Agamism 30: The Basics of Agamic Sociology
Dr K.Loganthan, 16-2-11
We have covered enough to bring out the essence of Agamism, the form of culture that is temple-centered and understands all human beings as EQUAL. This goes against the sociology of Brahmanism that categorized all Hindus as Brahmin Ksatriya Vaisya Sudra and so forth. Along with these we have also the untouchables, the present day Dalits, a group of people deprived of all their basic human rights.
The tragedy is that the whole range of Hindu texts in Sk as well as the Vedantic philosophies that are unified despite many local differences on the Monism in Fundamental Ontology , that only Brahman is real - also do not have the resources to make intelligible the notion of EQUALITY of ALL despite all kinds of differences in birth sex competencies aptitudes and so forth.
It is here worth recalling the great words of AruNandi who provides a metaphysical explanation of the fundamental SAMENESS of all human beings:
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2) This SEEING within the seeings is the SAME for all creatures and transcends all differences -- cultural, linguistic, national, religious, ethnic and what not; but remains unavailable for the most part because it remains concealed , hidden and distant because of the dominance of the malas. While seeings may not bring about absolute agreement, a convergence in perception, thinking, feeling and so forth, the SEEING on the other hand does bring about this. Whoever succeeds in installing SEEING by subduing the individualistic seeings, tend to agree among themselves absolutely by the SAMENESS of Being-in-the-World that now conditions their existence. This unassailable and unchanging, unsubvertible , indisplaceable agreement , the SAMENESS of SEEING brings about also confers apodeictic certainty and indubitability, for long the search of the philosophers both in the East and West. This is the LIMIT in the hermeneutic scientific struggles of human beings --- the seeking of consensus with others for an opinion, idea, understanding and so forth. While under normal circumstances agreements may be possible in some matters but not all, at this LIMITING case the agreement or consensus is TOTAL and ABSOLUTE.
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The full chapter is:
https://sites.google.com/site/meykandasastras/irupa-irupatu/b5-chap-10
Here BEING is God and Being is the existence of a person, being-in-the world as such and such.
All individuals are capable of destroying the local seeings that condition their normal existence and access the SEEING , which is that of BEING and in that enjoy the redeeming Njaanam, and with that enjoy Moksa. No individual is excluded form this possibility provided there are certain principles at work conditioning his ordinal social existence.
But what are they?
The Basics of Agamic Sociology;
1. Brahmanism Must be Destroyed
The first principle is that there should not be anything like the VarNa Dharma of Brahmanism that condemns millions of individuals to eternal servitude by tagging them as Sudras Dalits and so forth. This is the human expression of the predatory instincts of the animals - it is designed to psychologically KILL and keep in eternal servitude bulk of the people to the Brahmins who only have access to the Vedas and hence the Brahamnjaanam only which can allow a person enjoy Moksa. This goes right against the TRUTH that all are already endowed with the SEEING, it is already there in the depths of all and all can attain it enjoy it and where the Vedas can only serve as impediments. What is required to attain the SEEING and enjoy the Njaanam is education in Metaphysics within an OPENNESS where there is freedom to reject scriptures and deconstruct the various darsanas, the metaphysical systems.
2. The Jati System is Tribalism
Now we should distinguish the Jati system from the VarHa system that irrevocably condemns individuals to eternal servitude and deprivation of basic human rights. The Jatis are tribes of various kinds and is the human reflection of the herd instinct of the animal world, a biological feature that may help survival. It is different from the VarNa Dharma for it allows for the individuals from different tribes to ARISE above and even relinquish the jati identity. A person by becoming spiritually great dissociates himself from the jati identity and move about among the people as one is who is ABOVE all jatis.
However jaties too must be discouraged as they lead to inter-tribal rivalry, animosity political strives and so forth.
3. No Scripture Should be Allowed as the Absolutely Authoritative
It is the elevation of some scriptures as the absolutely authoritative (the words of God Himseld etc) that leads to formation of fanatical religions organized to convert others into one’s own. It is the elevation of Talmud that identifies Judaism, the Bible Christianity the AlKoran Islam. In the same way the claim that only the Vedas contain the brahmanjaanam and hence the most authoritative that leads to Brahmanism with its Bramins, those who are initiated into the Vedas as the only individuals capable of real spiritual life.
All scriptures are only ladders, useful in some ways to climb up the metaphysical heights and once the climb is over, the scriptures, the ladders must be put aside as NO MORE relevant.
Only the attainment of the SEEING as opposed to the ordinary and mundane seeings can confer Moksa by allowing the enjoyment of Njaanam. And this requires the freeing of the souls from all attachments including to scriptures.
This also applies to Gurus, Acaryas Messiahs Prophets etc. Such people may help but ultimately it is BEING who grants moksa and hence it is BEING whom we must worship
4. Oppenness and Universal Education
The Agamic society must be founded on Pedagogy for only learning can reduce the metaphysical blindness that is the ignorance. Bulk of national wealth must be spend in providing education for all so that each can in his own way LEARN and gradually become metaphysical and then metaphysical learning. Learning is Reduction of Ignorance and it begins with then pursue Learning about the Natural( Ta. poruL kalvi), move to Social Learing( TaR kalvi) and then finally into Metaphysical Learning. Here the temples and metaphysical treatises and various kinds of Sadhans like Yoga and so forth play a central role.
As part of Agamic Pedagogy, all individuals must be allowed the FREEDOM to develop their own Sadhanas and which includes writing their own scriptures metaphysical treatises hymns build temples for their preferred Deity and so forth.
However there will be constraints here but on humanitarian grounds. Animal sacrifices and so forth must be disallowed as they are simply CRUEL and CRIMINAL as such sadhanas encroach upon the rights of all the creatures to live and learn till death comes to them naturally.
Note: Tjhe earlier essays on Agamism are available at:
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