 144. Science |
In the human being, mind is, indeed, associated with simple functions in the natural domain, and so forth. That is one aspect of mind, certainly. But the entire human structure (and its every part) is also inherently One with Reality Itself, Coincident with Reality Itself. Beyond all its verbal chat and ordinary functioning, the human psycho-physical structure is One with What Is – and is, therefore, in its ego-transcending disposition, capable of Realizing (or, in various ways, experiencing) That in Which it Inheres, that in Which it is arising, That of Which it is an apparent modification. Such Realization (or experiencing) is the Domain of true religion – in other words, the Domain or esoteric (or Spiritual, and ultimately, Divine) religion, of non-"public" religion, of the religion that is not about egoity, not about mere social personality, not about ordinary social interactions, not about ordinary cognitive processes.
A conditionally manifested form may be modified over time by interactions within the form's own structure, or it may be modified over time by interactions within the sphere of relations apparently external to the form itself – but any and every conditionally manifested form is also, all the while, a manifestation within, and a manifestation of, That in Which it is arising. There is evolution, in the sense of the changing (or mutating) of forms, through internal and external interactions – but there is also the Condition of Unity, Which is the Inherent Condition of every event, and Which Is the Source-State in Which, and from Which, all events proceed (one by one, and, also, simultaneously). All things (or all patterns, and, therefore, all conditionally manifested beings) arise in (and as an apparent modification of) the One (Self-Existing, and Self-Radiant, and Self-Evidently Divine) Reality (or Self-Condition and Source-Condition) – therefore (necessarily), their interactions (both internal and external) take place in That Domain (or Reality, or Real God) That Is Always Already The Case.
It is not merely that a bee appears, and (utterly independent of the bee) a flower appears, and, after a while of time, they (even arbitrarily, or accidentally) learn how to relate to (and combine with) one another. No! The "bee" and the "flower" arise (in some essential mode of their pattern of appearance) simultaneously, in the totally interrelated conditional pattern in which everything is arising. Plants cannot see bees – and, yet, plants (or their flowers) are found to take on forms that are attractive to bees (and that, in order to attract them, even look like bees)! If all aspects of "bee" and "flower" are merely external, and gross, and inherently separate from one another, then both would disappear to establish the natural fragility, depends for its survival.
There are changes and interactions among all conditionally manifested patterns and forms, but there is also simultaneity of appearance, universal inherent unity and interrelatedness, and Inherent Coincidence in the One Unbroken Light. This Greater Affair is the subject of true (or esoteric) religion. The noticing of the interactions and changes between forms, and so forth, is a compartment of human knowing (both ordinary and scientific). That noticing is interesting enough, as one of the things that human beings do, but such noticing is not enterprise superior to true religion, nor is such noticing the Way of Truth (Itself) and of Reality (Itself).
A true science is not priorly committed to a philosophy of materialism. A true science is free enquiry. Therefore, there is a kind of true science exercised even by true religion. Of course, ordinary (exoteric) religion often takes the form of babble about things that, perhaps, are better described, comprehended, or investigated through the scientific method and language. In other words, there certainly is an immense amount of nonsense (or of arbitrary exoteric belief and doctrine) that is called "religion", but it is not the purpose of science merely to criticize (or even anathematize) the nonsense of exoteric religion. Rather, a true science must (and, inherently, does) coincide with true religion, because both true religion and true science are Founded on That Which Is Always Already The Case need not (and Which, therefore, Is Truth Itself, and Reality Itself). And That Which Is Always Already The Case need not (and cannot fruitfully) be sought. Therefore, if Truth is to be served (and if Reality is to be Known), That Which Is Always Already The Case must be priorly Acknowledged, and consistently Declared, and, altogether, fully Affirmed (or Really lived), whether one is practicing religion, or doing science, or simply passing the salt.
