Obscure Religious Cults as Background of Bengali Literature c2.37

c2.37

[The spirit of the Āraṇyakas and the Upaniṣads—evolution of the conception of Brahman and the stress on Brahma-realisation—Karma-kāṇḍa made subservient to Brahma-knowledge—stress on the subjective side of religion—post-Upaniṣadic spirit of the epics, particularly of the Mahābhārata—the spirit of Vedānta—antagonism towards Pūrva-mīmāṃsā—Brahma-jijñāsā does not presuppose Dharma-jijñāsā—no activity is involved in true religion—Brahma-knowledge is no action or the product of any action—the spirit of Vaiṣṇavism—question of divine mercy, a break in the law of Karma—unconditional self-resignation—the ideal of passionate love—idealism of Yoga and the stress on the subjective side—heterodoxy of the Tantras—heterodoxy of the early atheistic schools—the Cārvāk school—ruthless anti-religious criticism—schools that are atheists but not anti-religious—Jainism and Buddhism—the religious perspective of Jainism—the perspective of Buddhism—strong criticism against Brahminism—monastic orthodoxy and the revolt of the Mahāyānists—revolt of Tāntric Buddhism against both Hinayāna and Mahāyāna—the orthodoxy and formalism of Tāntric Buddhism and the revolt of the Sahajiyās.]