A Comprehensive Collection - Swami Vivekananda

362 VEDANTA.by the word Yedanta. The Rainanujist has as much rightto be called a Vedantist as the Advaitist; in fact I will go alittle further and say that what we really mean by the w*ordHindu is the word Yedantist ;the word Vedantist willexpress it too. One idea more I want you to note, thatalthough these three systems have been current in Indiaalmost from time immemorial for you must not believe thatSankara was the inventor of the Advaitist system ; itexisted ages before Sankara was born ;he was one of itslast representatives. So was the Rainanujist system ;itexisted ages before Ramanuja existed as we already knowby the commentaries they have written so were all the; Dualistic systems that have existed side by side with theothers, and with my little knowledge I have come to theconclusion that they do not Contradict each other. Just,as in the case of the six Darsanas of ours, we find they area grand unfolding of the grand principles, the music beginning in the soft low tones, and ending in the triumphantblast of the Advaita, so also in these three systems we findthe gradual working up of the human mind towards higherand higher ideals, tilleverything is merged in that wonderful unity which is reached in the Advaita system. Therefore, these three are not contradictory. On the other hand,I am bound to tell you that this has been a mistake committed by not a few. We find an Advaitist preacher keepsthese texts which teach Advaitism especially entire, and getshold of the Dualistic or Qualified-dualistic text and triesto bring them into his own meaning. We find Dualisticteachers leaving those passages that are expressly Dualisticalone, and getting hold of Advaitic texts and trying to forcethem into a Dualistic meaning ; they have been great men,our Gurus, yet there is such a saying as dosha, even thefaults of a Guru must be told.I am of opinion that in this