Question: How can I prove that I am not a figment of somebody else's imagination?

Sri Chinmoy: You do not have to waste your precious time on earth to prove something which has no value in your life. Only you have to prove that you are a projection of God’s transcendental Vision. God’s transcendental Vision projects each and every human being. You can use the word ‘projection’ or ‘manifestation’. Spiritual seekers and spiritual Masters have to prove in their own life that they are a projection of God’s transcendental Vision. They do not have to prove it to others, but in their own life of aspiration and dedication they must prove it.

Question: I tend to think that philosophy is dry. Can it also be thrilling?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, philosophy is dry. This is what we hear from people, and also this is what we have heard from our forefathers. Philosophy on the mental level is dry, drier, driest. But philosophy on the heart-level or psychic level can be very, very sweet. It is how we express philosophy that is of paramount importance.

Philosophy means love of wisdom. A man of wisdom can express his wisdom with bombastic words and sesquipedalian sentences, and make the person who is listening to him think that philosophy is extremely complicated. Again, if a grandfather is speaking to his grandchild, that same sublime philosophy he will be able to speak about in a few words, with such affection and concern. When philosophy is expressed with affection and concern, it can become very, very soft, tender, sweet and thrilling. But when we use the mind to express something — whether it is philosophy or any other subject — that subject becomes dry because the mind embodies dryness. Since the mind embodies dryness, whatever comes from the mind will automatically be dry. But if the heart expresses the same truth, then definitely it can be thrilling.

Question: Do you agree that some people are led to spirituality through philosophy first?

Sri Chinmoy: Definitely. Not only have some people received a promotion from philosophy to spirituality, but they have eventually become spiritual giants. Sri Aurobindo himself said that he began as a poet; then he became a philosopher; then he became a spiritual aspirant and then he became a great spiritual Master. Vivekananda was also deeply immersed in philosophy. In his student days, he studied Western philosophers in great depth. He used to argue with people extensively based on his philosophical knowledge and wisdom. Then he turned to spirituality. Similarly, there are many who had a philosophical background at the beginning, and then they entered into spirituality and became great spiritual figures.

In my case, poetry, philosophy, spirituality and yoga — everything — went together, so that I could become a jack of all trades, master of none! When I was young, poetry entered into my life, and by the age of twenty-two or twenty-three, I had studied almost all the Western philosophers. By the age of twenty-five I knew a considerable amount of Western philosophy. But now I pray to God to remove even the little I remember of Western philosophy from my mind. Now I pray to God: “Do not keep philosophy inside my mind. Keep only spirituality.”

Question: What are the best qualities of Western philosophy as opposed to Eastern philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: Eastern philosophy, especially Indian philosophy, tells us: “Dive deep within. You will discover a springboard. If you jump on the springboard, you will be able to go high. Dive deep within in order to climb high, higher, highest.” This is the Eastern way of philosophy.

Western philosophy does not urge us to follow that way. Western philosophy is like a troop of marching soldiers. It tells us: “Go forward, forward.” Western philosophy starts with physical, vital and mental strength. But Eastern philosophy, Indian philosophy, starts from something deeper. You can call it the heart or the soul.

So Eastern philosophy dives deep within in order to climb up high, higher, highest. Western philosophy tells us to go forward or, on rare occasions, to go upward. But it does not dive inward like Eastern philosophy. This is the great difference.

Question: Has philosophy helped man's evolution?

Sri Chinmoy: The contribution of philosophy in the process of evolution is considerable. Although philosophers cannot prove the existence of the other world, they have spoken about it. When we feel that this world is full of suffering and there is no way to reduce it, then we can find tremendous consolation in philosophy.

Question: Are there truths inside us that cannot be expressed, but are real, and at some time will we be able to express them?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, there are still millions and billions of truths that have not been expressed outwardly, but they will definitely be expressed at God’s choice time. It is not that man will never be able to express them outwardly, no. It is simply that there are countless secrets which God does not want to be revealed untimely. If you do anything untimely, you will not get the proper result. If you eat a mango that is not ripe, you will not get the same delicious taste. It is not sweet at all. There is a choice hour for everything. When the time comes, God will reveal the truth. No truth in God’s creation will remain unrevealed or unmanifested. The truths that are now hidden or kept safe in the inner worlds, at God’s choice Hour will come to the fore, and they will be able to express themselves. But now if they are revealed, they will create serious problems for man’s present understanding of truth and light.

