Vedanta does not only mean "Veda's End" but also "bound of the Vedas", and consists of several texts which appear as later addendums. Now my belief may be controversial to some, but when I say "Vedas", I am not including these attached texts, I am referring only to the four Vedas: Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharava Veda, these four texts can be distinguished from the later body of literature by calling them Samhita. I personally take the logical and historical view the the Rig Veda is the oldest of the Samhita and is the basis for the other three, with the Soma Veda focusing on the song, Yajur Veda on ritual and Atharava Veda on the "magical" intent of the words. After reading the four Vedas I can see that within them is contained all of the knowledge of Hinduism, however nothing is drawn out or explained, it seems to me that these people were so much more connected to the essence of the universe that what would seem profound to us was simple to them.
Today the hyper-rationalists teach us that consciousness is an "emergent property", that our self awareness is nothing more than an accidental product of chemical processes. However, I don't see why it would be so irrational to at least entertain the idea that consciousness itself is a natural property. Only more than a century ago did many people believe that animals had no conscious or sentience of self awareness, but today most people can intuit from their own experience that animals are indeed self aware. We also know from intensive study of even the smallest of single celled organism that even these microbes have some degree of self-awareness even though they have no comprehensive brain structure. If what we though had no sentience, animals and microbes and even plants, if we can now accept that these can be aware of their own consciousness, isn't it possible that consciousness is a property and can even be found in inanimate objects? It is not irrational to propose that consciousness is a property like heat or gravity and that each atom possesses consciousness. If consciousness is a property that is even possessed by seemingly inanimate objects, can't it be detected through experience, isn't that how we realized animals and even plants have consciousness?
It would seem to me from what I have studied so far, the ancient Vedic Hindus simply understood that even the elements were conscious and could be called upon to help and teach, just as we can call upon any other conscious being, such as another human or an animal, we can affect their behavior. But if you want help or attention form another human or animal, aren't there better ways to do it than others, aren't their protocols of human behavior you must learn as you grow in order to get the best interaction with other people? The original four Vedas seem to show tribes who had developed very specific ways of speaking and thinking which gave them access to the consciousness of the elements which they could call upon for help and understanding. However since these people found their abilities and practices to be so common, they don't give deep explanation behind their actions and words, and so to later people it can seem like a mystery or legendary stories.
From what I understand the first philosophical texts to rise out of the four Vedas were the Brāhmaṇas, this would make sense since the Brahmanas seem to more or less continue with the mythopoetic language of the Vedas, however from what I have read they do attempt to explain the Vedic rituals and begin to describe certain aspects of the physical phenomena and philosophy behind what would seem like myth to us. The Brahmanas are followed by the Upanishads which go into depth on the metaphysical interpretations of the Vedic song and rituals and also the psychological processes these are supposed to stir in the mind. Finally we have the Āraṇyakas ("Forest-books"), which seek to encapsulate the more natural knowledge of the Vedic rituals which is the true source of Hindu power, it would seem that the rituals and prayers and songs are for the sake of the practitioners own knowledge, it is how these effect the mind that is important.
It is the combination of the philosophies of these later texts, the Brahmanas, the Upanishads and the Ananyakas, these together produce what Hindus call Vedanta. Many Hindus combine these texts with the original four Vedas and call this "Sruti", meaning what was heard and experienced by the Rishis, and thus it is implied that all of these texts together are the central cannon of Hinduism. While it is true that almost all of Hinduism is linked to these texts, I personally don't like the idea of labeling the later texts as "Sruti", first because they are hardly harmonious, and secondly because here is where a lot of cultural and social baggage is added to Hinduism. The four original Vedas, whether it was intended or not, seem much more a-cultural, meaning that if you didn't know their history it would be very difficult to pin the Vedas down to any race or nation, they accidentally have a universal appeal, because they are naturalistic.
Besides this, the four Vedas are free from rules and fear, in the later texts we sometimes find obsessive compulsive strictures regarding how to perform rituals, a slavish attachment to gurus and horrible damnations for seemingly minor offenses, such as reincarnating into lower forms for making a mistake during rituals. In terms of their appeal and practical acceptance, the original four Vedas would seem to be a much better skeleton upon which to grow Hinduism, with the later Vedanta texts being a take it or leave it situation, although because they are not harmonious and due to the general diverse nature or later Hinduism, Vedanta is not taken too rigidly by modern Hindus anyway.
However what the Vedanta texts do offer us is an evolving discourse on the original Vedas which provides us with many empowering concepts. From the original Vedas and the Vedanta texts Hinduism offers basically a naturalistic pantheism, there is only one existence, in nature there is not good or evil and thus no concept of sin, only cause and effect. The Vedas give us a very scientific explanation for the creation of the universe, their answer is we don't know. The Rig Vedas tells us that the "gods" did not create the universe, they are a product of it, and even the highest among them many not know the beginning of the world.
Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation? The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being? He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it, Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not. - Rig Veda 10.129.6-7
However there is a logical conclusion in Vedanta that the universe, even if it had no beginning, must be comprised of something and must be running on some force. The Vedantists created several concepts for the substance of the universe, but it eventually consolidated into a monistic form of Brahman, an unknowable intermediate between material, consciousness, space and time which is and moves the universe. Because of its general pantheistic nature, its non-dualism, there is a general believe (but it is not held by all) that there is no difference between creator and created. Brahman, the ultimate material and force and consciousness that is the universe, is all objects and forms of life, thus all that exists is a continuum of one power. However we obviously all experience our minds as ourselves, we don't naturally experience other people's lives or constantly feel we are the universe.
Our individual experience is our Atman, a part of the larger consciousness which seems to be atomized, segmented away from the universe, however we all have some degree of intuition into the consciousness of other people and we do all at times experience undeniable synchronicities. However if Hinduism is correct, and there is no duality, then our minds are no less the essence of the larger universe, our minds are a microcosm of the macrocosm. Further, if consciousness is an intrinsic element of nature, then our consciousness must be inextricably linked to the outer world. There is a noticeable difference in the temperament between the old Vedic Hindu and the Hindu of the Vedanta scriptures and today.
The Old Vedic Hindu showed a passion and joy and longing for life, he was lacking all pessimism. Later Hinduism becomes more focused on alleviating misery. The general theory is that these ancient Hindus had realized their own Atman, their own personal consciousness, was also the universal consciousness, and so they could use their own minds to alter their surroundings. Ancient Hinduism almost completely lacks any doctrine of reincarnation or past karma, while modern Hinduism is obsessed with reincarnation and karma, there is a constant effort to take certain actions now to create a better future, there is little concept left of the idea that one can transform their circumstances at will. Thus later Hinduism seems much more fatalistic, but this is likely a product of humanities growing powerlessness.
But if the ancient Vedic Hindus were able to connect their internal consciousness with outer consciousness and thus request help from the elements, how were they doing this? There are several distractions in Vedanta which can lure one away from the higher message of power, these sages had lost the power of the higher ages and were trying to retrace their steps, but the recurring theme is "though art that", meaning that your mind is Brahman, the universal principle, the macrocosm withing the microcosm. In Vedic mythology we find the universe often springs from two deities, Daksha whose name means "intelligence" or "skill" and Purusha who is an ideal man. The central theme of Vedanta is that with skill and intelligence, idealized humans can tap into the universal consciousness and actually create the universe. Thus the true power of Vedanta is only an increasing awareness of this fact, and the rituals and songs and words are tools to raise this consciousness in the practitioner. Many Vedantists conclude that once one has knowledge of their connection to the outer consciousness, they can even dispense with the rituals and the Vedas themselves.
But now this brings us to the modern day, we are centuries past the early Vedantists who were attempting to understand and recreate the abilities of the ancient Vedic warriors who supposedly could call upon the out consciousness of the elements, they did this by reminding their own minds of their universal connection through fire ritual and song. Many believe that we have lost this ability, that our minds have become weak. The Puranas teach us that in the later age humans will need to use idols and music and more and more elaborate ritual in order to remind their own consciousness of its connection to the outer world. Many look back upon the Vedic wizards with nostalgia, hoping to recreate these simple fire rituals and the ability to call down the gods through words alone. But were these fire rituals and song really the height of human power?
The Puranas also teach us that in the golden age there was not even need for song or ritual or liturgy, people needed no reminder of their universal selves, there was not even religion, humans had such immense power they wanted nothing, they searched for nothing. Vedanta gives this state of being the attributes of space (kham) and joy (kam), the individual as the universe self-aware has infinite realm and infinite happiness. The people of the Vedic age themselves were fallen, they had to live nomadic lives full of war and strife, compared to their ancestors they were weak and their powers diminished. Yet the Vedas speak of those among them who were so "wise" they became immortal, knowledge is the key to power, not ritual. So what does that tell us about today?
The ancient Hindus were able to call down the elemental consciousness in the form of "gods" using simple rituals and song, today we must use more vigorous methods such as idolatry and dancing and discussion. But the key is not the ritual but the understanding and awareness it triggers, awareness of the connection between the Atman and the Brahman is what brings power, not the ritual itself. But then here is a trick of the mind, unlike the Vedic warriors we must put so much time and effort into making the connection between our mind and the universal mind, it is so much more painful for us, we have to wonder why it is so hard. But isn't the point to understand, to become aware, and don't we have to think so much harder in this age to reach awareness, don't we have to think deeper than our ancestor? Some believe that in these darker ages great souls incarnate so that they can undergo the arduous task of attaining enlightenment, because the extra effort they must put in makes the enlightenment that much more profound. Greatness almost always rises out of misery and struggle, and who must struggle more than us? Is it possible that the stage is set for the return of the Vedic element benders?
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