Post by Sharon Yen on Jul 25, 2016 4:08:10 GMT
WEEK SIX ESSAYS: Mystical Philosophy and Transcendence
1. Why are Faqir Chand's experiences important in understanding the projective nature of religious visions and miracles?
The Unknowing Sage describes various aspects of Faqir Chand’s meditative life. These philosophies include: “1) the illusory nature of religious visions; 2) the limitations of knowledge, both rational and transmundane; and 3) the principle that the ego/self/soul is the real cause of man’s unenlightened state” (95). In one experience, Faqir came to these realizations when he wept for twenty-four hours to catch a glimpse of the Lord (The Unknowing Sage 95). After doctors gave him some medicine, he then saw a vision of Maharishi Shiv Brat Lal (Faqir’s eventual guru), who then helped give him a bath and told him his address in Lahore (The Unknowing Sage 95). This experience convinced Faqir that “God had incarnated Himself in the form of Maharishi Shiv Brat Lal” (The Unknowing Sage 95).
Furthermore, “Faqir’s startling insight shows that most religious visions are, in fact, products of one’s own mind. When I use the term ‘mind’ here it should be equated with ‘imagination’ (The Unknowing Sage 19). Naturally, all visions are of the mind in the strict sense of the term, but those manifestations which cannot be correlated by others either in this world or the higher worlds are, for the most part merely vivid extensions of one’s imagination” (The Unknowing Sage 19). Faqir believes that religious visions are an extension of one’s imagination. They vary by individual even if the two same people believe in the same religious beliefs.
In another experience, Faqir recalls that a lady had sent him some fruit along with a letter that she was taking a bath in a river (The Unknowing Sage 64). Suddenly a wave of water swept her away (The Unknowing Sage 64). The letter stated that when she was drowning, Faqir appeared and took her hand and rescued her out of the river while saying “You have yet to do a lot of work” (The Unknowing Sage 64). However, Faqir said that he neither was there to save her nor told her that she has yet to do a lot of work (The Unknowing Sage 64). From all these experiences, Faqir has proposed that if one’s mind is pure then the answer that one would get from the manifested ideal shall be true. But if one’s mind is not pure, then the answer will be wrong and there is every possibility that the ideal may put you on the wrong way of life if your mind is not pure” (The Unknowing Sage 64). This is another example of a lady, who Faqir had never met previously, having religious visions, seeing Faqir in front of her, and imagining a conversation with him. She still believes this happened and thus, the power of religious visions that the mind constructs is strong and almost real.
2. What is meant by the phrase, "philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy"?
“Philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy” reflects the fact that philosophy and science are very closely related. You can’t have philosophy without science and you can’t have science without philosophy. Both act to create theories, first based off of hypothesis and questioning. Once these theories are proven, another theory can take its place if the initial theory is proven wrong by this new theory. Philosophy and science intertwine and coordinate to construct a field of research, methodology, and constant questioning. This is why both complement each other perfectly and one cannot be without the other. When backed up by scientific evidence and research, philosophical theories are even stronger in basis and in persuasiveness. Although philosophical ideologies are abstract and vary in thinking by individual, philosophers and scientists can all agree on scientific theories and if these are supporting a particular philosophical thought, then they make the argument even fuller.
Bibliography
Lane, David Christopher. The Unknowing Sage: The Life and Work of Faqir Chand. Walnut:
Mount San Antonio College/Philosophy Group. 2014. Print.
1. Why are Faqir Chand's experiences important in understanding the projective nature of religious visions and miracles?
The Unknowing Sage describes various aspects of Faqir Chand’s meditative life. These philosophies include: “1) the illusory nature of religious visions; 2) the limitations of knowledge, both rational and transmundane; and 3) the principle that the ego/self/soul is the real cause of man’s unenlightened state” (95). In one experience, Faqir came to these realizations when he wept for twenty-four hours to catch a glimpse of the Lord (The Unknowing Sage 95). After doctors gave him some medicine, he then saw a vision of Maharishi Shiv Brat Lal (Faqir’s eventual guru), who then helped give him a bath and told him his address in Lahore (The Unknowing Sage 95). This experience convinced Faqir that “God had incarnated Himself in the form of Maharishi Shiv Brat Lal” (The Unknowing Sage 95).
Furthermore, “Faqir’s startling insight shows that most religious visions are, in fact, products of one’s own mind. When I use the term ‘mind’ here it should be equated with ‘imagination’ (The Unknowing Sage 19). Naturally, all visions are of the mind in the strict sense of the term, but those manifestations which cannot be correlated by others either in this world or the higher worlds are, for the most part merely vivid extensions of one’s imagination” (The Unknowing Sage 19). Faqir believes that religious visions are an extension of one’s imagination. They vary by individual even if the two same people believe in the same religious beliefs.
In another experience, Faqir recalls that a lady had sent him some fruit along with a letter that she was taking a bath in a river (The Unknowing Sage 64). Suddenly a wave of water swept her away (The Unknowing Sage 64). The letter stated that when she was drowning, Faqir appeared and took her hand and rescued her out of the river while saying “You have yet to do a lot of work” (The Unknowing Sage 64). However, Faqir said that he neither was there to save her nor told her that she has yet to do a lot of work (The Unknowing Sage 64). From all these experiences, Faqir has proposed that if one’s mind is pure then the answer that one would get from the manifested ideal shall be true. But if one’s mind is not pure, then the answer will be wrong and there is every possibility that the ideal may put you on the wrong way of life if your mind is not pure” (The Unknowing Sage 64). This is another example of a lady, who Faqir had never met previously, having religious visions, seeing Faqir in front of her, and imagining a conversation with him. She still believes this happened and thus, the power of religious visions that the mind constructs is strong and almost real.
2. What is meant by the phrase, "philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy"?
“Philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy” reflects the fact that philosophy and science are very closely related. You can’t have philosophy without science and you can’t have science without philosophy. Both act to create theories, first based off of hypothesis and questioning. Once these theories are proven, another theory can take its place if the initial theory is proven wrong by this new theory. Philosophy and science intertwine and coordinate to construct a field of research, methodology, and constant questioning. This is why both complement each other perfectly and one cannot be without the other. When backed up by scientific evidence and research, philosophical theories are even stronger in basis and in persuasiveness. Although philosophical ideologies are abstract and vary in thinking by individual, philosophers and scientists can all agree on scientific theories and if these are supporting a particular philosophical thought, then they make the argument even fuller.
Bibliography
Lane, David Christopher. The Unknowing Sage: The Life and Work of Faqir Chand. Walnut:
Mount San Antonio College/Philosophy Group. 2014. Print.