| The earliest of the world's scriptures, the Rig Veda, | | | | is still there among the best of the Christian |
| contains the greatest declaration of religious harmony: | | | | missionaries in India, but the spirit of universalism is |
| "Truth is one but sages call it by various names". | | | | undoubtedly at work. |
| Religious harmony has been, in the main, the central | | | | This is partly true also of the Muslims who came as |
| theme of the Eternal Religion (Santana Dharma). | | | | conquerors and finally settled in the land. In spite of |
| Buddhism was an attempt to reform Hinduism when | | | | occasional outbursts of fanaticism, the militant faith |
| it had become degenerate; but it was never spread | | | | of Islam, too, has become somewhat toned down. |
| by fire and sword as was greatly done later in the | | | | Under its influence of universalism, the Moghul |
| case of Christianity and Islam. The Buddha's message | | | | emperor Akbar attempted to lay the foundations of |
| of enlightenment penetrated everywhere in a | | | | a new, broad and eclectic religion. He declared: |
| peaceful way. Emperor Asoka, who was a staunch | | | | "Each person according to his condition gives the |
| follower of Buddhism, put up the edict: | | | | Supreme Beinga name, but in reality to name the |
| "He who out of respect for his own faith disparages | | | | unknowable is vain." |
| thefaiths of others inflicts the greatest injury on his | | | | His son Jehangir held that the science of Vedanta is |
| own." | | | | the science of Sufism or the mysticism of Islam. Dara |
| The spirit of dynamic universalism enabled Hindus to | | | | Shuko, a grandson of Jehangir, acknowledged the |
| assimilate within its fold a number of races - native | | | | universal spirit of Islam and Hinduism and was |
| and foreign - with their diversities of customs and | | | | instrumental in having the Upanishads translated into |
| cultures. | | | | Persian. This was later on translated into a jargon of |
| In the early centuries of the Christian era, many | | | | Latin, Greek and Persian, and drew the admiration of |
| Christians came to India as refugees, but later many | | | | the German philosopher Schopenhauer, who declared: |
| came as conquerors and, in trying to convert others | | | | "That incomparable book stirs the spirit to the very |
| to their faith, sometimes used force and various | | | | depths of the soul. |
| unfair means. Many missionaries supported by foreign | | | | It has been the solace of my life; it will be the solace |
| rulers grossly misused India's hospitality and vilified the | | | | of my death." |
| Hindus who were tolerant to a fault. The Indian | | | | (Quoted by Prof. Max Muller. The Six Systems of |
| atmosphere with its religious harmony, however, was | | | | Indian Philosophy). |
| responsible for changing the attitude of some of the | | | | Muslim fanatics destroyed many Hindu and Buddhist |
| missionaries and their Christian followers. | | | | temples and converted many persons by force, but |
| At first this attitude was one of wholesale | | | | still, the Hindus, on the whole, continued to allow |
| denunciation and destruction whenever possible. The | | | | them and others perfect freedom of worship. In this |
| Hindu religion was considered "a weltering chaos of | | | | connection what Abdul Razak, the Persian Muslim |
| darkness, terror and uncertainty." It was "the work | | | | ambassador to the Hindu court at Calicut, South India, |
| of Satan". Later some of the leaders of Christian | | | | wrote about the middle of the 15th century, is very |
| thought came to hold: | | | | revealing: |
| "In her (India's) literature, philosophy, art and | | | | "The people of (Calicut) are infidels; consequently I |
| regulated life there is muchthat is worthless, much | | | | consider myself tobe in an enemy country, as the |
| also that is distinctly unhealthy; yet the treasure | | | | Mohammedans consider every one whohas not |
| ofknowledge, wisdom and beauty which they contain | | | | received the Qur'an. Yet I admit I meet with perfect |
| are too precious to be lost." | | | | tolerationand even favour; we have two mosques |
| (Hymns of the Tamil Saivite Saints, Eds, F. Kingsbury | | | | and are allowed to pray in public." |
| & G.F. Phillips. Editorial preface). | | | | (Quoted by S. Radhakrishnan, Eastern Religion and |
| The next attitude was: | | | | Western Thought). |
| "Other religions are broken lights; Christianity is the | | | | Minds conditioned with pre-conceived notions of what |
| perfect and complete light. | | | | religion is or should be may find it difficult to |
| Other religions are preparations for the reception of | | | | comprehend the Hindu attitude that Spiritualism is |
| Christianity. Christianity isthe fulfillment. Christ is the | | | | something more, in fact, infinitely more, than that of |
| crown of Hinduism." | | | | toleration. It is the acceptance of all religions as true, |
| A newer and more tolerant outlook is now gaining | | | | of the fact that God can and should be realized |
| ground regarding different religions as 'legitimate', just | | | | through as many paths as possible, that its real |
| as different types of human language are legitimate | | | | essence lies. This echo of the Sanatana Dharma |
| products of local conditions; but the attitude still | | | | (Eternal Religion), encompassing the Voices of all |
| maintains a sense of superiority: This reminds one of | | | | religions - in its very universality and loftiness - has a |
| the Englishman's remarks about the language of the | | | | lasting appeal for us all. |
| Americans: "They speak the same language as we | | | | Some kindly reader may want to leave a comment |
| do, but not as well". "You speak what our cousins in | | | | or "rating" this article. Thank you. |
| America call English!" Something of this snobbishness | | | | |