B. S. S Bhagavan
Assistant Professor
Research Scholar, Department of English
Vikrama Simhapuri University, Kakutur, Nellore, A.P.
Dr. R. Prabhakar
Associate Professor, Head, Department of English
Research Supervisor, Vikrama Simhapuri University,
Kakutur, Nellore, A.P.
Abstract:
R.W Emerson the father of American Transcendentalism redefined 19th century American culture, literature and religion. In his first work Nature published in 1836. Emerson articulated basic concept of his new philosophy. He advocated spiritualism and preached oneness of Man, God and Nature. While defining basic tenace of his philosophy Emerson relayed upon the blend of the subjective and objective Idealism. Emerson could not ascribe to any specific idealism. This Ontological confusion created intellectual stagnation in his career.
Emerson studied German idealism and Greek philosophy to resolve Ontological riddles. The ancient Greek philosophy persuaded Emerson to dwell into Vedantic Literature. The Vedantic Doctrine of Mayavada helped Emerson to overcome the Ontological obstacles and to give legitimate conclusion to his philosophy.
Keywords: Illusion, Maya, Eternal Bliss, Phenomenal World, Sensory Objects, Delusive power, Ignorance, Realized being and God within.
Introduction:
The Indian non dualistic thought (Advaita Vedanta) advocates Mayavada and defines the nature of the world. The doctrine of Maya defines the absolute being as non-dual and the one without second. It also ratifies the existence of the world and all objects and beings.
R.W Emerson in his doctrine of Illusion presents God as non-dual and all pervasive oversoul. He also explains the nature of the phenomenal world and considers all beings and objects as mere appearance. Emerson in his work Conduct of life deals with primary question that how one can attain spiritual realization and maintain perfect balance between spiritual and family life. According to Emerson man due to his ignorance subjects himself to the illusive power of the world and invites sufferings. The individual can attain liberation through self-realization and self-reliance enables the individual in attaining the purpose of human life. Vedanta also discusses the concept of liberation and highlights the importance of Atmasakshatkara.
Vedanta says the universal being adopts illusion as a method to govern whole creation. This principle also known as the principle of relativity, inversion and oppositional states. According to Advaita they exist only one reality but the individual perceives multiple realities in various forms and names. It argues that multiple objects of this world are buy products of Maya. All the ancient religions advocate same principle (Maya) with various names. Indian non dualistic thought describes the Maya as indefinable because of its fleeting nature and indefinite structures. It says the absolute being dwells in every being and instructs all beings to overcome the delusive power of phenomenal world. The individual due to ignorance misidentifies himself with ego and surrenders himself to the Maya.
Young Emerson during his Harvard days at the age of 17 years composed a poem titled The Superstition. In the poem discussed the delusive power of the world mentioned in Indian scriptures but the content of the poem could not satisfy his readers. Though he had little knowledge of Maya he didn’t study the concept till 1845. Emerson borrowed Bhagavata Purana from his friend Thoreau’s library and read about the Doctrine of Maya. In 1860 in his essay “The Conduct of life” Emerson advocated his doctrine of Illusion. The Doctrine of Maya enriched Emersons philosophy and enabled him to answer all the queries that haunted him throughout his career.
Advaita Vedanta says there is one reality and it manifests itself in various forms and names. The individuals’ constant misperception makes him to accept multiple realities in this world. The individual attributes the qualities of real to the unreal and subjects himself to the power of Maya. Audisankara explains this with the analogy of the Serpent and the Rope. The Indian non-dualistic thought appeals the mankind to relay upon intuition to realize the ultimate reality. It articulates Neeti Neeti method to comprehend the absolute. According to Advaita Vedanta the absolute (God) mocks and instructs the individual through the Maya. According to the doctrine of Maya the nature (the proxy of the absolute) educates the individual and teaches him to see the ultimate reality through the veil of Maya.
Emerson like Vedanta refers the absolute as oversoul in the context of universe and refers the individual soul in the context of man. For Emerson oversoul and the individual soul are one and the same. He finds no distinction between God and the individual. He writes “Who shall define to me an individual? I behold with awe and delight many illustrations of the One Universal Mind. I see my being embedded in it; as a plant in the earth so I grow in God. I amonly a form of him. He is the soul of me. I can even with mountainous aspiring say, I am God, by transferring my me out of the flimsy and unclear precinct of my body, my fortunes, my private will” (Journals. Vol. V. Pp. 336-37).
In all his works he presents the doctrine of infinitude of private man. For him the individual is not mere aboard where the absolute resides but the individual is part and parcel of the oversoul. Vedanta ratifies Emersons idea when it says “know that self alone that is one without a second…and give up all other talks.” (The Thirteen Principal Upanishad. P. 372.). Emerson says our life is in this world like momentary dream which is unreal. “Philosophy affirmsthat the outward world is only phenomenal and the whole concern of dimness, of tailors, of gigs, of balls, whereof men make such account is …an intricate dream”. (Ralph L. Rusx. ed. Letters, I. P. 412; also see Journals, Vol. III. P. 335,481.)
