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The Circle of Fire: The Metaphysics of Yoga
The Circle of Fire examines the eternal metaphysical questions “What is God?” and “What is the purpose of life?” The book discusses the answers to these questions given by Western science and different schools of Indian thought, specifically detailing the answers to be found in India's two most developed atheistic traditions, Hinduism and Buddhism.
Representative of a generation of Indians who have grown up with the best in scientific education and spiritual values, author P.J. Mazumdar takes a hard look at religion, science, and how two seemingly divergent bodies of knowledge can be brought together. Like Deepak Chopra a generation earlier, Mazumdar is both a medical doctor and a member of a family steeped in Hindu tradition, and is therefore well-placed to elucidate ancient Indian philosophy to the modern analytical mind. Acknowledging the metaphysical insights to be found in both Western science and Eastern spirituality, Mazumdar pays special attention to the highest school of philosophy of Hinduism, Advaita, and its application to practical spirituality through the teachings and practice of Yoga.
The book takes its structure from the Vedas, and is similarly divided into Jnanakanda (Knowledge) and Karmakanda (Actions); the first part examines the body of knowledge from European and Indian sources addressing the question of God and the second part looks at practical ways of applying this knowledge through different schools of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The book explores the purest form of nondual Hindu philosophy, Advaita, and points out how the theories underpinning Buddhism and Advaita, although they appear to contradict each other, are the only theories that remain consistent with the findings of modern science. The author makes the brave assertion that ultimately one or the other will be the theory realized by science as the ultimate metaphysical truth.
Like other books on the meeting of science and spirituality (Fritzjof Capra's 80s classic The Tao of Physics ) and the necessity of a scientifically compatible notion of God (Richard Dawkin's The God Delusion ), The Circle of Fire is ambitious in scope and a challenging, rewarding read.
Representative of a generation of Indians who have grown up with the best in scientific education and spiritual values, author P.J. Mazumdar takes a hard look at religion, science, and how two seemingly divergent bodies of knowledge can be brought together. Like Deepak Chopra a generation earlier, Mazumdar is both a medical doctor and a member of a family steeped in Hindu tradition, and is therefore well-placed to elucidate ancient Indian philosophy to the modern analytical mind. Acknowledging the metaphysical insights to be found in both Western science and Eastern spirituality, Mazumdar pays special attention to the highest school of philosophy of Hinduism, Advaita, and its application to practical spirituality through the teachings and practice of Yoga.
The book takes its structure from the Vedas, and is similarly divided into Jnanakanda (Knowledge) and Karmakanda (Actions); the first part examines the body of knowledge from European and Indian sources addressing the question of God and the second part looks at practical ways of applying this knowledge through different schools of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The book explores the purest form of nondual Hindu philosophy, Advaita, and points out how the theories underpinning Buddhism and Advaita, although they appear to contradict each other, are the only theories that remain consistent with the findings of modern science. The author makes the brave assertion that ultimately one or the other will be the theory realized by science as the ultimate metaphysical truth.
Like other books on the meeting of science and spirituality (Fritzjof Capra's 80s classic The Tao of Physics ) and the necessity of a scientifically compatible notion of God (Richard Dawkin's The God Delusion ), The Circle of Fire is ambitious in scope and a challenging, rewarding read.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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March 24, 2010At least one of the reasons that I wrote the book was in reaction to the New Atheist movement of Dawkins, Dennett, et al. From their writings, it may appear as if anyone who believes in science and the latest scientific discoveries are barred from spirituality. We can be spiritual only by rejecting science and reason.
However, this is not at all true and shows the lack of depth in knowledge of religions and religious philosophy among such 'new atheists'. It is true that the dualistic concept of God, of a grand old man or being who has created us, who answers our prayers and sends us to Heaven or Hell may not be easily accepted by those who accept science. But this does not by any means mean that all spirituality is to be abandoned. It is my endeavor to show in this book an ancient spiritual path through which we can accept all precepts of present science and reason like evolution, quantum physics and relativity, as also the latest thinking on consciousness that it is a neurobiological phenomenon, and yet advocate a spiritual goal.
The path of Advaita, which advocates the philosophy of Non-Duality, can perfectly embrace all modern scientific ideas like evolution, relativity, quantum physics, etc. and still lead us on to a spiritual journey. In fact, scientific theories like Relativity and Quantum physics not only do not contradict Advaita but in fact support it. Moreover, I have also shown that this idea of Non-Duality is not just a part of Advaita but was taught by many Christian and Islamic religious teachers too. Hence followers of all religions can find a path to spirituality through this teaching without abandoning science.
