A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga | Page 2

One, and a corresponding Love
for that in which you live, and move and have your being. We ask for
your loving sympathy and cooperation in our task.
Let us begin by a consideration of what has been called the "Questions
of Questions"--the question: "What is Reality?" To understand the
question we have but to take a look around us and view the visible
world. We see great masses of something that science has called
"matter." We see in operation a wonderful something called "force" or
"energy" in its countless forms of manifestations. We see things that we

call "forms of life," varying in manifestation from the tiny speck of
slime that we call the Moneron, up to that form that we call Man.
But study this world of manifestations by means of science and
research--and such study is of greatest value--still we must find
ourselves brought to a point where we cannot progress further. Matter
melts into mystery--Force resolves itself into something else--the secret
of living-forms subtly elude us--and mind is seen as but the
manifestation of something even finer. But in losing these things of
appearance and manifestation, we find ourselves brought up face to
face with a Something Else that we see must underlie all these varying
forms, shapes and manifestations. And that Something Else, we call
Reality, because it is Real, Permanent, Enduring. And although men
may differ, dispute, wrangle, and quarrel about this Reality, still there
is one point upon which they must agree, and that is that _Reality is
One_--that underlying all forms and manifestations there must be a One
Reality from which all things flow. And this inquiry into this One
Reality is indeed the Question of Questions of the Universe.
The highest reason of Man--as well as his deepest intuition--has always
recognized that this Reality or Underlying Being must be but ONE, of
which all Nature is but varying degrees of manifestation, emanation, or
expression. All have recognized that Life is a stream flowing from One
great fount, the nature and name of which is unknown--some have said
unknowable. Differ as men do about theories regarding the nature of
this one, they all agree that it can be but One. It is only when men begin
to name and analyze this One, that confusion results.
Let us see what men have thought and said about this One--it may help
us to understand the nature of the problem.
The materialist claims that this one is a something called
Matter--self-existent--eternal--infinite--containing within itself the
potentiality of Matter, Energy and Mind. Another school, closely allied
to the materialists, claim that this One is a something called Energy, of
which Matter and Mind are but modes of motion. The Idealists claim
that the One is a something called Mind, and that Matter and Force are
but ideas in that One Mind. Theologians claim that this One is a
something called a personal God, to whom they attribute certain
qualities, characteristics, etc., the same varying with their creeds and
dogmas. The Naturistic school claims that this One is a something

called Nature, which is constantly manifesting itself in countless forms.
The occultists, in their varying schools, Oriental and Occidental, have
taught that the One was a Being whose Life constituted the life of all
living forms.
All philosophies, all science, all religions, inform us that this world of
shapes, forms and names is but a phenomenal or shadow world--a
show-world--back of which rests Reality, called by some name of the
teacher. But remember this, all philosophy that counts is based upon
some form of monism--Oneness--whether the concept be a known or
unknown god; an unknown or unknowable principle; a substance; an
Energy, or Spirit. There is but One--there can be but One--such is the
inevitable conclusion of the highest human reason, intuition or faith.
And, likewise, the same reason informs us that this One Life must
permeate all apparent forms of life, and that all apparent material forms,
forces, energies, and principles must be emanations from that One, and,
consequently "of" it. It may be objected to, that the creeds teaching a
personal god do not so hold, for they teach that their God is the creator
of the Universe, which he has set aside from himself as a workman sets
aside his workmanship. But this objection avails naught, for where
could such a creator obtain the material for his universe, except from
himself; and where the energy, except from the same source; and where
the Life, unless from his One Life. So in the end, it is seen that there
must be but One--not two, even if we prefer the terms God and his
Universe, for even in this case the Universe must have proceeded from
God, and can only live, and move and act, and think, by virtue