Suppose that the whole universe were to be saved and made perfect and happy forever on just one condition: one single soul must suffer, alone, eternally. Would this be acceptable? Philosopher William James asked that in his 1891 book, The Moral Philosopher and the Moral Life . Please think about it once again and answer the question for yourself. You, as well as others, are going to live a life without a tinge of sorrow. Joyful existence. Life in Paradise. The only condition is that one person will take up all the sorrows of the universe on him-/herself and suffer – alone, eternally. What do you say? James’s answer is a firm no . “Not even a god would be justified in setting up such a scheme,” James asserted, knowing too well how the Bible justified a positive answer to his question. “It is expedient that one man should die for the people, so that the nation can be saved” [John 11:50]. Jesus was that one man in the Biblical vision of redemption. I was reading a Malayalam period...
Lovely pic and precious memory.
ReplyDeleteThe picture remained in a book all these years!
DeleteNice one
ReplyDeleteVery spiritual and pure. What we believe in matters! :)
ReplyDeleteThe picture is captivating and evokes nostalgia.
Each person creates his heaven/hell...
DeleteI will agree with the sentiment on one condition - no claim that all stairs get you to the same place, the Vivekanandaesque assertion, ampere assert ion, neither provable nor dis provable; an analytic.
DeleteRE
The inscription is right. To climb to heaven we have to build our own stairs. Nice text.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Easwar ji.
DeleteTrue indeed. We all follow the paths architectured by our deeds. Great thought.
ReplyDeleteExactly. We are the architects of our heaven. Or hell!
Deletenice one.
ReplyDeleteThank you for such a wonderful reminder .. call it karma, call it architect .. you reap what you sow ...
ReplyDeleteYes, Sangeeta. Simple truth but a profound one.
DeleteLovely picture and Lovely quote . I Loved it.
ReplyDeleteTravel India
Glad you loved it.
Deletehow true..!and we have to climb it all by ourselves....
ReplyDeleteI know .. my bit ..I am building the staircase .. step by step and with utmost care !! encounter with reality :)
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