Spiritual universalization

The information revolution has turned the modern world into a global village. The scientific
inventions in communication and conveyance have brought men of different countries together
barring the disparities that ex on the basis of race, colour, culture, philosophy, et al. The
emerging changes during the post World-War in the economic scenario and deterioration of
familial relationships have a far-reaching impact on society. The ethical foundations of society
are shattered into pieces.
Farther, the globalization on the economic front ha brought a kind of conginiety among people at
large. There has been a confluence of many philosophies of the world. As saying goes “The
birds of the same feather flock together” all the philosophies that propagates. Truth non-
violence, humanity and love mingle together an try to calm down the disturbed mind of man
who has been a victim of the materialistic world.
We have seen the different philosophies individualized on several distinct grounds viz., on the
basis of religion, on the basis of country or region or on the basis of philosophers. Thus there
are:
1. Christian, Hindu. Buddhist. Jain. Sikh and Islamic philosophies on the religious ground.
2. Western, Eastern Arabic European - on the ground region they cover
3. Secretes, Plato, Aristotle. Gandhi, Einstein, Max, Aurobindo philosophies - that are
individualized.
All the activities in the world take place with a basic bond of faith or belief. Thus, we have
fear of God in case of wrong, the fear of punishment in case of crimes; etc. The principle of co-
existence took a different shape at the beginning of the 20 Century in the name of co-operative
farming, co-operative banking and co-operative societies. Though the joint families disintegrated
due to industrial revolution, there emerged a group of associates under the banner of craft guides
and companies. All these function on the principles of co-existence respect to elders. Etc.
If the founding principle of the philosophies is ass as a source of energy, that is SUN, all the
philosophies appear as the planets that revolve round
the sun irrespective of their propagators, the region where it is followed and the people who
assume. They aim at the betterment of mankind. The basic tenets of philosophy can be listed as
under.
Truth
When we compare truth to a ray of sun, the question of its eternity does not arise. The
principle of truth is the elementary unit of all the philosophies. The Indian philosophy asserts
truth, beauty and God. English poet Keats too states in his ‘Ode on the Grecian Urn’, the similar
ideas as:
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty that all
we know on earth, and ye need to know “
Non-Violence
Violence, the basic tenet of Gandhian philosophy, is found in all the philosophies of the
world. Though the approaches are diverse, there is no religion, for that matter that prophesies the
violence. Every religion tries to bind flora and fauna on the line of fraternity and love.
Humanity
Human values like Liberty, Equality and Fraternity’, which became the watchwords of French
revolution, too are the principle of philosophy. There is an agitation against slavery, dominance
and exploitation. The modern age too recognizes these values in high esteem.
Religious Philosophies
 There are numerous religions in the world propagating truth or path of glory. Christ
propagated with the help of Ten Commandments, Prophet Mohammad through Quoran
Hinduism through Gita, Jainism through Kaivalya or Tripitakas and the like. The significance of
all these faiths lies in the firm belief in God. His fear, his blessing for the surrendered, his
forgiveness for the sinners who repent and so on. Wordsworth’s lines from his Prelude are worth
quoting.
“Our being’s heart and home
is with infinitude and only there”
We are descendants of Lords. Our original home is with infinite world. This is simply a
temporary settlement. In this connection it is apt to quote Shakespeare when he says:
All the world is a stage
We are the players ”
The unvitiating belief in Almighty has made the religion find solutions to the human worries.
Modern Approach
With this mental background, let me give illustration of chaotic modern world. With the
publication of Darwin’s ‘Origin of Species’, in the 19 Century people began to loose faith in
God, religion and philosophical values. Materialism dominated over the rotten industrial world.
The disillusionment of post war generation, the decade of sense of hopeless drift, and the
dilemma of the modern mind, finds solution, comfort, only when it comes back to philosophy,
Veda and religion i.e., God. The ultimate shelter to the troubled mind’s Philosophy.
The principles of philosophy are brought into effect with the new machinery with different
names.
Government
Modern state is a welfare state. The welfare, the development of its subject is its sole
motto. The governments exist on the model of ancient Greek states aiming at the welfare of its
citizens. Almost all the world is covered by the ambit of capitalism and imprints of socialism,
which are the forceful forms of peaceful co-existence, still haunt the developing countries like
India.
Law and Order
The existing rules of law and order in the society aim at curbing the man’s evil nature.
The measures like punishment, solitary confinement, imprisonment, fines and penalties all try to
bring man’s emotions to the normal position.
Human Rights
The concept of human rights emerged at the dawn of 1950s, when the colonialism was
almost on the verge of decline. The then newly independent states were model of emulating their
mother states in their administration. They started adopting all the corrupt methods to exploit the
innocent brethren. The UNO then declared Human Rights to rescue the conditions of world
citizens. Thus, it upheld the human values. The Human Rights Commission aims to provide:
a) Freedom, b) Equality, c) Self-Governance,
d) Classlessness, e) Co-existence, etc.

Impact of Globalization on Philosophy

The emergence of globalization, i.e., free market economy in the name of liberalization
made all the countries shun their internal differences. This has made the philosophy; culture and
civilizations dominate and exploit the weaker ones. As Prof. Huntington opines, “when all the
philosophies of the world come closer, barring all the regional barriers there is a danger of
greater powers dominating the lower ones” The major philosophies have a tremendous influence
on others.
Though there has been an agitation against such dominance, it has not yielded.
Democratic countries rebelled democratically whereas it took to violence in dictatorship regions.
The fundamentalists once blamed their religious foundations and tried to reform them at others
they blamed political and social situations.
The colonial nations tried to unite geographically and linguistically. There was also a
kind of influence of parent nations. All the philosophies started melting in the heat of
domineering one. This is further called Melting Cauldron. This made smaller countries go
without identity, unity of behaviour and culture. When all the philosophies propagate the theory
of Karma on different lines, it makes men succumb to the easier ones. This is so because the
familiar philosophy seems to be complicated. This capturing of philosophies is possible for three
reasons:
1) Economic depression and failure of ruling class to overcome this default.
2) When the ruling class becomes the part of globalization and accepts free economic social and
cultural policies.
3) The strong desire to mobilize the natural resources of the country.
Influence of Global Philosophies
Such a conflict arose only in urban and industrial areas. The rural folks are still innocent
and they follow their rituals. At this juncture it is better to look for the major philosophical
principles and find solutions, if any.
Buddhism: “What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday and our present
thoughts, build our life of tomorrow: our life is the creation of our mind:
If a man speaks or acts with an impure mind, suffering follows him as the wheel of the cart
follows the beast that draws the cart.”
Suffering and freedom from suffering lie at the heart of Buddhist vision and the cause of
suffering is selfish desire. Each person sees himself as separate,