There is a time for everything. If we do something untimely, instead of giving us illumination, it will only create more confusion. We know that a little child may eventually get a Master’s degree. But now he is ready only to learn the alphabet. Knowing that one day he has to study higher courses, will you bring him the Ramayana or the Mahabharata to read now? His parents may say, “If he studies the Ramayana and Mahabharata, then he will become a great pandit. The whole world is there inside these two sacred books.”

But now that little child is not ready. His receptivity is so limited. He knows only the letters A and B. If the parents compel him to study those big books, they will not be doing the right thing. Similarly, only when God asks them to reveal those secrets will the cosmic gods and others who are holding the truths inside us unlock the doors. Then we will be able to utilise those sublime truths or secrets in our day-to-day life for our own purpose.

Question: What is the ultimate limit of philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: When philosophy comes to a point where it can say, “I do not know, I cannot know,” that is the ultimate limit. It is when a philosopher is sincere enough to say, “I do not know and I cannot know because whatever the mind has, I have got from the mind. Now the mind does not have anything more in stock for me.” As long as the mind says, “I know, I can know, I will be able to know,” then it has not yet reached its limit. The ultimate limit is when the mind confesses: “I do not know, and I will not be able to know the unknown or the unknowable because the method that I am using is not good enough for me to enter into another world.”

We often say that ignorance is bliss. In this case, it is absolutely true. When I confess that I do not know the unknowable, that even the unknown I cannot know, then I have reached philosophy’s ultimate limit. At this point, philosophy has to throw itself into the infinite ocean of wisdom and say, “I am throwing myself because I know nothing.” That is the ultimate height. At that time philosophy does not remain philosophy as such. It becomes spirituality. It surrenders to something unknown or unknowable. That unknown is a reality. When we enter into that world, we discover that it is full of light and bliss. But in the beginning we have to take it as the unknown and unknowable.

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.

Question: Is it important for each human being to have a philosophy to live by?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, but not the philosophy of the mind. If you take philosophy as a way of life, then that way of life has to come from your inner aspiration and inner guidance. When your inner guide tells you something, then you must take it as something most important in your life. Your inner guide will tell you how to live on earth and be of service to God and to mankind.

If you take the word philosophy and put it inside your heart, then you will see that the philosophy of the heart, the inner philosophy, is absolutely necessary and extremely important.

Question: When a realisation that comes through inner aspiration is expressed verbally, is that considered philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: No, no, no. When a realisation comes to us through our inner aspiration, although we may express it verbally, it is not considered philosophy. It is only an expression or revelation of our inner experience. First we become aware that we are the embodiment of peace, light and bliss and all divine qualities. Then we reveal these qualities. It is like a seed which germinates and becomes a plant. Then it becomes a tree. Then it produces flowers and fruits.

In the same way, our inner realisations come slowly, steadily and unerringly from our aspiration or through our aspiration. Then, when we express them, it is not philosophy. We are only trying to offer the reality that we have felt or that we have grown into, not in terms of philosophy, but in terms of a particular language. No philosophy is involved there.

Question: Will philosophy stand the test of time?

Sri Chinmoy: Let us speak about the power of philosophy. I strongly feel that in former times — thirty, forty, fifty or even one hundred years ago — people studied more philosophy than now. Nowadays people spend all their life in exercising their supremacy: how we can go and drop a bomb on your country. Now people are not inspired by philosophy, they are no longer interested in philosophy.

Anything under the sun, once it has come into existence, will last. But sometimes it only prospers in a few places. In those days there were the Greek philosophers. Now where is that Greek spirit? There were many philosophers in the Renaissance era. Where can we find another galaxy of immortal philosophers like those?

I do feel that philosophy as a subject will last, but the question is whether people will give it the same kind of importance as they gave it one hundred or two hundred years ago. Now we do not give philosophy the same importance. Poetry has suffered the same fate. In those days the world used to give more importance to poetry. Now the world gives more importance to music. Every kind of music has become important. You can see how many people are drawn to music, whether it is spiritual music or devotional music or classical music or rock and roll. Music draws people because music is closer to us. Some music stimulates our vital. Some music brings to the fore our own divinity. But the music-world has become more prominent than any other means that we use to express our divinity.

So philosophy will continue to remain for two hundred or four hundred years, but the question is, how much power will it have at that time? That is another subject altogether. But philosophy will not be deleted from the tablet of world history.

Question: What has been the contribution of Western and Eastern philosophy to mankind's evolution?

