A Dialogue with Truth: . . . the Wise Call It by Many Names

By Madan Mohan Verma

Today the world is witnessing greater conflicts among people of the same beliefs, religions, cultures, and ideologies. Many are fighting in the name of God and yet killing his people despite the fact that no religion flows from the barrel of a gun, and no sacred scriptures sanction the killing of the innocent in the name of God. In the face of such conflict, no religion can afford to overlook the spirituality and legitimacy of these truths.

A Dialogue with Truth explores the way major world religions can have the potential to counteract the negative forces of conflict in the world and instead usher in an era of fellowship. Every religion advocates universal human values, and they each speak to a basic message for humankindin fact, the origin and meaning of all prophetic revelation is the same, as these revelations have been revealed by God. Author Madan Mohan Verma shows how we can overcome conflict between religions by understanding each religion in its own distinctiveness and see its contribution to the unity of humankind.

The foundations of a pluralistic societyits culture and its legal and educational systemsrequire an acceptance of universal human values derived from spiritual scriptures and human experience. Therefore, the path forward is one where we seek positive dialogue at all levels and appreciate each others points of view while upholding the spirit of oneness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: Nov 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543701180

Madan Mohan Verma

Madan Mohan Verma is professor and chair of religious harmony at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Education in Rajasthan, India. He’s also the author of Bhagavad Gita: A Perspective, and Gandhi’s Techniques of Mass Mobilization, both published by Partridge.

Book preview

A Dialogue

with

TRUTH

… The Wise Call It by Many Names

Madan Mohan Verma

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Copyright © 2017 by Madan Mohan Verma.

ISBN:                  Hardcover                  978-1-5437-0119-7

                             Softcover                    978-1-5437-0117-3

                             eBook                          978-1-5437-0118-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

KJV. Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by the Zondervan Corporation.

© Prof. Madan Mohan Verma

President, Interfaith Foundation, India

Website: www.interfaithfoundationindia.com

Email: [e-mail]

www.partridgepublishing.com/india

Contents

Preface

Treating Spiritual Issues in Non-Denominational Languages

1.     Summing Up

Truth Is One: The Wise Call It by Many Names

2.     Religious Perspective

3.     Oneness of Mankind

4.     Root Cause of the Problem

5.     Unifying Strategy

6.     Interfaith Dialogue

Hinduism

Buddhism

7.     Universal Values in Buddhism

8.     The Eightfold Noble Path

9.     Mind

10.   Vows of Buddha

11.   The Five Precepts

12.   The Acts of Merit

13.   The Three Warnings

14.   Meditation

15.   Four Steps of Meditation

16.   Four Means of Riddhi (Domination of the Spirit over Matter)

17.   Five Evils

18.   Ten Evils

19.   How to Avoid Evil

Islam

20.   God

21.   Creation and the Purpose of Life

22.   Prayers

23.   Tolerance and Coexistence

24.   Prophets

25.   Deeds

26.   Violence

27.   Prophet Muhammad’s Words of Advice

28.   Dialogue

Sikhism

Christianity

29.   Interfaith Perspective

Jainism

Judaism

Commonalities in the World’s Major Religions

30.   Worship

31.   Prayers

32.   Golden Rule

33.   Summing Up

Universal Human Values in Religious Scriptures

34.   Human Values in Hinduism

35.   Human Values in Buddhism

36.   Human Values in Christianity

37.   Human Values in Zoroastrianism

38.   Human Values in Islam

39.   Human Values in Sikhism

40.   Love of the Lord

41.   John Hick and Hans Kung

42.   Summing Up

Interfaith Paradigm for Learning to Live Together

Globalization

43.   The Other Side

44.   Summing Up

Multiculturalism

45.   History

46.   Summing Up

The Muslim Community and the Western World

47.   In Fine

Secularism and Multiculturalism: The Indian Perspective

48.   Examples

49.   Canada

50.   American Perspective

51.   West

52.   Summing Up

Religious Pluralism and Socio-Economic Structures

53.   Where It Goes Wrong

54.   Follow Religion Truthfully

55.   Gandhi’s Views

56.   Morality and Politics

Communalism and National Integration in India

57.   Community Formations

58.   Communalism

59.   Analysis of Violence

60.   Irritants

61.   Appraisal

62.   Suggestions to Promote Communal Harmony

63.   Steps to Promote National Integration

64.   Interfaith Dialogue and Communal Harmony

65.   Identity Factor

66.   Harmony

Gita’s Knowledge: Nature and Purpose of Life

67.   Purpose

68.   Summing Up

Sufism: Love and Oneness

69.   Bhakti Movement

70.   Sufism

71.   Genesis

72.   The Basic Concepts of Sufism (Tasawwuf)

73.   Role of Sufis

74.   Maulana Rumi

75.   Syed Ali Hajveri

76.   Nizamuddin Auliya, Thirteenth-Century Sufi

77.   Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (ad 1236)

