The problem of evil

[Guest guest]

Thank you Bskgwuji for the story. One of the problem people face with

religon is that since there is so much evil in the World, how can

there be God?

 

Its on old age problem, which some religons had to get around by

inventing the Devil, or in India, Shankars theory of

Illusionisim(Mayavad). Basically, everything of the Universe we dont

like is due to the Devil, or Maya.

 

But anywhere there is Good, there has to be evil. Light with darkness,

male with female, Knowledge with Ignorance.

 

Good/evil are due to the gunas of Nature. God is beyond all gunas- the

person who thinks God is all loving is as deluded as one who thinks

God is evil or doesnt exist.

 

The true Sadhak has to rise beyond dualities, and see God in all

manifestation.

[Guest guest]

Good points, Shantnuji. But theres another reason for prevalence of

evil. Without Evil, the good people would not do any Karma. It is evil

that forces us to fight with the negativity in the World and around us.

 

The ancient Puranas explained this in story form. The Devas are good

people, Satogun, but they are too busy enjoying themself, they dont

think about doing anymore Sadhna and going beyond into the Infinite.

The demons(Tamogun and Rajogun) attack them, and they are forced to

remember Gods name, and ask for help.

 

The forces of darkness are a constant reminder that we should never

become comfortable with our current lives, and always strive towards

perfection. Only by going beyond all 3 gunas, can we ever hope to free

from misery.

 

By becoming satisfied at an early stage like the Devas, we leave

ourself open to attack from the destructive forces of nature.

[Guest guest]

Yes Shanracer, this illusionist philosophy has a lot of blame to share

for our current cultural downfall.

 

When foreigners were invading us, and burning our Universities,

libraries and cities , most of our elite were sitting down saying

"Arre bhaiya! Its all Maya! So why worry".

 

The result- our culture is at its lowest point. We should remember what Krishna said - Do Sadhdna, but dont forget your social duties either.

[Guest guest]

Wonderful answer, Radhaji. In fact, I just remembered a quote from

Sri Aurobindo:

 

"Pain and grief are Nature's reminder to the soul that the pleasure

it enjoys is only a feeble hint of the real delight of existence. In

each pain and torture of our being is the secret of a flame of

rapture compared with which our greatest pleasures are only as

dim flickerings."

 

"Death is the question Nature puts continually to Life and her

reminder to it that it has not yet found itself. If there were no

siege of death, the creature would be bound for ever in the form

of an imperfect living. Pursued by death he awakes to the idea

of perfect life and seeks out its means and its possibility."

[Guest guest]

Yes, Laluji. That combined with an intellectual cowardice and a

misguided belief that only by denigrating our own culture can we bring

about True Spiritual equality, not by being proud of our achievements.