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Lesson VIII: Dharma.387
intelligence (that is, according to the view of the Yogi Philosophy, to the
highly evolved soul) and that the ordinary man would not be influenced by
it to high action, but, if he grasped it at all, would use it as an excuse for his
own selfishness, caring nothing for the welfare of his fellow men, or for the
benefit of the generations to come. The objectors hold that according to
this theory a man working for the good of his kind is the greatest kind of a
fool, for he is throwing away his happiness and material gain for a sentiment.
(This objection loses sight of the fact that the advanced man finds much
of his greatest happiness in making others happy.) A further objection is
urged against this theory of ethics to the effect that the happiness of the
majority is an unworthy limitation, inasmuch that even though the majority
be happy the minority may not be so, and, in fact, a certain number of
them must be very unhappy and miserable. This objection finds a response
from those of spiritual advancement, for such people know that no one can
be thoroughly happy unless all are happy, and that there can be no ideal
happiness if even one of the race is crowded out of it by any set code or
rule. The followers of the theory that all morality is derived from Divine
revelation, and there is no morality to be found outside of it, object to the
utilitarian view because they say “it leaves out God and His wishes.” Those
favoring the Intuitional Theory object to the Utilitarian Theory because it
refuses to recognize the existence of the “conscience” or higher reason in
man, and instead, places the basis and foundation of all morality and rules
of conduct upon the cold human reason, and that, consequently, there can
be no “good” or “bad” except as measured by the intellectual standard,
which standard could be altered, changed, improved upon, or abolished by
Man’s reason. These objections are recognized, and answered in the Hindu
Philosophy of Dharma, which, while recognizing the weakness of the theory
when considered as the “whole truth,” still finds much truth in it and places
it as one of the pillars of Dharma, the other two theories forming the other
two supports of the structure.