Is Ancient Indian Religion Universal and/or Eternal?

System and Surroundings

Interaction across Boundaries

There is aconcept of system in today's science. System has been defined as a space with boundaries. Boundaries need not be of regular shape. Outside the system boundaries the space is known as surroundings. System and surroundings make the universe. System is a space of interest in the universe. The boundaries may be loose or tight meaning interaction between the system and the surroundings is allowed or not. Transfer of energy between system and the surroundings takes place if theboundaries allow the same. Energy of the system will remain constant and shall not increase or reduce if the boundaries are tight.

This energy may be in any form. Science also says energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Yes, form of the energy can be changed. Properties of the energy are based on the form. As an example electric energy (electricity) can be transferred into light or heat (light energy or thermal energy). Reverse also is possible. However if the change of form of energy takes place in a system with tight boundaries there can be disaster. Consider an atomic reactor. Energy converted using the reactor can produce electricity or a blast. If boundaries are loose effect of the blast can be reduced considerably. May be effect of the blast could be made nearly zero depending on looseness of the boundaries. Every society on this earth is just like the system. Today's form of the society is nation.

Swami Vivekananda

Ancient Indian Rishi

Society or nation is a common factor for each and every religion in the form we know religions. Our understanding is there are many religions not only in the universe but even on our planet earth or world. This is because universal religion exists in 2 parts, Internal and external. We see every religion like a system. We have hardly any knowledge about outside of our system i.e. Universe. Indians in ancient India had recognised and understood both i.e. system and surroundings. Swami Vivekanada said Vedant i.e. Vedas and Shriti are surroundings. Eternal relationship between the god and soul is explained in Vedant (This is found only in ancient Indian religion which is part of the religion in the universe). He further says knowledge exists from time immemorial. This is similar to definition of energy. Energy is existing and so is the knowledge. In ancient India Rishies (seer of thoughts) discovered knowledge (Rishies didn't invent knowledge) and passed it from generation to generation. There had been no single person but many rishis discovered the knowledge and with time more and more was known to people. Size of Vedas and Shritis increased with addition from time to time. Knowledge has no known. This knowledge of religion is eternal and universal. Therefore, he concludes that there is only one religion in whole of the universe. What we understand as religion today or in past 2000 years or so are Smriti and Puranas. Smriti and Puranas specify rules for following religion in practice. These were developed by selfless intelligent persons for ensuring brotherhood among persons in a society. Knowledge in Vedant prevails over the knowledge in Smriti or Puranas. There had been many societies and they needed refreshing their understanding from time to time. Wherever and whenever a conflict arises Vedanta shows the way. This means all holy books of every religion are Smriti. These books shall not take precedent over Vedanta.

Rishis are Roses

Nothing is known about personality about Rishi. We only know that a good number of Rishis discovered spiritual relationship between a soul and the god. Sages discovered right way to deal with members of a society. The later can be termed as practical life. Ancient Indian religion is not preached by any one particular person (Even Shrikrishna didn't preach religion. He brought out knowledge from Vedanta in terms people could understand). This is true to other preachers also. The only difference is they didn't have help from Vedanta and has to depend on their personal capabilities, understanding of society and the soul. There is a great danger if some time it is proved that those preachers never existed. This will have an effect on such religions and the particular religion might collapse. Ancient Indian religion is safe from this aspect.

There is another concept in today's science. Scientists and technologists call it as Entropy. Entropy could not be defined correctly till date though. Fundamental tendency of energy or knowledge is to degrade, disperse or disrupt order. When scientist say entropy always increases means the disorder increases with time. This is 100% applicable to religion also. Religion as understood in world (laws, rules, regulations to be followed by members of a society) also degrades with time. Increase in disorder is natural. To bring back the order efforts are required. This is done by prophets, messengers and incarnations throughout the world at all times. This is the reason we see many religions in the world. However, the fundamental religion, as explained in Vedanta, never changes. It is the unique feature of ancient Indian religion. Vedanta never identifies ancient religion as Hindu or with any other specific name. The reason I guess is, it is the only religion in whole of the universe and therefore, there is no requirement to name it (name Hindu had been given by Arabs who visited India and saw a great river Sindhu and they pronounced the name of the river as Hindu).

Guru Nanak Deo

Gautam Buddha

Except Buddhism followers of all other religions had to force people to follow their ways either physically or through gifts. Name Buddhism came in practice long after death of the great preacher Gautam Buddha. He explained ways and means to follow religion in practice based on his time, his society and people around. The principles he preached were universal and hence it was spread all over Asia after his Nirvana (death). All other religions are also related to time, location and the society. Although most of the religions do consider changes except one religion i.e. Islam, the changes are based on a particular society in a particular place. Hence, all of the religions are neither eternal nor universal.

Jesus Chained

My conclusion is the only religion in the universe is explained, elaborated in Vedanta and engulfs every religion existing today or was existing in the past or would rise in future. The reason for disorder is by selfish preachers, pastors, clergymen, Mullahs, Maulavis, Monks and alike.