Secular Government Versus Spiritual Culture
India’s cultural history of several thousand years shows that the subtle but strong thread of unity which ns through the infinite multiplicity her life, was not woven by stress or essure of power groups but the ion of seers, the vigil of saints, the peculation of philosophers, and the agination of poets and artists and these are the only means which can used to make this national unity der, stronger and more lasting. It may appear somewhat strange that government should be a secular one ile our culture is rooted in spiritual ues. Secularism here does not an irreligion or atheism or even ess on material comforts. It acclaims that it lays stress on the iversality of spiritual values which y be attained in a variety of ways. Religion is a transforming experience. It is not a theory of God. It is spiritual consciousness. Belief and conduct, rites and ceremonies, dogmas and authorities are subordinate to the art of Self-discovery and contact with the Divine. When the individual withdraws his soul from all outward events, gathers himself together inwardly strives with concentration, there breaks upon him an experience, sacred, strange, wondrous, which quickens within him, lays hold on him; becomes his very being. Even those who are the children of science and reason must submit to the fact of spiritual experience which is primary and positive. We may dispute theologies but we cannot deny facts. The fire of life in its visible burning compels assent, though not the fumbling speculations of smokers sitting around the fire, while realisation is a fact, the theory of reality is an inference. There is a difference between contact with reality and opinion about it, between the mystery of godliness and belief in God. This is the meaningful secular conception of the state though it is not generally understood. This view is in consonance with Indian tradition. The seers of the Rig Veda affirm that the real is One while the learned speak of it variously. Ashoka in his Rock Edict XII proclaims: "One who reverences one's own religion and disparages that of another from devotion to one's ownreligion and to glorify it over all other religions does injure one's own religion most certainly It is verily concord of religions that is meritorious." Centuries later Akbar affirms: "The various religious communities are divine treasures entrusted to us by God. We must love them as such. It should be our firm faith that every religion isblessedHim. The eternal king showers his favours on all men without distinction."Thisvery principle is incorporatedin our Constitution which gives full freedom to all to profess and practice their religious beliefs and rites so longas they are not repugnant to our ethicasense. We recognise the common grounonwhich different religious traditionsrest. This common ground belongs by right to all of us as it has its source in iteternal. The universality of fundamenideas which historical studies and comparative religion demonstrate is hope of the future. It makes for religionist and understanding. It makes ou that we are all members of the one Invisible Church of God though historically we may belong to this or that particular religious community (Extract from 'The Spirit of Religion’. Courtesy: Hind Pocket Books.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Radhakrishnan kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy : Radhakrishnan Speaking Tree, Times of India
Secular Government Versus Spiritual Culture
India’s cultural history of several thousand years shows that the subtle but strong thread of unity which ns through the infinite multiplicity her life, was not woven by stress or essure of power groups but the ion of seers, the vigil of saints, the peculation of philosophers, and the agination of poets and artists and these are the only means which can used to make this national unity der, stronger and more lasting. It may appear somewhat strange that government should be a secular one ile our culture is rooted in spiritual ues. Secularism here does not an irreligion or atheism or even ess on material comforts. It acclaims that it lays stress on the iversality of spiritual values which y be attained in a variety of ways. Religion is a transforming experience. It is not a theory of God. It is spiritual consciousness. Belief and conduct, rites and ceremonies, dogmas and authorities are subordinate to the art of Self-discovery and contact with the Divine. When the individual withdraws his soul from all outward events, gathers himself together inwardly strives with concentration, there breaks upon him an experience, sacred, strange, wondrous, which quickens within him, lays hold on him; becomes his very being. Even those who are the children of science and reason must submit to the fact of spiritual experience which is primary and positive. We may dispute theologies but we cannot deny facts. The fire of life in its visible burning compels assent, though not the fumbling speculations of smokers sitting around the fire, while realisation is a fact, the theory of reality is an inference. There is a difference between contact with reality and opinion about it, between the mystery of godliness and belief in God. This is the meaningful secular conception of the state though it is not generally understood. This view is in consonance with Indian tradition. The seers of the Rig Veda affirm that the real is One while the learned speak of it variously. Ashoka in his Rock Edict XII proclaims: "One who reverences one's own religion and disparages that of another from devotion to one's ownreligion and to glorify it over all other religions does injure one's own religion most certainly It is verily concord of religions that is meritorious." Centuries later Akbar affirms: "The various religious communities are divine treasures entrusted to us by God. We must love them as such. It should be our firm faith that every religion isblessedHim. The eternal king showers his favours on all men without distinction."Thisvery principle is incorporatedin our Constitution which gives full freedom to all to profess and practice their religious beliefs and rites so longas they are not repugnant to our ethicasense. We recognise the common grounonwhich different religious traditionsrest. This common ground belongs by right to all of us as it has its source in iteternal. The universality of fundamenideas which historical studies and comparative religion demonstrate is hope of the future. It makes for religionist and understanding. It makes ou that we are all members of the one Invisible Church of God though historically we may belong to this or that particular religious community (Extract from 'The Spirit of Religion’. Courtesy: Hind Pocket Books.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Radhakrishnan kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy : Radhakrishnan Speaking Tree, Times of India