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Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda
Here on this earth, we often observe a wicked man enjoying every happiness of life, but a pious man always suffering. What is the cause of such inequality? There is no other way to reconcile the inequalities and horrors of this world than placing the whole burden upon the legitimate cause i.e., our own independent Karma. For an elaborate discussion, we will have to consider the views of Nyaya-Vaiseṣika thinkers. For them, our experiences cannot be annihilated. Our actions, though apparently seem to be disappear, remain still unperceived, and reappear again in their effects as tendencies. Even little babies came with certain tendencies.
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Now, if a tendency is the result of our repeated actions, the tendencies with which we are born must also be explained on the same ground. If it is true that we are born with certain tendencies, it follows that their causes were in the past. That is to say, we must have been on the same mental level which we call the human plan, before this present life.
Life after Death
There is a dispute about the existence of life after death. Some declare that the man dies for ever and others insist that he is still living. Human mind is full of confusions. There are two positions. One is to believe with the nihilist that all is nothing, that we can never know about the future, the past, or even the present. Then, there is the other position-to seek for a real explanation of the world. But Swami Vivekananda holds a different view that man cannot become a nihilist practically. It is only theoretical. To quote him: "I have never seen a man who could really become a nihilist for one minute. It is very easy to talk."10
ever.
Swami Vivekananda points out that man does not die for The body changes but there is still something behind this body which remains for ever. The ancient scriptures also believe in a substance, having the form of this physical body, which remains even after this body falls. Later on, we find a higher idea coming-it must be the result of the combination of particles which require something else behind to move it. That something was called the soul, the Atman.
