New-York tribune., 1905-08-13
WHAT VEDANfA TEACHES.
federation, CausatiOn and Reincarna-
tiOn the Chief Doctrines.

lent contrasts Here can be seen the richest
man in tho world and some Of the poorest. here
Is the greatest comparatively unoccupied urban
area and che most dehsely populated part of the
globe; here the buildings go the furthest iRto
the air and he deepest into the ground: here
are the learned men of the universities and the
lowest miteracy Of the sums: here the lumber
ing old stage coach the obsoiescent horsecar
and the most modern OF all intramuraf means OF
transportatfon-;he subway.
Contrasts without number. stranger even than
these, are to be found by him who seeks. espe-
cially among the mental qualities of the people.
few words about only of these. In the
midst Of hundreds of thousands OF New Orlers
who regularly contribute of their means TO send
missionaries % India and other foreign lands 20
convert the natives 20 the Christian religion
finds. strangest of all anomalies a rapidly
growing and to all outward appearances, intel
ligent body of men. and women who have done
Just the opposite They have given Of their
money to bring from this same India some of
the wise men OF that country. who are even now
engaged in teaching them what is called the
highest wisdom In that ancient land e-
The persons with these apparently antipOdal
idio5yncrasie belong to the Nedanta Society, an
organization Incorporated under the laws OF this
STATE. occupying house at No. So West 7lst-st.
And as II 10 complete the strangeness OF the
contrast, finds the president of this society
to be a Drofessoc in. Columbia University and
among the honorary members professors OF na-
tiOnal reputation Of other great American tn
stitutions of learning, besides many graduates
of American universities who listen TO the
teachings of these men who come from this So
called heather" country. Some persons will be
interested to learn more about this odd society
and what message these men from OF the
most ancient civilizations in the world have
to bring to the most modern
Indeed. when comes TO think of it, there
ought to be nothing strange in the fact of the
oldest country in the world teaching the young
est. If. indeed. all philosophy teaches. knovl-
edge comes only through experience, to have
lived long and experienced much would seem
10 be the first requisite OF teacher. More
over II may be believed that a nation or a
people that has passed through the varying
vicissitudes of at least i've thousand years of
life may well have acquired some knowledge
that might prove valuable TO a people whose
whole span OF national life does not much ex-
ceed century. that there is nothing In
herently absurd in the idea. and. indeed on the
face of It, there is an priOri presump-
ton in favor of teacher who comes thus ac-
credited.
What, then is the message which these native
IN India, bring to the vedanta Society? They
bring, first of all. the lesson of universal toll
eration-that there is truth in all religions II
is a common practice among advanced thinkers
to stamp false the old religions which they
have rejected Not Vedanta IL points out
that all true for their day and generation
No other position. they say. will stand a logi-
cal analysis. For. il what believed yester-
day be false because think differently to-
day. then our to-day's belief is equally false be-
cause we shalr certainly advance from II TO
other belief hereafter and in the same man
ner assuming what everybody admits that we
shall continue TO progress toward a perfect
realization of the truth our each successive po-
siton will also be false. because IL must in it's
turn give way to another and truer one which
means of course. that shall always be
wrong, which is reduction to an absurdity.
The Vedantists say that each successive modi-
fed belief is part OF main stairway so to
speak Of progress toward the ideal OF which
each particular stair is as necessary as every
other. One has much right TO stigmatize as
false his beliefs of yesterday because he thinks
differently to-day as he has to condemn as use
less and unnecessary the lower steps of.a stair
way on which he has climbed 10 a command
ing outlook. Each individual step. from lowest
TO highest, is necessary and important and true
To use another illustration: II one walk across
the plains toward distant mountain peak each
days progress gives different picture AT first
the mountain may be hazy and indistinct but
each day brings it and nearer. until
finally one sees IL right before him Now each
days picture was perfect and complete In itself
from that point of view, although ii was differ
ent from all It's predecessors and all it's sue
cessors. So say the Vedantists Of truth Men
journey toward it from day TO day. Some are
further along than others, but "alI men are
struggling in the paths that lead TO it," All see
1t more or less distinctly and all will some day
arrive in full view of it. This. then. is one OF
the lessons which the Swamis bring out OF India
universal toleraton of the beliefs Of others
One of the most striking and essential features
of the Vedauta philosophy is what they call the
law of Karma or the law of causation Every
one is familiar with the workings OF this law
in the physical world. II is easy to recognize in
rough way the causes of things In general
thai one sees around him. but il is not custom
airy. IN the West at least. to give 10 this Law an
extensive application. karma. say they. OF eau
Satlon, is rs universal as time or space IL per
vades not only the physical but the moral and
spiritual world as well, and Il is in its latter
aspects that IL is of far greater Importance Men
are beginning 70 learn i'm way that their phys
ical ils-for instance. colds fevers and the like
are readily traceable 10 certain acts of their
own; that long sickness in 1905 say was
period OF dissipation overwOrk begun per-
haps. in 1910. and was not at all mysteriOus
visitation of Providence. But the law OF Karma
goes much further than this IL SAYS that the
law of cause and effect is Of worldwide appIica-
ttOn. There be no cause whatever Vffhou+
an effect effect without cause Thus every
thought OF our mind every act OF our body has
its cause and will in turn be a cause Every
thought. no matter how family formulated or