Shankara's Mission: An Historical Perspective
Thu, 04/10/2008 - 19:46 — admin
TEACHER: Then I’ll carry on explaining why Shankaracharya was instructed to preach impersonalism.
First, let me give you an historical background to the incident. The Vedic scriptures were put into writing by Srila Vyasadeva approximately 5,000 years ago. At that time, the Vedic influence was very strong, but over the centuries it had diminished.2 For example, although animal slaughter (in particular cow killing) is condemned in the Vedic scriptures, at the time of Buddha’s appearance, full-scale animal slaughter was going on. What’s more, it was actually being conducted in the name of Vedic sacrifices. Therefore, Lord Buddha appeared at that time to stop this. He preached ahimsa, nonviolence.
Although Lord Buddha appeared only 2,600 years ago, his appearance was foretold in the Srimad Bhagavatam, which was written approximately 5,000 years ago. The Srimad Bhagavatam also affirms that Buddha-although he preached atheism-was actually an incarnation of the Supreme Lord.3
The point is that in the name of following the Vedic literature the people were growing farther and farther away from God. The Lord therefore appeared Himself to help them, but to do so, He had to trick them, or delude them. Their understanding of the Vedic scriptures was so far off the track that He could not simply preach the correct understanding because they would not have accepted it. Therefore, He rejected the authority of the Vedas and introduced His own code of conduct, which included nonviolence, respect for other living beings, etc. The message of Lord Buddha was not sanatan dharma, or eternal religious principles, but was spoken according to time and circumstance. His message was meant expressly to help the people of that day and age.
When Shankaracharya was born about 1,200 years ago, Buddhism was very strong. In fact, it had become the predominant philosophy of India. The mission of Shankaracharya was to reintroduce the Vedic scriptures. But to do so, he had to preach a doctrine not unlike Buddhism. Before continuing on, let me first mention that the followers of Shankaracharya consider him to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva, and the Vaishnavas also accept this. In the Padma Purana and the Shiva Purana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, requests Lord Shiva to take birth in the Kaliyuga as a brahmin and to preach atheism. Learned scholars have determined that Shankaracharya is the personality spoken of in these verses. Let me read them to you.
AM I GOD?Shankara’s Mission: An Historical Perspective
The impersonalist “I am God”ist Swami Muktananda advised his students:
Meditate on your Self. Honor and worship your own Self. Kneel to your Self, because the supreme reality, the highest truth lives within you as you.*
Obviously, such an “I am God”ist or impersonalist can be very dangerous to others and society. Many of these “I am God”ists end up as the most extreme of all hedonists—having illicit sex with their disciples, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, smoking, eating meat, and engaging in all kinds of debauchery. They declare that they can do so without being contaminated karmically because they are so “spiritually advanced.” At the moment, the Western world (as well as India) is crawling with such charlatans.
Science of Identity Foundation – Siddhaswarupananda
*Swami Muktananda, Getting Rid of What You Haven’t Got (Oakland: S.Y.D.A. Foundation, 1978), p. 43.
TEACHER: Then I’ll carry on explaining why Shankaracharya was instructed to preach impersonalism.
First, let me give you an historical background to the incident. The Vedic scriptures were put into writing by Srila Vyasadeva approximately 5,000 years ago. At that time, the Vedic influence was very strong, but over the centuries it had diminished.2 For example, although animal slaughter (in particular cow killing) is condemned in the Vedic scriptures, at the time of Buddha’s appearance, full-scale animal slaughter was going on. What’s more, it was actually being conducted in the name of Vedic sacrifices. Therefore, Lord Buddha appeared at that time to stop this. He preached ahimsa, nonviolence.
Although Lord Buddha appeared only 2,600 years ago, his appearance was foretold in the Srimad Bhagavatam, which was written approximately 5,000 years ago. The Srimad Bhagavatam also affirms that Buddha-although he preached atheism-was actually an incarnation of the Supreme Lord.3
The point is that in the name of following the Vedic literature the people were growing farther and farther away from God. The Lord therefore appeared Himself to help them, but to do so, He had to trick them, or delude them. Their understanding of the Vedic scriptures was so far off the track that He could not simply preach the correct understanding because they would not have accepted it. Therefore, He rejected the authority of the Vedas and introduced His own code of conduct, which included nonviolence, respect for other living beings, etc. The message of Lord Buddha was not sanatan dharma, or eternal religious principles, but was spoken according to time and circumstance. His message was meant expressly to help the people of that day and age.
When Shankaracharya was born about 1,200 years ago, Buddhism was very strong. In fact, it had become the predominant philosophy of India. The mission of Shankaracharya was to reintroduce the Vedic scriptures. But to do so, he had to preach a doctrine not unlike Buddhism. Before continuing on, let me first mention that the followers of Shankaracharya consider him to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva, and the Vaishnavas also accept this. In the Padma Purana and the Shiva Purana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, requests Lord Shiva to take birth in the Kaliyuga as a brahmin and to preach atheism. Learned scholars have determined that Shankaracharya is the personality spoken of in these verses. Let me read them to you.