DOCSLIB.ORG

The Nature and Authority of Scripture: Implications for Hindu-Christian Dialogue

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Nature and Authority of Scripture: Implications for Hindu-Christian Dialogue Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies Volume 8 Article 4 1995 The aN ture and Authority of Scripture: Implications for Hindu-Christian Dialogue Anantanand Rambachan Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs Recommended Citation Rambachan, Anantanand (1995) "The aN ture and Authority of Scripture: Implications for Hindu-Christian Dialogue," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 8, Article 4. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1109 The Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies is a publication of the Society for Hindu-Christian Studies. The digital version is made available by Digital Commons @ Butler University. For questions about the Journal or the Society, please contact [email protected]. For more information about Digital Commons @ Butler University, please contact [email protected]. Rambachan: The Nature and Authority of Scripture: Implications for Hindu-Christian Dialogue The Nature and Authority of Scripture : Implications for Hindu-Christian Dialogue . Anantanand Rambachan St Olaf College IN A THOUGHTFUL series of reflections Klostermaier laments the trend in on the future of Hindu-Christian Dialogue, contemporary Christianity and Hinduism "to Klaus Klostermaier observes that there are dismiss the intellectual approach to religion "few Hindus who are interested in (con­ as irrelevant and to cultivate only its temporary) Christian theology, and there are emotional and pragmatic sides". Arguing fewer still who have a desire to enter into that intellectuals and scholars must be dialogue with their Christian counter­ allowed to playa more vital and central role parts".1 Others have noted that, with few in the development of these traditions, notable exceptions, the initiatives for Klostermaier affirms that Hindu-Christian dialogue in recent times have been from the dialogue 2 Christian side. In an earlier study, I must recover the intellectual substance suggested, briefly, a few possible reasons of Hinduism and Christianity and must for this lack of interest on the Hindu side. contribute actively to the ongoing search The memories of colonialism and its for truth/reality in all spheres of life. association with aggressive Christian The intellectual dimension of life has missionary activity, misrepresentation of not lost its importance in our time. 4 other religions, and the lack of genuine The loss of intellectual vigour in interest in the study and understanding of contemporary Hinduism is a matter of deep these traditions are not easily erased. There 3 concern and the causes are many and are still barriers of mistrust to overcome. complex. There are also serious implications I interpreted this lack of interest also as a for the Hindu interest in dialogue with reflection of certain popular Hindu attitudes Christians and for the nature of such towards religious pluralism. The famous dialogue. In this article, I want to identify Rgveda text, "One is the Truth, the sages what I perceive to be one major cause for speak of it differently" (1.64.46), is often the erosion of intellectual life in Hinduism employed to explain away doctrinal and its divorce from spirituality. I wish to differences as merely semantic ones. The reflect also on the significance of this for point of this text, as its context makes quite Hindu-Christian dialogue. clear, is not really to dismiss the It is my contention that the decline in the significance of the different ways in which significance of Vedic exegesis and the we speak of the One or to see these ways as reinterpretation of the authority of the Vedas equally valid. The text is really a comment in contemporary times vis-a-vis personal on the limited nature of human language. experience are connected closely with the Such language must by nature be diverse in weakening of scholarship in Hinduism and its attempts to describe that which is One its lack of interest in vigorous dialogue with and finally indescribable. The text, however, Christianity. It is not possible here to is widely cited in ways that seem to make describe in detail and to trace the historical interreligious dialogue redundant. roots of this process of reinterpretation; I Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin 8 (1995) 20-27 Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 1995 1 Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 8 [1995], Art. 4 The Nature and Authority of Scripture 21 have already attempted this elsewhere. 5 I pursuit of the same inquiry. Finally, the will, however, highlight some of the salient doctrine of Vedic infallibility was abolished and relevant historical developments and in 1850.7 Perhaps the main reason for draw attention to their significance for Tagore's rejection of the doctrine of Hindu-Christian dialogue. infallibility was his refusal to accept The Western impact on India in the passages in the Upanishads affirming the eighteenth century had far-reaching identity of atman and brahman. He chose to implications for almost every aspect of see brahman as lord and regulator of the Indian life and served as a catalyst for the universe and to see the atman as dependent cultivation of attitudes of rational inquiry on brahman for its existence. 