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A Series of Lessons on the Inner Teachings of the Philosophies and Religions of India1184
Let us first consider the Vedanta conception of the One. Brahman, the
One Absolute Substance, is held to be beyond qualities or attributes;
beyond subject and object; to be the Source of Being; Intelligence; and Bliss.
It is the efficient cause of the universe in its spiritual, mental and material
appearances; creator and creation; doer and deed; cause and effect; the
underlying Truth amidst the Universe of Unreality; one; self-existent; allthere-is;
all-that-ever-has-been; all-that-ever-can-be; One and Only; Alone,
with Nothing within Itself, and Nothing outside of Itself; Unique; without a
Second. Since it is all there is, and cannot be divided into parts, nor subject
to change, then it must follow that the Self of each of us must be in some way
identical with the Self of the One, instead of being a part of or emanation
of it—that the Self or Spirit in us must be the identical Spirit of the One,
undivided and whole. Outside of this Self there is nothing, and therefore
there is Non-Duality, the “duality” of the other schools being held false.
Surely this is a startling conception, never before equalled in the history of
Hindu Philosophy, and most difficult of comprehension. No wonder that
it has been called “the highest pinnacle of philosophic thought which the
human mind can possibly attain”;or, as Schlegel has said: “Even the loftiest
philosophy of the Europeans, the idealism of reason as it is set forth by the
Greek philosophers, appears, in comparison with the abundant light and
vigour of Oriental idealism, like a feeble Promethean spark in the full flood
of heavenly glory of the noonday sun, faltering and feeble, and ever ready
to be extinguished.” And as Max Müller says: “Vedanta holds a most unique
position among the philosophies of the world. After lifting the Self or the
true nature of the Ego, Vedanta unites it with the essence of Divinity, which is
absolutely pure, perfect, immortal, unchangeable, and one. No philosopher,
not even Plato, Spinoza, Kant, Hegel, or Schopenhauer, has reached that
height of philosophic thought.…None of our philosophers, not excepting
Heraditus, Plato, Kant, or Hegel, has ventured to erect such a spire, never
frightened by storms or lightnings. Stone follows upon stone in regular
succession after once the first step has been made, after once it has been