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What 19 Faiths Contribute to the Spiritual Technique
These excerpts are from a book entitled World Fellowship Addresses
and Messages by leading spokesmen of all Faiths, Races and
Countries; edited by Charles Frederick Weller, General Executive
World Fellowship of Faiths; Liveright Publishing Corporation, New
York 1935.
WHAT NINETEEN FAITHS CONTRIBUTE TO SPIRITUAL TECHNIQUE
by Paramhansa Yogananda
Author of the spiritual classic AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI
Science is progressive. Most religions are stationary. Science is
constantly winning new inventions because they are based on
untested beliefs. The usual method of most churches has been to
hold their people by virtue of inbred church-going religious
habits, or by holy threats, or by lectures, and musical or festive
entertainments. If the scientists do not get new knowledge by blind
prayer, how can the religionists expect to know new laws of life
just through blind prayer? Instead of peddling untested dogmas and
urging people to believe, churches should convert their premises
into universities of experimental psychology. Ancient India built
the biggest and most gorgeous temples in the world, but now they
have mostly become marts for priests to ply their religious trades
and to shear the pilgrims of money for their own diabolical uses.
India is now going through a new evolution and is getting rid of
this false growth. In little secluded hermitages, unmarked by any
religious trade-mark, real spiritual teachers, who live the Life,
are experimenting with the worthwhile effect of spiritual laws on
the lives of true seekers , and not on floating curiosity seekers.
Protestants, Catholics, Christian Scientists, Jews, Quakers,
followers of Unity, Rosicrucians, Theosophists, Buddhists,
Shintoists, Mohammedans, Jains, Mormons, Zoroastrians and Hindus
must cease fighting with one another about the infallibility of
their individual dogmas, and spending money in decorating their
temples. They should get together and find the real meaning of
life. Let the best universal moral and religious codes of
discipline as found in all true religions, be combined into a
universal spiritual treatise on the art of moral and spiritual
living. It might be named the "Code Book of All Religions."
>From the HINDUS let us take their methods of Self-Realization
through scientific psycho-physical meditation, which throws the
searchlight of attention from without to within. Let us omit the
superficial religious ceremonies, caste system, untested beliefs,
etc. Let us take the pantheistic, positive conception of God as
ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new Joy--which, directly or
indirectly, all people are seeking. Let us take from them the
doctrine of Reincarnation which assures imperfect souls, cut off by
untimely death, a chance to make continuous effort until perfection
is reached. Let us take their law of Karma or cause and effect
which makes man responsible for his advancement or downfall, and
explains why there are born failures, morons and other defectives,
produced not by God but by the wrong actions of individuals in past
lives. Let us take the Hindus' step-by-step methods of meditation
which scientifically and gradually lead to God-contact.
>From BUDDHISM let us select the unique self-discipline and the
doctrine of compassion-including even the animals within the family
circle of love. Let us avoid the popularly-interpreted negative or
annihilating state of Nirvana. As Souls, made in the image of God,
we cannot be absorbed, losing our individuality. We can remain
confined in the flesh through desires for some time, but not for
all time. According to Hinduism, as Soul images of God, we expand
by right effort until we become Gods. Let us accept from Buddhism
the doctrine of Reincarnation and the universal moral code of
living.
>From the CHRISTIAN CATHOLICS let us learn their profound devotion
to God. Let us learn self-discipline from the exemplary lives of
the Catholic saints. Let us omit their fear of hell. This earth can
be made hotter then hades or better then beatific paradise. Let us
omit their sect exclusiveness. I should like to see the Pope of
Rome and the Bishop of Canterbury exchange pulpits-for they are
both disciples of One Christ. The Catholics should hold their
people by Self-Realisation, not by dogma.
>From the PROTESTANT CHRISTIANS let us adopt their liberal views
about God and Truth-and avoid their lack of perfect devotion. Let
us combine the intellectual sermons of the liberal Christian Church
with the Self-Realization of the Hindus. Christian churches should
employ intellectuality, not merely to believe something reasonable,
but also to find the technique of using and developing the powers
of intuition and concentration so the God may be scientifically
contacted. Self-Realisation should be the binding force of the
Christian churches.
>From CHRISTIAN SCIENCE let us take the idea of making Christianity
practical by using spiritual healing. Let us adopt their good
principles of teaching people to depend more upon the all-powerful
mind and not to enslave it to the habits of the body. Let us omit
their exclusiveness and their method of holding people by
intellectual dogma and isolation. Truth can never be the monopoly
of one sect. It is only comparative study of religions that we can
find the path best suited to us. Let no Christian Scientist deny
the existence of matter or body until he develops himself like
Christ to know that Spirit alone exists. Christian Science ,
according to Mary Baker Eddy, received some of its knowledge from
India-and Christian Scientists should increase their knowledge by
constructively exchanging their religious experiences with real
Hindu Savants.