The point of the whole book is to elucidate a conception of spirituality that would be amenable to science and reason. Many people are probably not aware of the sophistication of Advaitic philosophy, a philosophy whose goal is to stick to logic and rationality, and which at every step asks its followers not to accept anything on hearsay and test it for themselves. It is my desire to bring this spiritual logic before others so that they become at least aware of this alternative, and can then choose or disregard it according to their own inclinations.
To explain what Advaita is in brief, I will just condense the path into four short steps:
1. The world is unreal.
This is the most basic proposition of both Buddhist and Advaita philosophy. The points made to support this was quite similar to the devastating attacks of Hume in Western philosophy, mainly lack of proof of a chain of cause and effect, the unreality of time, space, etc.
This relative reality is also suggested by modern theories of physics like Relativity and Quantum Physics. To this point, Advaita and Buddhism is supported by modern science. Hence Advaita conforms to modern science. But here I should add a disclaimer: I do not believe in Quantum Mysticism, and believe modern science supports only till here. Science has not gone into further speculation beyond this point, and such speculation is still in the realm of philosophy and not science.
2. If there is no absolute reality in the world, then there must be an absolute beyond it to support it. Or the Buddhist alternative, there is no alternative.
Let us take an example. Take a candle which burns from wax and dissipates into smoke and heat. Now as the candle changes its form, we know that there was one thing which was constant, it was the matter in the form of molecules and energy. It was this matter-energy which was initially in the form of a candle, later in the form of dissolved wax, smoke and flame and finally dissolved altogether into the air as smoke. So in this, it was matter-energy which was the constant, the absolute reality behind the 'fuzzy' reality of the candle. I am using the word 'fuzzy' here to show the non-absolute reality of the candle, in that it can change its form and disappear.
Now, we know from physics that matter also can be changed into energy and vice versa. SO this suggests that there must be something which is common to both. Now we know that matter and energy has opposite properties. So that which is common to both must be neither but something from which both can be manifested, hence it must be something which has the absoluteness which can manifest both these contradictory properties. It has to be something which is 'beyond' both matter and energy, which lies at the base of matter and energy. Similarly, we know that time-space is connected to matter-energy, it is related only to this, and time-space is relative. So that from which matter and energy is manifested has also time-space manifested at the same time. So the absolute is something which lies 'beyond' time and space, something from which time and space are manifested. It is this Absolute which is the Brahman or the Absolute Principle of Advaita. As can be seen from this definition, the Brahman here is not a creative God, it is not a God to whom we can pray or ask for blessings. It is a principle only. In fact, any scientist can believe up to this point and still consider himself or herself an Atheist. It is only when going beyond this stage that Advaita becomes a spiritual path and not a physical explanation for the world.
3. This absolute principle also forms the basis for existence of the individual consciousness.
Modern rationalists may easily accept an absolute field of existence for the matter-energy of the world, but find it difficult to accept such a field for consciousness. But consciousness is a part of this world itself, it is not a separate existence from the world. Consciousness is ultimately information, an individual consciousness is nothing but a pool of information. This information is intimately connected and is a part of the existence of the rest of matter-energy, although it can be said that it is a different dimension of existence. Hence anything which forms the basis of existence of the universe must also be the basis of the individual consciousnesses in the universe.
Hence the absolute field of existence is also the basis of existence for the individual consciousness.
4. The individual consciousness can ‘touch’ this absolute consciousness for a mystical experience.
This again is often difficult to accept for modern rationalists.
But this follows logically from 3. If there is an absolute field of existence which forms the basis of existence of the individual consciousness, then this absolute field must have the property which allows for the manifestation of individual consciousness. Hence we can say that this field has absolute consciousness. Hence we can see that it can be possible for the individual consciousness to ‘merge’ or ‘touch’ this absolute consciousness which lies as its basis. Therefore mystical experiences are true.
If we can accept till 3, it does not seem logical not to accept 4.
In this way, Advaita inspires us on a path which can lead us to the ultimate spiritual experience, oneness with the Absolute. This is a path that does not depend on a ‘holy book’ or the words of a ‘holy teacher’, it is a metaphysical explanation of the world which depends only on rational thinking. Advaita goes one step more and says that in the final experience, the mystical union of Samadhi, even Advaita with its logic and reasoning is left behind and the aspirant goes even further than the point reached by Advaita.