Sri Chinmoy: Western philosophy says, “Truth there is. You can see the Truth.” Eastern philosophy says, “No doubt, Truth there is. One can not only see the Truth, but also feel the Truth and become the Truth.” Western philosophy does not go that far. Western philosophy says, “Truth is there, somewhere high, very high. It is accessible, but not always.” Eastern philosophy says, “Truth is always accessible. Truth can be achieved, and then one can grow into Truth.” Here Eastern philosophy has made bold to say that one can become Truth. Western philosophy has not come so far.

Again, just to say that the Truth exists — either on this earth planet or in some other world — is one of the great contributions of Western philosophy to the evolution of mankind.

Question: Can philosophy satisfy any other part of our being aside from our mind?

Sri Chinmoy: The philosophy of the mind can only satisfy the mind. This satisfaction is not real satisfaction at all because the mind is always dividing and dividing and multiplying and multiplying, doing all kinds of addition and subtraction. But the philosophy of the heart is only oneness, oneness, oneness. There you do not count or multiply or subtract. Only you try to become one with a particular reality. In that way you can satisfy your entire being.

The mind will look at a brick wall and immediately start scrutinising it. It will calculate how many bricks were needed to make this wall, what quantity of sand and so forth. But the heart does not calculate. It will only look at the wall and try to identify with it. This is the difference between the philosophy of the mind and the philosophy of the heart.

Question: Is there a single philosophical reply that will answer all questions?

Sri Chinmoy: If we adopt the approach of Ramana Maharshi, then we can say, “Who am I?” That is the most significant question and at the same time the most significant answer. For me, “Who am I?” is not only the question of questions, it is also the answer of answers. When you ask the great spiritual Masters, “Who am I?” then the question is answered also. Ramana Maharshi’s philosophy was always to ask, “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?”

“Who am I?” is a question. Again, “Who am I?” is also the answer, because immediately the answer comes, “Who am I not?” The positive and negative always go together. The question is coming as challenging, but inside the question is the answer: is there anything that I am not? Is there anyone that I am not?

Ultimately, all the questions that philosophy asks can be reduced to “Who am I?” Then the reply comes spontaneously, “Who am I not?” The question and the answer may be found at the same place.

Question: Does philosophy have any significance to offer a spiritual person?

Sri Chinmoy: Definitely! If a spiritual person wants to realise God overnight, like taking instant coffee, at that time a philosopher will come and say, “You fool! How can you realise God, the most difficult subject on earth, overnight?” In this way, the patience of a seeker can be helped by a philosopher. The philosopher will say, “Take your time. To accomplish anything takes time. How can you expect to realise God in the twinkling of an eye?” When a philosopher gives this kind of advice, it can definitely be of great help to a spiritual person. Suppose a spiritual person has been praying for years and years, and now he is becoming impatient because he is not having even a glimpse of light. A philosopher will encourage him to exercise more patience, perseverance and other divine qualities.

Question: What is the philosophy for humanity for the New Millennium?

Sri Chinmoy: The philosophy for the New Millennium will be: do not see faults in anybody’s life; do not see the faults in your own life. Only force yourself to see all the good things you have done, all the good things you are planning to do and all the good things that others have done. In the next millennium, the goal of philosophy will be only to see the light in oneself and the light in others. Then only will you be able to expedite the arrival of world-peace and world-oneness.

Question: What is God's most important philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: God’s most important philosophy is to see, feel and become. First see where the Truth is. Then feel the Truth and become the Truth. When you become the Truth, you will be able to see and feel the Truth everywhere, wherever you are. God’s most important philosophy is to consciously become aware of what you eternally are.

Question: Does God like philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: Since God has created everything under the sun, there is no aspect of His creation which He does not like. Parents can bring into the world somebody very smart, very great and innovative. Again, if a child is blind or deaf, do the parents hate him? On the contrary, the parents show him the same compassion and affection. Whatever God has created, he is bound to like. Philosophy is a creation of His, so He has to like His own creation.

When we create something, on the mental level we may make comparisons. The mind may say that one thing is not as beautiful or as perfect as another thing. But the heart will take what we did in the beginning, what we are doing now and what we will be doing in the future and place them all together, like three children in a family. In the same way God will place philosophy, religion and spirituality together as inseparable creations of His.

Question: Does philosophy ever come from the illumined mind?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, philosophy can come from the illumined mind, but usually it comes from what we call the subtle physical mind or the subtle vital mind. These are very complicated spiritual terms. It is only the illumined mind which has the capacity to envision the supreme reality.

