Six Billion Selves
What would you have to say if I were to tell you that the solution to the population explosion (seen as a whole globally) lies in our collective and individual Karma? Sounds absurd but merits an examination.
Let's begin at the roots. Hindu philosophy claims that we are all projections of that higher Being. The Brahman is the universal set to which our souls (human & non-human) belong to. The human souls commit vices that keep them bereft of the moksha from the birth-death-birth cycle, thus ensuring that humans keep generating themselves (as moksha can be attained only in human life). The humans also fell trees, kill animals for food and otherwise and crush more insects under them thus leaving these souls free for their next avatar that could very well be human!
Thus the human population will only increase as:
- Human souls keep regenerating themselves in the absence of an exit from this world
- Non human souls give rise to humans at a rate faster than the reverse rate due to the former's shorter life span on an average which is either natural or human induced
posted by Kunal Gulati @ 4:08 PM
12 Comments:
Great... awesome theory... but i guess you came to a conclusion too soon...cuz u see... the concept of "Sin" is too relative...so what may be sin from the purview of one human being may be the ultimate source of moksha for the other... For example...while the buddhists think renunciation is the path to nirvana...protestantitism especially calvinism goes by the theory..."work is worship" only by fulfilling ones calling can one attain the position of the elect...the chosen one...( for Ref.look at Weber Max "the sociolgogy of religion" so in view of this multiplicity of constructs...dont u think ur unilinear theory of sin...is a little wanting???
Hmm....What is interesting is that 'renunication' is a concept that can't be understood as per the english language. Renunciation, as per Geeta would mean two things - either giving up everything material and leading an ascetic life OR doing your duty without an aspiration for the fruits of your labor...now that certainly fulfills the symmetrical nature of the universe, doesn't it? Hence, my theory isn't unilinear as such.
What do you mean by the symmetrical nature of the universe?Pray elucidate...Do you mean that it encompasses both the ends...namely working and being part of the world at one end and ascetism and renunciation of the material world at the other...???
The concepts of renunciation as per the geeta that you have stated both mean the same things ultimately; Ascetics visibly stay away from all material wants and working without expectation of the fruits of your labour brings forth the same passivity to material wants...
However the religious ethic of protestantism that i had stated earlier does not expect the individual to work sans expectations...It expects one to be the best...to work towards personal success and that cant be sans expectations u see...
There is of however a similarity between the two...i.e the notion of geeta and protestantism...that the ultimate success in both situations is to be considered as the "chosen one"...
Awaiting ur commentz on this...
1. The post is based on Hindu philiosphy
2. The Geeta elucidates two paths to enlightnment - it assures that both the paths can lead to the ultimate reality. These paths are Ascetism and Family Life. The latter means that the yogi enjoys family life and at the same time does not crave for results. He just offers his duties to the Divine. This could be an opportunity for you to read the Geeta
3. Every matter in the Universe has its opposite, this leads to symmetry which is the status quo of the universe
4.There may be a difference between the word of God and what the religious sects or the Church may make it to mean - they are afterall interpretations just as I offer you mine
5. Personal Success (the goal) could be interpreted in many ways - one of which could be working towards your release from this Universe, which is what Hindu Philosophy would endorse.
What is the word of God? Is there any ultimate word of god...i guess all we have acccess to are various interpretations of it...now which of them we consider the "Word of god" varies according to our subjective situations and our orientataion which is again somewhat guided by our socialization... so hence i guess what you are trying to emphasize is not wrong...not at all...but that is a singular standpoint...there may be many such standpoints... hence i said ur theory sounded too unilinear... not open perhaps to multiple interpretations...
For example u said every action/word has an opposite...we in sociology call it "binary opposition"...but u talk about symmetry and me as a sociologist will say...binary oppositions helps us to distinguish something from what it is not...hence making its identity more certain n specefic... so basically what i am trying to say is that ur viewpoints are true but from a certain theoretical paradigm only...In a world full of a multiplicity of paradigms...u have to leave room for multiple interpretations...
Hope i am making myself comprehendable...
Commentz are welcome
1. What you stated is a sore point with atleast the Abrahamic Religions - The followers of Islam believe that Koran is the final word of God and Christianity is either a polluted version of what Jesus preached or it was a step, the final step culminating in the Koran. My view point - God has communicated with his creation at multiple times in history with different races in their language - I hold all of that valid. Others are free to disagree
2. Protons have electrons, matter has antimatter, positive charge has negative charge, man has a woman...opposites to every matter is possible.
3. I think socialization strongly influences our beliefs. However, I believe in God's ultimate power & hence I know people who suddenly get reoriented coz they believe that God sent them a personal message to unbelieve what they believed till then & vice versa.
I also feel that we are digressing from the points raised in the blog! Maybe I should dedicate a posting to all the points that have been raised in the comments :)
Well...even God is a construct of our selves...he/she is an antithesis to the human self...he/she is all that we are not...depending on our cultural and social surroundings we manifest this concept with all the qualities that are beyond us...
Each one of us has various constructs and religion is just a visible manifestation an ordered grouping that transmits these manifestations across generations of followers such that they become sanctified by way of habitual following over time...
So, you are coming around to the duality concept.
What you stated now as a sociologist is not what I individually subscribe to...For me its a mere theory coz God is what is real. There is no debate possible on his existence.
And religion may be something that is organized, however, God, I believe is above all of these groupings - there is afterall just ONE God, and thats the subject matter of this blog!
Am sorry...if i was incorrect in interpreting you .. but i started commenting on this blog merely because as i read it ...it appeared to me that you were not talking from the point of view of there being one god... u were talking from the point of view of Karma as it is viewed in the hindu philosophy... Hence i started by saying that u were being unilinear.... but now u talk of one god....tis obfurscating...
Dear commentor, my blog is on spirituality and I promote the concept of ONE God through this space!
I think you confused the word blog for this post :)
Sanatan Dharma is the oldest culture in the world, and there was a time when it was spread throughout the world. People can find swastika in every culture like the American Indians, Greece, troy, Italy, Russia and many other countries have this symbol. Look at the 108 symbols of god in Sanatan Dharma and their origin. Things will become very clear about the origin of humanity in this world. It is time to free ourselves from the lies and deception spread throughout the world about our culture.
Dont forget, even today in Sanskrit and Hindi the words for Divorce and any other abusive words do not exist. Yet it contains words like Yantra ( machine) and Vimana ( air-craft), which existed far before the western civilization constructed aircraft themselves.
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