78.   Impact on India

79.   Impact of the Sufi Culture on the Indian Society

Guru Nanak: Pioneer of Interfaith Dialogue

80.   Historical Background

81.   Nanak versus Other Saints

82.   Central Ideas

83.   Revolutionary Outlook

84.   Deeds

85.   Interfaith

86.   Mul Mantra

87.   Pragmatism

88.   Reconciliation

89.   Journey

90.   Summing Up

Gandhi’s Views on Communal Harmony

91.   Historical Background

92.   Interfaith

93.   Vedantic Doctrine of Unitism

94.   Religion

95.   God

96.   Conversion

97.   Summing Up

Existential Harmony and Spiritual Ecology

98.   Harmony in the Cosmos

99.   Vedic Prayers

100.   Hegel

101.   Causes of Disharmony

102.   Plato

103.   Marxian Theory of Class Struggle

104.   Unifying Strategy

105.   Spiritual Ecology

106.   Summing Up

Glossary

Preface

The culture of fragmentation of mankind into rigid identities and absurd divisions of castes and subcastes, due largely to the negative role of political leaders and their religions surrogates, is lamentable. It is ironic that we fight in the name of God and kill his people while praising him. How absurd! We praise the artist but dislike his painting, praise the poet but dislike his poetry, praise the teacher and cut his classes. This is nothing but the culture of hypocrisy.

Mankind has not been divided by prophets and holy scriptures. Unity in diversity is God’s design and manifestation. The basis of division and hatred are due mainly to economic and political reasons, language, sectarianism, regionalism, and rivalry among nations for domination and exploitation of the weaker nations. The whole human history is testimony to this argument.

Samuel Huntington’s thesis of cultural and civilizational conflict is lopsided and has been unnecessarily blown out of proportion by the world media. Lenin’s thesis is that imperialism is the last stage of capitalism, which unavoidably leads to war, and was born from the devastating world wars in the twentieth century. Today, the world is witnessing greater conflicts among people of the same religion and the same civilization than what was envisaged as the clash of civilization by Huntington.

Interfaith in our times has gone far beyond the first step of just talking of religious tolerance. It is being increasingly recognized that the world religions have much in common with each other, and belief in one God has created tolerance and respect for each other. We are interrelated and interconnected beyond doubt. We are not a group of islands but a ‘global village’.

The process of globalization has compelled us to think afresh about other religions and their missionary work. No religion flows from the barrel of a gun. No spiritual scripture sanctions killing of the innocent in the name of God. No scripture permits bloodbaths and discriminate butchery of humankind. No religion can afford to overlook the spirituality and legitimacy of truth embodied in other scriptures.

Expressions of disagreement among people are a civilized way of life. Different people having diverse beliefs is a theme so profoundly expounded in the Vedas, the Gita, and the Quran, among other scriptures. The origin and meaning of all messages of all prophets is the same, as they have been revealed by God. Before we call ourselves Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians, let us understand, follow, and practise the tenets of our respective religions.

In order to understand another religion, one should be committed to one’s own religion first. Let’s understand each religion in its own distinctiveness and see its contribution to the spiritual atmosphere and unity of mankind. Every religion advocates universal human values, and it has a basic message for humankind.

Scholars generally point out similarities and dissimilarities in different religions. But it will serve a purpose if they meet as men, sharing the task of building a society in which all humans realize their dignity when called upon to love and serve one another. The foundation of a pluralistic society and its culture, legal system, and public school education require an acceptance of universal human values derived from spiritual scriptures and human experience.

The challenges facing mankind today pose a serious threat to its very survival, which are mainly due to the flagrant disregard to universal moral values and teachings of the spiritual masters. Unfortunately, religious scriptures are grossly misunderstood, misinterpreted, and distorted. As a result, the world is witnessing an unprecedented phase of terrorism, which falsely traces its roots from religious scriptures. It is ironic that religion is being used as a double-edged sword both to maintain peace and to challenge the established law and order in society.