8 and criticism. The earliest Hindu reformer From that tirne onwards, the non­ to reflect the impact of the West in his authoritative status of any text became thinking about Hinduism is the Brahmo enshrined in the creed of the Brahmo Samaj. Samaj leader, Rammohun Roy. While Roy's Nature and intuition took the place of attitude to the authority of the Vedas had an scripture as twin sources of knowledge. The element of ambiguity about it, even among basis of Brahmoism became "the pure heart his own followers, it is quite clear that his filled with the light of intuitive knowledge". approach to the texts was different from Tagore himself became increasingly reliant orthodox Pllrva Mfma,!,sa exegetes or from on personal intuition as his authority and the the Advaita Vedanta interpreter, Sankara. notion of divine command (adesa) assumed Roy applied an extrascriptural criterion of a significant role in his life. "true" religion in his evaluation of the worth Tagore's successor to the leadership of of any text, including the Vedas. He did not the Brahmo Samaj, the charismatic Keshub see religious truth as being limited to the Chandra Sen (1838-1884), rejoiced in the texts of the Vedas or see the Vedas as being rejection of Vedic infallibility. He saw it as indispensable for our knowledge of God. a grand step in the evolution of the Samaj The texts themselves and not only their and its embrace of monotheism which interpretations, he argued, must be subject was not confined to Hindoo books, to to rational analysis. the scriptures of their own countrymen, What I perceive as a watershed in the but was to be found in human nature in attitude of contemporary Hindu interpreters all the races and tribes and nations of to the authority of the Vedas occurred under the world.9 the leadership of Roy's successor, Keshub propagated a general theory of Debendranath Tagore (1817 -1905). The revelation in which he included nature, change was initiated as a consequence of a history, by which he means "great men", debate sparked by the conversion to and inspiration. He clearly emphasized Christianity of Umesh Chandra Sarkar and inspiration as the most direct and significant his wife. Sarkar was a student at Alexander form of revelation. He described it as Duff's school, and there was vigorous opposition to the school. Duff responded the direct breathing-in of God's spirit - with a challenge to the doctrines of the which infuses an altogether new life into Brahmo Samaj, questioning in particular the the soul, and exalts it above all that is belief in Vedic infallibility. 6 The Samaj earthly and impure. It is more powerful, initially defended the doctrine, but this being God's direct and immediate action stirred a great degree of unease in its ranks. on the human soul, while revelation made through physical nature and In an effort to resolve this issue, biography is indirect and mediate. to Debendranath Tagore sent four brahmin youths to Benares to study the Vedas. His Sen went much further than Tagore in own visit to the city in 1847 was partly in his denunciation of what he regarded to be http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol8/iss1/4 2 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1109 Rambachan: The Nature and Authority of Scripture: Implications for Hindu-Christian Dialogue 22 Anantanand Rambachan doctrine and dogma, and in his unfavourable Ramakrishna possessed a deep aversion comparison of these with the "fire of to formal learning and education. Learned inspiration". Doctrine and dogma which persons were likened by him to kites and relate to intellectual cognition, reasoning and vultures, which soar to great heights in the logical thought were cold and lifeless and sky but whose eyes are forever focused on had nothing to do with the attainment of the decaying carcasses below. They were salvation. He spoke of direct perception as also described as similar to foolish people in the only reliable, conclusive and self-evident an orchard who count the leaves and fruit means of gaining spiritual knowledge and and argue to estimate their value instead of saw this perception as affirmed in the plucking and relishing the juicy fruit. Upanishads. Reason and the intellectual life received little No expression is more frequently used attention or recognition in his teachings. in the Upanishads than the "perception" Ramakrishna confessed scepticism about of God (darsan). It appears that Hindu the value of scriptural study. The scriptures sages, not content with intellectual are diluted, containing, as he puts it, a conceptions of the Almighty or abstract "mixture of sand and sugar", difficult to contemplation of certain Divine distinguish and separate.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West
    Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies Volume 14 Article 10 January 2001 The Sage of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West Thomas A. Forsthoefel Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs Part of the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Forsthoefel, Thomas A. (2001) "The Sage of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 14, Article 10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1253 The Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies is a publication of the Society for Hindu-Christian Studies. The digital version is made available by Digital Commons @ Butler University. For questions about the Journal or the Society, please contact [email protected]. For more information about Digital Commons @ Butler University, please contact [email protected]. Forsthoefel: The Sage of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West The Sage of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the Westl Professor Thomas A. Forsthoefel Mercyhurst College WILHELM Halbfass's seminal study of appeal among thinkers and spiritUal adepts the concept of experience in Indian religions in the West. Indeed, such 'meeting at the illuminates the philosophical ambiguities of heart' in interfaith dialogue promises the term and its recent appropriations by communion even in the face of unresolved some neo-Advaitins. to serve apologetic theoretical dilemmas. 2 ends. Anantanand Rambachand's own The life and work of Ramana (1879- study of the process of liberation in Advaita 1950), though understudied, are important Vedanta also critically reviews these for a number of reasons, not the least of apologetic strategies, arguing that in which is the fact that together they represent privileging anubhava, they undervalue or a version of Advaita abstracted from misrepresent the im;ortance given to sruti in traditional monastic structures, thus Sankara's Advaita.
