Western scholars vs. Patanjali’s system on Evolution
- Western scholars attribute the elevation of lower species to higher ones to:
- Struggle for existence
- Survival of the fittest
- Natural selection
- Patanjali’s system does not advocate these as causes for the transformation of species.
- Patanjali asserts that transformation occurs through the “in-filling of nature” [(Sanskrit)].
- This transformation is not achieved by constant struggle against obstacles.
- Struggle and competition can hinder a being’s attainment of perfection.
- If evolution occurs through the destruction of many others, it does little good to the world.
- Such evolution might contribute to physical well-being but hinders spiritual development.
- Indian philosophy posits that every being is a perfect Soul.
- Diversity in evolution and manifestation of nature is due to differences in the degree of manifestation of the Soul.
- When obstacles to evolution and manifestation are removed, the Soul manifests perfectly.
- In higher strata of nature’s evolution, it is not true that one must constantly struggle against obstacles to overcome them.
- In higher evolution, obstacles give way through:
- Education and culture
- Concentration and meditation
- Sacrifice
- Designating obstacles as causes of Soul-manifestation is not reasonable.
- Removing evil by killing evil-doers only increases evil.
- Spiritual instruction can make people desist from evil-doing, effectively eliminating evil.
- The Western struggle theory is seen as horrific in this context.
Original Source:
Swami Vivekananda on struggle for existence and struggle and competition
From Complete Works, volume VII—[Source]
You are certainly aware of the laws of struggle for existence, survival of the fittest, natural selection, and so forth, which have been held by the Western scholars to be the causes of elevating a lower species to a higher. But none of these has been advocated as the cause of that in the system of Patanjali. Patanjali holds that the transformation of one species into another is effected by the “in – filling of nature” [(Sanskrit)]. It is not that this is done by the constant struggle against obstacles. In my opinion, struggle and competition sometimes stand in the way of a being’s attaining its perfection.
If the evolution of an animal is effected by the destruction of a thousand others, then one must confess that this evolution is doing very little good to the world. Taking it for granted that it conduces to physical well – being, we cannot help admitting that it is a serious obstacle to spiritual development. According to the philosophers of our country, every being is a perfect Soul, and the diversity of evolution and manifestation of nature is simply due to the difference in the degree of manifestation of this Soul. The moment the obstacles to the evolution and manifestation of nature are completely removed, the Soul manifests Itself perfectly.
Whatever may happen in the lower strata of nature’s evolutions, in the higher strata at any rate, it is not true that it is only by constantly struggling against obstacles that one has to go beyond them. Rather it is observed that there the obstacles give way and a greater manifestation of the Soul takes place through education and culture, through concentration and meditation, and above all through sacrifice.
Therefore, to designate the obstacles not as the effects but as the causes of the Soul – manifestation, and describe them as aiding this wonderful diversity of nature, is not consonant with reason. The attempt to remove evil from the world by killing a thousand evil – doers, only adds to the evil in the world.
But if the people can be made to desist from evil – doing by means of spiritual instruction, there is no more evil in the world. Now, see how horrible the Western struggle theory becomes!
