About
Plato and the relation between political
and vedic values.
Concerning
yoga as a more integrated soft science
contrary to the platonian proposition, is
it interesting to see to what extend the
platonian system of political values is in
accord with the vedic system. In "The
Republic" there is a formulation of the
socalled political values: wisdom,
courage, temperance and justice. The same
set of values one finds with the
sathya, s'auca, tapas
dâyâ division in the Vedas
(see Bhâgavata
Purâna).
They are also called the four legs of the
bull of religion (dharma) that would decay
in modern time (Kali-yuga).
Sathya
means wisdom or truth. To the definition
of Plato this means that one should see
(and speak of) reality as it is. That is
wisdom. The vedic concept of truth implies
that one should keep one's consciousness
pure (free from intoxication) ultimately
to perceive the reality as it is. So these
two are refering to the same
value.
The
concept of courage implies with Plato that
one would be consistent in one's
commitments and would dare to take a stand
fearless. With the Veda this value is
expressed in the concept s'aucam or
purity: it means that one should abstain
from illicit sex an be a loyal member of
the community abiding by legitimate
relations in the intimate sphere. This
loyalty is exactly what Plato talks about
when a hero would take a stand and persist
in his commitments to the truth.
This as
the second match.
The
third match between the vedic values and
the philosopical (political) ones is that
of temperance; tapas or penance. In
this respect Plato refers to the
moderation of individuals as in being
obedient in relating to commanders and
being of selfcontrol in sensual pleasures.
In the vedic concept it is refered to as
non-possesiveness, penance and austerity.
This would, as also is the case with the
second value of purity, add up to the
virtue of sharing, the communal interest
in material affairs. Although it also is
associated with the second concept, can it
be found as being the dominating theme
here that one is of control over one's
material desire and greed (greed as
'disobedience' to the necessity of
sharing)
The
fourth match is found in the concept of
justice. At first Plato suggests it to be
the ability and necessity of having a good
division of labor in society: each would
mind his own business and would thus
contribute to a complete of societal
service. Later on Plato in his work
proposes this concept as being subservient
to the interest of the soul or the true of
knowledge: the eternal quality opposing
that of temporal interests. This type of
justice is what is called compassion in
the Veda's (dayâ). It also
refers to ahimsa, non-violence.
These latter values correspond less
clearly realtive to the tree mentioned
before, but concerng the concept of
justice can the notion of non-violence be
considered as belonging to the same
category. The law (justice) would settle
the cultural necessities of compassion and
non-violence, in order to secure the
safety of one's civilian life. That to do
justice would mean to become a
compassionate, non-violent vegetarian is
not so clear with Plato though, but in the
consequence of christianity it is all too
clear that this concept of justice makes
for a vegetarian, religious order with a
mission of being compassionate with all
living creatures.
In this
respect I am very glad to welcome Plato as
a recommendation to the values and
interests of The Order of Time and its
filognosy,
and as a contributor in the discussion
about the apparent opposition
between the easthetic and the moral
argument.
(for further reference about the eternal
values as relating to the christian
commandments one may surf to the article
called "The
Gurus and Their
Teaching"
(at personal at this site), also check out
the guide-picture of the four basic values
of filognosy: values.jpg)
A.A.