NEW THOUGHT has done great work in uniting the eastern and western
religions and in emphasizing the necessity of entering the Silence.
It lacks a system of scientific training in spirituality, but it
has done much to free people from wrong Orthodox beliefs.
UNITY (Kansas City) has done great work in liberalising Orthodox
Christianity in America and by incorporating some of the doctrines
of Reincarnation , and so forth, of the Eastern religion. It should
avoid the growing clannish spirit and the excluding from its
centres of speakers representing other religions whom it used to
welcome. Unity is very liberal and has done a great good in
emphasizing the necessity of Silence and Mediation in modern
churches. Unity asks its students to meditate, but does not give
them the exact technique. It needs the scientific method. Unity
would be more practical it if adopted the Eastern technique of
systematic meditation and mental development which leads to
conscious contact with God.
>From JUDAISM let us learn to worship only the One God of Gods, and
no other. Let us follow some of the hygienic teachings of
Judaism-and avoid its clannishness. Let all followers of Judaism
hold themselves to their religion because of the Self-Realisation
of Truth and not because of racial prejudice.
>From MOHAMMEDANS let us adopt the practice of regular chanting and
regular praying. Let us learn their spirit of resignation to the
will of God. Mohammedans ought to adopt the esoteric method of
Sufis.
BAHAISM is an eclectic religion with splendid liberal principles.
It is not original, but collects the results of other religions
under the liberal doctrine of Bahaism. It should give esoteric
training in Self-Realisation and Self-DisciplineQand not depend
only upon theoretical lofty principles.
THEOSOPHY has done wonderful work in uniting eastern and western
religions and in emphasizing esoteric Christianity, but it has
contradicted its esoteric teaching by frightening people about some
forms of meditation. Real meditation never caused any one to go
crazy, but instead can heal insanity. Meditation should not be
blamed if people happen to go crazy anyway in the course of time,
due to bad heredity or wrong living. People who are liable to go
crazy should take a rest; they have no business taking any kind of
lessons. Many crazy people seek the church and if they happen to
explode with an emotional bomb during a stirring sermon and go
crazy in the church, the temple walls or the sermon of the minister
should not be blamed. Churches, or representatives of any kind of
teaching, cannot help it if crazy people seek them.
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ROSICRUCIANISM is more or less an eclectic religion. It emphasizes
the necessity of Silence. It has done much good. It should avoid
the emphasis of mysticism. Truth when understood should be free
from mysticism. The tendency to love supernatural powers must be
free avoided lest it divert its devotees from the seeking the
highest-God. Rosicrucianism should learn systematic methods of
Self-Realisation from the Eastern world.
SELF-REALISATION FELLOWSHIP (YOGODA SAT-SANGA) emphasizes the
technique of Self-Realisation:as scientifically evolved by the
Saints of India-and still to be discovered by future Savants. It is
not a sect. It tries to avoid the lack of (Self-Realisation)of the
theological school and the dogmatism of the churches. It emphasizes
the fellowship of religions, not for empty theological discussions,
but to get together and find the highway of Self-Realisation
wherein the bypaths of all beliefs meet.
Yogoda Sat-Sanga was founded by Lahiri Mahasaya , one of the great
incarnations of God. He was a prophet who lived according to the
ideals of the Bhagavad Gita in the world but was not of the world.
His life was exemplary and unparalleled in showing to business men
and women of the wold now, by Self-Realisation, God can be
contacted without fleeing away from the world. We have heard of
unmarried prophets without distractions attaining Realisation, but
Lahiri Mahasaya was married and had a family with its business to
look after; still he was one of the greatest prophets the world has
known. He has been compared to Kind and Saint Janaka of India. The
Supreme Master of these teachings is Babaji, who is living an
unusually long life-while retaining his youthful appearance. He is
known to have all the powers which Christ had. My Master, Swami Sri
Yukteswarji, founded the Sat-Sanga (Fellowship of Religion)
Movement in India. Yogoda, or Self-Realisation doctrine, teaches
the combined technique of Self-Realisation as taught in Sankhya,
Yoga and Vedanta-and is based on the universal, usable principles
underlying all religions.
RAMA KRISHNA MISSION exalts the name of modern India. Ramakrishna
emphasized Self-Realisation from the beginning to the end, and
united all religions by his exemplary life. However, most of his
disciples in India have concentrated more upon missionary work, and
emphasize only the devotional path, to the exclusion of some other
scientific Yoga paths. Rama Krishna Mission has done wonderful
relief work in India. It should avoid the clannish spirit of
intolerance for other paths-which its Master never had. It has more
substantial Self-Realisation of the great Savants than most
so-called liberal eclectic religions. Rama Krishna Mission would do
well to teach its students more of the technique of meditation
(Yoga) and not so much emotional devotion. Ramakrishna himself
practiced Yoga.
