F For those unfamiliar with his work, Dr. B. P. Lathi is known for his writing in the field of electrical engineering.
This book is not about electrical engineering. Or rather, perhaps, it would be more accurate to say that it is about electrical engineering as it is about many other topics, inasmuch as its subject matter embraces nothing less than the nature of reality itself.
With this volume, Dr. Lathi has compiled a lifetime's worth of reflections on the nature of existence as revealed in the philosophical traditions of India in particular, the non-dualistic Advaita system of Vedanta, which deeply informs these reflections.
This is not, however, a conventional work on Indian philosophy. It captures, rather, the approach of a scientist who brings to bear fields such as quantum mechanics, string theory and psychology on the deepest questions on the nature and meaning of life. It brings the knowledge which Dr. Lathi has accumulated in these various fields into a profound and wide-spanning conversation, with his knowledge of Hindu thought: the thought of a tradition he has not only studied, but also lived and experienced directly.
The value of this work is inestimable. We live in a highly specialized era, in which it is all too rare for people to cross boundaries to write on topics beyond their own narrowly defined fields of study, Such boundary-crossing always involves risk. There are always experts who wish to defend their "turf" from being encroached upon by those who presume to find relevance in it beyond the conventional understanding. Dr. Lathi can, of course, always respond that the Hindu teachings he writes on are at least as deeply ingrained in his consciousness as the field in which he has gained his professional expertise.
But not everyone who grows up within a spiritual tradition necessarily has the gift to explain it in depth. Dr. Lathi, however, possesses this gift in abundance.
Our current era is not only highly specialized, but also highly polarized. Adherents of conflicting ideologies are constantly trying to advance their views, often with little or no concern for the logic behind their pronouncements. The need of the hour is a carefully thought out, well-argued set of ideas, presented objectively, in a way that allows readers to interpret and decide for themselves if they find the ideas in question to be persuasive. This is precisely what Dr. Lathi presents in this book.
Certainly, Dr. Lathi has a point of view. When I say that what he has given us here is "objective," what I mean is that it is argued in such a way that readers are not simply asked to make a leap of faith, but are, rather, invited to think through the arguments for themselves; and ultimately, to take the step of cultivating a way of life which enables one to directly experience the truth.
Why I wrote this book...
I In my early physics classes, I had studied about the double-slit experiment. At that time, it appeared just as a curious behavior of nature. I did not pay any more attention to it. But later, I read in the Upanishads about mystics in their mystic visions experiencing oneness of everything in the world. I could not dismiss this observation so cavalierly. I wanted to know whether this was a case of hallucination or a real phenomenon. After reading some literature about mystics and mysticism, it was clear that, as far as mystics are concerned, this was a very real phenomenon. I have presented here some observations about mystics and their experiences. But this is barely scratching the surface. I do not pretend to present this book as a definitive study of mystics or mysticism.
The title of this book, The Mystic Vision: A Rational Approach to Spirituality needs some explanation. Prima facie, it seems to imply that spirituality normally is not rational and therefore needs rationalization. There is some truth in this charge since, on the surface, mystic trance and vision do not necessarily seem rational. Yet, the mystic beliefs are accepted by a large number of humans. So, the need to examine these practices and the beliefs based on these practices is indeed real.
Most of the notions about God and religion originated from two groups: mystics and prophets. The religions of India are based mainly on the insights of mystics, while the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) are founded on the commands of prophets in the Bible and the Quran. What are the insights of mystics and the teachings of prophets, and how do they differ?
A mystic is a person who often or occasionally goes into an alternate state of consciousness where he experiences an enstatic, euphoric state of oneness with the entire universe, a oneness with the ultimate reality or God. He feels everything is one reality (advaita no two). The whole universe is made of one principle. It is rare to find a mystic (at least in the tradition of India) advocating or practicing violence.
In the early decades of the last century, "Physicists realized that they had closer accord with mysticism than materialism...." According to Einstein, "The finest emotion of which we are capable is the mystic emotion. Herein lies the germ of all art and all true science."
On the other hand, according to the Bible, the prophet is a person chosen by God. He is not necessarily a saint or a righteous man. He is chosen for no other reason than God's will. Many prophets are inclined to action in contrast to mystics who are more inclined to contemplation and inwardness. The Bible and Quran depict prophets often resorting to violence to achieve their goals.
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