Question: What is your view of the Vedic philosophers versus the Western philosophers?

Sri Chinmoy: The Vedic seers lived 7,000 years ago. They saw the Vedic vision when it was descending into the earth-consciousness. In their meditations, the Vedic seers climbed up to the topmost branch of the eternal life-tree. From there they had a direct vision of both the roots of the tree and the highest height of the tree. Their vision was all-encompassing.

In our case, if we look at the foot of the life-tree, we cannot see the top of the tree. We are bound by our limited vision. Again, if we look at the top of the tree, we cannot see the roots. But the Vedic seers were unique. While seeing the highest, they did not neglect the so-called lowest. They wanted both the height and the base to be intact. That is why they were able to become great philosophers even after reaching the sublime heights in their meditation.

Philosophy is one of the lower branches of the eternal life-tree. The Vedic seers were able to see the Vedic vision descending and descending until it touched the philosophy-branch. Then they expressed their vision in mantric utterances.

Here in the Western world, when philosophy started, the philosophers were building the basic foundation, but they did not value the foundation. They were getting joy if they could show something without a foundation. Eastern Vedic philosophy went high, higher, highest, but at the same time they valued the foundation. Western philosophy went in various directions, but unlike Eastern philosophy, it did not care for the all-encompassing vision that sees both the height and the base of the life-tree.