A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga by Yogi [pseud.] Ramacharaka
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something called a personal God, to whom they attribute certain
qualities, characteristics, etc., the same varying with their creeds and dogmas. The Naturistic school claims that this One is a something called Nature, which is constantly manifesting itself in countless forms. The occultists, in their varying schools, Oriental and Occidental, have taught that the One was a Being whose Life constituted the life of all living forms. All philosophies, all science, all religions, inform us that this world of shapes, forms and names is but a phenomenal or shadow world--a show-world--back of which rests Reality, called by some name of the teacher. But remember this, _all philosophy that counts_ is based upon some form of monism--Oneness--whether the concept be a known or unknown god; an unknown or unknowable principle; a substance; an Energy, or Spirit. There is but One--there can be but One--such is the inevitable conclusion of the highest human reason, intuition or faith. And, likewise, the same reason informs us that this One Life must permeate all apparent forms of life, and that all apparent material forms, forces, energies, and principles must be emanations from that One, and, consequently "of" it. It may be objected to, that the creeds teaching a personal god do not so hold, for they teach that their God is the creator of the Universe, which he has set aside from himself as a workman sets aside his workmanship. But this objection avails naught, for where could such a creator obtain the material for his universe, except from himself; and where the energy, except from the same source; and where the Life, unless from his One Life. So in the end, it is seen that there must be but One--not two, even if we prefer the terms God _and_ his Universe, for even in this case the Universe must have proceeded from God, and can only live, and move and act, and think, by |
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