The mage, the prophet and the nuclear bomb

The mage, the prophet and the nuclear bomb

Ancient Cosmology

Why miracles are not miraculous

View of the universe in ancient

cultures• To over-generalize a little, the cosmologies of ancient religions (e.g. Hinduism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, aboriginal beliefs, Egyptian religion) share certain similarities:

• Primacy of consciousness--a conscious being (s) or force (s) as the creative agent of the universe

• This naturally leads to the primacy of conscious thought in creation--the word

• The existence in human beings of an immaterial principle

• The ability of man to commune with a Consciousness and Being above himself

• The ability of man to grow in consciousness

Primacy of Consciousness

• In the modern world, it is widely believed that the human consciousness is a result of the human brain and body

• This is in fact a view almost never held in most ancient religions

• Their view is that human consciousness is the result of an immaterial principle, e.g. the spirit (this will vary from religion to religion)

Primacy of Consciousness

• Matter is not viewed as being the cause of consciousness

• A conscious force or agent is the cause of matter• In Christianity for instance, God created the

universe, in Hinduism, the Supreme Principle (Brahman) created/manifested the cosmos

• As such, it is not surprising that different forms of consciousness, whether the human mind or the Divine Mind, can shape and affect the physical universe

• This is affected by a combination of the thought (word) and the will

The Immaterial Principle

• Most ancient religions accept some principle in man that transcends matter and in some sense reflects or partakes of divinity

• Hindus call it the Atman, the Self, the divine principle in the deepest heart of man

• And as we have seen, Christianity and Judaism believe that man is created in the image of God

Communion with the Supreme

• Both Hinduism and Christianity believe that because of man’s link to the Supreme Consciousness/Energy, it is possible for man to have some kind of link or relationship with Him/Her/It

• Indeed, many ancient religions believe in the possibility of an intimate closeness of man with this Supreme Consciousness

Growth in consciousness

• Hinduism is typical among ancient religions in believing in different forms/levels of consciousness (Sri Aurobindo 1999 ‘The Secret of the Veda’, 373)

• Indeed, Hinduism has an elaborate system that divides the universe into various ‘levels’ or dimensions, each having a different form of consciousness

• The whole universe is envisaged like a ladder or mystic staircase

• This cosmology is described in Hinduism oldest scriptures: the Vedas (knowledge, tradition, teaching)

What do you think is primary? Matter or consciousness?

The Vedic Cosmology

• Lowest level: Bhur, the material world, the physical universe. The lowest and most ignorant form of consciousness.

• Examples include the consciousness of stones

• Yet it is also the evolutionary plane that contains all the planes

The Vedic Cosmology

• 2nd level: Antariksha, the mid-level world, the world of life, the elan vital

• Animals and plants will be stuck in this level of consciousness

The Vedic Cosmology

• 3rd level: Dyaus, the ‘heavens’, the world of mind and intelligence

• This consciousness is shared by both men and the devas (shining ones,somewhat like angels)

• 4th level: Swar, the highest and supreme heaven of satyam-ritam-brihat (the truth, the right, the vast) Man can grow from his poor and darkened consciousness (the lower dyaus) to the higher dyaus, and even reach this stage

• 5th level: Sat-Chit-Ananda (Being, Consciousness, Bliss)-the home of God, the highest of the highest worlds

• Experience of a modern Rishi: Sri Ramakrishna

(1836-1886)

• ﾔ One day I saw that, through Samadhi, my mind was going up by a luminous path. Going beyond the gross world studded with the sun, the moon and the stars, it entered first of all into the subtle world of ideas.

• The more it began to ascend to subtler and subtler strata of that realm, the more did I see beautiful ideal forms of deities existing on both sides of the path. It came gradually to the last extremity of that region. I saw a barrier of light there, separating the realm of the divisible from that of the indivisible.

The ‘ascension’ of consciousness

The ‘ascension’ of consciousness

• Leaping over it, the mind entered by degrees the realm of the indivisible. I saw that there was no more any person or thing there having a form.

• As if afraid to enter there, even the gods and goddesses [devas] possessing heavenly bodies exercised their authority only over realms far below. But the very next moment I saw seven wise Rishis having bodies consisting of divine Light only, seated there in Samadhi.

• I felt that in virtue and knowledge, love and renunciation, they had excelled even the gods and goddesses, not to speak of human beings.

Consciousness and miracles

• Since the Supreme chit (consciousness-energy) is the creator of the universe, as man progresses in consciousness, he too share more and more in the power of the Creator

• Thus Hindus believe that the consciousness of the Rishis and other seers are far more powerful than that of normal human beings.

• They are indeed like the devas, able to shape and transform matter and energy

• It is in that sense they attain the siddhis, ‘perfections’, miraculous powers

The eight classical siddhis

• anima: to be as small as an atom• mahima: to become infinitely large;• laghima: super-lightness, levitation;• prapti: pervasiveness, extension, to be anywhere

at will;• prakamya: fulfillment of desires;• vashitva: control of natural forces;• ishititva: supremacy over nature;• kama-avasayitva: complete satisfaction. • The supreme siddhi (parasiddhi) is realization of

the Self, Parasiva.

Do you think mankind’s consciousness can be enhanced and expanded?