Emerson in his first work Nature describes the nature as the medium through which the divine reveals its mind. He writes in his journals “nature is only the foliage, the flowering, and the fruit of the soul…every part, therefore exists as an emblem and sign of some fact in the soul” (Works. Vol. VIII, P. 53). He argues that the world being the cause can’t exist without the cause (absolute). He further says the world befools the individual with its illusive power. He suggests the mankind to discriminate between right and wrong and to liberate from the Maya. For him the world along with arts, persons, letters, scriptures, religions and etc. are the buy products of Maya. He writes that “towns, landscapes are fugitives like the smoke or snow; the institutions, society and whole world are simply products of illusion. Though thesoul exists in every particle of the universe it stands apart from the phenomenal world.” He says thought the maya is the power of the absolute is distinctive from the Maya. Unlike phenomenal objects the absolute is beyond all constrains. Thus, Emerson’s concept of Nature resembles Vedantic concept of Prakruti in many respects.
Emerson and Vedanta articulate that the individual can liberate himself from the through self-realization in his essay Emerson echoes same idea. When he writes Flow, flow the waves hated, Accursed, adored, the waves of mutation: No anchorage is. Emerson quoted line from Vishnu purana and other Indian scriptures to strengthen his argument. He called Illusion with various names in the essay like Fascination, Trick, Deception and Disguise. He says irrespective of age, sex and race everyone subjected to Maya. He writes “the young mortal enters the hall of the firmament …on the instant, and incessantly, fall snow storms of illusions” (Works, Vol. VI.P.325. “Illusions”). He argues that everything that an individual perceives through his senses or unreal and temporal. He says the one who treats all his experiences feelings and emotions as true can’t liberate himself from the Maya. The world with its illusive power perceives the mankind to go after temporal things. In his essay “Montaigne” he appeals his contemporaries to depend upon the God within escape from the power of Maya.
Emerson in his essay Illusion consider all human emotions like love, anger, jealous etc. as results of human ignorance and Maya. He refers all relations, positions and possessions also products of Maya. According to him the individual invites sufferings and sorrows by surrendering himself to the Maya. Vedanta too emphasizes the same idea it says the individual depends upon the temporal and unreal phenomenal objects derive happiness. Vedanta defines the absolute as pure conscious, existence and bliss (Sat Chit Anand). According to Vedanta the absolute who is the defined as Ananda dwells in every individual. Thus, the individual becomes the embodiment of the bliss which is internal. Man, due to his ignorance instead of depending upon is innate self which is the embodiment of eternal bliss seeks happiness from phenomenal objects which are temporal. Therefore, man subjects himself to the ever-ending desires and sufferings.
Conclusion:
Like Vedanta Emerson argues that the man identifies himself with phenomenal ego and fails to recognize his true self. This attitude of individual makes him the victim of the illusive power of the world. The individual who is the aboard of God within is the real source for fountain of bliss but the individual forgetting this truth seeks happiness from external sources. Both Emerson and Vedanta say the individual can attain Self-realization through intuition and can attain Moksha which is the purpose of life. Thus, the doctrine of Illusion propelled the Vedanta philosophy and Emerson’s Transcendentalism to legitimate conclusion.
References:
- Agarwal. M.M. Freedom of the Soul. A Post-modern Understanding of Hinduism. New Delhi: conceptpublishing company. 2002.
- Alcott, Amos Bo Ralph Waldo Emerson: Philosopher and Seer, Boston, 1882.
- Bishap, Jonathan, Emerson on the Soul. Cambridge Mass.1964.
- Cary, Elizabeth Luther. Emerson, Poet and Thinker. Concord, Mass. 1903.
- Carpenter. F.I. Emerson and Asia. New York, 1953.
- Chakravarti. S.C. The Philosophy of the Upanishads, Calcutta, 1935.
- Das, S.P. Emerson’s Debt to Hindu Thought: A Reappraisal. Thesis submitted to Guru Nanak DevUniversity, Amritsar, 1977.
- Gray, Robert M. Emerson: A Study of the Poet as Seer. New York, 1928.
- Radhakrishnan. S. The Principal Upanishads. London: George Allen & Unwin, 1968.
- Siccar, Mahendranath. Hindu Mysticism: According to the Upanishads. New Delhi: Orient Book ReprintCorporation, 1974.
- The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Centenary. ed. 12 Volumes. Boston and New York. 1903-1994.
- Waldo Emerson, Ralph. Emerson, Essays and Lectures. Ed. Joel Porte. New York: Literary classic of theUnited States, Inc, 1983.
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