Tuesday 29 September 2015

Vedanta vs Atheism

A father had a small conversation with his five year old daughter.
Dad: I have NOG!
Daughter: Where is it?
Dad: You can't see it. It is invisible.
Daughter: Can I touch it?
Dad: It cannot be felt by the skin. It is untouchable.
Daughter: Can I smell it?
Dad: It has no smell.
Daughter: Can I hear it?
Dad: Nope.
Daughter: Can I taste it?
Dad: It is tasteless.
Daughter: Describe NOG to me.
Dad: NOG is so subtle that is beyond thoughts. Your thoughts cannot think of it. NOG is beyond understanding of humans.
Daughter: What does NOG do?
Dad: Nothing.
Daughter: There is no NOG.
Children are unbiased; they tend to arrive at truth sooner than biased adults.
Vedanta is traditional Hindu philosophy. Vedanta says God (Brahman) cannot be seen, touched, smelt, heard or tasted. God is beyond mind and intellect. So humans cannot think about it or understand it. God is doerless (akarta) i.e. God does not perform any action.
Atheism says there is no God.
What then is the difference between Vedanta and Atheism? None, as far as our behavior in this world is concerned. So the comparison, "Vedanta vs Atheism", is meaningless. What really matters in this world is, "Is the person virtuous?"
A virtuous person, sooner or later, thinks "Who am I?" In meditation (both a Vedantin and Atheist) experience the answer. Then again, there is no difference between the two.

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