This path will not lead to a traditional God, a creator God to whom we can turn with our prayers and hopes. Advaita is not a search for God but a search for truth. The idea that it teaches is something much more ennobling and powerful. It shows us that deep within us, we are the Absolute Principle itself. Through the path of spirituality, we can achieve union with this Brahman and become Brahman itself. We are then connected to the source of infinite power within the Universe, and all our hopes and aspirations are met, and we achieve the supreme bliss of knowledge.
Advaita has always been known for its strict adherence to logic and reason. There is not one word in this path which cannot be tested. In fact one of the complaints against Advaita has always been that it appeals to the head and not the heart. But what was once considered a weakness has now become the strength of Advaita. In this age of science and reason, we cannot anymore accept a spiritual path whose precepts are contradicted by science. This same path of Non-Duality has also been preached by teachers from Christianity and Islam also. Hence Christians and Muslims can also accept this path within their own religions.
This is the importance of Advaita or Non-Duality. The strength and power of this path is that it can accept science and rationality, yet it shows us a path to the ultimate spiritual goal, the blessed and sought-for union with the Absolute.
However, this is not at all true and shows the lack of depth in knowledge of religions and religious philosophy among such 'new atheists'. It is true that the dualistic concept of God, of a grand old man or being who has created us, who answers our prayers and sends us to Heaven or Hell may not be easily accepted by those who accept science. But this does not by any means mean that all spirituality is to be abandoned. It is my endeavor to show in this book an ancient spiritual path through which we can accept all precepts of present science and reason like evolution, quantum physics and relativity, as also the latest thinking on consciousness that it is a neurobiological phenomenon, and yet advocate a spiritual goal.
The path of Advaita, which advocates the philosophy of Non-Duality, can perfectly embrace all modern scientific ideas like evolution, relativity, quantum physics, etc. and still lead us on to a spiritual journey. In fact, scientific theories like Relativity and Quantum physics not only do not contradict Advaita but in fact support it. Moreover, I have also shown that this idea of Non-Duality is not just a part of Advaita but was taught by many Christian and Islamic religious teachers too. Hence followers of all religions can find a path to spirituality through this teaching without abandoning science.
The point of the whole book is to elucidate a conception of spirituality that would be amenable to science and reason. Many people are probably not aware of the sophistication of Advaitic philosophy, a philosophy whose goal is to stick to logic and rationality, and which at every step asks its followers not to accept anything on hearsay and test it for themselves. It is my desire to bring this spiritual logic before others so that they become at least aware of this alternative, and can then choose or disregard it according to their own inclinations.
To explain what Advaita is in brief, I will just condense the path into four short steps:
1. The world is unreal.
This is the most basic proposition of both Buddhist and Advaita philosophy. The points made to support this was quite similar to the devastating attacks of Hume in Western philosophy, mainly lack of proof of a chain of cause and effect, the unreality of time, space, etc.
This relative reality is also suggested by modern theories of physics like Relativity and Quantum Physics. To this point, Advaita and Buddhism is supported by modern science. Hence Advaita conforms to modern science. But here I should add a disclaimer: I do not believe in Quantum Mysticism, and believe modern science supports only till here. Science has not gone into further speculation beyond this point, and such speculation is still in the realm of philosophy and not science.
2. If there is no absolute reality in the world, then there must be an absolute beyond it to support it. Or the Buddhist alternative, there is no alternative.
Let us take an example. Take a candle which burns from wax and dissipates into smoke and heat. Now as the candle changes its form, we know that there was one thing which was constant, it was the matter in the form of molecules and energy. It was this matter-energy which was initially in the form of a candle, later in the form of dissolved wax, smoke and flame and finally dissolved altogether into the air as smoke. So in this, it was matter-energy which was the constant, the absolute reality behind the 'fuzzy' reality of the candle. I am using the word 'fuzzy' here to show the non-absolute reality of the candle, in that it can change its form and disappear.
