Vedanta and evolution have a lot of meeting ground.But these 2 ideas differ in some other key areas.Lets explore :
1.Evolution is always followed by Involution :
As per Vedanta before process of evolution ,there has to be an Involution.As per the theory proposed by the ancient sages of India , if you can understand the microcosm, you can definitely understand the macrocosm. ie Under this magnificent reality that we experience, there is a principle of generalization.A tree grows from a seed and goes back to the seed and the cycle continues.Mountains arise out of fine grains of sand and mountains get churned back to sand as rivers crush them over millenia.Hence , the theory proposes that the gross always follows the fine.The tree had come out of the seed.ie the universe that we see and experience in its current form existed prior to this state in a fine form.The Western theory proposes that the gross form came out of the fine form through a Big Bang.But Vedanta proposes that ,yes the Bing Bang is indeed true , but prior to the Big Bang ,there existed another universe in a grosser form and prior to that another universe in finer form and so on.Hence time is infinite and eternal.If Richard Dawkins can shake hands with this theory , he would instantly turn into a Vedantin!
2)Competition is not a necessary condition for evolution :
This is another point where Vedanta takes a differing view compared to evolution.As per Darwin,"Survival of the fittest" is the basis of evolution and its always the fittest and most adaptable that survives.Vedanta points out that evolution can occur without competition as well.If we apply the competition to the animal kingdom , we can find that this theory is correct.The fittest & most adaptable species indeed survives.However,when you apply this to humanity ,the theory fails.Consider a movie theater where people are seated to full capacity.If a fire breaks out in the theater , if people compete with each other and try to arrive at the door for escaping,a good number of people might get trampled and lose their life.Instead ,if the people moved out in a systematic way without unnecessary competition,everyone would have made their way out without mutual damage.Competition as per Vedanta is unnecessary for evolution.
3)Concept of the 10 Avatars of Vishnu :
This concept of Hindu mythology falls in line with the evolution of life .The avatars in their order
are :
a.Matsya Avatar : The first life forms as we know occurred on water.
b.Koorma Avatar : Life extended from the fish form to a tortoise.
c.Varaha Avatar : Life extended to land where the boar came into being.
d.Vamana Avatar : The first human came onto the dwarf form.
e.Parasurama Avatar : This avatar is shown as a primitive man and as a hunter with not much control over emotions.
f.Rama Avatar : Humanity started to form civilizations and started settling down near fertile pieces of land.Morals and dictates came into being.Rama is considered as the epitome of morality.
g.Krishna Avatar : As time went on , human beings started thinking in more complex terms.Art,war,complex strategies,management,psychological warfare and may other aspects of humanity took full shape and we see Krishna as a master lover,strategist,warrior,statesman.
h.Kalki Avatar : This might be a human form or a shift in consciousness in life which would start the next cycles of creation or projection of the universe. ie The universe would go back into the potential form & stay in that mode for 4.5 billion years before the next PROJECTION begins (the word projection would be a better word rather than CREATION ).This principle is in sync with the Le Chatliers principle as per which a system which has lost equilibrium would try to return to equilibrium.When you shake water which is static , water tends to return to the original state.The concept of avatars is as per this principle in which avatars incarnate whenever righteousness goes out of balance.
Hence we see that through the avatars that its not EVOLUTION OF MATTER BUT EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS that Vedanta stresses on.The Western world is still stuck up with the theories of Evolution of matter.
Dawkins would do himself good if he can flex his neural muscles to understand that matter comes from mind and not vice-versa.
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1.Evolution is always followed by Involution :
As per Vedanta before process of evolution ,there has to be an Involution.As per the theory proposed by the ancient sages of India , if you can understand the microcosm, you can definitely understand the macrocosm. ie Under this magnificent reality that we experience, there is a principle of generalization.A tree grows from a seed and goes back to the seed and the cycle continues.Mountains arise out of fine grains of sand and mountains get churned back to sand as rivers crush them over millenia.Hence , the theory proposes that the gross always follows the fine.The tree had come out of the seed.ie the universe that we see and experience in its current form existed prior to this state in a fine form.The Western theory proposes that the gross form came out of the fine form through a Big Bang.But Vedanta proposes that ,yes the Bing Bang is indeed true , but prior to the Big Bang ,there existed another universe in a grosser form and prior to that another universe in finer form and so on.Hence time is infinite and eternal.If Richard Dawkins can shake hands with this theory , he would instantly turn into a Vedantin!
2)Competition is not a necessary condition for evolution :
This is another point where Vedanta takes a differing view compared to evolution.As per Darwin,"Survival of the fittest" is the basis of evolution and its always the fittest and most adaptable that survives.Vedanta points out that evolution can occur without competition as well.If we apply the competition to the animal kingdom , we can find that this theory is correct.The fittest & most adaptable species indeed survives.However,when you apply this to humanity ,the theory fails.Consider a movie theater where people are seated to full capacity.If a fire breaks out in the theater , if people compete with each other and try to arrive at the door for escaping,a good number of people might get trampled and lose their life.Instead ,if the people moved out in a systematic way without unnecessary competition,everyone would have made their way out without mutual damage.Competition as per Vedanta is unnecessary for evolution.
3)Concept of the 10 Avatars of Vishnu :
This concept of Hindu mythology falls in line with the evolution of life .The avatars in their order
are :
a.Matsya Avatar : The first life forms as we know occurred on water.
b.Koorma Avatar : Life extended from the fish form to a tortoise.
c.Varaha Avatar : Life extended to land where the boar came into being.
d.Vamana Avatar : The first human came onto the dwarf form.
e.Parasurama Avatar : This avatar is shown as a primitive man and as a hunter with not much control over emotions.
f.Rama Avatar : Humanity started to form civilizations and started settling down near fertile pieces of land.Morals and dictates came into being.Rama is considered as the epitome of morality.
g.Krishna Avatar : As time went on , human beings started thinking in more complex terms.Art,war,complex strategies,management,psychological warfare and may other aspects of humanity took full shape and we see Krishna as a master lover,strategist,warrior,statesman.
h.Kalki Avatar : This might be a human form or a shift in consciousness in life which would start the next cycles of creation or projection of the universe. ie The universe would go back into the potential form & stay in that mode for 4.5 billion years before the next PROJECTION begins (the word projection would be a better word rather than CREATION ).This principle is in sync with the Le Chatliers principle as per which a system which has lost equilibrium would try to return to equilibrium.When you shake water which is static , water tends to return to the original state.The concept of avatars is as per this principle in which avatars incarnate whenever righteousness goes out of balance.
Hence we see that through the avatars that its not EVOLUTION OF MATTER BUT EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS that Vedanta stresses on.The Western world is still stuck up with the theories of Evolution of matter.
Dawkins would do himself good if he can flex his neural muscles to understand that matter comes from mind and not vice-versa.
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