SEEKING THE INFINITE IN THE FINITE (Aug )
By DARSHANA GHOSE
Summary
The article explores the concept of the self as a medium to the divine, comparing Renaissance and Vedantic perspectives. Renaissance thinkers, influenced by Greek philosophy and humanism, emphasized individualism, free will, and the pursuit of knowledge, as seen in Pico della Mirandola’s *Oration on the Dignity of Man*, which highlights man’s mobility and potential to transcend limits. This period also saw explorations symbolizing intellectual and spiritual journeys, such as Columbus’s voyages and Bacon’s *The New Atlantis*. In contrast, Vedanta posits that the self (Atman) is the infinite divine, with God not external but inherent within. Vedanta advocates self-realization through *para vidya* (knowledge of the self) and *sat, cit, ananda* (existence, consciousness, bliss), leading to liberation. While Renaissance thinkers like Descartes and Montaigne grappled with skepticism and human limitations, Vedanta asserts man’s divine essence and the unity of all beings. The article contrasts the Renaissance’s focus on external exploration and individual agency with Vedanta’s inward journey toward self-realization, underscoring divergent views on human potential and divinity.
Conclusion
The exploration of the self as a conduit to the divine reveals a profound convergence and divergence between Renaissance humanism and Vedantic philosophy. While Renaissance thinkers like Pico and Ficino celebrated man’s potential to transcend limits through free will, Vedanta emphasizes the inherent divinity within, urging realization of *Tat Tvam Asi* (That Thou Art). Both traditions highlight the pursuit of knowledge and self-awareness, yet Vedanta frames this journey as an inward exploration to transcend *maya* (illusion) and attain *Sat-Chit-Ananda* (existence, consciousness, bliss). The Renaissance’s outward explorations and humanist ideals, though groundbreaking, often reinforced a sense of separation between the self and the divine. In contrast, Vedanta’s radical assertion—that the self is the ultimate reality—offers a transformative path to liberation, where the individual’s finite struggles dissolve into the infinite. This synthesis of perspectives underscores the timeless quest for self-knowledge as the key to transcending human limitations and realizing one’s divine essence.