Plato and Vedic Idealism

Swami Paramananda

• Publisher: Borodino Books
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9781789124392
• Topic: Teología y religión
• Subtopic: Budismo

Vedanta, along with Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, and Mimamsa, is one of the six Hindu theist philosophies. It focuses heavily on the Upanishads, which center concepts such as Brahman (ultimate reality) and Atman (soul, self).
In Plato and Vedic Idealism, which was first published in 1924, Swami Paramananda explores similarities between Greek philosophy, with emphasis on Plato, and Vedic philosophy.

PART II—Platonic Myths and Vedic Parables

“There are neither two gods, nor three, nor four, nor ten. He is One and only One and pervades the whole universe. All other things live, move and have their existence in Him.”

—Atharva-Veda.

PLATONIC MYTHS AND VEDIC PARABLES

IN his “Chips from a German Workshop” Max Müller dwells with great emphasis on the “value of the Veda for the purpose of comparative mythology, a science which, without the Veda,” he declares, “would have remained mere guess-work, without principles and without a safe basis.” No one can read the legends, tales, myths and parables of the different peoples without perceiving the strong analogies existing in them. These analogies presuppose close kinship of thought and feeling, and create a point of unity among the various races of the East. For this reason they have a useful part to play in all effort towards unity. I have given in the pages which follow analogous myths of Plato and parables from the Vedic Scriptures, laying a little more stress on the Indo-Aryan parables, because they are less familiar to Western readers. Such parallel allegories could be multiplied many times, but these will suffice to show the strong resemblances found between them, both in form and context.

In compiling this section of the book, I have made use of translations of many orientalists, chiefly of Max Müller’s most valuable work “Chips from a German Workshop.” In a few instances I have made slight additions and alteration of language to make the thought more comprehensible.

I—THE SOUL IN ITS COURSE

“IT is not a Tale of Alcinous I will tell thee, but the story of a mighty man, Er, the son of Armenius, of the nation of the Pamphylians.

“It came to pass that he fell in battle; and when the corpses were taken up on the tenth day already stinking, he was taken up sound; and when they had carried him home and were about to bury him, on the twelfth day, being laid on the pyre, he came to life again; and began to tell of the things which he saw there.

“He said that when his soul went out, it journeyed together with a great company, and they came unto a certain ghostly place wherein were two open mouths of the earth hard by each other, and also above, two mouths of heaven, over against them; and judges were seated between these, who, when they had given their judgments, bade the righteous take the road which leadeth to the right hand and up through heaven; and they fastened tablets on them in front, signifying the judgments; but the unjust they sent by the road which leadeth to the left hand and down, and they also had tablets fastened on them behind, signifying all that they had done. But when he himself came before the judges they said unto him that he must be for a messenger unto men concerning the things there, and they charged him straitly that he should give diligence to hear and see all the things in the place.

“Now, he told how that he beheld the souls departing, some by one of the mouths of heaven, and some by one of the mouths of earth, when judgment had been given unto them; also how that he beheld souls returning by the other two mouths, some coming up from the earth travel-stained, covered with dust, and some coming down from heaven, pure. And he said that all, as they came, being come belike from a long journey, turned aside with joy into the Meadow and encamped there as in a congregation; and they that were acquaintances greeted one another, and they questioned one another. They that were come from the earth questioned them that were come from heaven concerning the things there, and in like manner they that were come from heaven questioned the others concerning the things that had happened unto them. So they discoursed with one another,—some of them groaning and weeping when they called to mind all the terrible things they had suffered and seen in their journey under the earth—and others of them, to wit, those which were come from heaven, telling of blessings and marvelous fair sights. He said that their journey was for a thousand years.

