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. Truly has it been our world and its affairs? The modern man remarked by Antoine De Rivarol: ‘People will undoubtedly see in a Christ, a Buddha, or mean nowadays by a philosopher not the a Ramakrishna a lover of humanity, and a man who learns the great art of mastering his philanthropist, and thus appreciate these passions or adding to his insight, but the spiritual giants. But such appreciation is man who has cast off prejudices without misinterpretation. This may appear to many a acquiring virtues.’ very strange and rather bold statement. Now the question is, do not religions Nevertheless the fact remains that all spiritual teach service to mankind, love for one souls know that this world is a vanishing another? Is it not a fact that the lives of dream. They know that they are ‘not of this Buddha, Christ, Ramakrishna and other world.’ Thus they are interested neither in the spiritual souls have been the inspiration in world nor straightening its affairs. But what every age to deeds of love and benefit to they are concerned about is you and me and humanity? Very true. They were the every individual. Not to do us any earthly

8 Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture  February 2019 SRI RAMAKRISHNA, MODERN SPIRIT, AND RELIGION

good, not to give us the taste of life that ends has the jewel within himself. When he in death, not to give us happiness that lasts for knows it, his work in the outside world will a moment; but their concern is to lead us to drop away from him.’ that life which is eternal, to that joy which In this connection it would be knows no sorrow, to that knowledge which interesting to pass a few remarks on the brings liberation. They give their life-blood philanthropic and social service that the for humanity that man may wake up from his Ramakrishna Mission is doing in India and dream of ignorance of an earthly life and be which the intelligentsia and visitors to India born in the life in spirit. Therefore, such speak of highly. They recognize and praise spiritual souls are by no means humanists in our work as a great philanthropic deed. The the sense of those who believe that ‘this monks of the Ramakrishna Order are world is all and we must rest content with it’. regarded by many, who do not know our In the words of Swami Vivekananda the inner attitude, as great humanitarians. But world is like a ‘dog’s curly tail.’ You the fact is, none of the monks of the straighten it and it curls again; which does Ramakrishna Order regards himself as a not mean that we are to be indifferent to the humanitarian. His one ideal in life is to world’s sufferings any more than these great know God, and he knows that worship and ones were indifferent. meditation are the means to that end. When As they were not humanists in the he is engaged in the service of man he accepted sense, what may we ask is their knows he is worshipping God. This brings to attitude to this problem? Vivekananda taught my memory a very interesting incident man to serve man as God. To quote the which throws light on the subject. A young words of Christ: ‘For inasmuch as ye have disciple of Swami Vivekananda, being done it unto the least of these my brethren, inspired by the ideals of renunciation and ye have done it unto me.’ This teaching of service, devoted himself to the nursing of the Christ is often quoted to inspire people to sick and helping of the poor. From a very philanthropy and humanitarian works. humble beginning his work grew into a huge Emphasis is laid upon doing and not upon organization. The disciple was the head of the attitude with which we do. And that the institution for many years, which is one makes a world of difference. ‘Ye have done of the largest homes of service in India it unto me’—thus Christ taught us to under the Ramakrishna Mission. Swami worship God in suffering humanity. The Brahmananda, an immediate disciple of object, the ideal is to worship God, to serve Ramakrishna, and who was the leader of the Him. The building of hospitals and schools, Ramakrishna Mission at that time, kept and feeding the poor are but means to that watch over the spiritual progress of all the end. The modern man takes up the means as disciples and monks of the Order. When an end; the ideal is completely forgotten. Sri Swami found out that to this disciple, who Ramakrishna once said to a rich disciple of was the head of the home of service, work his, who was bent upon philanthropy: ‘If you became more important, he relieved him of see God, would you ask Him to build his duties and sent him away to practise hospitals and schools?’ About Vidyasagar, austerities and live exclusively the life of who was well-known for his humanitarian meditation. I record this incident here to work and was literally regarded as ‘the point out that the ideal of the Ramakrishna ocean of kindness,’ Sri Ramakrishna Mission has been from its inception to help remarked: ‘That man does not know that he man to attain God, to help him to be devoted

Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture  February 2019 9 SWAMI PRABHAVANANDA

to God and be absorbed in His love and Christ, which is to love God with all one’s knowledge. Service to mankind is the soul, heart and mind. Shun ego or worship of God, and as such is a means to selfishness and learn to dive deep within that end. Therefore, serving man, let us not yourself, for the Kingdom of God is within forget that this is but a form of worship. your own soul; then you find that it is the same God dwelling in the hearts of all. Brotherly love Universal love is thus attained, for ‘in that Now let me ask those who preach realization,’ to quote the words of the brotherly love and forget to love God with Upanishads, ‘you know that, the one Self all their heart, soul and mind, why is it that has become all.’ (Yashmin sarvàni bhutàni in spite of this teaching of love for mankind Atmaibabhut vijànatah.) ‘Love thy and service to humanity, when it actually neighbour as thyself,’ because thy neighbour comes to living, it does not work? How is it is thine own Self. Know this Self. that though one may sincerely wish to love Herein lies the cause of man’s the world, the reaction is the complete confusion. Emerson hit the nail on the head opposite, despite one’s will to the contrary? when he said: And man finds, by his contact with people, ‘There are two laws discrete that the ideal of universal love is not Not reconciled— practical. Yet as he looks at the lives of Law for man, and law for thing; Christ or Buddha or Ramakrishna he finds The last builds town and fleet, that they had this love in their hearts and to But it runs wild, them it was practical. To take an illustration And doth the man unking.’ from the life of Sri Ramakrishna: There The superficial humanists of today who were times in his life when he would feel regard this world as important, and earthly that treading the grass, the very grass itself pursuits as paramount, by seeing man merely would be hurt; for he saw everywhere the as a physical and mental being, know only of one life, his own Self. One time a boatman the ‘law for things’ and are ignorant of the was severely beaten by a cruel person and ‘law for man.’ For they ignore the truth that Ramakrishna cried out: Oh! how painful!’ there lies in man something more real, and the disciples saw marks of the beating something greater than is apparent in his on Ramakrishna’s person. Can we feel such everyday consciousness; they forget that there unity? Can we feel for humanity that way? is the Self in man, the Spiritual presence, We admire this love, we want to imitate such which is the source of life, thought and lives; but in practice we fail. And why? consciousness. And thus in the phraseology Today the philosopher and the man in of Emerson they ‘un-king the man.’ the street talk about unity and expansion; and they try to reach this unity by expanding No supreme purpose themselves, as it were, into space. But they Because of the ignorance of the Spiritual fail. To attain unity with all beings and to presence in man, the moderns have no love humanity, two things are needed which supreme purpose, no ideal or goal in life. And the modern man and thinker lack. The first is as such life to them has become meaningless, the check of inner passion, or self-control; and meaningless it will remain so long as they and the second is the art of diving deep take the physical self as the real man and within one’s own soul; in other words, the earthly pursuits as the be all and end all of following of the first commandment of life. The hunger for the eternal, the immortal

10 Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture  February 2019 SRI RAMAKRISHNA, MODERN SPIRIT, AND RELIGION

longings have thus been stilled by them. True realized after death, but it is perfection to be it is that preachers of religions ask man to attained on this earth, while living in the look forward to eternity in the midst of his body, moving and acting apparently like all earthly pursuits, but this looking forward is an ordinary human beings. ‘On this earth, the expectation to achieve the Kingdom of God mortal becomes immortal,’ says the Katha after he has lived his allotted time on earth. Upanishad. In the words of Christ: ‘But Though they may quote every day the whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall teachings of Christ that the ‘Kingdom of God give him . . . shall be in him a well of water is within’ and ‘is come nigh unto you,’ many springing up into everlasting life.’ Buddha do not believe that it can be attained while says: ‘Verily I say unto thee, the Tathagata living on earth. The result is that the lives in the pure land of eternal bliss even ‘Kingdom of heaven’ has begun to be looked now while he is still in the body.’ Shankara, upon as a grandma’s story. in his commentary on the Brihadàranyaka To understand the true spirit of any Upanishad writes: ‘One attains Brahman; religion and to appreciate the greatness of and he attains It here on earth and not after teachers like Christ, Buddha, or death of the body.’ (Ihaiva Brahmaiva san Ramakrishna, there is one thing most Brahma apyeti na sharira patat important which we must know and uttarakàlam.) recognize and which unfortunately the Is it then any wonder that man should modern thinker, as I have just mentioned, worship Christ, Buddha, or Ramakrishna as does not know and believe; and it is just this: embodiments of Godhead who not only had that there is a supreme purpose, a supreme attained this liberation in life and entered the goal, which can be achieved in life, ‘having Kingdom of God but could give that attained which no other acquisition seems of liberation to others by their touch? In our any value’ (Gità). The immortal longing of modern times we have witnessed the lives mankind is expressed in the prayer of the of the disciples of Ramakrishna who, as they Upanishads: ‘Lead us from the unreal to the came to the Master, testified how their real; lead us from the darkness to light; lead bonds of ignorance were severed and us from death to immortality.’ The immortal how they were illumined by his grace, by a longing of humanity is to attain the ‘eternal mere touch. amongst the non-eternals of life, the abiding, All true religions and all spiritual infinite joy in the midst of the fleeting teachers worth the name are emphatic in pleasures of life’ (Upanishads). And we pointing out that the one and only purpose of must know that this longing can really be human life and existence is to attain moksha satisfied on earth. The greatness of a or liberation, which is the same as perfection spiritual soul lies in the fact that he has and which is attained by entering the achieved this reality. The central theme of Kingdom of God within. ‘Be ye perfect,’says all true religions, and of all philosophy of Christ. ‘You are complete in Godhead,’ life, in one Sanskrit word, is jivanmukti, comments St. Paul. which can be interpreted as liberation in life, All spiritual wisdom in the world tells tasting the bliss of Brahman, or attaining the man that he can consciously unite himself Kingdom of God. Liberation from the with the divine while living in this body and bondages of life, the Kingdom of God, is not thus may attain perfection. For in each man a far-off ideal which may or may not be is God concealed. Purity, freedom,

Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture  February 2019 11 SWAMI PRABHAVANANDA

illumination, peace, perfection are all lesson and is awakened to the worth, the identical with the immortal Self which only golden treasure, the Kingdom of God which remains to be uncovered. ‘As people lies within the depths of his own soul. ignorant of a golden treasure that has been The man who loves and worships God hidden underground may walk over it again as separate from himself really gives and again and yet never find it, so all beings, devotion to Him who is the Self within. The though every moment living in Brahman, followers of the path of Love worship God never find him, for He is hidden by a as Father, Mother, Friend, or Beloved. All covering of ignorance. . . . Brahman is the Hindu worshippers know, however, that God Self within, untouched by any deed, ageless, whom they love and worship dwells within and deathless, free from grief, free from the Shrine of their own hearts. They call him hunger and thirst. The etheric centre within dehabhritam àtmà—the Self hidden within the heart, where dwells Brahman, is like a the body. St. Augustine was aware of it as boundary which separates That from the also are other true Christian devotees. What mundane world. Day and night do not cross is this Self which is identical with Brahman? that boundary, nor old age, nor death; A distinction should be made between the neither grief, nor pleasure, nor good deeds, apparent, phenomenal self, and the real Self, nor evil deeds reach That. All evil shuns which is divine. The Katha Upanishad That, because That is free and can never be which I quote here clearly explains the touched by any impurity.’ (Chàndogya philosophy of Self: Upanishad) ‘Both the individual self and the St. Augustine wrote: ‘I, Lord, went universal Self, the âtman, have entered the wandering like a strayed sheep, seeking thee cave of the heart, the supreme abode of the with anxious reasoning without, whilst thou Most High. Of these the former enjoys the wast within me. . . . I went round the streets pleasures within the realm of the body. The and squares of the city of this world seeking knower of Brahman, together with the thee, and found thee not, because in vain householders who observe the fire sacrifices, I sought without for him who was sees a difference between them as between within myself.’ the darkness and the light. To seek for the perfection in Godhead, to ‘Of the two selves—the illusory or seek for the truth that gives us freedom, is to individual self, of which all are aware, and seek for our true Self. Religion is not the real Self, which few know—it is as anything extraneous to ourselves that we have unchangeable being that the real Self is first to acquire, neither is it something which we recognized. He who has recognized it as may or may not believe, but it is something unchangeable being—to him will he living in the soul of each man. And as no man revealed its innermost nature. can jump out of himself, so no man can free ‘That which is awake in us even while himself from this living religion. Only it we are asleep, shaping (in dream) many remains hidden in most men and it awaits objects of desire, That indeed is pure, That is their finding. Mother Nature, however, is Brahman, and That verily is called Immortal. patient and she gradually leads each man by All the worlds have their beings in That and the hand to awaken in him ultimately that none can transcend That. That is the which is his birthright. Man may incarnate Immortal Self. again and again until he has learned his (Continued to page 16)

12 Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture  February 2019