pranayama, it seemed to me that very little of the knowledge that was in him had been recorded in that book. I understand also that what he said was not mere book-learning, for who could explain so lucidly and elaborately all the intricate problems of religion, even with the help of science, without himself realising the Truth?
His conversation on Pranayama went on from half past three o'clock till half past seven in the evening. When the meeting dissolved and we came away, my companions asked me how Swamiji could have known the questions that were in their hearts, and whether I had communicated to him their desire for asking those questions.
A few days after this occasion, I saw Swamiji in the house of the late Priya Nath Mukherjee at Baghbazar. There were present Swami Brahmananda, Swami Yogananda, Mr. G. C. Ghosh, Atul Babu, and one or two other friends. I said, "Well, Swamiji, the two gentlemen who went to see you the other day wanted to ask you some questions about Pranayama, which had been raised in their minds by reading your book on Raja-Yoga some time before you returned to this country, and they had then told me of them. But that day, before they asked you anything, you yourself raised those doubts that had occurred to them and solved them! They were very much surprised and inquired of me if I had let you know their doubts beforehand." Swamiji replied: "Similar occurrences having come to pass many times in the West, people often used to ask me, 'How could you know the questions that were agitating our minds?' This knowledge does not happen to me so often, but with Shri Ramakrishna it was almost always there."
In this connection Atul Babu asked him: "You have said in Raja-Yoga that one can come to know all about one's previous births. Do you know them yourself?"
Swamiji: Yes, I do.
Atul Babu: What do you know? Have you any objection to tell?
Swamiji: I can know them—I do know them—but I prefer not to say anything in detail.
VIII
The Art and Science of Music, Eastern and Western
It was an evening in July 1898, at the Math, in Nilambar Mukerjee's garden-house, Belur. Swamiji with all his disciples had been meditating, and at the close of the meditation came out and sat in one of the rooms. As it was raining hard and a cold wind was blowing, he shut the door and began to sing to the accompaniment of Tânpurâ. The singing being over, a long conversation on music followed. Swami Shivananda asked him, "What is Western music like?"
Swamiji: Oh, it is very good; there is in it a perfection of harmony, which we have not attained. Only, to our untrained ears, it does not sound well, hence we do not like it, and think that the singers howl like jackals. I also had the same sort of impression, but when I began to listen to the music with attention and study it minutely, I came more and more to understand it, and I was lost in admiration. Such is the case with every art. In glancing at a highly finished painting we cannot understand where its beauty lies. Moreover, unless the eye is, to a certain extent, trained, one cannot appreciate the subtle touches and blendings, the inner genius of a work of art. What real music we have lies in Kirtana and Dhrupada; the rest has been spoiled by being modulated according to the Islamic methods. Do you think that singing the short and light airs of Tappâ songs in a nasal voice and flitting like lightning from one note to another by fits and starts are the best things in the world of music? Not so. Unless each note is given full play in every scale, all the science of music is marred. In painting, by keeping in touch with nature, you can make it as artistic as you like; there is no harm in doing that, and the result will be nothing but good. Similarly, in music, you can display any amount of skill by keeping to science, and it will be pleasing to the ear. The Mohammedans took up the different Râgas and Râginis after coming into India. But they put such a stamp of their own colouring on the art of Tappa songs that all the science in music was destroyed.
Q. Why, Mahârâj (sir)? Who has not a liking for music in Tappa?
Swamiji: The chirping of crickets sounds very good to some. The Santâls think their music also to be the best of all. You do not seem to understand that when one note comes upon another in such quick succession, it not only robs music of all grace, but, on the other hand, creates discordance rather. Do not the permutation and combination of the seven keynotes form one or other of the different melodies of music, known as Ragas and Raginis? Now, in Tappa, if one slurs over a whole melody (Raga) and creates a new tune, and over and above that, if the voice is raised to the highest pitch by tremulous modulation, say, how can the Raga be kept intact? Again, the poetry of music is completely destroyed if there be in it such profuse use of light and short strains just for effect. To sing by keeping to the idea, meant to be conveyed by a song, totally disappeared from our country when Tappas came into vogue. Nowadays, it seems, the true art is reviving a little with the improvement in theatres; but, on the other hand, all regard for Ragas and Raginis is being more and more flung to the winds.
Accordingly, to those who are past masters in the art of singing Dhrupada, it is painful to hear Tappas. But in our music the cadence, or a duly regulated rise and fall of voice or sound, is very good. The French detected and appreciated this trait first, and tried to adapt and introduce it in their music. After their doing this, the whole of Europe has now thoroughly mastered it.
Q. Maharaj, their music seems to be pre-eminently martial, whereas that element appears to be altogether absent in ours.
Swamiji: Oh, no, we have it also. In martial music, harmony is greatly needed. We sadly lack harmony, hence it does not show itself so much. Our music had been improving steadily. But when the Mohammedans came, they took possession of it in such a way that the tree of music could grow no further. The music of the Westerners is much advanced. They have the sentiment of pathos as well as of heroism in their music, which is as it should be. But our antique musical instrument made from the gourd has been improved no further.
Q. Which of the Ragas and Raginis are martial in tune?
Swamiji: Every Raga may be made martial if it is set in harmony and the instruments are tuned accordingly. Some of the Raginis can also become martial.
The conversation was then closed, as it was time for supper. After supper, Swamiji enquired as to the sleeping arrangements for the guests who had come from Calcutta to the Math to pass the night, and he then retired to his bedroom.
IX
The Old Institution of Living with the Guru—The Present University System—Lack of Shraddha—We have a National History—Western Science Coupled with Vedanta—The So-called Higher Education—The Need of Technical Education and Education on National Lines—The Story of Satyakama—Mere Book-Learning and Education under Tyagis—Shri Ramakrishna and the Pandits—Establishment of Maths with Sadhus in Charge of Colleges—Text-Books for Boys to be Compiled—Stop Early Marriage!—Plan of Sending Unmarried Graduates to Japan—The Secret of Japan's Greatness—Art, Asian and European—Art and Utility—Styles of Dress—The Food Question and Poverty.
It was about two years after the new Math had been constructed and while all the Swamis were living there that I came one morning to pay a visit to my Guru. Seeing me, Swamiji smiled and after inquiring of my welfare etc., said, "You are going to stay today, are you not?"
"Certainly", I said, and after various inquiries I asked, "Well, Mahârâj, what is your idea of educating our boys?"
Swamiji: Guru-griha-vâsa—living with the Guru.
Q. How?
Swamiji: In the same way as of old. But with this education has to be combined modern Western science. Both these are necessary.
Q. Why, what is the defect in the present university system?
Swamiji: It is almost wholly one of defects. Why, it is nothing but a perfect machine for turning out clerks. I would even thank my stars if that were all. But no! See how men are becoming destitute of Shraddhâ and faith. They assert that the Gita is only an interpolation, and that the Vedas are but rustic songs! They like to master every detail concerning things and nations outside of India, but if you ask them, they do not know even the names of their own forefathers up to the seventh generation, not to speak of the fourteenth!
Q. But what does that matter? What if they do not know the names of their forefathers?
Swamiji: Don't think so. A nation that has no history of its own has nothing in this world. Do you believe that one who has such faith and pride as to feel, "I come of noble descent", can ever turn out to be bad? How could that be? That faith in himself would curb his actions and feelings, so much so that he would rather die than commit wrong. So a national history keeps a nation well-restrained and does not allow it to sink so low. Oh, I know you will say, "But we have not such a history!" No, there is not any, according to those who think like you. Neither is there any, according to your big university scholars; and so also think those who, having travelled through the West in one great rush, come back dressed in European style and assert, "We have nothing, we are barbarians." Of course, we have no history exactly like that of other countries. Suppose we take rice, and the Englishmen do not. Would you for that reason imagine that they all die of starvation, and are going to be exterminated? They live quite well on what they can easily procure or produce in their own country and what is suited to them. Similarly, we have our own history exactly as it ought to have been for us. Will that history be made extinct by shutting your eyes and crying, "Alas! we have no history!" Those who have eyes to see, find a luminous history there, and on the strength of that they know the nation is still alive. But that history has to be rewritten. It should be restated and suited to the understanding and ways of thinking which our men have acquired in the present age through Western education.
Q. How has that to be done?
Swamiji: That is too big a subject for a talk now. However, to bring that about, the old institution of "living with the Guru" and similar systems of imparting education are needed. What we want are Western science coupled with Vedanta, Brahmacharya as the guiding motto, and also Shraddhâ and faith in one's own self. Another thing that we want is the abolition of that system which aims at educating our boys in the same manner as that of the man who battered his ass, being advised that it could thereby be turned into a horse.
