Article #144
Subject: Some comments on how Christianity dwells in the Hindu teachings of Patanjali
Author: Andrew W. Harrell
Posted: 5/7/2012 03:26:10 PM

References:
1) Swami Sivananda, Divine Life Society, Fourteen Lessons on Raja Yoga
2) Swami Hariharananda Aranya, Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali
3) Vyaas Houston, American Sanskrit Institue, The Yoga Sutra Workbook, the
Certainity of Freedom
4) The Complete works of Vivekananda, Volume 1
a) Raja Yoga
b) What is Religion
c) Vedic Religious Ideals
d) Lecture given at Harvard, The Vedanta Philosophy
5) Thich Nhat Hanh, Transformation at the Base, “Fifty Verses on the Nature
of Consciousness.”

VK in 4) c says “We have to learn that all religions, under whatever name
they are called, either Hindu, Buddhist, Mohammedan, or Christian, have the
same God, and he who derides any one of these derides his own God”. This I
agree with partially, for God, by His nature only exists if He exists
everywhere in all of us.” However, I would point out, that this conforting
thought far from assures us that even though He exists in all of us, that all
of us are existing in Him the way He would prefer us to.

VK in 4) a has said that Patanjali’s Yogi sutras are based on the Sankhya
philosophy which is different from the Vedanta philosophy. Later in another
essay he says that it is also true that the Vedanta philosophy uses the
Sankhya psychology. What is the Sankhya psychology or philosophy? It is based
on a system of categories in which there exists God (omnipresent divine soul
or Purusha), the World, and nature, part of which is the human ego self or
individuality. But in it there are not categories provided to allow God to
exist inside of the human ego self or individuality and to allow this human
ego self to exist in God and others. In my opinion therefore it is an
important difference between Christian/Jewish metaphysics and all forms of
Eastern religions like Hinduism is that the former do not believe in the
complete destruction of the ego after its sanctification (but to the contrary
its glorification in God and others) .

I also believe that Buddhism also does not provide enough conceptual
categories in this regard. In our friend Rev. Thich Nhat Hanh’s book he
discusses how he interprets the nature of reality and what it means to
believe in the “consciousness only” Buddhist metaphysics. This metaphysics,
being only consciousness, does not provide a category for God to exist inside
of the human individuality or self. Christians are familiar with this
philosophy from the English philosopher and Church figure from the 17th
century George Berkeley. The usual question that arises from this point of
view is “Do we really want to say a tree that falls in a forest somewhere
where no one is there to witness it can’t exist”. Certainly if we do take
this viewpoint we have to agree with Buddhists that no real objects exist
independently of themselves.
Reality is something which exists because there is
a "no- body" (God and us) inside of us all. Wherever we are it "is", and it
has the potential to be us, wherever it "is." When God created the reality in
the World and the reality in you and I there was nothingness (spiritual
emptiness) inside of nothingness (the wise knowing of this spiritual
emptiness). For there was nothingness inside of him (his or her spirit) and
nothingness (spirit) inside of you and I. For, then, at that time, in those
days, in that place, two or three of us were gathered togethered in his name.
And, he created it and us in him and out there and in us.God created the
World out of nothingness, but he created you and I out of something (himself
or herself). Of course, the positive side which argues for this viewpoint, is
the fact that objects do not exist independently of themselves does not
necessarily mean they can’t continue to exist throughout time eternally. The
Western religions agree with Eastern Buddhists that it is impossible to save
ourselves by the means of ourselves.

According to most theologians (VK 4) c ) one of the main differences between
Vedanta (Hinduism) and western religions such as Christianity and Judaism is
that in Vedanta (op cit. pg 353 like an architect) God created the World out
of something instead of nothing. How did God create the world out of maya? He
said mayam (not this), mari(not me), ma, ma (not, not). But, also according
to Vedanta what God created the world out of out (maya pg 353 again) neither
exists nor is non-existence . So, how is this different from creating the
world out of nothing using His word saying “Barashit, Bora Elohim Et
HaShamayaem V’et H’Aretz… V’Omer Elohim Yehay Or V’Yehay Or” (“In the
beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth…and He said, let there be
light and there was light” Book of Genesis Chapter 1). I do not know. I just
say that “God created the world out of an unreal substance containing in
essence nothing (mayam) but us out of something, Himself or His own
substance.’

What is the goal of religion according to Patanjali. It is freedom in God (VK
4) b pg 336). But, as a Christian, I believe that one of us cannot be free
until all of us are. And, freedom as a defined conceptual object cannot exist
without the coexistence of the conceptual objects defining equality and
justice (see. Adler quote). Therefore I believe, along with Kant (see his
essay on what it means to be enlightened) it is illusory to teach the
possibility of human enlightenment without first establishing a democratic
form of human government in which we can all participate in with equal
opportunity for advancement and with a government established (as Abraham
Lincoln said in his Gettysburg address) by the people, of the people, for the
people, with an agreed to and amenable constitution judicial review of itself
and the executive and legislative branches of government.
I believe the Wisdom that Patanjali believes bring individual freedom in God
and talks about in the IVth chapter of his sutras is a patience, obedience
(or fear) of the importance of and
understanding and respect for the well being of God's name in us in order
that one's own well-being be benefited.

I have studied and practiced these sutras for about 40 years now and learned
Sanskrit in order to understand them better. Why, I believe they have helped
me understand contemplative mediation of how God dwells in myself better. I
would recommend them to other Christians and Jews, but only if you already
feel confident in your soul’s salvation. For I believe salvation comes from a
personal God who dwells inside of us all and wants all to dwell with Him not
only as a Spirit and philosophy, as one book the Bible, but also as a ever
present teacher and personal friend pointing out mistakes. So, the
possibility of learning a different way of looking at reality and how God
dwells in myself and others does not frighten me or confuse me. The
possibility of learning the wrong way by studying someone else’s way seems
impossible. In fact, it is a necessity to always keep learning different ways
if I want to be a better representative of Him to others.