25.PHILOSOPHY AS PRACTICAL WISDOM

25. PHILOSOPHY AS PRACTICAL WISDOM

Plato and Aristotle

The very word philosophy makes people feel uncomfortable.. Most people associate it with mental abstraction, speculation into insoluble problems, verbal sophistry, useless indulgence in idleness, or simply a show of superiority by some people. It is defined in as many ways as there are dictionaries.Some may know it in its primary sense as the 'love of wisdom'. But wisdom itself is a concept not well understood. The modern age has lost it in the maze of knowledge, which in turn has been lost in the mountains of information, as T.S.Eliot pointed out. Few associate it with practical wisdom. The dictionary.com defines the word as:

noun, plural philosophies.

1.

the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, 

knowledge, or conduct.

2.

any of the three branches, namely natural philosophy, moral philosophy, and metaphysical philosophy, that are accepted as 

composing this study.

3.

a particular system of thought based on such study or investigation:

the philosophy of Spinoza.

4.

the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular 

branch of  knowledge,especially with a view to improving or

 reconstituting them:

the philosophy of science.

5.

a system of principles for guidance in practical affairs.

6.

an attitude of rationality, patience, composure,and calm in the presence of  troubles or  annoyances.

The  Brittanica.com has it thus:

Philosophy, (from Greek, by way of Latin, philosophia, “love of wisdom”) the rational, abstract, and methodical consideration of reality as a whole or of fundamental dimensions of human existence and experience. Philosophical inquiry is a central element in the intellectual history of many civilizations.

Thus for most people, philosophy is some kind of intellectual activity, removed from practical life.

Philosophy in ancient days

But this is not how it had been. Every ancient civilization before  the rise of Christianity and Islam had been active in philosophical inquiry as a means to action, as a guide to living, not  simply meditation or speculation. The ancient Greeks and Romans were deeply interested in leading  the Good Life. They found its basis in Virtue, ie good conduct. This they formulated into their philosophies. Naturally, the thinking minds found various ways, but not one of them said life could be lived as one wished! For the ancients, philosophy meant a set of values to guide one's life.

 In the modern day, philosophy has come to mean empty speculation and semantic gymnastics. The ancient philosophers were not idle speculators. They were engaged in various occupations. Socrates was a stone mason, and not rich. Marcus Aurelius was an Emperor [ like our Rajarishi].  Seneca was a dramatist and political activist. Epictetus was a slave, released later from slavery by his master , and became a teacher and friend of Emperor Hadrian.( 2nd century). Zeno who started the Stoic school  was a merchant. There were many others from many other professions, including sports.

Ancient philosophers were giants

The ancient philosophers walked their talk. Socrates for instance was condemned to death by drinking poison.(399 BC) His friends and followers urged him to escape into exile, but he refused and drank the poison gladly to prove his loyalty to his city and its gods, and  belief in the eternity of the soul. 

Socrates drinking hemlock.

Marcus Aurelius found time for his philosophy during his military campaigns.

Boethius was a senator and high official in Rome,(6th Century) was betrayed by treachery and was executed.  While in prison awaiting trial, he found time to put down his thoughts in writing. Known as " The Consolation of Philosophy", it became the single most influential book subsequently, and is the last great work of ancient philosophy. None of the old philosophers asked us to escape life, but to face it. Escapism is a modern trait.

In India too, the ancient Rishis were not mere speculators but family men who understood the principles of the good life - Dharma- by long discipline and intuition. Subsequent philosophers too were not idlers but active men who travelled widely and promoted both inquiry and active virtuous life. Sri Ramakrishna used to say: tie up your Vedanta in a corner of your dhoti, and engage in work and worship! Sri Krishna gives the examples of Janaka and others who were Rajarishis. And he was himself active !

Philosophy & practical life

If we discard the names and the labels, and the disputations of the academics, we can find that all the ancient philosophers were convinced that the basis of happiness was a virtuous life, which grew out of good conduct. The various do's and don'ts prescribed in our Sastras - including the Yama and Niyama of the Yoga school are only practical guides to good conduct, providing solid ground of ethics and morality, as basic preparation for true religious life. No Indian philosopher said that virtuous life was easy. Virtue has to be cultivated by personal discipline. This is done in the world while leading an active life, not by running to the forest. Hindu religion does not advocate renunciation as a rule. It is the exception. Buddhism demonstrates the tragedy when sanyasa becomes a popular cult. In contemporary world, the Catholic clergy is beset by serious problems.

Gita's prescription

The best practical philosophical manual we have is the Bhagavad Gita. Shorn of all the religious and theological associations, it is a compendium which prescribes practical steps for a virtuous life based on self-discipline. It involves three steps: 

- Proper understanding of the world- Sankhya. We have to distinguish between the perishable and the eternal. The body is perishable,  Atma is eternal. The material universe  is perishable, but the Brahman behind it is eternal. Prakriti- Purusha, Kshetra-Khetrajna - we have to distinguish the two. We perceive the world not as it is, but as it is reported to us by the senses and interpreted by the mind. We have to refine these instruments for proper understanding. Once we understand the eternal element among the transient, our priorities are set. We choose a life of discipline that is  beneficial (Sreyas), rather than a life that is pleasurable  (Preyas)  which is perishable.

