UNITY IN DIVERSITY 7

[Guest guest]

Om Namah Sivaya

Discourse by Sri Swami Vivekananda

(Delivered in London, 3rd November 1896)

I am practical, very practical, in my own way. So your idea that only the West is

practical is nonsense. You are practical in one way, and I in another. There are

different types of men and minds. If in the East a man is told that he will find

out the truth by standing on one leg all his life, he will pursue that method. If in

the West men hear that there is a gold mine somewhere in an uncivilised

country, thousands will face the dangers there, in the hope of getting the gold;

and, perhaps, only one succeeds. The same men have heard that they have souls but are content to leave the care of them to the church. The first man will not go near the savages, he says it may be dangerous. But if we tell him that on the top of a high mountain lives a wonderful sage who can give him knowledge of the soul, he tries to climb up to him, even if he be killed in the attempt. Both types

of men are practical, but the mistake lies in regarding this world as the whole of

life. Yours is the vanishing point of enjoyment of the senses — there is nothing permanent in it, it only brings more and more misery — while mine brings eternal peace.

I do not say your view is wrong, you are welcome to it. Great good and blessing

come out of it, but do not, therefore, condemn my view. Mine also is practical

in its own way. Let us all work on our own plans. Would to God all of us were

equally practical on both sides. I have seen some scientists who were equally

practical, both as scientists and as spiritual men, and it is my great hope that in

course of time the whole of humanity will be efficient in the same manner.

When a kettle of water is coming to the boil, if you watch the phenomenon, you

find first one bubble rising, and then another and so on, until at last they all join,

and a tremendous commotion takes place. This world is very similar. Each

individual is like a bubble, and the nations, resemble many bubbles. Gradually

these nations are joining, and I am sure the day will come when separation will

vanish and that Oneness to which we are all going will become manifest. A time

must come when every man will be as intensely practical in the scientific world

as in the spiritual, and then that Oneness, the harmony of Oneness, will pervade

the whole world. The whole of mankind will become Jivanmuktas — free

whilst living. We are all struggling towards that one end through our jealousies

and hatreds, through our love and co-operation. A tremendous stream is flowing

towards the ocean carrying us all along with it; and though like straws and

scraps of paper we may at times float aimlessly about, in the long run we are

sure to join the Ocean of Life and Bliss.

 

 

 

 

 

Sivaya Namah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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