Many philosophers have written most sublime things which have come from their illumined mind. Our great Indian philosopher, statesman and President, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, was one of those. He wrote many immortal things from his illumined mind, but when it came to spirituality and yoga proper, he did not enter into those deeper subjects. He saw the reality, but he could not become the reality. To become the divine reality, spirituality is the only answer. In order to establish our oneness with the supreme reality, we must go beyond the illumined mind and enter into the heart.

Question: When will we no longer want or need philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: We will no longer want or need philosophy when we really do not want to remain in the confines of the mind. Right now we cherish our little mind-cottage. When we see with our mind’s eye, we see only a limited portion of reality. The mind-created philosophy cannot see the entire reality at a glance. It is satisfied with seeing reality little by little.

Only when we cherish the freedom of the unlimited will we no longer need philosophy. For that, we must be prepared to go far beyond the domain of the mind and enter into the realm of the heart. When we are no longer satisfied by staying inside the mind-cottage and we have a great hunger to become the reality itself, we will be ready to enter into the heart. The heart not only sees the entire reality at a glance but, on the strength of its identification, it becomes one with the limitless reality itself. At that time, we do not need any mind-created philosophy.

When the call of spirituality comes and if the seeker answers or accepts the call with utmost sincerity and purity, then he can dive into the sea of spirituality. When you enter into the sea of spirituality, you can swim and swim to your heart’s content and finally say good-bye to philosophy once and for all.

Question: What is the difference between the mind's philosophy and the heart's philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: The mind’s philosophy is: we are here, but God is somewhere else.

The heart’s philosophy is: God is there, high in the skies. Again, God is also here, inside the heart of His creation.

God’s Philosophy is to support everything and everyone that is in His creation. God’s Philosophy is to support all the philosophies that man can ever imagine.

Question: Does philosophy exist in other worlds?

Sri Chinmoy: Philosophy exists solely in the mental world. It does not exist in any of the higher worlds or in any of the lower worlds, because there the mind does not function.

Question: What is stronger than philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: Stronger than philosophy is religion. Stronger than religion is spirituality. Again, stronger than spirituality, in a specific sense, is yoga. Spirituality can be something very vast and at the same time vague. But when it comes to yoga, it is very one-pointed.

Question: Can the study of philosophy also promote spiritual progress?

Sri Chinmoy: The real inner progress, the heart’s progress, does not depend on the study of philosophy. Philosophy encourages us or stimulates us, but the real inner progress, love of God or implicit faith in God, philosophy does not or cannot supply us with. For that, spirituality must come into being. So philosophy as such cannot bring about spiritual progress because real spirituality is far beyond the domain of philosophy.

Question: What is the best philosophy for a spiritual seeker?

Sri Chinmoy: For a spiritual seeker, the best philosophy is always to abide by God’s Will. Whatever the seeker feels from within as God’s Will, he has to obey.

Question: Is philosophy really a degree of truth or is there something more?

Sri Chinmoy: Everything is a degree of truth. Such being the case, philosophy is also a degree of truth. The truth that philosophy embodies may be earth-bound; again, this truth may be Heaven-free. When philosophy gives us the message of renunciation, when it tells us to go beyond, then it becomes something more.

Question: Is there a danger of getting lost in philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, there is a great danger of getting lost in philosophy. Many, many people have lost their spirituality by being too much involved in the mental jugglery of philosophy.

Question: What is the difference between a good seeker and a great philosopher?

Sri Chinmoy: A great philosopher will talk and talk about God. But a good seeker does not talk, because his prayers and meditations are all consciously directed towards God. So a good seeker is infinitely more important to God than a great philosopher, because the seeker is trying to establish his oneness with God prayerfully, soulfully and eternally. A great philosopher is talking about God in a particular language that is called philosophy, but he is not eager to have direct contact with God. He does not care to see God, to feel God, or to grow into God-consciousness.

Question: How can I better live the philosophy that you have already put forward?

Sri Chinmoy: Love, devotion and surrender is my philosophy. If you ask how you can better live it, then I will say, “Just do it.” There is no other way. It is only by practising and practising that you can better live our philosophy.

Question: When will philosophy die in our mind?

Sri Chinmoy: Philosophy will die in your mind only when your heart most sincerely cries for the death of philosophy. Here, death is not actually the right word. We must go beyond the domain of philosophy; we must transcend philosophy. When we transcend philosophy, we enter into the domain of spirituality. Inside spirituality, beauty, love, light, joy and power loom large. At that time, the philosophy that comes from the mind is automatically going to be illumined and changed. Otherwise, philosophy as such does not usually die; it lingers in the mental world. But if you want to go beyond the mental world, then you have to enter into the spiritual life.