Q. What do you mean by that?
Swamiji: You see, no one can teach anybody. The teacher spoils everything by thinking that he is teaching. Thus Vedanta says that within man is all knowledge—even in a boy it is so—and it requires only an awakening, and that much is the work of a teacher. We have to do only so much for the boys that they may learn to apply their own intellect to the proper use of their hands, legs, ears, eyes, etc., and finally everything will become easy. But the root is religion. Religion is as the rice, and everything else, like the curries. Taking only curries causes indigestion, and so is the case with taking rice alone. Our pedagogues are making parrots of our boys and ruining their brains by cramming a lot of subjects into them. Looking from one standpoint, you should rather be grateful to the Viceroy for his proposal of reforming the university system, which means practically abolishing higher education; the country will, at least, feel some relief by having breathing time. Goodness gracious! What a fuss and fury about graduating, and after a few days all cools down! And after all that, what is it they learn but that what religion and customs we have are all bad, and what the Westerners have are all good! At last, they cannot keep the wolf from the door! What does it matter if this higher education remains or goes? It would be better if the people got a little technical education, so that they might find work and earn their bread, instead of dawdling about and crying for service.
Q. Yes, the Marwaris are wiser, since they do not accept service and most of them engage themselves in some trade.
Swamiji: Nonsense! They are on the way to bringing ruin on the country. They have little understanding of their own interests. You are much better, because you have more of an eye towards manufactures. If the money that they lay out in their business and with which they make only a small percentage of profit were utilised in conducting a few factories and workshops, instead of filling the pockets of Europeans by letting them reap the benefit of most of the transactions, then it would not only conduce to the well-being of the country but bring by far the greater amount of profit to them, as well. It is only the Kabulis who do not care for service—the spirit of independence is in their very bone and marrow. Propose to anyone of them to take service, and you will see what follows!
Q. Well, Maharaj, in case higher education is abolished, will not the men become as stupid as cows, as they were before?
Swamiji: What nonsense! Can ever a lion become a jackal? What do you mean? Is it ever possible for the sons of the land that has nourished the whole world with knowledge from time immemorial to turn as stupid as cows, because of the abolition of higher education by Lord Curzon?
Q. But think what our people were before the advent of the English, and what they are now.
Swamiji: Does higher education mean mere study of material sciences and turning out things of everyday use by machinery? The use of higher education is to find out how to solve the problems of life, and this is what is engaging the profound thought of the modern civilised world, but it was solved in our country thousands of years ago.
Q. But your Vedanta also was about to disappear?
Swamiji: It might be so. In the efflux of time the light of Vedanta now and then seems as if about to be extinguished, and when that happens, the Lord has to incarnate Himself in the human body; He then infuses such life and strength into religion that it goes on again for some time with irresistible vigour. That life and strength has come into it again.
Q. What proof is there, Maharaj, that India has freely contributed her knowledge to the rest of the world?
Swamiji: History itself bears testimony to the fact. All the soul-elevating ideas and the different branches of knowledge that exist in the world are found on proper investigation to have their roots in India.
Aglow with enthusiasm, Swamiji dwelt at length on this topic. His health was very bad at the time, and moreover owing to the intense heat of summer, he was feeling thirsty and drinking water too often. At last he said "Dear Singhi, get a glass of iced water for me please, I shall explain everything to you clearly." After drinking the iced water he began afresh.
Swamiji: What we need, you know, is to study, independent of foreign control, different branches of the knowledge that is our own, and with it the English language and Western science; we need technical education and all else that may develop industries So that men, instead of seeking for service, may earn enough to provide for themselves, and save something against a rainy day.
Q. What were you going to say the other day about the tol (Sanskrit boarding school) system?
Swamiji: Haven't you read the stories from the Upanishads? I will tell you one. Satyakâma went to live the life of a Brahmachârin with his Guru. The Guru gave into his charge some cows and sent him away to the forest with them. Many months passed by, and when Satyakama saw that the number of cows was doubled he thought of returning to his Guru. On his way back, one of the bulls, the fire, and some other animals gave him instructions about the Highest Brahman. When the disciple came back, the Guru at once saw by a mere glance at his face that the disciple had learnt the knowledge of the Supreme Brahman. Now, the moral this story is meant to teach is that true education is gained by constant living in communion with nature.
