Science and Spirituality

        

          The development of modern science began in 16th century. New discoveries about the world around us brought about a change in human awareness. The blind faith which had been predominant began to crumble. No institution or organization could prove these discoveries invalid, with the result that thinking people started to examine everything from scientific angle. No longer were people willing to believe something simply because of tradition or Church doctrines. A new age, the Age of Reason, dawned in Europe. Science presented an alternative why to understand the universe. Through the scientific method of investigation, based on observation, analysis and conclusion, a relationship was established between cause and effect.

          This wave of scientific discoveries created doubts in people's minds in regard to religion. However, as science advanced and research probed more deeply, scientists themselves began to change their opinions. They began to talk about certain factor which they called energy or power.

           In the 20the century, Einstein brought about a fundamental change in scientific thinking. His Theory of Relativity proved that what appears to be true is in reality not so; what seems to be an absolute truth is actually only relatively so. For example, when we travel in a train, it seems to us that trees and buildings are moving, but in reality they are not. In much the same way, the world and everything in it appears to be true, but actually it has no absolute existence. Saints called this phenomenon "Maya".

            Scientists have also proven that the universe is permeated by a force which is never created nor destroyed. The principle which was formulated about this phenomenon is called the Law of Conservation of Energy. However, scientists have not yet been able to find out what this energy is.

             In the scriptures it is called 'Soul', or, 'Sat. Chit, Anand', Which means ' Truth, Consciousness, Bliss'. Scientific research has revealed that the ultimate form of matter is energy, When matter is broken down into its subtlest from, only energy remains. Scientists are incapable at this point of studying it further.

             The Scriptures mention three fundamental phenomena-God (Brahm), the embodied soul (Jiv) and Nature or the phenomenal universe (Prakriti). God is said to be omnipresent, therefore, if a scientist probes deeply and precisely enough into Nature, he should find God. however, science is itself unable to study that phenomena which is paradoxically all-pervading yet aloof from Nature. para-physical institutes have been established to examine those phenomena which do not yield their secrets to ordinary scientific study.

              In spite of this, it is incorrect to claim that science and spirituality are mutually opposed. Scientific principles do not contradict spiritual principles, but rather reinforce them. The truth of the matter is that where science ends, spirituality begins. Science is attempting to discover the subtlest or ultimate from Nature. This same investigation was called 'spirituality' by the sages of old. In the real sense, spirituality could be called the complete science, which throws the light of understanding on to all other scientific disciplines.

               we perceive material existence through our senses. The entire creation seems to be a combination of energy and insentient matter, fro which the scriptural terms are Purush (Creator) and Prakriti (Nature). The universe has been created from certain elements. Scientific research has discovered many elements which are fundamentally essential for life. The Scriptures declare that everything is created from five basic elements: water, fire, earth, air and ether and all the elements which have been discovered scientifically are included therein. Therefore, science is simply confirming the scriptural concepts of creation.

               Indian scriptures say that Creation was a gradual evolutionary process, and the evolutionary theories advanced by scientists tend to prove this. The scriptures maintain that the universe is a combination of three creative attributes or forces, called Satoguna, Rajoguna and Tamoguna, whose atomic equivalents ae electron, proton and neutron. However, there is something else beyond these forces which also cannot be perceived by senses, and that is 'Satchitanand'. This is the omnipresent Energy.

                The matter-energy phenomenon displays itself during and atomic explosion. The transformation of the atom into energy indicates that the source of everything is energy. The phenomenal world is totally dependent on the creative energy of Satchitanand in the same way as planets originate from a sun and revolve around it.

                While the lite energy is active within us, we are what we are. The moment it demanifests, we cease to live. Our body is a microcosmic representation of the universe, and this is why it is said that, in order to understand the whole (the universe), we have to study the part. In order to analyze the properties of sea water, we examine a drop of it. Therefore the scriptures advise us to become introvert rather than extrovert. To understand Creation, we should not be content only to study Nature, rather we should study the Inner Self.

