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| Reminds one of Mahatma Gandhi |
Amongst the few Europeans who thought deeply
about ‘Karma/Work’, the conclusions drawn by Max Weber, the German sociologist
is most outstanding. In 1904-05 he published his findings titled “The
Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” in the German language.
Many later scholars are of the opinion that this work was momentous.
CHRISTIANITY
& CAPITALISM
As one can discern from the title of
Weber’s work, it deals with the attitude of Europeans, before after Religious
Reformation took hold of Europe - towards WORK and how this attitude evolved or came about,
so that it served as the base for the manifestation of the animalistic spirit
of Capitalism. Weber claims that there is a close connection between RELIGION,
ie the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, the RISE OF ECONOMIC CAPITALISM, and the
BIRTH OF MODERN CIVILIZATION in WESTERN EUROPE. And he unravels
these connections, by analyzing the attitude towards work and money amongst
European Christians, beginning with the Catholics.
World Christian community appears to the
non-Christian to be a single body, but in reality it is divided into two major
groups, Catholics and Protestants. Originally there was only a single large
church(one true church, 1st
Century AD), the Catholic Church, with the Pope of Vatican at its head.
Over a period of time, ie after the ascension of Jesus to Heaven to
the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church and its priests and officials became
highly corrupt. This corruption exists even now, and has assumed grotesque
dimensions, considering the pedophilia cases registered against the Catholic
priests. The Protestants are those Christians who revolted against the corrupt
practices of the Catholic church, under Luther of Germany and Calvin of France.
These revolting Christians demanded reformation within the original church, and
later broke away from it and a new group called Protestants were formed.
The Catholic Church, in general conveyed
to the people of Europe that the WORK of the monk , nun and priests only possess worth, as it is
divine ‘calling’ from God, and that the ordinary labour of the common people
were insignificant, not possessing any value. The Church officials claimed this
privilege, by preaching that they will be receiving exceptional rewards from
God in heaven, for doing HIS work on earth. This official attitude of the Catholic Church was not
acceptable to Luther and Calvin and those that rallied around them. They in
turn proclaimed that all ‘work’ is God’s work and that all were equal before
God. Thus all kinds of work was looked upon with spiritual/divine
significance.
RITUALS
– THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL UTILITY FOR THE MASSES
The story does not end here. Original
Christianity ie. Catholicism was/is a combination of pagan and
Hellinistic beliefs and rituals. The laity was assured of God’s grace and
forgiveness through the rituals, bordering magic, performed on their behalf by
the priests and monks.eg. priestly absolution declared in the
confessional and the miracle of the wafer and wine turned to Christ’s
body and blood in the Mass. Protestants in their zealousness, branded
these supernatural rituals of the Catholics as superstitious and satanic. Little
did they realize, that indirectly these rituals assuaged the fearful inner
emotions of the people, by assuring them of God’s abundant grace, because
ordinary people firmly believed in the mediating power of the Church,
through such rituals. Like the Prophet, it was considered that The Church
performed the necessary intercession between common people and God.
A central doctrine of Protestantism is that of
predestination. Some are elected by God to go to heaven and some were condemned
to Hell. This doctrine, unsettled may followers of Protestantism. There were
not sure and were worried about their final destiny. They kept wondering about
the mysterious decision of God relating to each one of them, which filled them
with deep anguish. Catholicism, had a solution to this type of
uncertainty. The Catholic church channeled the grace of God and
forgiveness for any sin committed by suitable rituals, mostly upon payment. But
this relief mechanism were not available to Protestants. They kept on pestering
their pastors for a solution. Thus came up the solution that all kinds of work
were divinely ordained, and that each one should do work to the best of his
ability, with sincerity and diligence and the prosperity(wealth) so achieved is
a sign of election by God, with assurance of a place in heaven. The puritan
aspect of the Protestant religion forbade the believers in spending the wealth
so earned, in luxuries and other pleasurable pursuits. As per their religious
beliefs they were to lead a simple and frugal life. Thus without any avenues
for spending the wealth so earned, it accumulated immensely over a period of
time. Now more wealth meant , more closeness to God, and therefore these
neo-rich Protestants looked for fresh pastures to invest and multiply the money
so accumulated. There were other factors that helped them to make investments
in various fields like double-entry book keeping, dependence on mathematical
and experimental science etc. The combination of all these factors gave rise to
the ‘spirit of Capitalism”, the major impetus provided by Protestantism.
Weber says that this type of behavior by
Protestants were entirely different from those greedy merchants, pirates and
Kings in Europe (as well as other far away places in the East), who wanted to
become rich. The wealth that they gathered dishonestly, by plundering or
heavy-taxation, they spent lavishly over luxuries and other pleasurable
pursuits.
MORAL REVERSAL.