In the present era of turbulence and confusion, the world’s major religions have the potential to counteract the negative forces and usher in an era of fellowship. It is possible to share a system of universal ethics in spite of a heterogeneous socioreligious backdrop. We should aim at a positive dialogue at all levels and appreciate each other’s point of view while upholding the spirit of oneness.

Madan Mohan Verma

New Delhi, 2017

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TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING

THE TRUTH AND

FREEDOM OF CHOICE.

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1

Treating Spiritual Issues in Non-Denominational Languages

Why do the custodians of every religion insist on the use of a denominational language in interpreting and teaching its holy scriptures?

I wish to make a strong case for using non- denominational languages to explain and interpret the holy scriptures so that every interested person can benefit from the knowledge of spiritual issues.

The term spiritual issues refers to truth—i.e. the Supreme Spirit or the omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient reality. Guru Nanak said that the truth existed before the existence. It was there. It is there. It will always be there. According to Yajur Veda, the truth is one; the wise call it by many names.

The rishis have given name to the nameless: Koi Bole Ram, Koi Khodai, Koi Sewe Gusaiyan. People call him Parmatma, Ishwar, Lord, Allah, and Waheguru. However, the names do not change the nature and attributes of the supreme reality.

All holy scriptures teach us that God has created the whole cosmos and all beings and non-beings. He is the cause of all creation and the cause of all causes. He creates, preserves, and destroys. He has created man in his own image. Hegel has convincingly put it: ‘Man is the march of God on earth.’

The Vedas teach us to respect the elders, help the needy, live at peace and harmony within the family and the society, and learn from all sides. A sage is one who is at home both in the East as well as in the West. This implies peaceful coexistence among states.

The Bhagavad-Gita is the highest scripture of spiritual philosophy. It teaches the imperative of doing one’s sanatana dharma—i.e. performance of one’s duty according to one’s natural gunas and doing action without the desire for fruit.

The Buddha gave the highest moral code in his noble eightfold path, which, if followed in letter and spirit, leads to the righteous kingdom. Zarathustra teaches: ‘Help the needy rather than build a Temple.’ The Gita teaches: ‘Worship Me in the well-being of all’ (Chapter 12).

Christianity teaches that service to mankind is service to God. Love all, hate none, because love is God. The holy Quran preaches peace and brotherhood, unity in diversity, casteless society, tolerance, and righteous conduct, which Buddha had earlier advocated.

Guru Granth Sahib is the best example of ecumenism, eclecticism, and secular religion. It advocates casteless and classless society. The composition of Guru Granth Sahib makes it the most voluminous and a unique spiritual pothi (book). It is only the Granth that has six Sikh gurus and thirty bhagats (saints) from different castes and professions from all over India that contributed to its bani (text).

The contributions of the gurus and the bhagats are considered equally sacrosanct. We appreciate all denominational scriptures praying and singing the glory of God, seeking His grace, advocating emancipation of the soul through tap, jap, and good deeds.

Sukhmani Sahib, composed by Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh guru, says: ‘The subject matter of all religions is the same [canto 24]. . . . His worship and worshippers are of the same hue [canto 17].’ ‘Mandir, masjid, church, and gurdwara are the same. Prayer, namaz, and Ardas are the same,’ said Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh guru.

All holy scriptures generally speak of the ultimate goal of life as self-realization. Different prophets have advocated different paths to reach the same goal. It is said in the Hadith that Allah has sent 1,24,000 prophets to different people at different times. About 25 of them are mentioned in the Quran by name. Out of 114 holy scriptures, some are mentioned in the Quran by name.

With the passage of time, the followers of different prophets organized themselves into separate religious segments according to their understanding of the teachings of their prophets as enshrined in the scriptures. The creation of a specific religious denomination around the spiritual aura and teachings of a prophet is grounded in history.

Gradually, various segments evolved into well-defined religious communities and wedded to distinct denominations. No wonder, many a time, these segments fought pitched battles in the name of saving and propagating the presumed superiority of the teachings of their respective prophets.

The real problem arose when a handful of religious persons established their monopoly on these holy scriptures mainly due to their knowledge of the denominational languages. It is a sad affair that different religious communities emphasize too much on the sanctity of their respective languages. Arya Samaj prefers its devotees to possess the knowledge of Sanskrit and at least speak in chaste Hindi. Some devotees of the Quran plead that it can best be appreciated in Arabic only.

