Philosophical perspectives-I

Hinduism is one of the most complex religions the world has ever seen.There are so many dogmas,belief systems and cults that one is often left confused as to whether Hinduism has a strong foundation or not.Some western historians conveniently come to the conclusion that Hinduism is nothing but an assimilation of assorted faiths.The Hindu on the street is often confused as to "which God is the most powerful one" and hops on from one faith system to another,thus making himself vulnerable to nefarious elements.

Such confusion is basically due to ignorance.Due to the lack of the understanding that every religion is based on philosophy.Its philosophy which determines how a religion looks at the world,its being and formulates rules and regulations regarding the conduct of the adherents of a particular faith.

I still remember what i read in Class VIII in zoology.
The zoology text book asked,

 "What is life?"

It went on to add that it was difficult to define life and so they chose the easier option of studying life,rather than enquiring about the meaning of life.

That was probably the first time i had come across the question.I was to come across the same question several times from then on.While am unsure as to whether anybody has ever found out the exact answer,i think it would be worth while to approach the question from the Hindu perspective as it is the Hindu who seems the most confused person on Earth today,without an identity or proper guidance. 

It doesn't need a philosopher to tell us that whatever action we perform in our lives,the goal is happiness.This applies to every being on Earth,from the tiny ant to the gigantic elephant.It is that desire for happiness that drives every being into action.

Now,why is it that that all living being crave for happiness?What makes them shun the other state of mind-sadness.After all,happiness and sadness are two states of mind.Why is it that one state is always shunned and that the other is always preferred,at all points of time in our lives???

Common sense makes us answer,"It our nature to be so".

Philosophy doesn't stop at this.The next question is,

"WHY is it our nature to be so???"

This question is the foundation on which Hindu philosophy is built.............

The Hindu scriptures themselves endeavor to give us an answer to this question.

The answer given by the scriptures is that all living beings have evolved from bliss.Just as how a calf separated from the cow always struggles against the binds of the ropes to reach the mother cow,in the same way all living beings go in search of the source from which they have all evolved.

Birds fly.Deer run.Snakes crawl.Hyenas laugh........All in search of one goal-happiness----in other words,the source from which they've all been derived.They may or may not know that they're running in search of the source from which they've been derived from.Still,they run more and more.

Though they have the feeling to reach the source from which they have evolved from,they are blinded by ignorance and don't know the way to reach that source.Still they run.And they continue to run............

This ignorance makes them run after pleasure and happiness,instead of bliss.The big danger in running after pleasure and happiness is that they are not permanent.Every joy which we experience in this world of ours is temporal and fleeting.

From the simplest of joys to the most animal pleasures,every thing is fleeting.

The sweet tastes good only until it is digested.Once that sweet is digested,we want another.Then another and another.

The scriptures proclaim that such pleasures are worthless,as they are temporary.And there's no means of being satisfied as long as we run after such temporal pleasures.

The aim of the scriptures is to show man the way to that bliss which is permanent.As long as joy is temporary,it will only end in dissatisfaction.This is why the scriptures ask us to root out desire.It is not as if the ancient sages wanted us to be deprived of our temporal pleasures.They wanted to show us the way to ever lasting bliss.....

Thiru moolar,a  tamil saint proclaims in the thiru manthiram,
 "ஆசை அறுமின் ஆசை அறுமின் "
("Root out desire.Root out desire")
We are asked to root out desires for the simple reason that we will crave for pleasure only when there is desire.The sages who leave all worldly desires and go in search of some lonely secluded spot don't do so as they are disgusted with the world.They do so as they are desirous of a greater happiness,and ever lasting bliss.And it is those sages who guide mankind towards a peaceful and joyous living.

What is the path shown by the sages?
What is that bliss which has been merely written upon in this post?
What is the message of the scriptures?
Is the Hindu religion merely for those who want to live a spiritual life or does it have some thing for everyone?

These are of course,difficult questions which require in depth analysis.I hope we shall be able to answer these questions as well as those that which might crop up in the future as we move along this new series,inspite of my rather shoddy knowledge and lunatic tendencies.Comments and criticisms are always welcome.

(To be continued)...........