The unity of all life
The more I read the work of my spiritual teacher, the Hindu perennialist Eknath Easwaran, the more I realize how central the concept of “the unity of all life” was to his theology. You can’t overstate the importance this phrase had for him, which I believe comes from the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, but perhaps appears in the Hindu scriptures elsewhere.
For Easwaran, accepting the unity of all life — not just intellectually, but on the deepest level — was the very purpose of existence. As a panentheist, he viewed this as synonymous with knowing God. Once you start looking for this phrase or the general idea expressed in slightly different words, you will find it throughout Easwaran’s writing.
For instance, why did he place such an emphasis on meditation? To help his students realize the unity of all life. Why did he ask they adopt a mantram? To help them realize the unity of all life. Why was he a vegetarian? Because of the unity of all life. Why was he a pacifist? Because of the unity of all life.
From the little I know, this focus wasn’t unique to Easwaran, but, as I suggested previously, comes from Hinduism. However, as a perennialist, my teacher would say realization of the unity of all life is at the core of all great religions, though perhaps not expressed as clearly and comprehensively as it is in the Indian tradition.
I’ve mentioned before I’ve struggled with the question of whether Easwaran was sufficiently committed to social change, as opposed to personal change. Increasingly, I find his focus on the unity of all life provides a theological basis for animal liberation, socialism, and all the other causes I care about.
The defining practice Easwaran taught was called passage meditation. In short, you silently repeat passages of sacred literature in your mind for 30 minutes each morning. If you need more than this, you can add a second 30-minute block in the evening. I probably should avail myself of the additional time, but have yet to do so.
Easwaran provided a wealth of suitable passages from all major religious traditions. That said, he also seemed to allow his students to choose their own. The guiding criteria Easwaran appears to have offered was these passages should come from classic works of scripture or the words and writings of great mystics.
So far, I’ve stuck almost exclusively to Easwaran’s recommendations. The only passage of my own I’ve chosen is the Peaceable Kingdom section of the Hebrew Bible. Obviously, as an animal activist, I appreciate its vision of a future without interspecies violence. However, there are other passages I’d like to add.
One I’ve considered, but know wouldn’t fit with Easwaran’s criteria, is the famous statement to the court made by Eugene Debs after he was convicted of violating the Sedition Act in 1918. I’ve always admired the pioneering American socialist and found the following words of his deeply inspiring.
“Years ago,” Debs told the judge, “I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.”
Of course, the passage doesn’t come from scripture or the words and writings of a great mystic. However, what Debs was talking about was Easwaran’s central theme, the unity of all life. It also, in my view, demonstrates the compatibility of this theological perspective with left-wing activism.