Now, we know from physics that matter also can be changed into energy and vice versa. SO this suggests that there must be something which is common to both. Now we know that matter and energy has opposite properties. So that which is common to both must be neither but something from which both can be manifested, hence it must be something which has the absoluteness which can manifest both these contradictory properties. It has to be something which is 'beyond' both matter and energy, which lies at the base of matter and energy. Similarly, we know that time-space is connected to matter-energy, it is related only to this, and time-space is relative. So that from which matter and energy is manifested has also time-space manifested at the same time. So the absolute is something which lies 'beyond' time and space, something from which time and space are manifested. It is this Absolute which is the Brahman or the Absolute Principle of Advaita. As can be seen from this definition, the Brahman here is not a creative God, it is not a God to whom we can pray or ask for blessings. It is a principle only. In fact, any scientist can believe up to this point and still consider himself or herself an Atheist. It is only when going beyond this stage that Advaita becomes a spiritual path and not a physical explanation for the world.
3. This absolute principle also forms the basis for existence of the individual consciousness.
Modern rationalists may easily accept an absolute field of existence for the matter-energy of the world, but find it difficult to accept such a field for consciousness. But consciousness is a part of this world itself, it is not a separate existence from the world. Consciousness is ultimately information, an individual consciousness is nothing but a pool of information. This information is intimately connected and is a part of the existence of the rest of matter-energy, although it can be said that it is a different dimension of existence. Hence anything which forms the basis of existence of the universe must also be the basis of the individual consciousnesses in the universe.
Hence the absolute field of existence is also the basis of existence for the individual consciousness.
4. The individual consciousness can ‘touch’ this absolute consciousness for a mystical experience.
This again is often difficult to accept for modern rationalists.
But this follows logically from 3. If there is an absolute field of existence which forms the basis of existence of the individual consciousness, then this absolute field must have the property which allows for the manifestation of individual consciousness. Hence we can say that this field has absolute consciousness. Hence we can see that it can be possible for the individual consciousness to ‘merge’ or ‘touch’ this absolute consciousness which lies as its basis. Therefore mystical experiences are true.
If we can accept till 3, it does not seem logical not to accept 4.
In this way, Advaita inspires us on a path which can lead us to the ultimate spiritual experience, oneness with the Absolute. This is a path that does not depend on a ‘holy book’ or the words of a ‘holy teacher’, it is a metaphysical explanation of the world which depends only on rational thinking. Advaita goes one step more and says that in the final experience, the mystical union of Samadhi, even Advaita with its logic and reasoning is left behind and the aspirant goes even further than the point reached by Advaita.
This path will not lead to a traditional God, a creator God to whom we can turn with our prayers and hopes. Advaita is not a search for God but a search for truth. The idea that it teaches is something much more ennobling and powerful. It shows us that deep within us, we are the Absolute Principle itself. Through the path of spirituality, we can achieve union with this Brahman and become Brahman itself. We are then connected to the source of infinite power within the Universe, and all our hopes and aspirations are met, and we achieve the supreme bliss of knowledge.
Advaita has always been known for its strict adherence to logic and reason. There is not one word in this path which cannot be tested. In fact one of the complaints against Advaita has always been that it appeals to the head and not the heart. But what was once considered a weakness has now become the strength of Advaita. In this age of science and reason, we cannot anymore accept a spiritual path whose precepts are contradicted by science. This same path of Non-Duality has also been preached by teachers from Christianity and Islam also. Hence Christians and Muslims can also accept this path within their own religions.
This is the importance of Advaita or Non-Duality. The strength and power of this path is that it can accept science and rationality, yet it shows us a path to the ultimate spiritual goal, the blessed and sought-for union with the Absolute.
April 17, 2010
Straddling two worlds
Dr. Mazumdar comes from a long tradition in Hinduism. He is a champion of one of the six orthodox philosophies of India, that of Advaita, which can be seen as both a philosophy and a monistic religion. He is also a man of science, a surgeon with a clear understanding of the scientific method and a man who is aware of the latest advances in scientific knowledge in such diverse fields as medicine, physics and evolutionary biology. What he tries to do here in this most interesting book is justify Advaitic philosophy in light of modern science. I was impressed with his effort, but I am not sure he was entirely successful. It is difficult to straddle two worlds.
Note well the complete title of his book: "The Circle of Fire: The Metaphysics of Yoga." To justify a metaphysical position with the empirical findings of science is indeed a difficult task. What I think can be shown is that a philosophy or a religion or any metaphysical edifice is not in contradiction with science. In this sense I think Mazumdar is admirably successful. But he is not satisfied with that. What he wants to show--and this is something he insists upon--is that of all the philosophies of India, including not just the orthodox ones coming from the Vedas but the heterodox ones including Buddhism, Advaita is the one most in line with the findings of modern science.