The Bible’s attitude towards wealth is
summarized in the following words of Jesus (Matthew 19:23-26) “I tell you the TRUTH, it is hard for a rich
man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of
God. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked,
“Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is
impossible, but with God all things are possible.”. Within the Catholic Church, there was
utter contradiction between preaching and practice of this doctrine. The
rich could absolve of their sins , by bribing the church officials and asking
for indulgence.(Remission of sin). Thus the rich could move closer to God
with the help of the Church.This was the major reason for corruption within the
Catholic establishment. The
Catholic Church , thus initiated the subversion of the teachings of Jesus. Rich
men could bribe ‘men & institutions’ (priests & Church) for a permanent
seat in heaven !!!.
Analysis vis-à-vis THE GITA
As per Catholic Christians, work other
than religious work, did not have any intrinsic value. This was overturned
later by Protestants, and they came to the belief that all work is
invested with divine significance. All work is divine ‘calling’. Weber
calls this as ‘secularization’ of ALL work.
The Bible gives the message that , it was the
poor that Jesus loved; the rich he condemned. The Protestants
reversed this biblical message, and took to the belief that
the wealthier they are, accordingly they are in the good books of God and
closer to HIM. The people who are poor and not having wealth , are being
punished by GOD. Poverty and squalor are signs of punishment by God.The
followers of the Bible thus dithered regarding the true purport of work and its
fruits, because such knowledge is absent in the Bible.
Compared to the Gita, the Bible fails to
provide a scientific basis for ‘karma/work’. The Gita 18:13 &
14 provides minute analysis about work/moment/action/karma and dispenses lot of
knowledge about work/karma. The Gita 18:48 says that all karmas/work has
got negative consequences. This tallies with the Second Law of
Thermodynamics in Physics. From 18:48, it follows that
something gone wrong by virtue of a karma, cannot be rectified with another
karma.
In spite of having the knowledge and experience
that all karmas have negative consequences, the Gita 18 :5, says that the
following three karmas must never be given up - ie. yagna,
dana(charity?) and thapa (meditation?) must be performed at any ‘cost’,
but with the following conditions.
Work/movement /action/karma for
the above three ‘functions’ must be undertaken , with the firm belief that one
engaging in the act is not the doer(agent) and without any desire for the
fruit of the action.(Gita 18:6, Gita 18:17) The person doing the act must
consider that he is just an instrument, forced to making the movements due to
the gunas inherent in him, and whatever be the outcome(fruits) of his
action/ movement done with detachment (without likes or dislikes),
he will accept it with equanimity. In this deliberate manner, he makes
the resolve that all his movements/actions will be done in equipoise, so that
the negative effects of his karmas will wear away, paving the way for clarity
of the intellect. In the Gita,
since one is ‘naturally’ forced to do work, either by way of mind(manas), word
(vak) ,or body, do it in such a manner that it will ultimately ‘rub-off’ all
work of the individual.
Our Indian Civilization, wishes all people
bliss or beatitude, and we had the perfect understanding that this CANNOT be achieved through
karma or works. In fact karma stands in the way of blissfulness. Karma is performed not only with
the body and limbs, but also with words(sound) and mind.(Gita
18:15) Even dreaming is a karma, getting angry is a karma !!. If karma
itself stands in the way of bliss, it is as clear as daylight that improving
the material conditions (which themselves are the products of karma)in
any way is also not going to help. Karma itself is considered as inert(jada),
and attachment to jada will only immerse one in unhappiness. The Gita
considers attainment of jnana as the most desirable karma, which
will enable one to transcend all karmas, and to instill the ultimate
realization that this universe is similar to the mirage in the desert.
Therefore nothing ,- a thing or event or person ,can cause unhappiness to
such a realized and experiencing soul.
A careful study of the Gita will compel
one to realize that the Western civilization stands for and propagates
what the Gita considers as obstacles , preventing the attainment of perfect
happiness by men. Eg. Gita 16:8. Since it is clear that the West is in
the dark about the intricacies of karma/work/movement/action, it will be
suicidal as well as debasing to follow Western ideas in management ,
production and distribution of material resources. Especially Indians, whose
condition is like that of a person carrying a priceless gem , but unaware of it
and searching for it under a pile of garbage !!!!
HINDU
STATE OF TRAVANCORE -Case-study
An excellent case study of Protestant ethic
vis-à-vis Indian/Hindu work ethic can be done , taking into account the wealth
hidden away in the vaults of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, by the Hindu kings
of Travancore. (Protestantism in the beginning of 1500’s and Kingdom of
Travancore 1730) It is said that the Travancore kings had two treasury, in
addition to the wealth stashed away at the temple. One treasury was personal,
and the other belonged to the State. The Travancore kings did not consider it
fit to multiply their wealth, by investing in other ventures, with
the help of the colonizers. Neither did they engage in luxurious
pursuits, like buying an island in the Atlantic or Pacific oceans, owning
jets or yachts etc. With the kind of wealth they possessed, anything
could be theirs on their bidding.
