| Awaken Bharata |
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| Books By David Frawley |
| HINDU DHARMA AND THE CLASH OF CULTURES | |
| Alternative
groups within Western culture, like the ecological and New Age movements, can find a place
here as well. A spiritual and futuristic science, recognizing the role of consciousness in
the universe, could also play an important role in this broader field of spiritual culture
to counter not only totalitarian but exploitative commercial ideologies. India, particularly through Hinduism and yogic spirituality,
provides a radically different idea of humanity than the West with its expansionist
political and religious cultures. It sees the human being in terms of consciousness, not
in terms of political or religious labels. Hindu India represents the continuity of a radically different type of civilization than the West, one of spiritual aspiration pervading the whole of life. Hinduism is the largest culture that has preserved its ancient and spiritual roots against the onslaught of modern civilization. It is the main religion that has preserved its ancient teachings from the assault of missionary creeds. However Hindu culture for this very reason remains under attack and is only now beginning to hold its ground and mount a counter attack. Hinduism is still struggling to recover from a thousand years of suppression that has weakened it and distorted its values and practices. Yet it still has the potential to truly awaken and rise up to become a cultural force of great benefit to the entire world. This clash of cultures need not become a battle, though it obviously must involve much dialogue and debate. It can be an interchange and bring about much growth in all camps. The clash between spiritual and materialistic traditions can become a new adventure in human consciousness. What is positive in the West, its outer rationality and scientific spirit, can integrate with what is positive in the East, its inner rationality and scientific spirituality. But clearly a different force must take the lead. The materialism of the West must give way to a spirituality that has been better preserved in the East, which in turn needs to be modernized and globalized beyond its medieval forms and limitations. |
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