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Article MASONIC PHILOSOPHY. ← Page 3 of 9 →
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Masonic Philosophy.
denying the interference of Providence in human affairs , and in admitting a number of beings superior to man in his intelligence , but , like him , subject to change and to transmigration . Such is the first system , of Kapila ; the second , that of Pantadjali , recognises one Supreme Grod , and it ' s principle is Theism ; the third , that of
Kanadi , which , in many points , is compounded of the two other systems , considers nature as an illusion and sinks into idealism . Nevertheless there is one great Masonic principle common to all the varied schools of the Sankian philosophy—the best method to be pursued for obtaining happiness in this life and in that to come . "The knowledge of the Word—truth , " says Kapila , " can alone deliver us entirely and definitely from evil . The temporary means resorted to for exciting pleasure , or assuaging the ills of mind and body , are insufficient for this end ; the spiritual resources as enforced by religious ceremonies are imperfect , since sacrifice , the most efficacious of all these observances , is neither innocent nor
pure , for it is accompanied by the slaughter of animals ; and the celestial rewards for pious actions are transitory . " According to the Sankian doctrine , we must possess a perfect knowledge of the truth , wholly divested from three kinds of evil : first , the internal or temporal evil , such as sickness ; secondly , the mental evil , such as cupidity , anger , and other passions ; thirdly , the external evil , occasioned by the act of a fellow-creature , by an unforeseen accident , or by the operation of a superior being .
The methods pointed out for obtaining the knowledge which is to deliver us from all these evils are , perception , induction , and affirmation , to which is added intuition ; but the latter only belongs to beings of a higher order . All other sources of knowledge are derived from the three first , by which we arrive at demonstration , and finally at certainty . There are three kinds of induction : that of cause to effect , as when
we conclude from seeing a thick cloud that it will dissolve into ram ; that of effect to cause , as when we deduce the existence of fire from perceiving a dense smoke ; and , lastly , that which is applicable to any relation independent of cause and effect , as when we conclude from the observation of the different phases of the moon ' s disks , that such and such stars wane , & c .
Affirmation relates exclusively to the Vedas , in which , from sacred tradition , every word must be considered as an authority for all which it reveals , and in which are contained the experiences and
souvenirs of privileged beings , who have detailed the circumstances of their preceding lives ; thus , in one dialogue of the Vedas , the sage Djaighsavia assures us that he had seen ten revolutions or reorganizations of the universe .
By adopting these three methods we are led by the ordinary course of reason to discover the principles upon which , according to the Sanki . au system , are based the knowledge of truth . These form two divisions : one consists of nature , intelligence , and conscience , or the feeling of existence ; the oilier , of the soul , which is
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Philosophy.
denying the interference of Providence in human affairs , and in admitting a number of beings superior to man in his intelligence , but , like him , subject to change and to transmigration . Such is the first system , of Kapila ; the second , that of Pantadjali , recognises one Supreme Grod , and it ' s principle is Theism ; the third , that of
Kanadi , which , in many points , is compounded of the two other systems , considers nature as an illusion and sinks into idealism . Nevertheless there is one great Masonic principle common to all the varied schools of the Sankian philosophy—the best method to be pursued for obtaining happiness in this life and in that to come . "The knowledge of the Word—truth , " says Kapila , " can alone deliver us entirely and definitely from evil . The temporary means resorted to for exciting pleasure , or assuaging the ills of mind and body , are insufficient for this end ; the spiritual resources as enforced by religious ceremonies are imperfect , since sacrifice , the most efficacious of all these observances , is neither innocent nor
pure , for it is accompanied by the slaughter of animals ; and the celestial rewards for pious actions are transitory . " According to the Sankian doctrine , we must possess a perfect knowledge of the truth , wholly divested from three kinds of evil : first , the internal or temporal evil , such as sickness ; secondly , the mental evil , such as cupidity , anger , and other passions ; thirdly , the external evil , occasioned by the act of a fellow-creature , by an unforeseen accident , or by the operation of a superior being .
The methods pointed out for obtaining the knowledge which is to deliver us from all these evils are , perception , induction , and affirmation , to which is added intuition ; but the latter only belongs to beings of a higher order . All other sources of knowledge are derived from the three first , by which we arrive at demonstration , and finally at certainty . There are three kinds of induction : that of cause to effect , as when
we conclude from seeing a thick cloud that it will dissolve into ram ; that of effect to cause , as when we deduce the existence of fire from perceiving a dense smoke ; and , lastly , that which is applicable to any relation independent of cause and effect , as when we conclude from the observation of the different phases of the moon ' s disks , that such and such stars wane , & c .
Affirmation relates exclusively to the Vedas , in which , from sacred tradition , every word must be considered as an authority for all which it reveals , and in which are contained the experiences and
souvenirs of privileged beings , who have detailed the circumstances of their preceding lives ; thus , in one dialogue of the Vedas , the sage Djaighsavia assures us that he had seen ten revolutions or reorganizations of the universe .
By adopting these three methods we are led by the ordinary course of reason to discover the principles upon which , according to the Sanki . au system , are based the knowledge of truth . These form two divisions : one consists of nature , intelligence , and conscience , or the feeling of existence ; the oilier , of the soul , which is