I believe that MAHATMA GANDHI, from the quantitative standpoint of
doing good, has outdone all the saints and prophets who preceded
him. Gandhi is second to none, for, unlike all other prophets, he
came out of the confinement of his teachings and of his followers
and has virtually dictated to the powerful English nation to
abandon empty politics and to administer justice in India. I
believe that he is living the Scriptures and is the embodiment of
Spiritual discipline. Through his life many Souls will also be
qualitatively, completely uplifted and liberated;quantitatively he
has partially uplifted more Souls of all nationalities than any one
that I know. Of course, it is hard to tell which saint or prophet
has been the greatest instrument of qualitatively liberating the
most Souls.
Gandhi, by his example, has done a great deal to rid India of the
liquor and drug trade and liquor and drug habits. he has greatly
helped to make India's people fearless and self-supporting. His has
given to the nations of the world his religion of reforming life
and politics by Truth (Satyagraha). His has given to the nations of
the world the all-conquering ammunition of non-co-operation with
which to conquer wars, to destroy the castles of patriotic and
industrial selfishness and to bring peace on earth.
Gandhi stands for plain living and high thinking, and each for all,
and all for each. By his example, he has actually gained more
followers in his life time than any saint or prophet who lived
before him. Gandhi is a political prophet sent on earth to be the
Savior of nations by forming a league of hearts.. His principles of
living Truth, combined with the esoteric teaching of Soul
development as scientifically taught by Hindu Savants and true
saints of all religions, offers to the world a great standard of
super-living.
The BHARAT DHARMA MAHAMANDAL is an Orthodox religion teaching a
belief in the caste system. It emphasizes the teachings of the
Rishis. It was founded by Swami Gyanananda with his great lecturer
disciple Swami DyanandaQwhom I personally know. This movement,
would do a greater service if it liberated its principles to
include all nationalities, all the children of God.
The BRAHMA SAMAJ of India is what the Unitarians now are in
America. It was founded by the great Raja Ram Mohan Roi and
developed by the famous Keshab Chandra Sen. It has done much to
liberalise the ideas of Orthodox religions of India. It was the
pioneer religion which helped gain freedom for the women of India.
It leans towards western methods of culture and adopts them in
daily life. It would do well to incorporate the practical Yoga
system in its teachings.
The ARYA SAMAJ Movement, founded by the illuminated late Swami
Dyananda, is a very liberal Movement, which has done wonderful work
in India in breaking down the caste system and other social evils.
This Movement has revived the ancient Aryan culture of the Rishis
along liberal lines by establishing Gurugulas (institutions for
both boys and girls) in India, and is also doing various other
philanthropic work, such as establishing orphanages, widow-homes,
free dispensaries , and Yoga ashrams.
The PHILOSOPHY of PANTHEISM, which teaches that God is everything,
should be used to take away the one-sidedness of monoism and
dualism. Evil should be explained as the result of delusion. All
that exists is God. Study of theoretical western philosophies is
good, for it helps us to understand the pragmatic philosophies of
the East. Sankhya, Yoga and Vedanta, three eastern philosophies,
are pragmatic and meant directly to discipline human activity so
that it will yield the highest wisdom and final emancipation. The
Sankhya philosophy teaches that the highest necessity of men
consists in uprooting the three-fold suffering of body,mind and
Soul. Sankhya teaches one to seek in religious technique the
panacea for all sorrow. Yoga tells people of the step-by-step
methods of Self-Realisation which directly lead to God by the
scientific way, which alone can destroy the possibility of all
suffering. According to the highest Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad
Gita, Yoga is the surest and the supreme best way, for it
constitutes the scientific technique of salvation. Vedanta teaches
the doctrine of the Ultimate; it describes the state of God
Realisation and God. Yoga is the most important of the three, for
it is the technique which leads to the Ultimate Goal. Vedanta
describes the contents of the mine of Divine wisdom, but Yoga tells
about the way of mining that knowledge for human use. All humanity,
and all religious sects, should follow the combined religious
experiences of these three philosophies, and find in them the
greatest standard of right living. This alone can produce ideal
citizens of the world.
Last of all, remember, we are all a little bit crazy and don't know
it-because crazy people of the same kind mix together. But when
people with different crazy ideas about religion and other matters
come together, they find out their own craziness. Let us all get
together and find out our craziness, and then, with united hearts
and Souls, we shall march to the altar of World Unity.
>From my heard I feel that a great Spiritual flood is coming from
America and a great Spiritual flood is coming from India-started by
Mahatma Gandhi and the saints of India. When these two floods meet,
we shall have perfect harmony and understanding and peace in all
nations.
End of Excerpts.
*** Please Oppose the Reorganization of soc.religion.hindu ***
Jai Maharaj <jai@mantra.com> Jyotishi, Vedic Astrologer
%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:% *-=Om Shanti=-* %:%:%