Knowledge should be acquired in that way, otherwise by educating yourself in the tol of a Pandit you will be only a human ape all your life. One should live from his very boyhood with one whose character is like a blazing fire and should have before him a living example of the highest teaching. Mere reading that it is a sin to tell a lie will be of no use. Every boy should be trained to practice absolute Brahmacharya, and then, and then only, faith —Shraddha—will come. Otherwise, why will not one who has no Shraddha speak an untruth? In our country, the imparting of knowledge has always been through men of renunciation. Later, the Pandits, by monopolising all knowledge and restricting it to the tols, have only brought the country to the brink of ruin. India had all good prospects so long as Tyâgis (men of renunciation) used to impart knowledge.
Q. What do you mean, Maharaj ? There are no Sannyâsins in other countries, but see how by dint of their knowledge India is laid prostrate at their feet!
Swamiji: Don't talk nonsense, my dear, hear what I say. India will have to carry others' shoes for ever on her head if the charge of imparting knowledge to her sons does not again fall upon the shoulders Of Tyagis. Don't you know how an illiterate boy, possessed of renunciation, turned the heads of your great old Pandits? Once at the Dakshineswar Temple the Brâhmana who was in charge of the worship of Vishnu broke a leg of the image. Pandits were brought together at a meeting to give their opinions, and they, after consulting old books and manuscripts, declared that the worship of this broken image could not be sanctioned according to the Shâstras and a new image would have to be consecrated. There was, consequently, a great stir. Shri Ramakrishna was called at last. He heard and asked, "Does a wife forsake her husband in case he becomes lame?" What followed? The Pandits were struck dumb, all their Shâstric commentaries and erudition could not withstand the force of this simple statement. If what you say was true, why should Shri Ramakrishna come down to this earth, and why should he discourage mere book-learning so much? That new life-force which he brought with him has to be instilled into learning and education, and then the real work will be done.
Q. But that is easier said than done.
Swamiji: Had it been easy, it would not have been necessary for him to come. What you have to do now is to establish a Math in every town and in every village. Can you do that? Do something at least. Start a big Math in the heart of Calcutta. A well-educated Sâdhu should be at the head of that centre and under him there should be departments for teaching practical science and arts, with a specialist Sannyasin in charge of each of these departments.
Q. Where will you get such Sadhus?
Swamiji: We shall have to manufacture them. Therefore, I always say that some young men with burning patriotism and renunciation are needed. None can master a thing perfectly in so short a time as the Tyagis will.
After a short silence Swamiji said, "Singhi, there are so many things left to be done for our country that thousands like you and me are needed. What will mere talk do? See to what a miserable condition the country is reduced; now do something! We haven't even got a single book well suited for the little boys."
Q. Why, there are so many books of Ishwar Chandra Vidyâsâgar for the boys!
No sooner had I said this than he laughed out and said: Yes, there you read "Ishvar Nirakar Chaitanya Svarup"—(God is without form and of the essence of pure knowledge); "Subal ati subodh bâlak"—(Subal is a very good boy), and so on. That won't do. We must compose some books in Bengali as also in English with short stories from the Râmâyana, the Mahâbhârata, the Upanishads, etc., in very easy and simple language, and these are to be given to our little boys to read.
It was about eleven o'clock by this time. The sky became suddenly overcast, and a cool breeze began to blow. Swamiji was greatly delighted at the prospect of rain. He got up and said, "Let us, Singhi, have a stroll by the side of the Ganga." We did so, and he recited many stanzas from the Meghaduta of Kâlidâsa, but the one undercurrent of thought that was all the time running through his mind was the good of India. He exclaimed, "Look here, Singhi, can you do one thing? Can you put a stop to the marriage of our boys for some time?"
I said, "Well, Maharaj, how can we think of that when the Babus are trying, on the other hand, all sorts of means to make marriage cheaper?"
Swamiji : Don't trouble your head on that score; who can stem the tide of time! All such agitations will end in empty sound, that is all. The dearer the marriages become, the better for the country. What a hurry-scurry of passing examinations and marrying right off! It seems as if no one was to be left a bachelor, but it is just the same thing again, next year!
After a short silence, Swamiji again said, "if I can get some unmarried graduates, I may try to send them over to Japan and make arrangements for their technical education there, so that when they come back, they may turn their knowledge to the best account for India. What a good thing that would be!"
Q. Why, Maharaj, is it better for us to go to Japan than to England?
Swamiji: Certainly! In my opinion, if all our rich and educated men once go and see Japan, their eyes will be opened.
Q. How?
Swamiji: There, in Japan, you find a fine assimilation of knowledge, and not its indigestion, as we have here. They have taken everything from the Europeans, but they remain Japanese all the same, and have not turned European; while in our country, the terrible mania of becoming Westernised has seized upon us like a plague.