    [Show full text]
  • DIMENSIONS of GOOD and EVIL the Moral Universe and Vaiñëava Philosophy by Suhotra Swami
    DIMENSIONS OF GOOD AND EVIL The Moral Universe and Vaiñëava Philosophy by Suhotra Swami nétir asmi jigéñatäm “Of those who seek victory I am morality.” ( Bhagavad-gétä 10.38) INTRODUCTION We experience ourselves subject to conditions imposed by nature. We experience ourselves subject to laws, natural and man-made, that govern our interaction with other living entities. Finally we experience ourselves subject to the disposition of our bodies and minds. In short, matter shapes life into these three dimensions of experience, which in Sanskrit are termed ädhidaivika, ädhibhautika and ädhyätmika. Western philosophy calls them the macrocosm, mesocosm and microcosm. The first is the vast, all-enveloping natural universe. The second is the “middle” ( meso ) universe of our relations with other sentient beings. The third is a private universe known inwardly by each individual. The Vedic teachings point to a transcendental dimension experienced by the soul liberated from the powers of matter. But were it not for our values, what sense could we make of these dimensions of experience? Experience is but a moment-by-moment presentment of choices in the world and in ourselves. In making choices, we rely on our values. In this book I propose five dimensions of value. 1 The first is the dimension of sensory value. This is "the school of hard knocks." Once as a boy I put my hand into the back of a radio and received a shock. After that, I was leery of handling electronic equipment. We might call the experience of an electric shock "a matter of fact." Within the dimension of sensory value we also experience ”matters of taste"--for example, that I prefer strawberries over gooseberries.
    [Show full text]
  • Henri Le Saux)
    THE CHURCH OF ABHISHIKTÅNANDA (HENRI LE SAUX) A Thesis Submitted to the University of Stirling for the Degree of Master of Philosophy in the Faculty of Human Sciences April 2009 Enrico Beltramini Religious Studies 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................................. 6 DECLARATION AND COPYRIGHT ......................................................................................................................... 7 Declaration .................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Copyright ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND DEDICATION ..................................................................................... 8 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Interreligious Dialogue or Intercultural Dialogue ...................................................................................................... 10 Henri Le Saux
    [Show full text]
  • Why I Became a Hindu
    Why I became a Hindu Parama Karuna Devi published by Jagannatha Vallabha Vedic Research Center Copyright © 2018 Parama Karuna Devi All rights reserved Title ID: 8916295 ISBN-13: 978-1724611147 ISBN-10: 1724611143 published by: Jagannatha Vallabha Vedic Research Center Website: www.jagannathavallabha.com Anyone wishing to submit questions, observations, objections or further information, useful in improving the contents of this book, is welcome to contact the author: E-mail: [email protected] phone: +91 (India) 94373 00906 Please note: direct contact data such as email and phone numbers may change due to events of force majeure, so please keep an eye on the updated information on the website. Table of contents Preface 7 My work 9 My experience 12 Why Hinduism is better 18 Fundamental teachings of Hinduism 21 A definition of Hinduism 29 The problem of castes 31 The importance of Bhakti 34 The need for a Guru 39 Can someone become a Hindu? 43 Historical examples 45 Hinduism in the world 52 Conversions in modern times 56 Individuals who embraced Hindu beliefs 61 Hindu revival 68 Dayananda Saraswati and Arya Samaj 73 Shraddhananda Swami 75 Sarla Bedi 75 Pandurang Shastri Athavale 75 Chattampi Swamikal 76 Narayana Guru 77 Navajyothi Sree Karunakara Guru 78 Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha 79 Ramakrishna Paramahamsa 79 Sarada Devi 80 Golap Ma 81 Rama Tirtha Swami 81 Niranjanananda Swami 81 Vireshwarananda Swami 82 Rudrananda Swami 82 Swahananda Swami 82 Narayanananda Swami 83 Vivekananda Swami and Ramakrishna Math 83 Sister Nivedita
