Social philosophy of Swami Vivekananda

by Baruah Debajit | 2017 | 87,227 words

This study deals with Swami Vivekananda’s social philosophy and his concept of religion. He was the disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Important subjects are discussed viz., nature of religion, reason and religion, goal of religion, religious experience, ways to God, etc. All in the context of Vivekananda....

Chapter 3.7 - Religion and Reason

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In his philosophical expositions of religion Swami Vivekananda pays first reverence to Reason. In a statement, he asserts-‘Is religion to justify itself by the discoveries of reason, through which every other science justifies itself? Are the same methods of investigation, which we apply to sciences and knowledge outside, to be applied to the science of Religion? In my opinion this must be so, and I am also of opinion that the sooner it is done the better. If a religion is destroyed by such investigation, it was then all the time useless unworthy superstition; and the sooner it goes the better. I am thoroughly convinced that its destruction would be the best thing that could happen.”^[1] Depending on the results of such investigations he confidently adds, “All that is dross will be taken off, no doubt, but the essential parts of religion will emerge triumphant out of this investigation. Not only will it be made scientific-as scientific, at least, as any of the conclusions of physics or chemistry-but will have greater strength, because physics and chemistry has no internal mandate to vouch for its truth, which religion has.”^[2] Thus it has been understood from the above lines of Vivekananda that he wanted religion to be based on reason. In his view if any religion fails to justify its validity through reason then it will be useless for us. Such a religion is unworthy superstition.

Regarding the question how exactly speaking religion satisfies reason, Vivekananda points out that the first principle of reasoning is that the particular is explained by the general until we come to the universal. A second explanation of knowledge is that the explanation of the thing comes from inside and not outside. Elucidating the second principle further he says, “…what is meant by science is that the explanations of things are in their own nature, and that no external beings or existences are required to explain his phenomenon. The chemist never requires demons, or ghosts, or anything of that sort to explain his phenomenon. The physicist never requires anyone of these to explain the things he knows, nor does any other scientist. … Every science wants its explanation from inside.”^[3]

In his opinion religion can satisfy both these essential principles of rationality- (1) the principle of generalization, and (2) the principle of immanent change. As to how the first principle is satisfied he says that the generalization principle ought to be satisfied along with the principle of evolution. We have to come to an ultimate generalization. This ultimate generalization will not only be the most universal of the generalizations, but out of which everything else must come. It is Vivekananda’s conviction that the Brahman of the Vedanta fulfills that condition, because Brahman is the last generalization to which we can come to. Brahman has no attributes but Existence, Knowledge and Bliss. “Existence”, he explains, “… is the very ultimate generalization which the human mind can come to.”^[4] What we mean by knowledge is what we see in the universe as the essential unity of things. This oneness is the one fact that is being proved by modern science. Thus Vedanta satisfied the first principle of generalization.

So far as the second principle is concerned, he says that Vedanta satisfied this principle also. According to him the explanation of a thing comes from within itself is completely satisfied by Vedanta. The Brahman of Vedanta has nothing outside of Himself; nothing at all. All this indeed is He. He is the whole universe or He is the universe Himself. Therefore all the change that is perceived by us in the universe is only immanent, that is manifestations of the Brahman.

Thus Vivekananda’s concept of religion which is based on Vedanta satisfies completely the principles of reasoning so that it may be acceptable to all in the modern age. This concept is revolutionary in the sense that it meets all the challenges of modern science and principles of reasoning. It is certainly a revolutionary concept that religion itself is a science.