I said: "Maharaj, I have seen some Japanese paintings; one cannot but marvel at their art. Its inspiration seems to be something which is their own and beyond imitation."
Swamiji: Quite so. They are great as a nation because of their art. Don't you see they are Asians, as we are? And though we have lost almost everything, yet what we still have is wonderful. The very soul of the Asian is interwoven with art. The Asian never uses a thing unless there be art in it. Don't you knew that art is, with us, a part of religion? How greatly is a lady admired, among us, who can nicely paint the floors and walls, on auspicious occasions, with the paste of rice powder? How great an artist was Shri Ramakrishna himself!
Q. The English art is also good, is it not?
Swamiji: What a stupid fool you are! But what is the use of blaming you when that seems to be the prevailing way of thinking! Alas, to such a state is our country reduced! The people will look upon their own gold as brass, while the brass of the foreigner it gold to them! This is, indeed, the magic wrought by modern education! Know that since the time the Europeans have come into contact with Asia, they are trying to infuse art into their own life.
Myself: If others hear you talk like this, Maharaj they will think that you take a pessimistic view of things.
Swamiji: Naturally! What else can they think who move in a rut! How I wish I could show you everything through my eyes! Look at their buildings—how commonplace, how meaningless, they are! Look at those big government buildings; can you, just by seeing their outside, make out any meaning for which each of them stands? No, because they are all so unsymbolical. Take again the dress of Westerners: their stiff coats and straight pants fitting almost tightly to the body, are, in our estimation hardly decent. Is it not so? And, oh, what beauty indeed, in that! Now, go all over our motherland and see if you cannot read aright, from their very appearance, the meaning for which our buildings stand, and hew much art there is in them! The glass is their drinking vessel, and ours is the metal Ghati (pitcher-shaped); which of the two is artistic? Have you seen the farmers' homes in our villages?
Myself: Yes, I have, of course.
Swamiji: What have you seen of them?
I did not know what to say. However, I replied, "Maharaj, they are faultlessly neat and clean, the yards and floors being daily well plastered over".
Swamiji: Have you seen their granaries for keeping paddy? What an art is there in them! What a variety of paintings even on their mud walls! And then, if you go and see how the lower classes live in the West, you would at once mark the difference. Their ideal is utility, ours art. The Westerner looks for utility in everything, whereas with us art is everywhere. With the Western education, those beautiful Ghatis of ours have been discarded, and enamel glasses have usurped their place in our homes! Thus the ideal of utility has been imbibed by us to such an extent as to make it look little short of the ridiculous. Now what we need is the combination of art and utility. Japan has done that very quickly, and so she has advanced by giant strides. Now, in their turn, the Japanese are going to teach the Westerners.
Q. Maharaj, which nation in the world dresses best?
Swamiji: The Aryans do; even the Europeans admit that. How picturesquely their dresses hang in folds! The royal costumes of most nations are, to some extent, a sort of imitation of the Aryans,'—the same attempt is made there to keep them in folds, and those costumes bear a marked difference to their national style.
By the by, Singhi, leave off that wretched habit of wearing those European shirts.
Q. Why, Maharaj?
Swamiji: For the reason that they are used by the Westerners only as underwear. They never like to see them worn outside. How mistaken of the Bengalis to do so! As if one should wear anything and everything, as if there was no unwritten law about dress, as if there was no ancestral style to follow! Our people are out-casted by taking the food touched by the lower classes it would have been very well if the same law applied to their wearing any irregular style of dress. Why can't you adapt your dress in some way to our own style? What sense is there in your adopting European shirts and coats?
It began to rain now, and the dinner-bell also rang. So we went in to partake of the Prasâda (consecrated food) with others. During the meal, Swamiji said, addressing me: "Concentrated food should be taken. To fill the stomach with a large quantity of rice is the root of laziness." A little while after he said again, "Look at the Japanese, they take rice with the soup of split peas, twice or thrice a day. But even the strongly built take a little at a time, though the number of meals may be more. Those who are well-to-do among them take meat daily. While we stuff ourselves twice a day up to the throat, as it were, and the whole of our energy is exhausted in digesting such a quantity of rice!"
Q. Is it feasible for us Bengalis, poor as we are, to take meat?
Swamiji: Why not? You can afford to have it in small quantities. Half a pound a day is quite enough. The real evil is idleness, which is the principal cause of our poverty. Suppose the head of a firm gets displeased with someone and decreases his pay; or out of three or four bread-winning sons in a family one suddenly dies; what do they do? Why, they at once curtail the quantity of milk for the children, or live on one meal a day, having a little popped rice or so at night!
