Sambodhi 1989 Vol 16

Author(s): Ramesh S Betai, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 62

Man rises higher and highest by religion and one who rises the highest is above all laws.
The Upanişads, with thesc cthical principles accept the necessity of a good, decent, noble life in the world. Yet tliese are ethical principles of the Upanişads as a means and not the end even if thcy be good on their own. They are a means to the rise of man from the interest of flesh, of worldly attachment, of the satisfaction of the egoism to the higher stage in lifc physically, mentally, emotionally so that ultimately man rises spiritually. This is the end and truth of these cthical principics. "Moral activity is not an end in itself. It is to be taken over into the perfect life. Only this has transcendental worth."
Religion
"In the Upanişads we find a criticism of the empty and barren ritualistic religion. Sacrifices were relegated to an inferior position. They do not lead to final liberation..when all things are Gods there is no point in offering to him anything, except one's self.'29 Naturally enough the religion of the Upanişads is not and it cannot be religion in the ordinary sense of the term as a sect, its practices, external marks, certain faith ard values and a God. The Upanişadic conception of religion is very wide. It is on the whole a means again and not the end. It is meant to transform the whole nature of man, so that it rises higher from lower levels and is endowed with a wider spiritual outlook. Naturally enough a man religious in this sense will come to stand on the threshold of higher and highest realisation. They therefore teach the religion of Sraddha and Upāsanā, faith and worship. This may be followed by practices of yoga and the three become the means to self-knowledge, atma-darsana. Man next prepares for God-realisation and here come the three stages of man's religion-śrarana, manana and nidiahyāsana. Sravani is listening to, understanding and grasping traditional values. Naturally this is to be done with faith. The Upadişads accept tradition as a source of strength for man and they are vehemently opposed to what one might call traditionalism. Manana is personal reflection thereon by which "we attempt to forin clear ideas by the logical process of inference, analogy etc.” (Principal Upanişads, p. 133). Nidishyasana or contemplative meditation is meant to transform logical ideas into spiritual perception or darśana. This brings man on the threshold of the secrets of truth and the highest truth. Religion in this sense is meant to take man's personality higher from flesh, worldly attractions, attachment; it is meant for mental, emotional and spiritual sublimation. That is the reason why Radhakrishnan states