“Time would fail me, O Glaucon, to relate all that he said, but the sum thereof was this:—That according to the number of the wrongs which each man hath ever done, and the number of them who he hath wronged, he payeth penalty for all in their course, ten times for each:—now, it is every hundred years that he payeth, for a hundred years are counted for the lifetime of a man: so is it brought to pass that the price of evil-doing is paid tenfold. Thus if certain caused the death of many by betraying cities or armies and casting men into bondage, or taking part of other iniquity, they are recompensed tenfold with torments for each one of these things; but if any have done good unto other men, and have been just and religious, they in the same measure receive their rewards...

“Thence, Er said, each man, without turning back, went straight on under the throne of Necessity; and when each, even unto the last, was come out through it, they all together journeyed to the plain of Lethe, through terrible burning heat and frost; and this plain is without trees or any herb that the earth bringeth forth.

“He said that they encamped, when it was already evening, beside the River of Forgetfulness, the water whereof no pitcher holdeth. Now, it was necessary that all should drink a certain measure of the water; but they that were not preserved by wisdom drank more than the measure; and as each man drank, he forgot all. Then he said that when they had fallen asleep and midnight was come, there was thunder and an earthquake, and of a sudden they flew up thence unto divers parts to be born in the flesh, shooting like meteors. But he himself was not suffered to drink of the water; yet by what means and how he came unto his body he knew not; but suddenly he opened his eyes, and lo! it was morning, and he was lying on the pyre.

“Thus, O Glaucon, was the Tale preserved from perishing, and it will preserve us if we believe in it; so shall we pass over the River of Lethe safely, and keep our souls undefiled.

“This is my counsel: let us believe that the soul is immortal, and able to bear all ill and all good, and let us always keep to the upward way and practice justice in all things with understanding, that we may be friends both with ourselves and with the gods, both whilst we sojourn here and when we receive the prizes of our justice, like unto conquerors at the games which go about gathering their wagers; and that both here, and in the journey of a thousand years of which I told, we may fare well.”—From Plato’s Republic.

*****

He who, at the time of death, thinking of Me alone, goes forth, leaving the body, he attains unto my Being. There is no doubt in this.

O son of Kunti, whatever state or being one dwells upon in the end, at the time of leaving the body, that alone he attains, because of his constant thought of that state or being.

Therefore, at all times, think of Me and fight (perform actions). Having offered thy mind and intellect to Me, thou shalt without doubt come unto Me.

O son of Pritha, by the steadfast practice of meditation with unwavering mind (not moving elsewhere) and constant thought of the Supreme Divine Being, one goes to Him.

He who thinks upon the Omniscient, the Ancient, the Ruler, the minutest of the minute, the Sustainer of all, whose form is inconceivable, self-effulgent like the sun, and beyond the darkness of ignorance;

He who thus meditates on Him at the time of death, with unflinching mind, possessed with devotion, fully fixing the Prana (life-breath) between the eyebrows by the power of Yoga, he attains to the Supreme Divine Being.

That which the knowers of Veda (Truth, Wisdom) speak of as imperishable, that which the unattached Sannyasins (self-controlled renouncers) enter into, by desiring which they practice Brahmacharya (life of continence and service), that state I shall declare unto thee in brief.

Closing all the gates of the senses, confining the mind in the heart, and fixing the Prana in the head (between the eyebrows), thus engaged in the practice of concentration (Yoga);...he attains the supreme goal.

He who is without any other thought but Me, who remembers Me daily and constantly, O Partha, I am easily attained by that ever-devoted Yogi.

The great-souled ones, having reached Me, do not come to rebirth, the ever-changing abode of misery, for they have attained the highest perfection...

O Prince of the Bharata race, now I shall declare to thee that time, at which in departing (leaving t...

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• MAKER OF THE BEAUTIFUL
• I-GREEK PHILOSOPHY AND INDIAN THOUGHT
• II-SECOND PERIOD OF GREEK THOUGHT
• III-PLATO AND VEDIC IDEALISM
• IV-CONCEPTION OF THE SOUL AND ITS IMMORTALITY
• PART II-Platonic Myths and Vedic Parables
• CONCLUSION
• REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER