Concept of God in Christianity and Hinduism – a Prisca Theologica perspective

What is Prisca Theologica?

In an article in Wikipedia, it is defined as “The doctrine that asserts that a single, true theology exists which threads through all religions and which was anciently given by God”

The concept of God according to vedic tradition:

“Na samdrse tisthati rupam asya, na caksua pasyati kas caninam” –svetasvatara upanishad

Meaning; “His form is not to be seen, no one seems him with the
eye”
we can read from the Bible the following statements from Christ and Paul:

Christ:
“No one has ever seen God,.. “John 1:18
“No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.” John 6:46
“…..You have never heard his voice nor seen his form…” John 5:37

“God, the blessed and only Ruler, the king of kings and Lord of Lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see”. To him be honour and might forever. – St. Paul in I Tim. 6:15,16

“ஒரு நாமம் ஓர் உருவம் ஒன்றும் இல்லார்க்கு ஆயிரம் திருநாமம் பாடித் தெள்ளேணம் கொட்டாமோ,”  – திருவாசகம்

this is a famous devotional verse from the Tamil Saivite text Thiruvasagam composed by Manikavasagar.  The first part of the line says tht God has no form even no name.  Within the Tamil saivite tradition this idea of God is formless and nameless is vividely protrayed in one of Tamil saints Thayumanavar’s poems:

“சாதிகுலம் பிறப்பிறப்புப் பந்தம்முத்தி

     அருஉருவத் தன்மை நாமம்

ஏதும் இன்றி, எப்பொருட்க்கும் எவ்விடத்தும்

பிரிவு அறநின்று இயக்கம் செய்யும்

சோதி……”

Caste, lineage, birth, death, bondage, liberation, form, non-form and name, without any of these, the light that energises everything everywhere, being inseparate from them…….(English tranlation quoted from the book “The Elements of Saiva Siddhantam” by Thiru A. Viswavathapillai.

In almost all the world religious traditions, unfortunately, a whole lot of people are lead to believe that external rituals such as undertaking pilgrimaes, praying five times in a day, fasting, baptism, speaking in tounges, immersion in wholy waters are spirituality and that  these are  paths to God realization.

The realization of divine does not come from such practices. Dr. S. Radhkrishnan, an eminent scholar and philospher of the 20th century writes in his book ‘Indian Religions’ (which includes for the first time chapters on Christianity and Islam); “True religious life must express itself in love and aim at the unity of mankind. Bead necklaces, rosaries, triple paint on forehead, or putting on ashes, pilgrimages, baths in holy rivers, meditation, or immage worship do not purify a man as service of fellow-creatures does.” 

The sithars in Tamil religious traditions  were enlightened souls and spoke against all the forms of external worship methods and religious rituals that are rooted in religious traditions as useless and helpless in realizing the the divine.  Pambaatti Sithar in one of his profound poems writes of the vanity of baths in holy rivers:

“நாறு மீனைப் பலதரம் நல்ல தண்ணீரால்

நாலுங்கழுவினும் மதன் நாற்றம் போமோ

கூறுமுடல் பலநதியாடிக் கொண்டதால்

கொண்டமலம் நீங்கா தென்றாடாய் பாம்பே!

Meaning; even if you wash a spoiled fish several times in good water the bad smell will not be removed. In the same manner, even if you bath in several holy rivers your sins will not be removed.

Speaking againt the ritual worship methods of the people of Israel Isaiah the Prophet challenges: 

“The multitude of your sacrifices-What are they to me?” says the Lord. ” I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you,this trampling of my courts?

stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New moons, sabbaths and convocatios- I cannot bear evil assemblies.

Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates…. Isaiah Ch.1

Tamizh Thendral Thiru.Vi.Ka writes in his book “சன்மார்க்க போதம்”: “வெறும் புறக்கோலங்களும் சம்பிரதாயக் கட்டுகளும், இவைகளை ஒட்டி எழந்த வழக்கஒழுக்கங்களும் சமயத்தின் பேரில் புரோகிதர்களால் நுழைக்கபட்டன. இவைகள், உயிர்க்கும் இறைக்கும் இயல்பாயுள்ள தொடர்பைத் தெளியப்படுத்தும் மார்க்கமாகிய சமயம் ஆகா.

புறக் கோலங்களும், சம்பிரதாயக் கட்டுகளும், இவைகளை ஒட்டி எழுந்த வழக்க ஒழுக்கங்களும் புரோகித மதங்களின் பாற்பட்டன.

புரோகித மதங்களில் கட்டுப்படுகளிருத்தலால், அவை  உயிர்க்கும் இறைக்கும் உள்ள தொடர்பைத் தெளியப்படுதத் துணை செய்யா. அத்துணை செய்யாமையால் அம்மதங்களால் சகோதர நேயம் வளர்வதில்லை. அவைகள் சகோதரநேயத்தைக் குலைப்பவை என்றுங்கூறலாம்.”

“Mere externalities and the related traditional practices and rituals are introduced into religious practices by the priests of the religions. These religions do not show the natural relationship between God and man. These belong to religions that practice rituals. Since there are controls in these religions they are not helpful in assisting to realize the relationship between God and man. Due to this, these religions do not develop brotherhood. On the contrary they spoil the brotherhood” – a rough english translation of the tamil quote.

In his dialouge with Sri Vidhaya at the well (don’t be shocked, there is no name found in the Gospel of John and is simply known as the Samaritan woman. I am giving her this name.) Christ speaks of God as ‘spirit’ (neither form nor name). In John 4:24 we read; “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth”

Jesus Christ never converted anyone during his earthly ministry, neither did he baptize any one ( a ritual which in no way helps to realize the divine.) In fact, he was against religious conversion. In the gospel of Matthew 23:15 we read that Chrit strongly opposed the religious conversion; “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much as son of hell as you are”.

 True spiritual experience doesn’t come from change of religion but in a change of heart and a genuine love for humanity.