Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Reconstruct religion in accordance with the intellectual climate

These  principles  echo  Haridas  Chaudhuri’s  statements  regarding  the inevitability  of  religion  as  well as  the  need  for  us  to  “reconstruct”  religion  to contemporary  issues.  In  his  book,  Modern  Man’s  Religion  (1966),  he thoughtfully  noted:   
"Religion  is  an  autonomous  function  of  the  spirit.  It  can hardly  be  replaced  by  any  non-religious  discipline.  That which  seeks  to  replace  religion  in  a  radically  atheistic and  anti-religious  mood  begins  soon  to  function  as  a special  kind  of  religion.  So  the  great  need  of  our  day  is not  to  reject  religion  but  to  reconstruct  it  in  accordance with  the  intellectual  climate  and  the  specific requirements of existence (ix)." -----. 1984  [1966].  Modern  Man’s  Religion.  San  Francisco:  Cultural Integration  Fellowship.   
[Educating for Peace: The Founding Vision of CIIS  By Joseph Subbiondo, President of the California Institute of Integral Studies] http://cejournal.org/issue-72012-2   

Savitri Era of those who adore, Om Sri Aurobindo & The Mother.
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Location: Shipra Riviera, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201014, India

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Resisting the hegemony of muscular Hindutva

  2. I thought the conversation had attained closure.

    Thanks for the links. I had a hard time reading it as the revulsion was overwhelming. Nevertheless I drew solace from the fact that the idea still remains in the ‘propaganda’ phase even after 7 years.

    I again take refuge in Their words.

    Posted below is Her reply to the following question-

    'Many people say that the teaching of Sri Aurobindo is a new religion. Would you say that it is a religion?'

    "People who say that are fools who don’t even know what they are talking about. You only have to read all that Sri Aurobindo has written to know that it is impossible to base a religion on his works, because he presents each problem, each question in all its aspects, showing the truth contained in each way of seeing things, and he explains that in order to attain the Truth you must realise a synthesis which goes beyond all mental notions and emerge into a transcendence beyond thought.

    So the second part of your question is meaningless. Besides, if you had read what was published in the last Bulletin, you could not have asked this question.

    I repeat that when we speak of Sri Aurobindo there can be no question of a teaching nor even of a revelation, but of an action from the Supreme; no religion can be founded on that.

    But men are so foolish that they can change anything into a religion, so great is their need of a fixed framework for their narrow thought and limited action. They do not feel secure unless they can assert this is true and that is not; but such an assertion becomes impossible for anyone who has read and understood what Sri Aurobindo has written. Religion and Yoga do not belong to the same plane of being and spiritual life can exist in all its purity only when it is free from all mental dogma."

    There is nothing more I have to say.
  3. Just back after watching a movie in a Mall titled, "Welcome Back." It's a foolish film, but there seems to be a market for it. Even The Mother recognised people's need for religion, and, in a way, foresaw that Sri Aurobindo's teaching will be turned into a religion. As long as minkind is in a foolish stage, the role of religion remains very crucial. Resisting the hegemony of muscular Hindutva, for instance, is a significant task for the Savitri Era Religion at present. Thus, there are both sides to it which should, ideally, be examined in an article format, an example being:
    http://www.thelivesofsriaurobindo.com/2015/06/hijacking-sri-aurobindo-by-rajesh-patel.html
    http://www.hinduhumanrights.info/sri-aurobindo-indias-greatest-mystical-visionary/
  4. Savitri Era of those who adore, Om Sri Aurobindo & The Mother.
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Saturday, September 5, 2015

Light and Truth in search of a name

For some strange but hopefully good reason, I do not share your confusion with ‘in the light’. Nor do I see any difficulty in defining it. When the Beings in question have left behind volumes of written material, painstakingly documenting, clarifying, illuminating their vision, the path to be followed and the goal to be achieved, it leaves no scope for anyone to supplement it with any embellishments. Neither with opinions of the eminent judiciaries, nor with some (scholarly) biographies, least of all, with the ‘imagination' or ‘dreams' of the followers.

Also, I am not able to comprehend the necessity of a ‘phrase' which becomes 'popular and endures’. It is true that Sri Aurobindo and the Mother are the radiating centres of Light which attracts souls who aspire to participate in their Work, and consequently, a spiritual community has come into existence. But Work which consists in Supramental advent or Transformation of consciousness is defined by how far this community progresses in their inner journey, their Sadhana. Not by what the community chooses to call themselves or how accessible they are for the ‘younger generation’. 

Truth which is at the mercy of nomenclature, is hardly any Truth. 

Nevertheless, if nomenclature becomes ‘mandatory', it is best to avoid the one term (‘religion’) which is not just misleading but in direct contradiction with His words.

No doubt, you have stated your case (or, rather verdict) with clarity but it seems to me that it's out of sync with reality. I'd, however, prefer to wallow in my "confusion" and continue to propagate Savitri Era Religion with full conviction, since everyone is entitled to his or her inspiration (or, stupidity). [TNM55]

Savitri Era of those who adore, Om Sri Aurobindo & The Mother.
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