2 The Religion of the Veda

INDIA is the land of religions in more than one sense. It has produced out of its own resources a number of distinctive systems and sects, two of which, at least, are of workl-wido interest and importance.

Brahmanism, in its manifold aspects, is to this day the religion of about 300 millions of people in India herself, a matter of interest on the face of it. lint: its universal importance lies with the Iimhznnnieal systems of religious philosolil'ry, especially the two known respectively as Vedanta and Sanhhya. These are two religiophilosophical, or theosophical systems which essay to probe the twin riddle of the universe and human life. They do this in so penetrating a Way as to place them by the side of the most profound philosophic endeavors of other nations. The beginnings of this philosophy are found in the so-called Upanishads, a set of treatises which are part of the Veda... The Upanishads contain the

higher religion of the Veda. The essence of higher

riBrahmanical religion is Upanlshad religion. The ireligion of the Upanishads is part of the theme of these lectures.

Buddhism started in the bosom of Brahmanism, Its radical reforms, concerning both doctrine and practical life, are directed in good part against Brah~

manism. Yet Buddhism. is a religion genuinely