I.2. India and the Coming Century
Part I.2
India
and the Coming Century
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Indian
Civilization in the Modern World
������ Indian or Bharatiya civilization is, if not the oldest, at least
the most continuous in the world. While ancient Egypt, Greece and Persia fell
and lost their cultures to outside influences thousands of years ago, India
uniquely continued its venerable ancient traditions throughout the centuries,
even under long periods of foreign rule. Those who look upon India as a
defeated land, therefore, are wrong. While India failed to win all the battles,
no other country won so many and refused to give in, even when defeated. Though
battered by time, Indian or Bharatiya civilization has better survived the
onslaughts of time than any other culture. It has done so not through military
force or missionary zeal�like the fierce opponents it has had to resist�but
through the dedication of its people to the spiritual practices set forth in
the region during ancient times. India is the perennial civilization of the
planet, present and conscious in every age.
In India today
one can still observe the same type of temple worship and fire offerings, with
beautiful images and profound rituals, that once existed throughout the ancient
world over two thousand years ago. One can discover the entire heritage and
history of the human race, particularly on a spiritual level, as a living
practice from the aboriginal worship of stones to the highest philosophy of
monism and Self-realization. The great traditions of Yoga and Vedanta, as well
as related health disciplines of Ayurveda and art forms of Indian music and
dance continue today as in the hoary past. The stories of Rama and Krishna, who
lived long before Buddha or Christ, still inspire the common people and provide
examples of how to live today with joy and integrity.
Yet India is not
only a land of the past but also of the future. The vision of a quantum
universe like that of modern science, where space and time a relative and the
universe is linked by wormholes, was foreseen by the great rishis and yogis of
the Himalayas long ago. The idea of transcending time and space to a universal
consciousness is the central theme of Vedantic philosophy going back to the Vedas and Upanishads at the dawn of Indian civilization. Yogic texts like the
Yoga Vasishta rival the latest
science fiction books, portraying a higher consciousness in which we can cross
time and space in an instant or understand telepathically the minds and hearts
of others. The Hindu Puranas abound
with stories of beings from other worlds, occult powers and many humanities
through different cycles of civilization of which our present civilization is
only one brief episode. The idea of many solar systems, many universes
(Brahmandas) and many cycles of cosmic creation and destruction lasting
billions and billions of years was arrived at by the Indian mind before
European civilization even existed. Such a vast vision remains the hallmark of
Indic thought that has a cosmic, not anthropocentric view, starting and ending
with the universe, not just with our limited human species.
India�s greatest
and most popular export to the modern world is undoubtedly the guru, the idea
of an enlightened master as a living reality, not just a special prophet or Son
of God who lived long ago. This has added a new dimension to the spiritual life
in the West, which is moving from the pursuit of salvation to the quest for
Self-realization as its determinative factor based upon an Indian influence.
Great Hindu gurus like Ramana Maharshi or Paramahansa Yogananda are lauded by
many in the West as being great as Jesus or St. Francis. Such teachers have
changed the spiritual landscape of the West permanently and radically.
Yet the Indian
genius is not simply limited to spiritual matters. Its scientific and
mathematical skills have made Indians successful in the computer and software
industry, which promises to be the new oil of the coming century. Indians have
also done well in engineering and in medicine, reflecting their inborn
intelligence and practical skills. In addition, India retains a rich culture in
many domains of life from food and textiles to music and dance that is having
an impact all over the world. Indian culture can compete well in any fair
marketplace, once the people of the country are set free of the oppressive
bureaucracy that limits their development. It is the only culture in the world
that maintains its roots in a yogic vision of totality.
India
and the Future
Clearly, the
coming global technological age, which is based on knowledge and information
and has a new spiritual and planetary orientation, is friendlier to India that
has always emphasized knowledge or vidya as the basis of culture. This is quite
different than the colonial and industrial era of past decades that was based
on heavy equipment and military might and was both anti-India and
anti-spiritual in nature. Hindus should recognize the opportunities of the new
era. They should give up the isolated ghetto mentality developed under foreign
rule, which made them mistrust foreigners, and learn once more to share and
expand their culture with joy and confidence. The Hindu tradition is Sanatana
Dharma (the Eternal Dharma) and has a global relevance that the time is ripe to
express and renew.
The new
information age is bringing a new global appreciation of Indian culture and the
inevitability of India as a major world power for the coming century. A diverse
subcontinent with a variety of peoples and traditions held together by a common
spiritual vision is a great strength for the future that no other country can
match. While the country of India still has a negative image in the world mind
today for poverty and overpopulation, being an Indian is a positive appellation
in the work field in the West where Indian scientists and software technicians
are highly regarded. This gap between the reputation of India and that of
Indians is now beginning to be bridged. Soon India as a country will be honored
as much as its spiritual traditions or its people overseas, providing of course
Indians embrace their own deeper tradition and cease to apologetically imitate
inferior cultures.
Indic
civilization is based upon the idea of the Atman or the Self as the highest
truth, our inmost consciousness and true nature beyond God, scriptures and
saviors. Its aim is to set the individual free from all mental and material
limitations, even those of religion. Nor does it see mere human scientific
innovation as the way to real and lasting progress for humanity. It looks
within to find the universe, not through an external lens but through our own
power of concentration, so that we are no longer dependent upon the outside
world for our well-being.
The Self or conscious
being exists in all nature, in plants and animals, the earth and the stars. In
the Vedic view, the cosmic person (Purusha) exists in the Sun, Moon, fire and
lightning, as the inner consciousness inherent in these outer forms of light.
We must honor this Self everywhere to find peace and make our right place in
the conscious universe. Mother India has preserved the knowledge and culture
based upon the Atman and its unfoldment. Now is the time to revitalize and
globalize this for the benefit of all, starting with India itself, which has
not yet embraced its real power or mission as a nation.
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