Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies Volume 8 Article 5 January 1995 Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Hindu-Christian Dialogue Michael Stoeber Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs Part of the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Stoeber, Michael (1995) "Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Hindu-Christian Dialogue," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 8, Article 5. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1110 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]. Stoeber: Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Hindu-Christian Dialogue SRI RAMAKRISHNA, SWAl\II VIVEKANANDA, AND HINDU-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE* Michael Stoeber The Catholic University of America IN THE LATE smnmer of 1993, noted for his interests in Buddhism, representatives of the major religions of the Sikhism, J ainism, Islam, and Christianity. world met in interfaith dialogue in Chicago, Indeed, his experiences of elements of these to celebrate the centenary of the 1893 different faiths led him to advocate a World's Parliament of Religions. The 1893 common divine Reality behind the many Parliament was remarkable, both in its forms of religiousness, despite the many magnitude and its purpose: it brought differences between traditions. He once together forty-one denominations and over commented, for example: four hundred men and women in a forum of A lake has several ghats [bathing mutual teaching and learning. 1 That is to places]. At one the Hindus take water in say, its formal purpose was reciprocal pitchers and call it "jal"; at another the dialogue, something rather unusual for the Mussalmans take water in leather bags 19th century, when interfaith preoccupations and call it "pani". At a third the of the time still normally focused on Christians call it "water". Can we proselytism. imagine that it is not "jal", but only Swami Vivekananda attended the 1893 "pani" or "water"? How ridiculous! Parliament as a representative of Hindu The substance is one under different Vedanta. Vivekananda was a most popular names, and everyone is seeking the and noted speaker of the event, and his same substance; only climate, temperament, and name create efforts during and following the 1893 differences. Let each man follow his Parliament contributed significantly to the own path. If he sincerely and ardently introduction of Hindu beliefs and practices wishes to know God, peace be unto 2 to the western world. And we see the him! He will surely realize Him!3 influence today, in the many Ramakrishna Math and Mishna centres throughout the Sri Ramakrishna's involvement in world. Indeed, Vivekananda carried various faith traditions was primarily that of interfaith dialogue far beyond the borders of practice, and in this respect he was most India, emphasizing in this context an active involved in the spiritual experiences that social orientation and concern in his these religions espouse. He was a profound development of Hindu Vedanta. mystic, which is to say most generally, he His mentor and guru, Sri Ramakrishna, experienced in trance state union various was himself an early advocate of dialogue spiritual realities behind this phenomenal between traditions. Sri Ramakrishna's existence, realizations that radically affected his perception of himself, others and the interests in religion were truly eclectic: not 4 only was he involved in practices of various world. He possessed a tremendous vitality Hindu traditions such as Tantra, Advaita, and charisma, and in his lifetime he attracted disciples, including Vivekananda. Yoga, and Vai~1}avism, but he has also been Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin 8 (1995) 28-35 Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 1995 1 Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 8 [1995], Art. 5 Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Hindu-Christian Di.alogue 29 The interfaith leanings of his teacher no ceremony or reflection. And finally, there is doubt inspired Vivekananda' s interest and the "dialogue of action" - of social concerns participation in the 1893 World's Parliament and commitment, of coming together to of Religions. For example, Ramakrishna's improve living conditions or for the sake of view of the universality of all authentic the victims of poverty and social injustice. 6 religions was echoed by Vivekananda in a The dialogue of theology is perhaps the hymn he recited in his response to the initial stumbling block in Vedantin-Roman welcome at the Parliament: Catholic relations, given the many variations As the different streams having their of dogma between the two traditions. There sources in different places all mingle are obvious differences on various issues of their water in the sea, so, 0 Lord, the theological belief. To name a few: the different paths which men take through nature and status of Jesus; the role and different tendencies, various though they importance of the Church; afterlife beliefs; appear, crooked or straight, all lead to the ideas of sin, grace, karma, and samstira; Thee. 5 the role of sacraments and the clergy; and In this paper I want to focus briefly on the nature and status of the Divine. the contributions of Vivekananda and This last issue is quite central, and has Ramakrishna to interfaith dialogue, as these been a subject over the years of some pertain to religious experience - especially controversy. Is the Divine of the Vedantins to their mysticism - and socio-moral the same all-powerful, all-loving, all­ practice. I will concentrate on their claims benevolent Creator conceived by Roman of a common core of religion, evaluating the Catholics? Indeed, when Catholic and possibility as well as the implications of Vedantin theologians come together to such a perspective on Hindu-Christian dialogue about the Divine, are they speaking dialogue, focusing specifically on that of the same thing? between Vedantins and Roman Catholics. To begin to think this issue out a bit, we What do I mean by interfaith dialogue? should note first that for both Vedantins and General but helpful distinctions have been Catholics the Divine is not to be regarded as proposed by the Pontifical Council for Inter­ a phenomenal and distinctive "thing". Religious Dialogue. The Council sees four Although some believers tend to objectify interrelated levels of dialogue. Interreligious the Divine, to conceive and refer to Him or dialogue can exist at the routine level in Her as if He or She were a major discrete everyday community living between pe~ple phenomenon overseeing a creation of minor of different faiths. This is the conversation discrete phenomena, such reference is of openness and camaraderie - of a kind of misleading and inaccurate. God is not an neighbourliness, I suppose - "the dialogue individual person. Indeed, the Divine, in the of life". Today, with our many multicultural form of God or Brahman or I§vara or Sakti , communities, this kind of day-to-day is not an object of this world, but rather interaction is becoming extremely important. absolutely transcends all objects of creation. But dialogue also happens in more In fact, this Divine is quite beyond all theoretical contexts, in terms of "theological conceptualization and objectification. As exchange" - in discussions of beliefs about Vivekananda said at the 1893 Parliament , the Divine, or the relation of the human to the Absolute as absolute "cannot have any the Divine, or about morality; or spiritual qualities. It cannot be an individual".7 anthropology, and so on. Related to the In theological language this view of the dialogue of theology is the dialogue of Divine is understood as apophatic - as religious experience - of a sharing of prayer consisting of negative conceptions. The or meditation or contemplation - of an Divine is most accurately depicted over and interfaith gathering in worship or spiritual against everything It is not; "neti, neti - not https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol8/iss1/5 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1110 2 Stoeber: Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Hindu-Christian Dialogue 30 Michael Stoeber this, not that". Most properly, this Divine universe itself and all its living beings, cannot be described positively at all. It are the manifestations of Sakti, the surpasses positive ascription altogether. It is Divine Power. If you reason it out, you beyond all moral reference or personal will realise that all these are illusory as connotations. In Advaita Vedanta, this a dream. Brahman alone is the Reality, and all else is unreal. 12 Divine is nirguf}a: "Brahman is without qualifiers (nirvis~a), without form (arilpa), Although the created phenomenal realm, without change, without parts, without end what Advaitins come to call maya, is (advitfya or advaita)" .8 It is non-dual, significant on its own terms and from a without distinctive features and parts, and practical standpoint, it is regarded as inactive or non-creative. Brahman is ultimately illusory and unreal, and not relationless, and hence beyond personal and essentially connected and related to nirguf}a moral reference. It is a Reality which cannot Brahman; and the human essence is regarded relate or communicate because it is not as identical to nirguf}a Brahman. That is to distinct from anything else - because