30 January 2004
Harih Om Tat Sat. This happened more than fifty years ago. I was then working in Kolkata. It was our initial years there. Coming to know of a debate arranged in the local high school by different sections of society, I happened to go there. The subject was ‘Tradition – a hindrance to progress.’ This was the resolution supposed to be moved by the assembly, and people started to speak in favour of as well as against tradition.
Why am I mentioning it now? I am a person given to tradition, by birth. I believe in it. At one point of time I understood that these beliefs need not be blind. Most of them are authentic, well reasoned out beliefs. When you start thinking about beliefs and traditions in this manner, they no more become mere beliefs. On the other hand, they verily become sound principles of life, inherited from our elders. They become part of our knowledge contributing to the psychological needs of man.
Our tradition is primarily founded on the Vedas. From the Vedas it has come down to the Sutras; from the Sutras to the Smritis. Smritis are like our Constitution, evolved at different periods of history to govern the behaviour, ideology, values and goals of human life, at the individual, domestic, social and national levels.
So, the question necessarily arises: how are we to approach the whole conglomeration? In all these scriptural compositions, the one theme constantly advocated and insisted upon is the pursuit of viveka, discrimination, the skill as well as the habit of distinguishing facts from fiction.
Kindling our viveka, the scriptures help us to know what is true and what is untrue, what is beneficial and what is harmful, what is expansive and what is constrictive, what is evolutional and what is detrimental. This is the one discrimination taught throughout the epics and puraanas.
In the Vedas you will find facts which are true and experiential as well as propositions which are not experiential, which go beyond the ken of senses. Our approach should be to take to the facts, disregarding fiction.
As you know, I had cataract operation on the left eye. The biological lens which was formed or gifted by nature – that is, by the hands of God – that lens proved inefficient and defunct in helping the eye to see. It has been replaced by an artificial, chemical lens and the vision is restored. In a way, is this not meddling with nature?
How do you rate this kind of interference in the handiwork of God and Nature? Should it be allowed or not? If one says: “No, Godly articles cannot be interfered with; once it goes defunct, let it go,” that would be an obstinate traditional view.
The progressive, scientific and rational approach will be that everything is in and part of Nature. That includes our brain, intelligence too. So, with the help and understanding from brain, if we can improve upon what Nature has bestowed on us, can the step be termed improper? If we find a particular organ or part of the body defunct and it is possible for us by using God’s own substances to evolve substitute means like the biological lens, what is the harm in working harmoniously with Nature? In fact, Nature will be pleased if you do so.
Just as when the opening batsman fails in cricket, the one-down player has to improve upon his performance, here too, when Nature fails, the performance should be enhanced by man whenever possible and help Nature in filling the gap. What is done subsequently by man is also God-made, in one sense. The lens has been formed by Nature’s hand, using Nature’s intelligence. Man too uses materials provided by Nature with the help of intelligence bestowed on him by the same Nature. Our whole life is a ceaseless league with Nature.
Where is the conflict then? In what way is tradition affected or flouted? Does not tradition mean right utilization of Nature, applying the potentials and possibilities provided by nature? So, I find no conflict in the whole process. On the other hand, I find greater integration and harmony. This does not mean that we can or try to do everything. There are limitations.
Man’s intelligence is supposed to explore and discover. Where can it explore? Is it not in the very sphere and expanse of Nature? It will explore into matter, energy, and various allied aspects of Nature. It will also explore into the mind, intelligence and Subjective spirit. By exploration, whatever is possible, will be found. New discoveries will follow. New frontiers will be crossed. None of these will be to destroy Nature, but to be in harmony with It, to progress towards fulfillment. Tradition doesn’t disallow, instead verily encourages such a step.
Tradition does not mean blind superstition or unreasonable attitude. It does not imply mortgaging our knowledge and will potential or our subjective elegance and magnificence. The effort must be to blend the subjective inner resources of man with the external matter-energy resources provided by Nature.
Mind you, the inner resources are also provided by Nature. So it should be a beautiful marriage, a harmony between the Subject part of Nature and its object counter-part. The object part is for the senses to observe. The subject part is for the brain, intelligence, to go into, to think about, to understand and arrive at precisely helpful conclusions.
So, I don’t find any conflict between tradition and reason or technology in this matter. The whole of Vedas is but a knowledge-source. The sole object of Vedas is to help man by revealing the right knowledge. Every form of religious effort is to employ and involve the mind in order to utilize its resources to bring redress, offer help and facility every time.
Dasaratha performed the Ashvamedha Yaaga. The thought itself was an offshoot from his mind. The entire pursuit, performance was by the mind. And he got four illustrious sons. Like harnessing external resources, internal resources can also be harnessed. What is desired is a close integration, co-function and co-application of both.
This is the way I look at tradition and its various aspects. So, in my own life, in spite of being a staunch traditionalist, I found that whatever is taking place with the help of science, technology and knowledge, meant no conflict at all. We must not deny or be averse to progress. We should appreciate and evaluate it properly.
At the same time, let not the acceptance and appreciation of science and technology impair the merits of tradition. Let it help, improve and enrich it, making it more and more functional, free of wrong beliefs and blind hopes.
In all these, I find a very good harmony and fulfillment. People of science will have to evaluate this fact. People of tradition too will have to assess this sensibly. Tradition and technology should complement each other, strengthening and enriching each other.
Harih Om Tat Sat.
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[ Reproduced from our monthly journal Vicharasetu - The path of Introspection ]