Question: How can we make spiritual philosophy a living reality in our life?

Sri Chinmoy: The only way to make spiritual philosophy a living reality is through prayer and meditation. By practising prayer and meditation, and by trying to keep a direct, immediate contact with the Inner Pilot, one can make spiritual philosophy a living reality.

Question: Is there any consolation in philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: Philosophy does have consolation-power deep inside it. When people suffer from the injustices and other shortcomings of the world, at that time philosophy can offer consolation. Philosophy will tell us: “This suffering is unimportant. God’s Light from Above is all we need; we do not need anything else.” In this way, philosophy can console people who are in the philosophical world.

Question: Is philosophy a waste of time?

Sri Chinmoy: No, no, no! Philosophy has its own significance. To study philosophy is not a waste of time. Philosophy gives us the message of another world, a higher world. This is of paramount importance. Philosophy’s contribution can never be questioned. It is something substantial.

Question: What is the role of logic in philosophy? Is it necessary?

Sri Chinmoy: Everything has its own logic. Therefore, philosophy also has its own logic, which is of great importance.

Question: Can philosophy ever bring inner joy?

Sri Chinmoy: Philosophy can bring inner joy for a few seconds. But if you want to have abiding joy, then you have to enter into spirituality.

Question: What is the difference between philosophy and religion?

Sri Chinmoy: Religion conveys the message of God inside the heart or inside one’s prayers. Philosophy is in the mind. Sometimes, with God’s Grace, philosophy tries to go beyond the mind. Otherwise, generally speaking, philosophy is a product of the mind, whereas religion is a product of the heart.

Question: What is the difference between Heaven's philosophy and hell's philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: Heaven’s philosophy for ordinary people is that there is no vacancy in Heaven unless you become very good! Heaven will say, “There is no vacancy in my hotel!” And hell’s philosophy is, “Come, come, there is plenty of room here. If you do not want to pay, no harm. Just come so that I can have a huge army to fight against Heaven.” Heaven is very careful in choosing whom it will admit. Heaven will see whether we have done good things. If there is no merit, no virtue in our life on earth, then Heaven will say: “There is no vacancy here, sorry.”

Question: Is there anyone who does not have a philosophy of life?

Sri Chinmoy: People who are not in the mind, who are weak in the upper storey, do not have a philosophy of life. Some people live their life as a daily routine, and they are not aware of the existence of philosophy. Again, there are countless people who do not know what philosophy is, but the way they maintain their life is a form of philosophy. Anything that one practises with faith or some inner conviction is a form of philosophy.

Question: What is the best way to express the soul's wisdom through philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: The soul’s wisdom-light cannot be expressed through words, even through philosophical terms. Words can never be adequate to express the unlimited heights and depths of the soul’s wisdom.

Question: Can philosophy help a mind that is already confused?

Sri Chinmoy: Philosophy will only add more confusion to a confused mind. Philosophy as such does not have the illumination-power to transform the mind’s confusion. Only the light from the heart will be able to help. Our heart is like a lamp that can illumine the confusion we have in our mind or in our life.

Question: What is the reason why you personally appreciate philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: I appreciate philosophy and philosophers because this world is full of suffering. Philosophy tells us that suffering is nothing; it is only a kind of game that God is enjoying. Philosophy gives us the message of another world. This world is full of problems, pain and suffering. So I appreciate philosophy and philosophers because they give us the message of another world and that world, according to philosophy, is not at all painful. If you go there, you will be able to see for yourself. Philosophers do not actually go there, but they feel that this other world is without pain, without suffering. At present, this other world is unknown. So, I like philosophers because I like the message of the unknown, the message of the unknowable.

Question: How do you compare the consciousness of philosophy and that of poetry?

Sri Chinmoy: We cannot make any comparison between philosophy and poetry. They are two different fields. I can only say that philosophy is like a very large ship, whereas poetry is like a very small and cute boat. The philosophy-ship carries many, many more passengers than the poetry-boat.

Question: When did you study philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: I studied philosophy at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram where I grew up. Between the ages of nineteen and twenty-three I studied, or you can say devoured, all the Western philosophers in considerable depth. The Ashram library is my witness. When I was studying Immanuel Kant’s 800-page book, Critique of Pure Reason, my professor came up to me and said, “What are you doing?” I said by way of joke, “I want to enjoy sleep. When I read these works, I fall asleep!”

