A Comprehensive Collection - Swami Vivekananda

204 THE REAL AND THE APPARENT MAN.body are the outcome of the arrangement of molecules andhave no existence at all, has no meaning, Aeither can forceevolve out of matter. It is rather more possible to demonsstrate that what we call matter does not exist at all.It isonly a certain state of force. Solidity, hardness, or anything, can be proved to be the result of motion. Increaseof vibration will make things solid. A mass of air vibratedat a tremendous rate would become as solid as a table.thread of a spider s web moved at almost infinite velocitywould be as strong as an iron chain, would cut through anoak tree, such force would be given to itby motion. Looking at it that way it would be rather easier to prove thatwhat we call matter and so on does not exist. But theother way cannot be proved.What is this force which is manifesting itself throughthe body ? It is obvious to all of us, whatever that forcebe, that it is taking particles up, as it were, and manipulating forms out of them the human body. None else comehere to manipulate bodies for you and me. I never sawanybody eat food for me. I have to assimilate it,manufacture blood and bones and everything out of that food.What is this mysterious force ? Ideas about the futureand about the past seem to be terrifying to man. To manythey seem to be mere speculation. We will take the presenttheme. What is the force now which is working throughus ? We have seen how in old times in all the ancient scriptures this power, this manifestation of power, was thoughtto be a bright substance having a body like this body, andwhich remains even after this body falls. Later on,however, we find a higher idea coming even that thisbody does not represent the force. Whatsoever has formmust be the result of combinations of particles and requiressomething else behind it to move it. IfAthis body requires