    [Show full text]
  • Rethinking Advaita: Who Is Eligible to Read Advaita Texts? Anantanand Rambachan
    Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies Volume 22 Article 6 2009 Rethinking Advaita: Who is Eligible to Read Advaita Texts? Anantanand Rambachan Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs Recommended Citation Rambachan, Anantanand (2009) "Rethinking Advaita: Who is Eligible to Read Advaita Texts?," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 22, Article 6. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1433 The Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies is a publication of the Society for Hindu-Christian Studies. The digital version is made available by Digital Commons @ Butler University. For questions about the Journal or the Society, please contact [email protected]. For more information about Digital Commons @ Butler University, please contact [email protected]. Rambachan: Rethinking Advaita: Who is Eligible to Read Advaita Texts? Rethinking Advaita: Who is Eligible to Read Advaita Texts?1 _Anantanand Rambachan St. Olaf College MY most recent work, The Advaita Worldview: presents us with a number of significant God, World and Humanity, exemplifies two questions centered on eligibility to read Advaita related movements. 2 First, I join the growing texts, the insider-outsider dilemma, and the stream of scholars who are making efforts to Christian theologian as reader of Advaita. Am I distinguish the interpretations of Sankara from as an Advaitin committed to an important stream later Advaita exegetes. The uncritical equation of the Hindu tradition, authorized to speak for of Sankara's views with those of later exegetes and about the tradition in ways that Thatamanil needs to be challenged.3 Second, I contend that cannot? Who are the new conversation partners Advaita reflection and scholarship cannot limit for Advaita? I want to focus my response on itself to the clarification of Sankara's some of these questions through an examination interpretations.
    [Show full text]
  • 343 Indian Religions
    Book Reviews / Numen 55 (2008) 340–359 343 Indian Religions: Renaissance and Renewal. Edited by Anna S. King. London: Equinox, 2006, xix and 412 pp. Cost (in the United States): $90. ISBN 978- 1-84553-169-0. Th e eighteen articles in this volume grew from papers delivered at the 2006 Spalding Symposium on Indian Religions. Th e Symposium featured both newer and more advanced scholars who presented papers on a variety of topics and traditions of India (but especially Hinduism and Buddhism). Th e volume is only lightly edited, and retains the inconsistencies of citation style, translit- eration (e.g., Śaṃkara, Śankara, Śaṅkara, and Shankara all appear), and termi- nology (e.g., “Hinayana” versus “Th eravada”) one would expect in a collection of conference papers. Moreover, the Spalding Symposia are not generally ori- ented around a specific theme, and though there is some implicit conversation between and among the various articles in this volume, as a whole it lacks the cohesion of collections with more focused themes, having instead, as King puts it in her introduction, “the character of a scholarly journal” (xii). Th ere- fore, while the volume’s value is occasionally greater than the sum of its parts, it is not significantly so. Th at is not to say, however, that there are not some rather impressive and provocative parts. Indian Religions is divided into four sections. Klaus Klostermaier opens the first section, “Challenging Paradigms” with an article entitled “Hinduism — Hindutva — Hindu Dharma.” In this article, which King’s introduction sug- gests “undoubtedly evoked the most passionate, and even hostile, responses” (xii), Klostermaier argues that the true Hindu Renaissance (usually associated with the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries) is happening right now through the work of the Sangh Parivar and other exponents of Hindutva ide- ologies.
