Solution for all Problems

The basic underlying problem of life is death. If this one problem can be solved, immediately all other problems become automatically solved. One may have so many financial problems: a hundred dollar problem, a thousand dollar problem, and a ten thousand dollar problem. But if he has a billion dollars, all of his financial problems are immediately solved. Therefore the intelligent person seeks first the solution to life's underlying problem, the problem of death. After attaining deathlessness by the complete revival of his eternal, blissful, knowledge-full, existence, he then glides effortlessly through every one of the so-called problems of life. They all become a piece of cake.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: In Defense of Skepticism...

Without a bit of skepticism how would you find the truth in things? After all one should not be to gullible, as there are a lot of bogus things.

Science is not like the dogma of most religions, which is defined as (1) a doctrine or system of doctrines proclaimed true by a religious sect or (2) a principle, belief, or statement of an idea or opinion, especially one that is authoritatively, sometimes arrogantly, asserted as Absolute Truth. So I like to try and keep a balance, if you know what I mean, and not to be too gullible.

Skepticism is very helpful in understanding things better, as you get both sides of the story. What do you think of the saying, "A lot of good can come out of bad."? For instance some bad things that have happened in my life have pointed me in the right direction. Skepticism is like that in a way. Without bad how would you understand the purity of good or the spirit, so without skepticism it would be a lot more difficult to find the truth.

Hayden.

Answer: Skeptical of Skepticism...

Skepticism is the philosophical position of doubting everything. In terms not being duped by false teachings it is certainly helpful to a certain point. But just as the existence of counterfeit money indicates the existence of real money, falsity indicate that somewhere there is actual truth.

If one is overly skeptical regarding money, he will never be able to accept money from anyone due his paranoia that all money is counterfeit. This is a highly unrealistic impractical position. Similarly if is one is overly skeptical regarding knowledge, he will never be able to accept anything as truth. But since truth exists, to take the philosophical position of the skeptics, to never accept anything as truth, would be ridiculous.

Science proposes to give us truth. But yet we do not see a consensus of opinion among scientists. What one scientists says is true, is said by another scientist to not be true. So how we will arrive at the truth? This is the most important question we can ask in this human form of life. Therefore the Vedanta Sutra enjoins:

athato brahma jijnasa

"The purpose of the human form of life is to understand what is the Absolute Truth."

So how will we arrive at the Absolute Truth? We are living within it at every minute. Therefore the Absolute Truth of existence can never be extinguished although it may be temporarily covered by ignorance. If we are very sincere to reconnect ourselves with that Absolute Truth, the Supreme Absolute Truth, dwelling within us, will bring us in contact with a bona fide spiritual master who will then fully reveal that Absolute Truth to us. When it comes to a direct experience of the Absolute Truth, skepticism would be a great hindrance for the progressive development of our intelligence. Therefore under such a circumstance it would be extremely foolish to hold onto our skepticism. Under such a circumstance skepticism must be abandoned.

The philosophy of skepticism dictates in the ultimate end that one must also doubt the validity of skepticism. When one reaches the precincts of the Absolute Truth to hold onto the crutch of skepticism is a gross violation of the principle of skepticism.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari