World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 419

This inquisitiveness of the times is not antagonistic to spiritual pursuits. On the contrary, it requires a presentation of religions revelations in such a form as would leave no doubt of its acceptance at any time.
Maxmuller is called the father of Scientific Study of religion in modern times. He said that religion springs from the basic religious nature of man, which cannot be reduced to any rational thinking or philosophical en. quiry. His attempt was to make religious enquiry free from petrified dogmatic perspectives and understand religion as a unique element of human existence.
It is true that science investigates truths of the outer world whereas religion looks into the inner being of man. Both form the part of the cosmos and are interrelated. Methodologies applied to study and investigate into the nature of spirit and matter cannot be independent, exclusive and uncon nected. Observation, induction, and deduction, experiment and proof are as much relevant to the study of religious beliefs as they are to scientific truths. Conversely, inner perceptions, and flashes of intuition are also equally applicable in scientific investigation. Newton's discovery of gravitation was more because of an intuitive flash than a reasoned out conclusion.
The study of the human cosmos would be the most practical and convenient method for a comprehension of the universal cosmos and for determining roughly the various parts into which the creation has been divided and for finding out the region of Supreme bliss.
The main basis for a compassion of the highest goals of spiritual evolution as propounded by different religions has been the scientific analysis of the microcosm and macrocosm into different regions and the natural corre spondence and the communicative system between the two. The body, mind and spirit correspond to the material, mental and spiritual regions in the creation. A spirit entity embodied in a human form is capable of establishing contact with the different regions of the cosmos through the proper gateways provided in it. The disembodied spirit on being completely dissociated from the body and mind gets submerged in the ocean of spirituality.
If we take a deeper view of life, we will find that religion is woven into the very texture of human life. Man loves to attain pleasure and avoid pain. Religion promotes man's moral, aesthetic, social and cultural values develops his sensibilities and thus leads to wholesome development of his personality. True religion makes man broadminded, objective and systematic in his approach to life. It is pertinent to understood religion scientifically so that a correct vision of human life and nature of universe can be obtained.
Religion helps to develop man's mental powers. Through meditation
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