Case 1
Matter Vs Spirit
Case History:
Western materialism considers
sense as the sole means of knowledge. Through application of sense data,
western materialism has achieved many fold development in the field of science
and technology. India's spiritual wisdom, on the other hand, relies on the
spirit as the foundation and basis of enquiry. Through this application, they
have built enormous treasure on the spiritual science.
Evidence:
The search for knowledge by the
materialists lead to the birth of industrial age, space age, digital age and
age of creativity. It paved the way for the exploration of space and to
overcome constraint of time to some extent. Instant communication, SMS, Email,
faster mode of transportation, visit to other planets and exploration by man in
those regions have made man - the ruler of nature.
Indian Spiritualists, on the
other hand, provided a firm foundation for the human culture. They have made
fundamental inquiry about man and his relation to the ultimate Reality.
They have shown that
Knowledge
surpasses sense by the higher powers of the Spirit
There
is creative function of mind which is shaping our knowledge
Material
reality is the transitory reality
This kind of inquiry has created
a great aspiration in man for Unity with Divine.
Concluding arguments:
Material only exists and the
spirit is the figment of imagination- Materialists
Spirit alone is the reality -
Ascetic
Reconciliation:
We need scientific approach. The
materialistic view helps us to approach issues objectively and scientifically.
This approach helps us to overcome superstition. To that extent, materialistic
view has helped humanity. However there are truths of life beyond materialistic
view. There are different levels - planes like, psychological and spiritual
which govern life's movement. Their part
in determining life is also important- something more important than
materialistic view.
Matter and spirit are the two
ends of the one indivisible Reality. Spirit is holding all the potentialities
of Matter.
Sri Aurobindo quotes the Upanishad, which declared long ago
" Matter itself is Brahman. Matter is the infinite". If we oppose either
Matter or the Spirit, we will end up either " a great bankruptcy of
Life" or " an equal bankruptcy in the things of the Spirit" . Matter involves life, mind and supermind. Matter
and spirit are fundamentally one thing, not divided; they are merely different
shadings of the reality, Brahman, the Absolute. Matter is the self-absorption
of the Divine as inconscient. To us Matter appears as inconscient because we do not see any sign of
conscious awareness on the surface – i.e. it does not respond to stimulation.
However there is consciousness in the matter but hidden from the surface. This
is because the consciousness of the One can never be destroyed, it can only be
concealed. Spirit is the source of Matter. Matter is the means of manifesting
Spirit in life.
For example, a stone is a matter
which is lifeless, inanimate or inconscient. Stones do not think or move. However our world process has started with
lifeless matter and has evolved overtime into life and mind. The Divine started
the creation with the world of inanimate matter and from there life has
emerged.
As per science, the lifeless
stone actually consists of millions of atoms revolving at a high speed. The sense of solidity is only
an illusion. It means it is very much active and alive.
The matter when perceived from
a)
Five senses - appears as object
b)
Scientific enquiry - appears as movement of atoms and molecules
c) Higher Consciousness - appears as energy
d)
Supramental Consciousness - appears as Spirit
Therefore the ascending series from
Matter to Spirit is -
Matter
to
Life -
to
Mind -
to
supermind -
to
the Spirit.
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