| The former is
called Brahman, and the latter Isvara. Though strictly nothing could be asserted of
Brahman in human terms, the formula sat-cit-ananda is employed to indicate the mystery of
mysteries. Sat means existence, it means consciousness, and ananda means bliss. The whole
formula simply means that the Absolute exists that it is pure consciousness and that it is
perfect. In other words, the Absolute is a spiritual perfection.
It will be seen that in the Absolute indicated by the Hindu formula, of sat-cit-ananda
there is no mention of moral attributes. For morality, which involves an anti thesis
between good and evil, is on a lower plane. Moral good is called good only when it is in
the process of for motion. But when it is fully formed, it ceases to be good owing to the
absence of evil. It can only be called perfection, which we indicate, by the word
'ananda'. That is why we say that the Absolute is beyond good and evil.
Evil is real to us, but not to God as He is in Him self. It is
inherent in the world. For it is the opposition of the finite to the infinite.
Hindu philosophers call the latter Atman and the former An atman. To them the universe is
a battlefield where there is perpetual war between these two. The struggle, as we have
seen, has expressed itself on this earth progressively through rocks, plants, animals, and
men. From matter to life, from life to consciousness, from consciousness to reason we see
the progressive conquest of Atman over Anatman. |
