Eastern thought

[blazeofglory]

Philosophically speaking what the Vedas have in store for us is something highly rich and this is not a biased proposition. I am in fact not a religious person. I do not believe in Hinduism, in fact in any 'Ism' at all. Yet some ancient texts appeal to me immensely. It does not mean however that I am an atheist. No I do not say I am an atheist and I do not subscribe to theism as well. I am a simple man and at times under some impressions of some great thinkers the existence of God appeal to me and at other times I will be a bit of the materialist predisposition. Yes I am torn between these two extremes, honestly speaking.

Now the point I have here is despite the fact that I am not religious and I do not subscribe to a particualr faith, yet some ancient texts like the Vedas, the Unpanishads, the Mahabharat, the Bible appeal to me.

I have read some of the ancinet sacred texts in Sanskrit. I was thrilled at the grandeur of the book in terms of its elevated and synthetic language, their styles of telling stories and plumbing philosophical propositions.

In fact I have read both eastern and western thoughts equally. I am well versed in the English language and have read some of ancient western thoughts in English. I have read the Bible, the Iliad, the Koran. Sermons of on the Mounts is one of my favorites and I read and reread them, for their allegorical narratives are really absorbing. In the same vein Milton appeals to me immeasurably, particularly his Paradise Lost.

Howeevr, without prejudice and preoccupation I assert that the Vedas ,the Upanishads, the Mahabharata are matchless books. They are so rich in literature and philosophy that the rest get outshone by them. I may sound vainglorious. I seem intent on Vedic philosophy by virtue of the fact that I am an easterner. Please read them for yourself and critique me.

Really speaking the vedas an the Upanishads are the two reservoirs our saints and hermits bequeathed to us. We are fortune enough to see them against the saber teeth and claws of time.

Prove me wrong if you read them and I will agree if you are not convinced of this notion.

For I am an independent thinker and I am not predisposed to any particualr sets of beliefs.

[Mr. Dr. Ralph]

I agree, the Vedas are the best holy texts in the world. All the ancient Hindu texts are fantastic.

[Redzeppelin]

I agree, the Vedas are the best holy texts in the world. All the ancient Hindu texts are fantastic.

I'm interested in why you hold this opinion; what distinguishes these texts from other holy texts?

[Noisms]

I'm interested in why you hold this opinion; what distinguishes these texts from other holy texts?

The Bhagavad Gita is really beautiful, even in translation.

But I personally think that there are plenty of passages in the Bible that are just as beautiful, and which actually say much the same thing. (Compare God's appearance to Job with Krishna's speeches in The Bhagavad Gita: they're practically the same.)

[Mr. Dr. Ralph]

I'm interested in why you hold this opinion; what distinguishes these texts from other holy texts?

History is to the bible/quiran as philosophy is to the Vedas. I think the conclusions of the Vedas are better and more thought-provoking. The Vedas are also more poetic and artful.

[NikolaiI]

Ah, your reply will be that the bible is just as artful, though I strongly agree with you. The plates I've seen (in the bhagavad) have been wonderfully beautiful, and very inspiring.

Eastern Thought covers a lot of different traditions, I am only just now getting into some of them. One thing that's common to all is meditation. It's one thing to try and understand them philosophically, but when you study them you are supposed to be practicing meditation, too, since one thing they all share is the ideal of objectivity of thought, and peace or liberation of the mind/soul. Sometimes we have a lot more conflicting fears and guilt than we realize under the surface, and if we don't practice we'll never know.

[Redzeppelin]

History is to the bible/quiran as philosophy is to the Vedas. I think the conclusions of the Vedas are better and more thought-provoking. The Vedas are also more poetic and artful.


So, you're essentially evaluating the texts as literature (aesthetic and didactic) - right? On those grounds I would probably offer little opposition. It is when we talk of spiritual truth that I would have to part ways.

And I agree with Noisms about the Bible's beauty - largely because of the Truth that resides beneath the language (both sublime and mundane).

[earthboar]

So, you're essentially evaluating the texts as literature (aesthetic and didactic) - right? On those grounds I would probably offer little opposition. It is when we talk of spiritual truth that I would have to part ways.

And I agree with Noisms about the Bible's beauty - largely because of the Truth that resides beneath the language (both sublime and mundane).That's interesting. I essentially evaluate the Bible as literature, aesthetically pleasing but one of the most deliberately confusing and frustratingly self-contradictory masterpieces ever composed. Yet, I continue to read it. Nothing worthwhile comes easy.

I agree on the beauty of the Bhagavad Gita, and as for spiritual truth it seems to me quite advanced. Arjuna's battle on the Plains of Kuruksetra--the heartache, the struggle, the encouraging beauty of Lord Krishna's wisdom!

I would add the Chinese Tao Te Ching and the I Ching as the most profoundly universal, elegantly applicable classics that any civilization has ever produced.

[Noisms]

And I agree with Noisms about the Bible's beauty - largely because of the Truth that resides beneath the language (both sublime and mundane).

But the language is beautiful as literature too! I think people are scared to talk about the Bible being a beautiful work of literature because it isn't very trendy to say so; but the Pslams, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Job and Isaiah are full of fantastic imagery, spiritual battles and metaphysical debates that are at least the equal of the Bhagavad Gita or the Mahabaratha or the Koran or any holy text you care to name.

As for the "truth" of religious texts, I subscribe to the old "through a glass darkly" philosophy - all of them are as truthful as each other when it comes to what it means to be a human being wrestling with belief in a God or Karma or religious faith in general. Ancient people understood human psychology just as well as we did, and just as much as each other, but the way they framed that understanding differed from culture to culture.

[earthboar]

But the language is beautiful as literature too! I think people are scared to talk about the Bible being a beautiful work of literature because it isn't very trendy to say so; but the Pslams, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Job and Isaiah are full of fantastic imagery, spiritual battles and metaphysical debates that are at least the equal of the Bhagavad Gita or the Mahabaratha or the Koran or any holy text you care to name.

As for the "truth" of religious texts, I subscribe to the old "through a glass darkly" philosophy - all of them are as truthful as each other when it comes to what it means to be a human being wrestling with belief in a God or Karma or religious faith in general. Ancient people understood human psychology just as well as we did, and just as much as each other, but the way they framed that understanding differed from culture to culture.well said, noisms.