Advaita Vedanta: The Cult of Death

by Guest Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:28 am

Among the later Indian philosophers those who want to take their stand exclusively on Upanisadic idealism--an important but not exclusive trend in the Upanisads-- are the Advaita Vedantists. According to the Advaitins, an appropriate descriptive epithet of their philosophy is Sariraka-Mimansa or Sariraka philosophy. Sariraka means the body that is filthy (sariraka is derived from the word sarira or body by adding to it the suffix kan which gives a sense of derogation). Upanisadic idealism is given such a name because it is the philosophy of the pure spirit or soul which, much to the annoyance of the idealists,remains imprisoned as it were in the defiled body.The way in which the renowned Upanisadic metaphysician Yajnavalkya explains it is to give an enviable description of a dying man--enviable, because while dying, he is getting progressively relieved from the fetters of the body (Brihad Aranyaka Upanisad iv.42):

He is becoming one, they say, he does not see.He is becoming one, they say, he does not smell.He is becoming one, they say, he does not taste.He is becoming one, they say, he does not speak.He is becoming one, they say, he does not hear.He is becoming one, they say, he does not think.He is becoming one, they say, he does not touch.He is becoming one, they say, he does not know.The point of his heart becomes lighted up. By that light the self departs, either by the eye, or by the head, or by other bodily parts. After him, as he goes out, the life goes out. After the life, as it goes out, all the breaths go out. He becomes one with intelligence...

This, in short, is an important feature of the ancient philosophy of the pure spirit. It is a philosophy of the most intense contempt for the body, so much so that it goes to the extent of glorifying death as by far the greatest bliss conceivable. Paradoxically, this cult of death is also made to pass as the philosophy ensuring immortality. This combination of opposites is possible, because in the philosophy of pure spirit, birth is as fictitious as death. So here is my question to the Advaitin: since you glorify death so much, since you feel death to be a great bliss, why don't you commit suicide immediately and become one with the Absolute. What is the point of living in this world which is ultimately illusory?