Page:The World's Parliament of Religions Vol 1.djvu/344



Hinduism is a wide term, but at the same time a vague term. The word Hindu is invented by the Mohammedan conquerors of Âryâvarta, the historical name of India, and it denotes all who reside beyond the Indus. Hinduism, therefore, correctly speaking, is no religion at all. It embraces within its wide intention all shades of thought, from the atheistic Jainas and Bauddhas to the theistic Sâmpradâyikas and Samâjists and the rationalistic Advaitins. But we may agree to use the term in the sense of that body of philosophical and religious principles which are professed in part or whole by the inhabitants of India. I shall confine myself in this short address to unfold the meaning of this term, and shall try to show the connection of this meaning with the ancient records of India, the Vedas.

Before entering upon this task permit me, however, to make a few preliminary observations. And first, it would greatly help us on if we had settled a few points, chief among them the meaning of the word Religion. Religion is defined by Webster generally as any system of worship. This, however, is not the sense in which the word is understood in India. The word has a three-fold connotation. Religion divides itself into physics, ontology and ethics, and without being that vague something which is set up to satisfy the requirements of the emotional side of human nature, it resolves itself into that rational demonstration of the universe which serves as the basis of a practical system of ethical rules. Every Indian religion—for let it be understood there is quite a number of them—has therefore some theory of the physical universe, complemented by some sort of spiritual government and a code of ethics consistent with that theory and that government. So then, it would be a mistake to take away any one phase of any Indian religion and pronounce upon its merits on a partial survey. The next point I wish to clear is the chronology of the Purânas, I mean the chronology given in the Purânas. Whereas the Indian religion claims exorbitant antiquity for its teaching, the tendency of Christian writers has been to cramp everything within the narrow period of 6,000 years. But for the numerous vagaries and fanciful theories these extremes give birth to, this point has no interest for us at the present moment. With the rapid advances made by physical science in the West, numerous testimonies have been unearthed to show the untenableness of biblical chronology, and it would be safe to hold the mind in mental suspense in regard to this matter. The third point is closely connected with the second. Everyone has a natural