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Sri Ramakrishna, Modern Spirit, and Religion SWAMI PRABHAVANANDA RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY Sri Ramakrishna, Modern Spirit, and Religion SWAMI PRABHAVANANDA mongst the students of religion who men alive. Yet the state of samàdhi still are acquainted with the life of Sri remained to him an abnormality. ARamakrishna, perhaps only a few In this connection one may also mention regard his life in all its phases as historically Professor Max Muller, and Romain Rolland, true. To these few, what appears to the rest biographers of Ramakrishna, and two of the as belonging to the class of legend and greatest thinkers of our age. They were mythology becomes living spiritual truth. To attracted to and admired the superior spiritual them even the lives of Krishna, Buddha, or genius of the man Ramakrishna, yet viewed Christ which seem lost in the mist of myth many of the incidents of his life as legendary, and legend become true and living in the and some of his spiritual experiences as light of the life of Ramakrishna. But apart delusions, or mental aberrations. from these few, however, to most people Let us, therefore, analyse why there is who have drunk deep of the modern spirit, this contradiction in the estimation of who refuse to accept anything as true which Ramakrishna; why he is accepted as a is beyond the realm of their personal spiritual genius by those very people who at discoveries and thus are circumscribed by the same time reject some of the most their own limitations, much that is told of Sri important experiences of his life— Ramakrishna’s life appears as legendary, experiences which made him what he was. Is and his supernormal experiences as it true that Sri Ramakrishna had to pass fantastic, or, at best, the hallucinations of a through a ‘period of hallucination...whence disordered brain. his spirit was to rise in the fullness of joyous A strange fact emerges here, however, and harmonious power to mighty which is, that certain people, while rejecting realizations for the benefit of humanity’ as the supernormal experiences of Romain Rolland says; or may it be that the Ramakrishna, and regarding samàdhi as a modern man sees these contradictions in hallucination, are the very ones who revere Ramakrishna’s life, only because he himself and honour him as a rare soul, nay, a man- is the product of an age which has failed in god. As an example of such admiration one the understanding of, and application to life, may cite the name of Pandit Shivanath of the true spirit of religion? Shastri, a most learned man, and To find an adequate answer, let us contemporary of Ramakrishna, who was also examine more closely this modern age and one of the co-founders of the Sadharan its reactions to the standards of religion; then Brahmo Samaj. The Pandit became a regular we shall better be able to consider whether visitor to Ramakrishna, learning at his feet, it, rightly or wrongly, evaluates the life of and esteeming him as one of the greatest this great saint. 6 Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture February 2019 SRI RAMAKRISHNA, MODERN SPIRIT, AND RELIGION The modern spirit all true religions, is the evanescence of The modern spirit can be defined as earthly life, and the transcendent reality of utilitarian and rationalistic or scientific. The God, the one unchangeable Being above all history of the last four hundred years in the changes of life. So my remarks in this Europe, since the age of the renaissance, essay do not apply to those devout Christians marks the attempt at progress politically, who having realized the vanities of earthly economically, socially and intellectually life live in constant communion with God. from the standpoint of utilitarianism. The But this ‘other-worldly’ attitude of world today, however, is rudely shaken by Christ and Christianity has been largely the confusion that it is facing in every phase discarded by the West in her interpretation of life and human activity. The basic of the teachings of Jesus as something structure upon which we built the impractical and useless. To make civilization of the West seems to be Christianity practical to the modern man, it hopelessly collapsing. And we ask has been identified with humanitarianism ourselves, ‘Have we progressed ?’ or, are we and social service. The religion of the not moving in a circle within an ‘endless majority of the intellectuals of today is doing whirl of vain appearances!’ good to and loving one another! True, they Though many of us are aware of the profess faith in God, but to them such a faith failure of the utilitarian standard, and though is only a means to inspire mankind to live we may admit, as we face the stark reality of harmoniously and happily on earth. This events in the history of the world, that there attitude has so permeated all strata of society has been no real progress, yet again, we that it has become an accepted goal, so much cling in substance tenaciously to the same so, that by now my readers will be asking philosophy of utilitarianism and of progress. themselves, what is wrong with this ideal? For the basic philosophy of the Western Should not religion inspire man to love and world is still the philosophy of flux. Life is serve humanity? ever changing, life is ever progressing—this Bear patiently with me for a moment. I is the cry of today. That there is an am not saying that the ideal of service and unchangeable reality, that there is ‘one in the love is wrong; merely the fact that religion many,’ that there is a supreme goal to be has been identified exclusively with this attained in life—these fundamental truths conception; and with such completeness that are completely ignored by the man in the some theologians go so far as to say that street as well as by the progressive God needs our help to straighten this world philosophers and thinkers of today. The and its affairs. result is that the modern man rests content Thus there is no gainsaying that the with this world; to him this world is all. He religion of today may be termed humanist knows only life on earth and goodness and ethics. The other day I read how a well- happiness are limited to creature comforts. known modern thinker (I am sorry to admit, In short, earthly life is the object and sole he is an Indian—but a disciple of the modern purpose of all his struggles and actions. West) remarked that communism as he has Even his religion is made subservient to seen it in Russia is the true practical religion, fulfil his purpose on earth. for it does not merely believe in doing good, This last statement, of course, does not but it actually helps and does good to apply to Christianity in its original form. The mankind. It is not that I have anything central idea in the teachings of Christ, like against communism, or as a matter of fact Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture February 2019 7 SWAMI PRABHAVANANDA against any form of government. It is not inspirers; for who could have been drawn to within my sphere to judge any system. But to such great ones if their deep love for identify any existing form of government mankind were not seen? Their very lives with religion is going too far. And the reason were sacrifices on the altar of God as for this misunderstanding is that religion has humanity. Pandit Shivanath, though he been identified with humanist ethics. denounced the samàdhi of Ramakrishna, yet Does not modern Christianity teach was attracted to him for his great love, his adoration of God, a personal relationship great sympathy and toleration. Romain with God? Certainly it does. But to what Rolland saw how the spirit of Ramakrishna extent? Is it only ‘tinged by emotion,’ to rose ‘in the fullness of joyous and borrow a phrase of Matthew Arnold? If the harmonious power to mighty realizations for modern man prays at all, his prayer consists the benefit of humanity.’ Ramakrishna’s of petitions to enrich himself on earth, and heart indeed bitterly wept at the suffering he hands over to God a few thanks for and ignorance of mankind. The disciple allowing him to live on earth. In short, he Vivekananda, the torch-bearer of his professes faith in God, but does not care to Master’s message, said that he did not even devote himself to Him, nor does he care to care for his own liberation if only he understand the words of Jesus when he said: could give liberation to one individual soul. ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with Christ died on the cross for suffering all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with humanity. Buddha denied himself the throne all thy mind.’ In fact, if a modern man of a mighty kingdom that he could bring dares to love God with the intensity that eternal life to mankind. Indeed the lives of Christ speaks of he will be considered a spiritual men and women bring immense spiritual freak. blessings to all. I have defined Western religion as humanist ethics. This ethical life of the What kind of benefit? majority of the intellectuals of today is, But the question still remains, what kind however, guided by customs and social of benefit and blessings do these great ones behaviour, external to himself. Stress is laid bring? Are they philanthropists, and are their not upon self-control, or inner check, with a lives devoted to social, political and economic view to regenerating one’s own self, but regeneration? In short, are they interested in upon external decorum.
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