- Life of Right Action: Yoga. Yoga (union) is to be in touch with the eternal element in all circumstances. Action is normally based on desire; its nonfulfilment leads to frustration and  anger. Thus desire and anger (Kama and Krodha) are the gates to hell. Action based on desire leads to rebirth. But so long as we live in the world, action of some sort cannot be avoided. So the essential action has to be performed without desire, merely as a duty, so as to avoid future births. This is the skill to be acquired.(Kausalam)

- Samatwa: Equanimity .In performing action like this, strong will is involved. It it exercised in two essential directions: giving up desire and the expectation of fruit; remaining undisturbed in mind in favourable and adverse circumstances, in friendship and adversity, amid fame and infamy, pleasure and pain, etc.

Many other details would naturally flow from these. It is above all a supremely ethical code marked by 
understanding , action and discipline.

Two notes are in order.

1.The Gita introduces a strong, unmistakable theistic element. It prescribes that a person who desires his own good (Sreyas) should surrender to God (conceived in any manner) and perform his action as an offering to Him. This is the highest secret of life. But the prescriptions can be followed  even without the theism. ( as ego-less action )

2. There are  many psychological factors as the basis of our thinking and action. These are integrated with the philosophical steps in the course of practice. Indian philosophy  seamlessly integrates with psychology. Such divisions are a meaningless  modern western abstraction.

If we consider the three steps noted above as the essence of practical philosophy, the school of Western philosophy that comes nearest to it is Stoicism. In popular conception, 'stoic' is taken to mean to be without emotions. But this is not the real meaning.

Stoicism

Stoicism is the name given to a line of philosophical thinking founded in Athens by Zeno in 3rd Century BC.  It flourished in Greece, and  later in Rome up to the end of 3rd Century AD.

As the Wikipedia notes:

Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy that flourished throughout the Roman and Greek world until the 3rd century AD. Stoicism is predominantly a philosophy of personal ethics which is informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world. According to its teachings, as social beings, the path to happiness for humans is found in accepting that which we have been given in life, by not allowing ourselves to be controlled by our desire for pleasure or our fear of pain, by using our minds to understand the world around us and to do our part in nature's plan, and by working together and treating others in a fair and just manner.

According to the stoics, happiness depends on virtue which consists of  self-control, courage, justice and wisdom. Wisdom consists in knowing our limits- what we can control and what we cannot, and merely accepting the latter. One has to give up passion. Stoicism is not just doctrine but a way of life- lex divina.

The greatest teachers and practitioners  of stoicism have been Marcus Aurelius,  Seneca, and Epictetus.

Men do not care how nobly they live, but only how long, although  it is within the reach of every man to live nobly, but within no man's power to live long.

- Seneca. 

Everything you hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything you see is a perspective, not the truth.

Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is within yourself, in your thinking.

- Marcus Aurelius.

There are many good books on Stoic philosophy. The latest one is  the excellent "The Daily Stoic" a compendium of 366 quotations and reflections from the writings of the Stoic philosophy, meant for daily meditation.

Published by Profile Books, 2016. Cover shown here for educative purposes.

This gives an excellent, short summary of the whole philosophy. The authors write:

"They ultimately framed their work around a series of exercises in three critical disciplines:

The Discipline of Perception ( how we see and perceive the world around us.)

The Discipline of Action ( the decisions and actions we take- and to what end )

The Discipline of Will ( how we deal with the things we cannot change, attain clear and convincing judgment, and come to a true understanding of our place in the world. )"

[ From the Introduction, p.4]

If we compare this summary with the gist of the practical steps gleaned from the Gita, we realise how close they are! In fact, there  is a remarkable closeness between ancient Greek and Indian thought.[ though not total identity] 

Stoicism and fatalism

 Insofar as Stoicism insists on acceptance of what life brings, it may be interpreted as a sort of deterministic fatalism. Some  Indian systems overcome this hurdle by resort to theological belief, God and his grace. Or by resort to remedial measures by  tantra, astrology, etc. How much real relief is actually obtained therefrom is a subjective opinion. This problem has caused endless debates in modern times, with no solution. Modern man is led to believe in freewill, but is baffled when misfortune befalls him. No science is able to solve all problems, including medicine. In the circumstances, it actually seems better to believe in some Higher Order that ordains things on earth. The Stoics did not ask us to abandon our free will, but to act according to our reason, but be prepared to accept when things don't go our way or according to expectations. In this respect, the Stoics reflected the general attitude of the ancient Greeks as seen in their Tragedies: we may try all we can, but it is futile to fight the gods or to seek to outwit them! Modern science knows no better for all its tall claims and sophistry.

The Good Life is the virtuous life. That is the foundation of real happiness. The ancient philosophers show us the practical ways in which we can organise our life on this basis. Greek and Indian philosophies converge on this point as practical guides to a life of virtue and wisdom.

Our lifestyle- whatever it is - reflects a philosophy! Only, we are not aware of it!

"Philosophy does not claim to get a person any external possessions. To do so would be beyond its field. As wood is to the carpenter, bronze to the sculptor, so our own lives are the proper material in the art of living."
-Epictetus.