    [Show full text]
  • Brahmo Samaj
    Brahmo Samaj Dr. M. Vijay Kumar Sharma Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar– 848401. SWRK5003 Unit-V, Bharatiya Approaches to Social Change and Development Topic- Approaches to Social Reform: Brahmo Samaj Contents • Meaning of the Brahma Samaj • Formation of Brahmo Samaj • Founder of Brahmo Samaj • Objective of Brahmo Samaj • Streams of Brahmo Samaj • Introduction of Raja Ram Mohan Roy • Contributions of Raja Ram Mohan Roy • Doctrine of Brahmo Samaj • Social and religious reform • Decline of Brahmo Samaj • References Meaning of Brahmo Samaj • Brahmo literally means "one who worships Brahman", and Samaj means "community of men". • The Brahmo Samaj literally denotes community (Sanskrit: 'samaj') of men who worship Brahman the highest reality. • In reality Brahmo Samaj does not discriminate between caste, creed or religion and • It is an assembly of all sorts and descriptions of people without distinction, meeting publicly for the sober, orderly, religious and devout adoration of "the (nameless) unsearchable Eternal, Immutable Being who is the Author and Preserver of the Universe." Formation of Brahmo Samaj • It was one of the most influential religious movements in India. • It is made a significant contribution to the making of modern India. • It was started at Calcutta on 20 August 1828 by Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Debendranath Tagore as reformation of the prevailing Brahmanism of the time (specifically Kulin practices). • It began the Bengal Renaissance of the 19th century pioneering all religious, social and educational advance of the Hindu community in the 19th century. • Its Trust Deed was made in 1830, formalizing its inception and • it was duly and publicly inaugurated in January 1830 by the consecration of the first house of prayer, now known as the Adi Brahmo Samaj.
    [Show full text]
  • Hindu Mythology – of Gods, Sages & Cowherd Maidens
    Hindu Mythology, Religion 4990 1 HINDU MYTHOLOGY – OF GODS, SAGES & COWHERD MAIDENS _____________________________________________________________________ Jonathan B. Edelmann, Ph.D. Philosophy & Religion Department 53 Morgan Ave, (662) 325-2382 Office HoUrs: 11-12 AM, T & H [email protected] ABOUT THIS COURSE This course examines Classical Myth in the Hindu Traditions, or the narrations about the Gods, Goddesses, Sages, Kings and Queens of Indian, which form the basis for Hindu religious practice, theology and self-identity. H. Rodrigues writes: “While the term ‘myth’ is commonly used to mean a false belief, religious studies scholars use it to refer to narratives that are believed to be true by adherents of a particular tradition” (Introduction to the Study of Religion). The Greek word mythos meant “authoritative speech,” “story” or “plot,” but today scholars mean it as “a traditional story with collective importance.” Ancient and contemporary Hindus take myths seriously; this course provides an overview of the central divine characters, stories, and imagery found in Hindu sacred literature. We will examine the manner in which mythology teaches central Hindu philosophical, cosmological and theological concepts. Known for its richness, spirituality and imaginative beauty, we will examine how divine myth, yoga practice and theology are intertwined in some of humanity’s oldest reflections on absolute reality. TEXTBOOKS (1) KLAUS KLOSTERMAIER, A Survey of Hinduism (SUNY). (2) DAVID KINGSLEY, Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition (University of California Press). (3) GRAHAM SCHWEIG, Dance of Divine Love: The Rāsā-Līlā of Krishna from the Bhāgavata Purāna (Princeton University Press). (4) Optional – WENDY DONIGER, Hindu Myths (Penguin).
    [Show full text]
  • Introductory Information
    Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies Volume 21 Article 3 2008 Introductory Information Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs Recommended Citation (2008) "Introductory Information," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 21, Article 3. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1402 The Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies is a publication of the Society for Hindu-Christian Studies. The digital version is made available by Digital Commons @ Butler University. For questions about the Journal or the Society, please contact [email protected]. For more information about Digital Commons @ Butler University, please contact [email protected]. et al.: Introductory Information r EDITORS EDITOR: CO-EDITOR: Bradley J. Malkovsky Anand Amaladass 232 Malloy Hall Institute of Philosophy and Culture University of Notre Dame 81 Lattice Bridge Road 'Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Thiruvanmiyur, Madras email: [email protected] INDIA 600 041 Production Assistant: Cheryl A. Reed EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD R. Balasubramanian Raimundo Panikkar University ofPondicherry Univeristy of California, Santa Barbara (Emeritus) Klaus Klostermaier S. Cromwell Crawford University of Manitoba University of Hawaii at Manoa Francis X Clooney, S.J. David C. Scott Harvard University United Theological College Julius Lipner J. T. K.. Daniel University of Cambridge Serampore College John Carman R. Vijayalakshmi Harvard Divinity School International Institute for Tamil Studies U. R. Anatha Murthy DianaEck Mahatma Gandhi University Harvard University Margaret Chatterjee Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Simla EDITORIAL POLICY The Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies is an annual scholarly journal published jointly at the University of Notre Dame and at the Institute of Philosophy and Culture, Madras, India.
    [Show full text]
  • How the New Atheists Are Reminding the Humanities of Their Place and Purpose in Society
    University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations 12-2018 The emperor's new clothes: how the new atheists are reminding the humanities of their place and purpose in society. David Ira Buckner University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Part of the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Buckner, David Ira, "The emperor's new clothes: how the new atheists are reminding the humanities of their place and purpose in society." (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3112. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/3112 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES: HOW THE NEW ATHEISTS ARE REMINDING THE HUMANITIES OF THEIR PLACE AND PURPOSE IN SOCIETY By David Ira Buckner B.S., East Tennessee State University, 2006 M.A., East Tennessee State University, 2008 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Louisville In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter -3 Secularism in Modern Indian Thought: Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi
    Chapter -3 Secularism in Modern Indian Thought: Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi This chapter is an attempt to bring out the secular thoughts that are weaved in the writings of Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi. In the last two hundred years, Hinduism has been greatly influenced by the impact of the West. It has not produced any really new doctrine but it has presented its old thought in a new light. These new developments are partly the result of the influence of Christianity but not entirely new. Indian society has undergone considerable changes. Since the advent of the modern age and it is only natural that this should result in certain changes of ideas. the development is connected with the rise of a new middle class. The first period of Western impact which covers the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries is characterized by considerable conversion of Hindus to Christianity. Hindu religious leaders seem to have been at a loss in face of this challenge and little attempt was made to prevent conversion. However this period did not last very long and in fact the number of conversions seems to have been fairly small in view of the heavy impact of the west on India. This does not mean that Christianity had no effect on Hinduism . The Hindu leaders were forced to carry out considerable reform of religious practices and to revive many of the old traditions of Hindu thought which was not in practice. Though this chapter mainly deals with the secular thoughts of Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi but here the thoughts of Raja Rammohan Roy are added as it acts like a connecting thread to the former thinkers.
    [Show full text]
  • Unit - 5 Social and Religious Reform Movements in the 19Th Century
    SPLIT BY - SIS ACADEMY https://t.me/SISACADEMYENGLISHMEDIUM Unit - 5 Social and Religious Reform Movements in the 19th Century Learning Objectives To acquaint ourselves with The influence of Western ideas and Christianity in creating a new awakening in 19th century British India Contestation in the social and religious sphere – opposition to practices like sati, slavery, untouchability, and child marriage Opposition to idolatry, rituals and superstitious beliefs Contribution of Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, Theosophical Society and Aligarh Movement to the regeneration of India Role played by prominent personalities in bringing about this awakening amongst Parsees and Sikhs Social movement of Jyotiba Phule and reform movements in Kerala and Tamilnadu Introduction Brahmo Samaj, the Prarthana Samaj and the Aligarh Movement; and the revivalist movements English education, introduced with the such as the Arya Samaj, the Ramakrishna object of producing clerks, also produced a Mission and the Deoband Movement. There were new English-educated middle class. This class also attempts to challenge the oppressive social came under the influence of western ideas and structure by Jyotiba Phule in Pune, Narayana thoughts. Christianity also had its effect on the Guru and Ayyankali in Kerala and Ramalinga newly emerging middle class. Though small in Adigal and Vaikunda Swamigal of Tamilanadu. number, the educated middle class began to take The two other notable social reformers of a lead in political as well as in reform movements. Tamilnadu Periyar E.V.R. and Iyothee Thassar The Indian reformers were, however, quite are dealt with comprehensively in Unit X. hesitant to subject their old notions and habits to critical scrutiny.
    [Show full text]