Swami Vivekananda S History Of Universal Religion And Its Potential For Global Reconciliation

This book presents in the words of Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) a history of Vedanta, the deep exploration of the inner human world going back to the most ancient rishis or seers whose testimony is still revered in India. He traces the tradition up to the beginning of the twentieth century, showing how the dynamics of social structures within Vedanta and the appearance from within Vedanta of traditions such as Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism influenced and molded the tradition. In addition, he studies the impact of the Western, Abrahamic invasions of India that began around the eleventh century CE. These brought to bear on Vedanta a worldview which operated on the assumption that the physical world was the primary reality and that the kind of radical exploration of the inner world embraced by Vedanta was highly suspect and not valid. The Vedantic tradition adapted in many different ways, producing a variety of philosophical positions that are still extant today. Along with these traditions went various forms of yoga or self-transformation, in Vedanta the key to experiencing the inner meaning of not only philosophy, but also of our human condition, and of reality itself. This tradition presents four contexts of experience (chatushpad), suggesting the “right brain” mode of approach as described by Iain McGilchrist (2009). Under the influence of Shri Ramakrishna (1836-1886) Vivekananda gained access to vijnana or a knowledge higher than those classically described and known in the chatushpad. Vijnana permitted the acceptance of not only the traditional, deeply experiential truths of Vedanta, but also of the validity of Western materialism when seen as related to each other on a continuum of consciousness to be traversed by contemporary forms of yoga. I see the result as a resolution of “right-left” brain conflict à la McGilchrist and thereby a model for universal human understanding, conciliation and co-operation. In my introduction I attempt to show how the whole picture can be related both experientially and conceptually to matrices of consciousness developed in India as far back as the early medieval period. A large glossary and index-cum concordance indicate the various contexts and depths of thought that emerge from Vivekananda’s multi-contextual vijnana.

This book presents original research on the controversies surrounding animal sacrifice in South Asia through the lens of court cases. It focuses on the parties involved in these cases: on their discourses, motivations, and contrasting points of view. Through an examination of judicial files, court decisions and newspaper articles, and interviews with protagonists, the book explores how the question of animal sacrifice is dealt with through administrative, legislative, and judicial practice. It outlines how, although animal sacrifice has over the ages been contested by various religious reform movements, the practice has remained widespread at all levels of society, especially in certain regions. It reveals that far from merely being a religious and ritual question, animal sacrifice has become a focus of broader public debate, and it discusses how the controversies highlight the contrast between ‘traditional’ and ‘reformist’ understandings of Hinduism; the conflict between the core legal and moral principles of religious freedom and social progress; and the growing concern with environmental issues and animal rights. The Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 7 of this book are available for free in PDF format as Open Access from the individual product page at www.taylorfrancis.com. It has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International license. Funded by Centre National de la Recherche Scientific.

Present work is to explore the creative essence of human freedom and peace from intercultural perspective. Importance of thid publication lies in the ecaluation of the global ideas and outlook of Swami Vivekananda the World thinker done by distinguished scholars in India and abroad from scientific, philosophical, aesthetic, religious, sociological, ethical and many other multidimensional states of human existence in harmony. The First part of the book is to explian the impact of Swamij's Global Vision in guiding the humanistic changes of society. The Second part deals with the Cultivation of comprehensive system of thought in organising global philosophy. The Third part examines Swamiji's global idea with the expression of universality in an intercultural form. The Fourth part is a concluding evaluation of intercultural relation and understanding in a harmonious process of advancing the spirit of 'Unity in Plurality' with a prospect of developing global freedom and peace.

In this address delivered at Hardman Hall, Swami Vivekananda explores the concept of a universal religion from the Vedantic perspective. He argues that all religions are fundamentally the same in their essence, and that the goal of religion is to realize the divine within oneself. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The mutual enrichment and tolerance between Christianity and Hinduism should be an important theme in any discussion of interreligious co-existence, because of the influence of both religions in the present day world. But is there a meeting point between Christian absolutism and Hindu universalism? Can pluralism be a solution? If the claim of one religion does not contradict the claim of the other, why should a mutual recognition, tolerance and co-existence be impossible? Why cannot the followers of different religions live together as brothers and sisters of one single loving Father? These and many other similar questions are dealt with in this book.