Among the philosophers that America has produced, I sincerely appreciate, admire and adore Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson had an illumined mind. He studied our Indian Vedas and Upanishads. From there he got a higher wisdom and he was able to go very deep. His philosophy is mine.

Before Emerson was Thoreau. Thoreau was a nature-worshipper. He brought in another approach. Each philosopher has a different approach. Sometimes the philosophers do not know that they are borrowing from a previous philosopher. Truth is, after all, one. So each philosopher tries to decorate the truth in a different way.

Question: Is any Western philosophy really deeply spiritual?

Sri Chinmoy: To be perfectly frank with you, I must say that the Western philosophers on the whole are not deeply spiritual. It seems that they wanted to expose uncertainty more than any other quality. Uncertainty is the right word. Their theory is that Truth exists, but you cannot say categorically where it exists. Eastern philosophy, on the other hand, will immediately say, “Just dive deep within and you will see the Truth.” In the search for Truth, Eastern philosophers give a more concrete answer.

Question: Could you speak a little about the Greek philosophers?

Sri Chinmoy: Socrates lived philosophy. Plato expressed philosophy. Aristotle combined the two.

Socrates tried to express the Truth in a very simple way. Sometimes he would speak for an hour to hammer home one idea. At other times, he could express the Truth in very few words. In Plato’s case, he went on and on. He brought his mind, his scholarship and everything to support his statements. If Plato had not come, then nobody would have known who Socrates was.

Aristotle was Plato’s disciple, but in some ways he surpassed his Guru. He was able to discover a few things directly. Where Plato’s mind was roaming and roaming, Aristotle expanded the mind and was able to perceive a higher Truth. That is why he got such unparalleled appreciation from Plato. Plato once said that if he placed his whole academy on one side and Aristotle on the other, Aristotle would win in terms of wisdom.

Question: What is your view of the Vedic philosophers versus the Western philosophers?

Sri Chinmoy: The Vedic seers lived 7,000 years ago. They saw the Vedic vision when it was descending into the earth-consciousness. In their meditations, the Vedic seers climbed up to the topmost branch of the eternal life-tree. From there they had a direct vision of both the roots of the tree and the highest height of the tree. Their vision was all-encompassing.

In our case, if we look at the foot of the life-tree, we cannot see the top of the tree. We are bound by our limited vision. Again, if we look at the top of the tree, we cannot see the roots. But the Vedic seers were unique. While seeing the highest, they did not neglect the so-called lowest. They wanted both the height and the base to be intact. That is why they were able to become great philosophers even after reaching the sublime heights in their meditation.

Philosophy is one of the lower branches of the eternal life-tree. The Vedic seers were able to see the Vedic vision descending and descending until it touched the philosophy-branch. Then they expressed their vision in mantric utterances.

Here in the Western world, when philosophy started, the philosophers were building the basic foundation, but they did not value the foundation. They were getting joy if they could show something without a foundation. Eastern Vedic philosophy went high, higher, highest, but at the same time they valued the foundation. Western philosophy went in various directions, but unlike Eastern philosophy, it did not care for the all-encompassing vision that sees both the height and the base of the life-tree.

Question: What is the main difference between a devotee and a philosopher?

Sri Chinmoy: I wish to answer this question by telling you a story. There was once a great philosopher who happened to see a very simple and innocent man in the street. This man was holding a copy of the Bhagavad Gita and he was shedding tears. His tears were dropping on the book.

The philosopher, who was also renowned as a scholar, asked the man, “What is the matter? Are you finding it difficult to understand this sacred book? Is that why you are shedding tears? Do not worry. I feel sorry for you, so I am prepared to spend some time and explain the meaning to you.”

The man said, “I am shedding tears not because I am unable to understand the meaning, but because whichever page I turn to, there I see Lord Krishna and Arjuna. I can see the chariot, I can see how Lord Krishna is advising Arjuna, I can see the battle raging. It is all so vivid for me. These tears are tears of joy.”

Then the great philosopher bowed his head and walked away. He had studied the Bhagavad Gita for years and years, but he had never had the vision of Lord Krishna. Yet this simple man, with his heart of love and devotion, was so close to Krishna’s heart that he was able to see Krishna vividly on every page. The philosopher had wanted to make this man understand the Gita. But the Gita is not something for us to understand; it is something for us to live. This story shows us that for a devotee the road is shorter than the shortest, whereas for philosophers and others it can be longer than the longest.

Editor's note

On 10 January 1999, at the Golden Sands Hotel in Penang, Malaysia, Sri Chinmoy invited his students to ask him questions about philosophy. This book contains his spontaneous answers to those questions.