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Swami teaches... Science and spirituality

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Sai Ram

 

Swami teaches... (5 January 2005)

 

Science and Spirituality

 

The fundamental difference between science and spirituality is: Science is

concerned with investigating the external phenomenal universe. Spirituality is

engaged in exploring the innerworkings of the Divine. The scientist is one who

has an external vision. The one who has aninternal vision is a saint.

The scientist is the one who enquires into the nature of srishti (creation).

The saint is one whoseeks to know the Creator. The scientist is preoccupied only

with studying creation. However, once you understand the Creator, you can

understand the whole of creation.

 

Scientists today are accomplishing any number of things. But they are unable

to recognise the divine potency that exists in the human being. All human

beings are made up of the same (principal) elements, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen

and carbon, individuals vary in their mental and other qualities. What is the

reason for these innumerable differences? What is the (initial) force that is

behind these genetic differences? How do the scientists account for them? When

they are able to understand the reason for these infinite differences, the

scientists will achieve fullness in their knowledge. The truth is, no one can

determine the magnitude or range of the powers of the Divine.

An example of the difference between scientific truth and spiritual truth.

If you draw the figure of a circle, that which ends wherefrom it started in

the full circle has been described as Poornam (the full or the whole). The Full

Circle represents spirituality. For in it the end and the beginning are the

same. Spirituality knows no difference between beginning and end. The very term

Aadhyaatma means that which has no beginning or end. To understand what is

science, you cut the full circle into two halves. The left half is a semicircle

which resembles the English letter "C.C" is science, it begins at one point

and ends at another. Between these two points there is a big gap, which is

called agamyagocharam. It is beyond reach, invisible and incomprehensible.

Matter and Spirit may be regarded as two semicircles. The two parts have

been described in Vedantic parlance as Prakruthi and Paramatma. Scientists are

investigating matter and are ignoring the Spirit. (Today by holistic scientists

the first steps for integration of science with spirituality have done).

 

What is the new discovery that scientists have made today? All their

discoveries are of whatalready existed. Gravity ,for example has existed from

the beginning of creation. Newton sought to find out the laws governing

gravitation. He did not discover the phenomenonanew. He only found out what

already existed.

Scientists hold the view that matter is convertible into energy and vice

versa. But, in fact, the two are not separate. They are inseparably interlinked

and interdependent. The attempts to divide matter and energy have given rise to

many doubts and confusions.

Likewise, matter and energy have existed from the time of creation. Both are

comprehended by the mind only. Mind is the cause of experiencing joy or sorrow

and for comprehending matter and energy. Recognising this quality of the mind,

the sages declared: "The mind is the cause of liberation or bondage for

humanity."

Them are two concepts - Drishti (seeing) and Drishyam (that which is seen).

It is because of the power of sight that we are able to see the visible

objects. It is because the objects are there, we are able to see them. There is

thus an inextricable relationship between seeing and what is seen. Today, it is

because we separate seeing from the things seen that sorrow arises. Seeing and

that which is seen should become one.

 

(The theories of modern physics have reached near to this concept through

Principle of Uncertainity and its applications defined by Werner

Heisenberg,1901 - 1976; Nobel price in physics 1932, realized that the

uncertainty relations had profound implications and argued that such concepts,

for example, as orbits of electrons do not exist in nature unless and until we

observe them).

Creation (the phenomenal universe) is within the comprehension of the

senses. All that we hear, see and experience are within the purview of our

senses. We refer to all these things as "this,this" and "this" (idam). But

what is beyond the senses is referred to as "that." The term "that" refers to

something which is distant, what is beyond the senses.

What is beyond the senses has been called Aadhyatmic (spiritual). What is

below the senseshas been called Bhouthik (elemental, constituted by the five

elements). We are simultaneouslybelow the senses and above the senses. Below

the senses is the body. Beyond the senses is the Hridaya (the spiritual heart).

The eternal Hridaya is encased within the perishable body. This indicates our

true form.

(Holistic scientists understand the need of spirituality as a prime part of

science. Einstein in his letter to Max Born,1926 wrote, "The theory yields a

lot, but it hardly brings us any closer to the secret of the Old One." By

quantum physics no one can calculate the precise future motion of a particle,

but only a range of possibilities for the future motion of the particle. It is

because this activity is closer to the laws of spiritual world what is beyond

the actions of senses in the Maya Reality.

By this brief "Swami teaches..." Swami He as underlines the urgent need of

integration science and spirituality. Without it science may cause (and jet

caused) many disasters for humanity.

(Reet 's brief compilation by "Sathya Sai Speaks." Volume 21, "The Scientist

and the Saint," Chapter 13).

 

PS: Reet's notes in brackets in black.

Reference:

Werner Heisenberg, Gesammelte Werke, (Ordnung der Wirklichkeit). Abteilung

C, Piper Verlag, Munchen ISBN 3-492-02925-6.

 

Namaste - Reet

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