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Rammohan Roy's The Universal religion

The following text is a simplified rendition of Raja Rammohan Roy's original piece of work which can be found in the link below. The simplification has been executed by LLM with human in the loop. 

https://dn721808.ca.archive.org/0/items/theenglishworks01rammuoft/theenglishworks01rammuoft.pdf 

 

Religious Instructions Based on Sacred Texts

This short guide, written in a question-and-answer format, explains how to worship the pure, eternal Creator whose existence is proven by the natural world. It is designed to be easy to understand and practice.

1. Question: What does "worship" mean?

Answer: Normally, worship means acting in a way to please someone else. But when it comes to the Supreme Being, worship simply means deeply reflecting on His qualities and attributes.

2. Q: Who deserves our worship?

Answer: The Creator and Ruler of the universe. The universe is incredibly complex, filled with endless varieties of life and matter. It is governed by perfect laws—like the movement of the sun, moon, and planets—that are far more amazing and intricate than the gears of a watch.

3. Q: What is the nature of this Creator?

Answer: Even though we know we must worship the Creator, neither sacred scriptures nor human logic can actually define what He is.

4. Q: Is there any way to define Him?

Answer: No. Sacred texts repeatedly state that God is beyond human understanding and language. It is simple logic: if we cannot even fully measure or understand the visible universe around us, how could we possibly define the invisible Being who made it?

5. Q: Can anyone logically oppose this type of worship?

Answer: No. Because we worship the universal Creator, no one can truly object. People all over the world—whether in China, Europe, or elsewhere—worship what they believe is the Creator. Even people who worship "Time" or "Nature" are still honoring the ruling force of the universe. Therefore, no matter what their specific religion is, everyone must admit that our universal worship aligns with their core belief.

6. Q: Scriptures sometimes say God cannot be known, but in other places say He can be known. How can both be true?

Answer: When texts say He cannot be known, it means we cannot imagine His physical shape or likeness. When they say He can be known, it means we can know that He exists. Just as we know a person has a living soul because their body moves (even though we cannot see the soul itself), we know God exists because we see the perfectly ordered universe functioning around us.

7. Q: Are you against other forms of worship?

Answer: Not at all. Whoever or whatever people worship, they believe that object is the Supreme Being or holds His presence. Therefore, we have no reason to be hostile toward them.

8. Q: If both you and others worship the Supreme Being, how is your worship different from theirs?

Answer: We differ in two main ways. First, they worship using specific images and specific places, whereas we worship the universal Creator without any fixed image or location. Second, people who worship specific images often fight with people who worship different images. But, as explained in Question 5, no one can logically fight with our universal worship.

9. Q: How should we perform this worship?

Answer: By constantly remembering that the Creator rules the universe, and by using reason and sacred texts to reflect on Him. You must work to control your desires, read spiritual texts, and treat others well. This means not only avoiding harming others, but actively doing good for them. Since human minds need words and ideas to focus, we should reflect on the blessings God provides—like the sun, air, fire, and food. Thinking deeply about these truths helps fix the mind on God, who is Truth itself.

10. Q: What rules should we follow regarding food and daily behavior?

Answer: We should follow sensible, established rules. If everyone selfishly did whatever they wanted without rules, society would quickly collapse into violence and chaos. However, it is foolish to waste your life obsessing over whether specific foods are "pure" or "impure." All food eventually turns into impure waste anyway. It is far more important to purify and decorate your mind than to worry about purifying your stomach.

11. Q: Do we need to pray in a specific place, face a specific direction, or pray at a specific time?

Answer: A quiet, suitable place is nice, but there are no strict rules. The best place, direction, and time to pray is simply whenever and wherever your mind is most peaceful and focused.

12. Q: Who can be taught this worship?

Answer: Anyone. However, how well they understand it and succeed at it will depend entirely on their own mental readiness.

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