Question: Can philosophy prove God's existence?

Sri Chinmoy: Nobody can prove God’s existence for each and every human being. You can prove God’s existence for a handful of individuals by saying something or by doing something divine, but you will not be able to convince each and every human being. Somebody will show some miracles, and then he will say to others that he has proved that God exists. Others will say, “What has God to do with that miracle?” Then a third party will come and say, “I do not know if it is a miracle or not. I do not need miracles. I need only God.”

Many people believe in God when a miracle takes place. The Saviour Lord Jesus Christ performed forty-six or forty-seven miracles. By showing miracles, how he drew the attention of so many people, thousands and thousands of people! Other spiritual Masters also have done it. Again, sincere people will say that miracles are like fireworks. They go up only to come down or disappear.

Aside from philosophy, there are many branches of life that try to prove God’s existence. All the branches of life together will not be able to prove God’s existence. God’s existence can only be proved by spirituality and yoga. Through spirituality and yoga we experience oneness with God, oneness with God’s Will. Usually people who try to prove God’s existence do not do so on the strength of their oneness with the Divine. They feel they have the capacity to prove it with mental arguments and so forth. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Similarly, God’s existence can be properly proved only by those who have realised God. God will tell the God-realised souls to show God’s existence only to those seekers who are eager, extremely eager. God’s existence is not shown by talking, but by becoming. If somebody has already become God-realised, then that person has the capacity to help others become God-realised.

If you use spirituality, then God’s existence can easily be proved the way Sri Ramakrishna proved God’s existence to Vivekananda. When he was a teenager, Naren (Vivekananda) went to so many places, asking, “Have you seen God?” He used to go to all spiritual figures and religious people in the Bengal area. He would ask each one the same question, “Have you seen God?” They would answer, “Oh no, no, no, I have not seen God.” At least they were sincere.

Then, when he came to Rabindranath Tagore’s father, again Naren asked, “Have you seen God?” Tagore’s father answered, “No, I have not seen God, but I can see that you have the eyes of a yogi. You will be able to see God.” Tagore’s father was a very spiritual person. By virtue of his own spiritual height, Tagore’s father saw the potentiality, the capacity, the future Vivekananda in this young boy’s eyes.

At last Naren came to Sri Ramakrishna. When he asked, “Have you seen God?” the Master answered, “Yes, I have seen God. I can see God more clearly than I see you right in front of me.” Then Naren became Sri Ramakrishna’s disciple.

Naren begged Sri Ramakrishna to give him very high inner experiences. A few months later, Sri Ramakrishna touched him and granted his wish. Naren was transported to a very high state of consciousness. As he felt himself going into that state, Naren cried out, “Oh, what are you doing? What are you doing? I have my father. I have my mother. I have to take care of my family.”

Sri Ramakrishna said to Naren, “For so long you have begged me for this experience. You wanted to know if God exists, and you wanted higher experiences. I am giving them to you.” Then after two or three hours Sri Ramakrishna took that experience away and Naren became once more the same human being.

So to prove God’s existence, the only way is spirituality, not philosophy.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Philosophy: wisdom-chariot of the mind, Agni Press, 1999
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/pwc