The key idea in Advaita is that the phenomenal world is an illusion somehow resting upon the eternal truth of Brahman, Brahman being the Ineffable (God) of the Vedas about which nothing can be said. Furthermore in Advaita we are part of Brahman in the same sense that a molecule of water is part of the ocean. Mazumdar uses the image of a whirling firebrand that creates the circle of fire as a way of expressing what he sees as a metaphysical truth. The firebrand is real but the circle of fire (the phenomenal world) is an illusion created by the whirling firebrand. Today we might see a whirling battery-powered light instead of a burning piece of wood.
The strength of the book is in the clear, if a bit repetitious, delineation of the Advaita philosophy and how it differs from other philosophies such as Vedanta, Samkhya, Buddhism and others. Mazumdar does a good job of arguing that Advaita is in agreement with quantum mechanics in the sense that particles and energy have a kind of fuzzy existence that cannot be objectified in a definite sense (all is relative), contending that there must be an absolute truth beyond this shadow show similar to the Advaitic absolute which is Brahman. What he doesn't do is demonstrate this in any scientific sense. Of course no one else has either and it is doubtful that anyone ever will. Metaphysical "truths" can be in agreement with scientific discoveries but they are unlikely to be proven through scientific methods anymore than science is likely to establish the God of Abraham.
It should be noted that this book is about yoga in the broadest sense of the word. Mazumdar spends most of his expression on the metaphysics of Advaita devoting only some of the latter parts of the book to the yogas presented in the Bhagavad Gita (Bhakti, Karma, and Jnana) and to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (usually understood as Raja Yoga). He makes it clear that the most important method employed by Advaitists is Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of faith and devotion. He is comfortable with the various rites and rituals of the Advaitic practice believing that if nothing else they are psychologically efficacious.
This sort of straddling of two worlds by Mazumdar is also seen in this statement: "…the exact relationship between Brahman and the world in Advaita cannot be described in terms of human experience." (p. 113) In other words, although Mazumdar believes that Advaita is true and the best of all religious philosophies, it cannot be established!
I happen to agree with Mazumdar's concept of the absolute, although I usually just use the more secular term "the Ineffable" rather than "Brahman." And I certainly agree with this: "There is no way to describe the absolute. Brahman is 'that from which all words turn back.'" (p. 115)
Interesting is Mazumdar's semi-idealistic position on information. He posits that information "can be said to exist both dependently and independently of matter-energy…and would not exist if there was no other existence in the universe"; but "…can exist potentially with any form of existence that is manifested from the absolute." (p. 228) Incidentally, this is cognate with modern physics which sees the cosmos in terms of information.
Another nice observation is this about the so-called psychic powers achieved in the practice of Patanjali's yoga (invisibility, levitation, etc.). They are considered stages on the way to the final samadhi and to be refused. Mazumdar notes, "This is somewhat like the powers offered to Jesus by the devil." (p. 333)
Now for a quibble:
I was not able to appreciate how learning or our ability to learn establishes free will as Muzumdar asserts on page 75. It seems to me that any act or experience of learning is no different in terms of causation than other acts or experiences. Remember Hume's Fork: either our actions are determined, in which case we are not responsible for them, or they are the result of random events, in which case we are not responsible for them. This seems to do away with free will.
Additionally Mazumdar writes: "…our individuality comprises layer upon layer of relative and changeable personality traits, memories, thoughts, and feelings, but there is no absolute reality holding these things together." (p. 104) One wonders how such an entity could will anything and seems similar to the Buddhist "no-self" which to my mind negates free will.
For anyone interested in the philosophies of India and how they relate to the modern world, this is a book not to be missed.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “Understanding Evolution and Ourselves”
Dr. Mazumdar comes from a long tradition in Hinduism. He is a champion of one of the six orthodox philosophies of India, that of Advaita, which can be seen as both a philosophy and a monistic religion. He is also a man of science, a surgeon with a clear understanding of the scientific method and a man who is aware of the latest advances in scientific knowledge in such diverse fields as medicine, physics and evolutionary biology. What he tries to do here in this most interesting book is justify Advaitic philosophy in light of modern science. I was impressed with his effort, but I am not sure he was entirely successful. It is difficult to straddle two worlds.