If I use stereotypes and old phrases of Sanskrit, Arabic, Chinese, or Greek, for that matter, there would be few takers. How many of us know Pali to appreciate Dhammapada of Buddha, know the original Hebrew to appreciate the Bible, can lecture only in Arabic to teach the Quran, and acquire the knowledge of Gurmukhi to know Guru Granth Sahib? The one reason that the Sikh community has not grown large in number is the language barrier, as Gurmukhi is taught and understood mainly in Punjab.

I humbly plead, we should care for the contents more than we emphasize the original languages in which these scriptures were written. So much has changed. Let’s also change our perspective and teach and learn spiritual issues in non-denominational languages. Let’s show respect to the teachings of all spiritual masters by understanding their messages and sharing the same with others, irrespective of the original language in which they were written.

The saints of the bhakti movement—like Namdev; an untouchable from Maharashtra; Ravidas, a cobbler from Uttar Pradesh; Kabir, a Muslim weaver from UP; Bhagat Sain, an untouchable from Madhya Pradesh; Bhagat Sadhna, a butcher from Sind—treated the spiritual issues in non-denominational languages (i.e. in their local languages), which were best understood by the simple village folk of that time.

Guru Nanak hit hard the denominational language of the Hindu scriptures. He said that there is nothing wrong in Veda and Purana. It is we who are wrong. He blamed the greedy pandits and mullahs who presumed that it was their birthright to interpret the scriptures written in Sanskrit and Arabic. Nanak said that these denominational languages were responsible for keeping the spiritual issues away from the people.

If we insist on using the denominational languages to teach spiritual issues, most of us are bound to remain ignorant, especially in view of the public school education and globalization. It is high time we impart the knowledge of spiritual matters in commonly understood languages.

In a multilingual and pluralist society like ours, we must respect the teachings of all prophets, not as the last resort, but as the first option. Harmony among faiths is imperative for a sustained economic growth. Let us use a language that binds and does not divide.

If we have to survive as an integrated society, we should understand the contents of the holy scriptures by using non-denominational languages and overlook the differences at the level of rituals and outer symbols. ‘Without a pure heart and good deeds, no one will go to paradise,’ said Guru Nanak. Languages are less important than the contents and deeds of man as taught in the Bhagavad-Gita.

If the spiritual messages enshrined in the holy scriptures were to be taught only in stereotypes and gorgons, we would have remained deprived of the fruit of their teachings. Therefore, the spiritual issues should be explained in simple and non-sectarian languages so that we can reap the fruit of the teachings of all the spiritual masters.

Let’s rise above denominational languages to impart the knowledge of our scriptures to as many people as possible. The meaning of the Gayatri Mantra, Arti, Mool Mantar, and namaz should be explained to all devotees in languages which they can appreciate.

The most important thing is not the intellectual understanding of the spiritual issues but assimilation of the spirit and living them in our day-to-day life. In all religions, the crux of spirituality is love, peace, harmony, brotherhood, righteous deeds, charity, humility, truth, non-violence, compassion, and fellowship. All this should be taught to parents, teachers, and students in non-denominational languages for global peace and prosperity.

Summing Up

What we need today is not the denominational language but the pure heart of Muhammad, the loving care of Jesus, the pure mind of Buddha, the devotion of Guru Nanak, the simplicity of Kabir, and the Vedic teachings of rita (the moral law, the natural law), later emphasized in Confucianism and Taoism in Chinese, and Shintoism in Japanese. The voice of conscience needs no language. ‘Truth travels without words,’ said Gandhi. Let us promote human values and spiritual messages in non-denominational languages, which are understood by the bulk of the society.

2

Truth Is One: The Wise Call It by Many Names

Ekam Sad Vipraha Bahuda Vedanti.

Rig Veda

World history has decisively revealed that religious traditions and beliefs have not grown in the air. Therefore, it would be unreasonable to treat religious traditions as exclusive entities totally independent of each other. In fact, different cultures are more interrelated and interconnected with each other than what the common eye can perceive. As a result, different religions have deeply influenced and enriched each other’s civilizational traditions.

Today, our world is more hospitable to a variety of approaches than ever before. As we move towards a world civilization, we find many cultures and spiritual traditions impinging on one another. Here, every tradition takes account of the other traditions. Our world radiates the flavour of unificationism and ecumenism. The process of globalization has compelled us to revise our approach to other religions and their missionary work.

We have travelled a long distance. The amazing advancement in science and higher technology and the resultant miraculous strides in the electronic media, ever-increasing economic interdependence of states, presence of political interests, higher education, professional courses, existence of foreign brands for all walks of life, United Nations specialized agencies functioning in different states, multinational companies all over the world bringing men and