Vedanta as Science
What is Vedanta :
Philosophically, Vedanta deals with explanation of
Consciousness. As a science, it derives scientific laws about
Consciousness based on the experiences and knowledge of the
Seers who have intuitively realized the highest Truth during
their meditation and altered state of consciousness - samadhi.
As a religion, Vedanta is the practice based on the
combination of the philosophy and science for realizing our
real nature as Divine Consciousness.
The philosophy of Vedanta in general, and Advaita Vedanta
in particular, maintains that there is only one Reality -
Absolute Consciousness (also called as Brahman, Atman, God, or
Self). Out of ignorance we perceive this One Reality as
multifarious. This cosmic ignorance is called Maya or Avidya.
With spiritual practice one is able to transcend the
limitations of body and mind so as to become one with the
Reality; to know or experience the Truth. This is the aim of
human birth. Scores of great souls have realized Self in this
manner; and of course, it is also our birth right. To realize
this goal certain spiritual practices are undertaken known as
Yoga, viz. Raja-Yoga, Jnana-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, and Karma-Yoga.
Vedanta as a Science
One encounters certain physical and mental changes in
saints and mystics, which are not ordinarily found in others.
These changes cannot be explained on the present day knowledge
of physics, physiology, neurology, or biology. If, however, we
label them as unscientific or non-scientific, we fail to
honour the definition of science as a "study of body of
facts". These facts are experienced by a few persons, observed
from time to time by many others and recorded as religious or
scriptural books. In an attempt to verify the authenticity and
nature of these facts, they are studied, and the explanation
is sought from prevailing (existing) pool of knowledge for
their categorization. Thus a working hypothesis is developed
which, with added proofs over a period of time and with
refinement of intellect, is accepted as scientific theory.
During this whole process the facts do not change, but what
changes is their scientific explanation.
Accepted theoretical conclusions are called Laws: ‘Laws of
Motion’, ‘Gravitational Laws’, and so on and so forth. Science
of Reason and Rationality, as it is called, wants following
criteria to be fulfilled for any theory to be labeled as
scientific:
1)Good observation,
2) the public nature of observation,
3) the necessity to theorize logically, and,
4) testing of the theory by observable consequences.
Applying these criteria to the study of altered state of
consciousness in the lives of Yogis, Saints, and Mystics, one
can say that the changes in their lives constitute a "body of
facts" and need to be interpreted and theorized according to
these rules of science. Scientists have changed their concepts
regarding convictions they thought to be perfect
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