                 Only human beings can do this. Only humans can engage in spiritual pursuits.

                The desire to realize our true nature, to achieve Enlightenment, is inherent in human beings. A person can still feel unfulfilled even though he has reached the pinnacle of material success. When someone feels that he is lacking something, he goes in search of that elusive thing, and until he finds it, his thirst is never quenched. This can be also explained scientifically. The atom has a natural tendency to achieve an inert state. That is why atoms undergo chemical reactions with each other. Elements react with one another because they all want to become inert or stable. Inert gases such as neon do not combine with other gases.

                 All atoms wish to complete their outer shell. Even the minutest particle of matter wants to achieve stability, so it is natural that human beings, who are after all composed of billions of atoms, wish to achieve a state of total stability and completeness. Everything we do is merely to achieve total satisfaction, but unfortunately this cannot be found in material things, because matter has limitations. A person can only have complete peace or satisfaction when he or she has known something which is infinite and limitless. Therefore, our instinctive tendency, our innate religion, is to seek total satisfaction, and someone who does not proceed in accordance with this instinct can never be happy, either in this world or the next.

                 In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna said to Arjuna, "Even if someone studies many scriptures or worships many deities, his actions are useless until he receives Spiritual Knowledge." The Hindu scriptures describe two kinds of knowledge. 'Apara' knowledge is the study of Nature, or the phenomenal world. The Gita says that the universe has been created from eight aspects of nature: the five elements, mind, intellect and ego. All empirical scientific disciplines go only as far as the analysis of matter, or , at the most, the analysis of mind and intellect.

                   Freud and others have tried to analyze the mind. They talk about conscious, unconscious, subconscious mind and ego. All this is included in Apara knowledge. On the other hand, 'Para' knowledge is that which leads to the direct experience and realization of God, or Truth-Consciousness-Bliss.

                   The vedas also talk about these two types of knowledge. The Upanishads mention the sage Narad, who was unhappy in spite of having mastered fourteen different kinds of knowledge. He complained to the saint Sanatkumar that even though he was so learned, he had not found spiritual peace. Sanatkumar advised him to receive Spiritual Knowledge.

                   Undoubtedly, progress in both types of knowledge is necessary for a balanced and happy life. Material knowledge is in itself not sufficient, and until it is supplemented with spiritual wisdom, we will not find lasting peace. Moreover, it can become a tool of destruction.

                  That is why philosophers emphasized spiritual evolution (or, the transformation of the concealed consciousness within us), together with the control of material science by spirituality. Science unchecked by spirituality can prove to be a curse to civilization. The two world wars are ample proof of this. If mankind does not proceed towards a spiritual goal it is possible that our civilization, which is based on scientific inventions and discoveries, will be destroyed in a third world war. Henceforth, man may have to again start fighting with stones or bows and arrows, as primitive man did. So it is essential that everyone engage in spiritual and not just materialistic activities. The direction we give to our lives will determine the outcome.

                   An aero plane flies in direction in which its compass is set. In the same way, if we point mind in the direction of maya and materialism, we will always be restless and our knowledge and wisdom will be incomplete, because infinite bliss, which will satisfy us forever, is not found in matter. Bliss, which is spiritual ecstasy or pure joy, is an attribute of God alone. Only God, the Ultimate Power, is called Truth-Consciousness-Bliss. So if we unite the mind with God alone, we will find that infinite peace, for which we are all searching, whether we realize it or not.

                  A scientist can never find spiritual knowledge through science, nor can he study it, because science has inherent limitations. Scientific study uses the organs of perception, which are limited by space and time, as well as being confined to the phenomenal. Something which is infinite and beyond space and time can be realized only through spiritual practice. Empirical science describes only the forms, qualities and deficiencies of matter and partly, at that. However, that which is the root of all knowledge can be realized and understood only through Spiritual.

Satpalji maharaj