Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

A Constructive Survey of Upanishadic Philosophy c9.s3: The thorough immanence of God

A Constructive Survey of Upanishadic Philosophy c9.s3

Language
English

The thorough immanence of God

c9.s3.1

the extraction of the Ātman from this frail body implies a thorough immanence of the Ātman in the body. The Ātman is to the body what the wheat is to the chaff. The wheat must be separated from the chaff, even though the chaff may temporarily cover it. Even so must the Ātman be extracted from the body, even though, for a while, the body may serve as a covering for it. "Just as a razor is laid in a razor-case or a bird is pent up in its nest, even so is this Conscious Being placed in the body up to the very nails, up to the very hair of the body" (S. 18. b). In this wise does the Kaushitaki Upanishad declare the immanence of Ātman. The Śvetāśvataropanishad tells us that just as oil is hidden in sesamum, or ghee in curds, just as water is hidden in springs, or fire in the churning sticks, even so is the Ātman immanent in the body" (S. 18. c). Another passage from the Śvetāśvataropanishad tells us that "just as there is an extremely subtle film on the surface of ghee, even so does the Godhead who is immanent in all beings envelop the whole universe, by knowing Whom alone is a man released from all bonds" (S. 18. d). The essence of all this teaching about the immanence of God is that if man may but try in the proper way, he may be able to realise God even within himself.

c9.s3.2

13. It is just the possibility of God-realisation within himself that vindicates the mystic's search after God by a long process of purification and References are not wanting in the Upanishads, though we cannot say they are to be met with there to the fullest extent, to the visions and auditions which the mystic experiences on his spiritual journey. Four types of experience on the whole are

Linked texts (2)