Note well the complete title of his book: "The Circle of Fire: The Metaphysics of Yoga." To justify a metaphysical position with the empirical findings of science is indeed a difficult task. What I think can be shown is that a philosophy or a religion or any metaphysical edifice is not in contradiction with science. In this sense I think Mazumdar is admirably successful. But he is not satisfied with that. What he wants to show--and this is something he insists upon--is that of all the philosophies of India, including not just the orthodox ones coming from the Vedas but the heterodox ones including Buddhism, Advaita is the one most in line with the findings of modern science.
The key idea in Advaita is that the phenomenal world is an illusion somehow resting upon the eternal truth of Brahman, Brahman being the Ineffable (God) of the Vedas about which nothing can be said. Furthermore in Advaita we are part of Brahman in the same sense that a molecule of water is part of the ocean. Mazumdar uses the image of a whirling firebrand that creates the circle of fire as a way of expressing what he sees as a metaphysical truth. The firebrand is real but the circle of fire (the phenomenal world) is an illusion created by the whirling firebrand. Today we might see a whirling battery-powered light instead of a burning piece of wood.
The strength of the book is in the clear, if a bit repetitious, delineation of the Advaita philosophy and how it differs from other philosophies such as Vedanta, Samkhya, Buddhism and others. Mazumdar does a good job of arguing that Advaita is in agreement with quantum mechanics in the sense that particles and energy have a kind of fuzzy existence that cannot be objectified in a definite sense (all is relative), contending that there must be an absolute truth beyond this shadow show similar to the Advaitic absolute which is Brahman. What he doesn't do is demonstrate this in any scientific sense. Of course no one else has either and it is doubtful that anyone ever will. Metaphysical "truths" can be in agreement with scientific discoveries but they are unlikely to be proven through scientific methods anymore than science is likely to establish the God of Abraham.
It should be noted that this book is about yoga in the broadest sense of the word. Mazumdar spends most of his expression on the metaphysics of Advaita devoting only some of the latter parts of the book to the yogas presented in the Bhagavad Gita (Bhakti, Karma, and Jnana) and to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (usually understood as Raja Yoga). He makes it clear that the most important method employed by Advaitists is Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of faith and devotion. He is comfortable with the various rites and rituals of the Advaitic practice believing that if nothing else they are psychologically efficacious.
This sort of straddling of two worlds by Mazumdar is also seen in this statement: "…the exact relationship between Brahman and the world in Advaita cannot be described in terms of human experience." (p. 113) In other words, although Mazumdar believes that Advaita is true and the best of all religious philosophies, it cannot be established!
I happen to agree with Mazumdar's concept of the absolute, although I usually just use the more secular term "the Ineffable" rather than "Brahman." And I certainly agree with this: "There is no way to describe the absolute. Brahman is 'that from which all words turn back.'" (p. 115)
Interesting is Mazumdar's semi-idealistic position on information. He posits that information "can be said to exist both dependently and independently of matter-energy…and would not exist if there was no other existence in the universe"; but "…can exist potentially with any form of existence that is manifested from the absolute." (p. 228) Incidentally, this is cognate with modern physics which sees the cosmos in terms of information.
Another nice observation is this about the so-called psychic powers achieved in the practice of Patanjali's yoga (invisibility, levitation, etc.). They are considered stages on the way to the final samadhi and to be refused. Mazumdar notes, "This is somewhat like the powers offered to Jesus by the devil." (p. 333)
Now for a quibble:
I was not able to appreciate how learning or our ability to learn establishes free will as Muzumdar asserts on page 75. It seems to me that any act or experience of learning is no different in terms of causation than other acts or experiences. Remember Hume's Fork: either our actions are determined, in which case we are not responsible for them, or they are the result of random events, in which case we are not responsible for them. This seems to do away with free will.
Additionally Mazumdar writes: "…our individuality comprises layer upon layer of relative and changeable personality traits, memories, thoughts, and feelings, but there is no absolute reality holding these things together." (p. 104) One wonders how such an entity could will anything and seems similar to the Buddhist "no-self" which to my mind negates free will.
For anyone interested in the philosophies of India and how they relate to the modern world, this is a book not to be missed.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “Understanding Evolution and Ourselves”
October 7, 2023
I loved this book, not because of the arguments extended in support or against of any orthodox Indian religious philosophy but because it gives a great introduction to the belief systems in these philosophies. This a great starting point before diving deep.
