Divine Science Comes Into View
Photo by Ben Wicks
Part I is an excerpt from Torah commentary
by Dr. Robert Rabinoff, physicist.
In the original he discusses Rambam's (Maimonides')
great philosophical work
Moreh Nevukim (Guide for the Perplexed)
in light of Vedic Science.
Dr. Rabinoff brings out the point
that the exploration of divine science is
an exploration of the science of consciousness.
The full commentary originally appeared in the
Congregation Beth Shalom Weekly News and Updates,
Fairfield, Iowa February 1, 2023. For a copy,
please contact@expressionsofjoy.com
The electric and magnetic fields were originally thought to be completely separate entities. After a while, it was realized that a changing electric field produces a magnetic field, and a changing magnetic field produces an electric field.
From this came a single set of equations that governed both the fields separately, until it was realized that one single equation could describe the behavior of the unified electromagnetic field. The electric and magnetic fields actually have no separate existence—the only reality is the electromagnetic field; the separate fields are just different perspectives, as it were, on this underlying reality.
Now, on a much more fundamental level, we see that non-material consciousness and the material, physical world are very tightly bound to each other, at the surface and at the deepest levels of existence. We see them as separate classes of phenomena—one material, objective, and external to our self, and the other non-material, subjective, and the very stuff of our self. Yet the two are tightly coupled together.
This suggests that consciousness and the material world are in fact not separate, but rather two aspects of a completely abstract, underlying reality that transcends both physical and non-physical phenomena. According to the Vedic sage Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, this abstract, transcendental reality is alternately called Pure Being or Pure Consciousness.
Pure Being represents the inert, existence aspect of the transcendent, while Pure Consciousness represents the lively, self-referential aspect of the transcendent. As we have discussed, it is the self-referential aspect of Pure Consciousness that is the basic dynamic of creation.
The exploration of “divine science” then is the exploration of Pure Conscious-ness, since it is the basis of all creation. It appears that, according to Rambam, we must go through the preliminaries of logic, mathematics, physics, astronomy, and eventually metaphysics. All this is in order to achieve true conceptions of the infinite.
Vedic Science, on the other hand, gives us the technology to experience Pure Consciousness directly—precisely since it is consciousness and we are conscious beings, with a nervous system subtle and complex enough to reflect Pure Consciousness in its fullness.
It would appear that the intellectual method, which tries to approach the infinite through the finite, can only achieve asymptotic¹ success, whereas the method of direct experience [during transcendental prayer and meditation] gives us certain and unchanging, deep inner knowledge of Pure Consciousness. At the same time, the fleeting experience of Pure Consciousness removes the barriers to its complete and permanent experience in higher states of consciousness.
Part II includes excerpts of addresses
by Martha Wilcox, 20th century
Christian Science healer and teacher.
It is very important to know that there are not two groups of creation, but that all things are spiritual. Since there is only one group of creation and all is spiritual reality, then it is very necessary that we understand that the concrete visible expression of these realities is the spiritual fact of reality itself, even though these visible forms appear as human sight, food, home, money, or a friend.
How different would man[-ifestation] and the universe be to us if we would let this sense of separation of the human concept, or material thing, and the divine idea, be swallowed up in unity, and see the loaves and fishes, the money and the wine, as the spiritual fact at hand, through the discernment of the reality of what the material senses behold.
Divine realities and their concrete expressions in human good coexist—they are one and the same thing. Let each one become aware and conscious of this great fact. The spiritual ideas that God gives us and their translated daily supplies are a unit, indivisible and inseparable.
As one gains the more glorified concept of substance and its accessibility, things will be seen in their finer and more etherealized form, quality and beauty. Let us accept the fact that reality is present in the very place where we stand. Reality is the divine substance of Truth within us, or is our state of consciousness which we may utilize to fill our every need. It is right for us to translate these divine ideas or spiritual facts into concrete visible forms and bring them to our sight and sense.²
When rightly viewed, all natural things, from the sand on the seashore to the stars in the heavens, are formations of Spirit and are spiritual. So also is everything, from a pin to a palace—including houses and lands and money—when they are correctly understood.³
Part III is from the Tao
For the mind in harmony with the Tao
all selfishness disappears.
With not even a trace of self-doubt,
you can trust the universe completely.
All at once you are free,
with nothing left to hold on to.
All is empty, brilliant,
perfect in its own being.
In the world of things as they are
there is no self, no nonself.
If you want to describe its essence
the best you can say is Not-two.
In this Not-two, nothing is separate
and nothing in the world is excluded.
The enlightened of all times and places
have entered into this truth.⁴
In it there is no gain or loss;
one instant is ten thousand years.
There is no here, no there;
infinity is right before your eyes.
The tiny is as large as the vast
when objective boundaries have vanished;
the vast is as small as the tiny
when you don’t have external limits.
Being is an aspect of non-being;
non-being is no different from being.
Until you understand this truth,
you won’t see anything clearly.
One is all; all are one.
When you realize this,
what reason for holiness or wisdom?
The mind of absolute trust
is beyond all thought, all striving,
is perfectly at peace, for in it
there is no yesterday, no today, no tomorrow.⁵
— SENG TS’AN
translation by Stephen Mitchell
Part IV is from A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi
I know nothing of two worlds—
All I know is the One—
I seek only One,
I know only One,
I find only One,
And I sing of only One.⁶
— Rumi
Waves of the Ocean
[1] “Asymptotic” is a line that approaches a curve but never touches. https://www.yourdictionary.com/asymptotic 02.04.2022
[2] Martha Wilcox, Association Address of 1935, Scientific Translation, (The Bookmark, 1986), p. 23
[3] Ibid., p. 22
[4] Rabbi Marcia Prager, The Path of Blessing, (Jewish Lights Publishing, 1998), p. 70
[5] Stillness Speaks, https://www.stillnessspeaks.com/seng-tsan-mind-absolute-trust/#:~:text=just%20let%20go%20of%20your,can%20trust%20the%20universe%20completely. 12.14.2023 from The Enlightened Heart, by Stephen Mitchell.
[6] Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva, Translators, A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi, (Bantam Books, 1992) p. 5 AX 7141
© Copyright2023 Expressions of Joy LLC All rights reserved.
If you enjoyed this article,
you are invited to share the link.
