Differences and Unity 2

In contrast, spiritual men of all ages have emphasized on the Unity and commonalities. The highest goal, said they, is to transcend diversity and perceive unity in all. Once this is accomplished, one will be able to love one’s neighbor as he would understand that he and his neighbor are in reality one. They belong to the same unity from where they have come. While every religion talks about creation, nobody seems to mind why such differences have been created. The creator could have created everybody in the same way and forced them to follow one path, the so called “true” path. However Mother Nature dictates that we follow our nature and therefore she has created a path that suits the disposition of each of her child, without enforcing anything on anybody. One can take up whichever path one deems fit, a path that would enable one to achieve perfection and reach the goal sooner. That’s why Gita advocates following one’s own dharma or nature and duties.

Vedanta says that the differences that are perceived are really illusory. It is the One who has become many, only apparently. Just as a sun would reflect in water contained in different containers, the One, when perceived through an unaccustomed eye, the eye which is conditioned by nature to see the differences, the eye which belongs to an individual with a distinct ego and intellect, and a mind that is unable to apprehend the underlying unity as it is conditioned to see differences, manifests as different entities. In the behind all of these apparent and illusory differences is the grand unity which pervades everything. People have tried to represent this truth in various ways, by talking about loving others, using non violence as a principle, treating fellow human beings as brothers and protecting all living beings. If everybody realizes the grand unity there is no violence left as nobody can kill one’s own self. Similarly in loving others one really loves himself and in treating others as brothers and in protecting all living beings one is really giving a special status to oneself or protecting one self.

Thus differences melt away when the unity is perceived. The delusion of diversity is caused by ego and individuality, possessiveness and excessive love for oneself and one's own ideas and ideals. When one is able to agree with another both experiences the joy of sharing and togetherness, of commonality and fellow feeling. Imagine the quantum of joy when one is able to find his identify with everything else in the universe. By perceiving this unity one is able to transcend nature and arrive at a stage where nature has no further use of him, when he is not perturbed by the vagaries and whims of nature including the modifications caused by death, decay and associated sorrows, pains and miseries.