Q. But what else can they do under the circumstances?
Swamiji: Why can't they exert themselves and earn more to keep up their standard of food? But no! They must go to their local Âddâs (rendezvous) and idle hours away! Oh, if they only knew how they wasted their time!
X
The Discrimination of the Four Castes According to Jati and Guna—Brahmanas and Kshatriyas in the West—The Kula-Guru System in Bengal
Once I went to see Swamiji while he was staying in Calcutta at the house of the late Balaram Basu. After a long conversation about Japan and America, I asked him, "Well, Swamiji, how many disciples have you in the West?"
Swamiji: A good many.
Q. Two or three thousands?
Swamiji: Maybe more than that.
Q. Are they all initiated by you with Mantras?
Swamiji: Yes.
Q. Did you give them permission to utter Pranava (Om) ?
Swamiji: Yes.
Q. How did you, Mahârâj? They say that the Shudras have no right to Pranava, and none has except the Brâhmins. Moreover, the Westerners are Mlechchhas, not even Shudras.
Swamiji: How do you know that those whom I have initiated are not Brahmins?
Myself: Where could you get Brahmins outside India, in the lands of the Yavanas and Mlechchhas?
Swamiji: My disciples are all Brahmins! I quite admit the truth of the words that none except the Brahmins has the right to Pranava. But the son of a Brahmin is not necessarily always a Brahmin; though there is every possibility of his being one, he may not become so. Did you not hear that the nephew of Aghore Chakravarti of Baghbazar became a sweeper and actually used to do all the menial services of his adopted caste? Was he not the son of a Brahmin?
The Brahmin caste and the Brâhmanya qualities are two distinct things. In India, one is held to be a Brahmin by one's caste, but in the West, one should be known as such by one's Brahmanya qualities. As there are three Gunas—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—so there are Gunas which show a man to be a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya or Shudra. The qualities of being a Brahmin or a Kshatriya are dying out from the country; but in the West they have now attained to Kshatriyahood, from which the next step is Brahminhood; and many there are who have qualified themselves for that.
Q. Then you call those Brahmins who are Sâttvika by nature.
Swamiji: Quite so. As there are Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—one or other of these Gunas more or less—in every man, so the qualities which make a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, or Shudra are inherent in every man, more or less. But at times one or other of these qualities predominates in him in varying degrees, and it is manifested accordingly. Take a man in his different pursuits, for example: when he is engaged in serving another for pay, he is in Shudrahood; when he is busy transacting some piece of business for profit, on his own account, he is a Vaishya; when he fights to right wrongs, then the qualities of a Kshatriya come out in him; and when he meditates on God or passes his time in conversation about Him, then he is a Brahmin. Naturally, it is quite possible for one to be changed from one caste into another. Otherwise, how did Vishvâmitra become a Brahmin and Parashurâma a Kshatriya?
Q. What you say seems to be quite right, but why then do not our Pandits and family-Gurus teach us the same thing?
Swamiji: That is one of the great evils of our country. But let the matter rest now.
Swamiji here spoke highly of the Westerners' spirit of practicality, and how, when they take up religion also, that spirit shows itself.
Myself: True, Maharaj, I have heard that their spiritual and psychic powers are very quickly developed when they practice religion. The other day Swami Saradananda showed me a letter written by one of his Western disciples, describing the spiritual powers highly developed in the writer through the Sâdhanâs practiced for only four months.
Swamiji: So you see! Now you understand whether there are Brahmins in the West or not. You have Brahmins here also, but they are bringing the country down to the verge of ruin by their awful tyranny, and consequently what they have naturally is vanishing away by degrees. The Guru initiates his disciple with a Mantra, but that has come to be a trade with him. And then, how wonderful is the relation nowadays between a Guru and his disciple! Perchance, the Guru has nothing to eat at home, and his wife brings the matter to his notice and says, "Pray, go once again to your disciples, dear. Will your playing at dice all day long save us from hunger?" The Brahmin in reply says, "Very well, remind me of it tomorrow morning. I have come to hear that my disciple so-and-so is having a run of luck, and, moreover, I have not been to him for a long time." This is what your Kula-Guru system has come to in Bengal! Priestcraft in the West is not so degenerated, as yet; it is on the whole better than your kind!
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文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。