As any other book, this book as well presumes that the theories given by religious philosophies (Advaitha in particular) is the only true path of universe (i.e. the way universe origin and existence can be explained) and science is catching up to prove that. This is quite narrow and biased view. Typical of such schools of thoughts, as they pick what confirms to their theories and reject everything else, that doesn't.
The great thing about the book is it gives arguments to reject all religious philosophies but Advaitha. Hence, the only work remains to be done for the reader is to read one more book to reject Advaitha and the reader will pretty much be convinced of the futility of religious philosophies.
As any other book, this book as well presumes that the theories given by religious philosophies (Advaitha in particular) is the only true path of universe (i.e. the way universe origin and existence can be explained) and science is catching up to prove that. This is quite narrow and biased view. Typical of such schools of thoughts, as they pick what confirms to their theories and reject everything else, that doesn't.
The great thing about the book is it gives arguments to reject all religious philosophies but Advaitha. Hence, the only work remains to be done for the reader is to read one more book to reject Advaitha and the reader will pretty much be convinced of the futility of religious philosophies.
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February 24, 2018The Circle of Fire examines the eternal metaphysical questions “What is God?” and “What is the purpose of life?” The book discusses the answers to these questions given by Western science and different schools of Indian thought, specifically detailing the answers to be found in India's two most developed atheistic traditions, Hinduism and Buddhism.
Representative of a generation of Indians who have grown up with the best in scientific education and spiritual values, author P.J. Mazumdar takes a hard look at religion, science, and how two seemingly divergent bodies of knowledge can be brought together. Like Deepak Chopra a generation earlier, Mazumdar is both a medical doctor and a member of a family steeped in Hindu tradition, and is therefore well-placed to elucidate ancient Indian philosophy to the modern analytical mind. Acknowledging the metaphysical insights to be found in both Western science and Eastern spirituality, Mazumdar pays special attention to the highest school of philosophy of Hinduism, Advaita, and its application to practical spirituality through the teachings and practice of Yoga.
The book takes its structure from the Vedas, and is similarly divided into Jnanakanda (Knowledge) and Karmakanda (Actions); the first part examines the body of knowledge from European and Indian sources addressing the question of God and the second part looks at practical ways of applying this knowledge through different schools of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The book explores the purest form of nondual Hindu philosophy, Advaita, and points out how the theories underpinning Buddhism and Advaita, although they appear to contradict each other, are the only theories that remain consistent with the findings of modern science. The author makes the brave assertion that ultimately one or the other will be the theory realized by science as the ultimate metaphysical truth.
Like other books on the meeting of science and spirituality (Fritzjof Capra's 80s classic The Tao of Physics) and the necessity of a scientifically compatible notion of God (Richard Dawkin's The God Delusion), The Circle of Fire is ambitious in scope and a challenging, rewarding read.
Representative of a generation of Indians who have grown up with the best in scientific education and spiritual values, author P.J. Mazumdar takes a hard look at religion, science, and how two seemingly divergent bodies of knowledge can be brought together. Like Deepak Chopra a generation earlier, Mazumdar is both a medical doctor and a member of a family steeped in Hindu tradition, and is therefore well-placed to elucidate ancient Indian philosophy to the modern analytical mind. Acknowledging the metaphysical insights to be found in both Western science and Eastern spirituality, Mazumdar pays special attention to the highest school of philosophy of Hinduism, Advaita, and its application to practical spirituality through the teachings and practice of Yoga.
The book takes its structure from the Vedas, and is similarly divided into Jnanakanda (Knowledge) and Karmakanda (Actions); the first part examines the body of knowledge from European and Indian sources addressing the question of God and the second part looks at practical ways of applying this knowledge through different schools of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The book explores the purest form of nondual Hindu philosophy, Advaita, and points out how the theories underpinning Buddhism and Advaita, although they appear to contradict each other, are the only theories that remain consistent with the findings of modern science. The author makes the brave assertion that ultimately one or the other will be the theory realized by science as the ultimate metaphysical truth.
Like other books on the meeting of science and spirituality (Fritzjof Capra's 80s classic The Tao of Physics) and the necessity of a scientifically compatible notion of God (Richard Dawkin's The God Delusion), The Circle of Fire is ambitious in scope and a challenging, rewarding read.
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