DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52538#0035
25
The realization of such a partnership is the mainspring of
his life. He himself gives it as the reason for his withdrawal
to Walden Woods :
“ I wished to ally myself to the powers that rule the Universe,
to live as far away as a man can think.” * * * §
What is then the significance of this consciousness of
Identity with God, which at the same time is a consciousness
of alack of perfect Oneness with God? Thoreau quotes a
Hindoo story in explanation :
“ I have read in a Hindoo book that there was a
king’s son, who, being expelled in infancy from his native
city, was brought up a forester, and, growing up to maturity
in that state, imagined himself to belong to the barbarous
race with which he lived. One of his father’s ministers hav-
ing discovered him, revealed to him what he was and the mis-
conception of his character was removed and he knew himself
to be a prince.
“ So soul,” continues the Hindoo philosopher, “ from the
circumstances in which it is placed, mistakes its own charac-
ter, until the truth is revealed to it by some holy teacher, and
then it knows itself to be Brahma.” f
c. Original Sinlessness.
The figure is already interpreted for us. The soul is of
kingly origin, heaven-born, one with the Divine Father. As
identical with the Perfect One, the soul was originally perfect,
pure and sinless.
‘‘The beings . . . created by Brahma were at first
endowed with righteousness and perfect faith, . . . their
hearts were free from guile, they were pure, etc.” J
The Vedas affirms :
“ Alle seelen sind ursprungtich,
Frei von Dunkel und Fleckenlos
Urerweckt schon und urerlost.” §
* Walden, p. 342.
t Walden, p. 151, 152.
f Vishnu Parana, p. 45.
§ Atharva-Veda Mand.-Upan, v. 98. Deussen, p. 604. All souls are
originally free from darkness and spotless, awakened and redeemed
from the beginning. Cf. Deussen, Geschichte der, Philosophic I, p. 310.
The realization of such a partnership is the mainspring of
his life. He himself gives it as the reason for his withdrawal
to Walden Woods :
“ I wished to ally myself to the powers that rule the Universe,
to live as far away as a man can think.” * * * §
What is then the significance of this consciousness of
Identity with God, which at the same time is a consciousness
of alack of perfect Oneness with God? Thoreau quotes a
Hindoo story in explanation :
“ I have read in a Hindoo book that there was a
king’s son, who, being expelled in infancy from his native
city, was brought up a forester, and, growing up to maturity
in that state, imagined himself to belong to the barbarous
race with which he lived. One of his father’s ministers hav-
ing discovered him, revealed to him what he was and the mis-
conception of his character was removed and he knew himself
to be a prince.
“ So soul,” continues the Hindoo philosopher, “ from the
circumstances in which it is placed, mistakes its own charac-
ter, until the truth is revealed to it by some holy teacher, and
then it knows itself to be Brahma.” f
c. Original Sinlessness.
The figure is already interpreted for us. The soul is of
kingly origin, heaven-born, one with the Divine Father. As
identical with the Perfect One, the soul was originally perfect,
pure and sinless.
‘‘The beings . . . created by Brahma were at first
endowed with righteousness and perfect faith, . . . their
hearts were free from guile, they were pure, etc.” J
The Vedas affirms :
“ Alle seelen sind ursprungtich,
Frei von Dunkel und Fleckenlos
Urerweckt schon und urerlost.” §
* Walden, p. 342.
t Walden, p. 151, 152.
f Vishnu Parana, p. 45.
§ Atharva-Veda Mand.-Upan, v. 98. Deussen, p. 604. All souls are
originally free from darkness and spotless, awakened and redeemed
from the beginning. Cf. Deussen, Geschichte der, Philosophic I, p. 310.