Amish Tripathi: Is God a Delusion?

Amish Tripathi, renowned Indian author and cultural ambassador, delivered a thought-provoking speech questioning whether God is a delusion. Through the lens of Hindu philosophy, Tripathi highlights the coexistence of religion and science, the concept of purpose, and the profound idea that divinity resides within all of us. His speech encourages introspection and challenges Western perceptions of religion, making it a vital discussion in today’s interconnected world.

Understanding Hinduism’s Perspective on God and Knowledge

Vocabulary Highlight:

• Illusion (noun): A false idea or belief.
  • Pronunciation Tip: /ɪˈluːʒən/
  • Example: “He dismissed the idea as an illusion of the mind.”
• Dharma (noun): The principle of cosmic order in Hinduism.
  • Example: “Fulfilling one’s dharma is essential for harmony in life.”

Grammar Focus: Conditional Sentences

• Example from Text: “If God has a purpose, then God is real.”
• Explanation: Conditional sentences express possibilities or hypothetical situations.

Structure:

• Zero Conditional: Present tense in both clauses for factual statements.
  • Example: “If water freezes, it turns to ice.”
• First Conditional: Present tense + future tense for likely situations.
  • Example: “If you prepare, you will succeed.”

Simplified Explanation:
Conditional sentences often connect a condition to its result, as seen in the text where the speaker discusses the purpose of God.

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Key Points from Amish Tripathi’s Speech

1. The Concept of Maya
   • Definition: The Sanskrit term for “illusion,” describing everything temporary as unreal.
   • Example: “According to Maya, the universe itself is an illusion.”
2. Purpose and Reality
   • Definition: Anything with a function or purpose is considered real.
   • Example: “A body gains meaning through its purpose.”
3. Hinduism and Science
   • Definition: An openness to questioning and understanding scientific truths without conflict.
   • Example: “Hinduism embraces science as a path to knowledge.”
4. The Divine Within
   • Definition: Recognizing that divinity resides in all beings.
   • Example: “Namaste means bowing to the divine within you.”
5. Knowledge and Evolution
   • Definition: Constant learning as a path to enlightenment and divinity.
   • Example: “Learning leads to nirvana, the ultimate state of being.”

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Lessons from the Dharmic Worldview

Vocabulary Highlight:

• Nirvana (noun): The state of perfect peace and enlightenment.
  • Pronunciation Tip: /nɪrˈvɑːnə/
  • Example: “Attaining nirvana is the goal of spiritual growth.”

1. The Balance Between Knowledge and Preparedness
   • Definition: Gaining knowledge responsibly to avoid harm.
   • Example: “Hindu philosophy advises learning only when ready to handle the knowledge.”
2. Religion and Science Coexistence
   • Definition: Integrating spiritual and scientific understanding.
   • Example: “Hindu scientists see no conflict between religion and scientific endeavors.”
3. Diversity in Divinity
   • Definition: Multiple paths and truths in spiritual practices.
   • Example: “The divine can be male, female, or transgender.”
4. The Infinite Journey of Learning
   • Definition: Continuous growth until all knowledge is attained.
   • Example: “Learning transforms us into divine beings over lifetimes.”

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Reflecting on Amish Tripathi’s Speech

Vocabulary Highlight:

• Purpose (noun): The reason for which something exists.
  • Pronunciation Tip: /ˈpɜːrpəs/
  • Example: “Finding your purpose gives life meaning.”

Sentence Structure: Using Subordinate Clauses

• Example from Text: “Because I have a purpose for now, I am not an illusion for now.”
• Explanation: Subordinate clauses add context to the main statement.

Structure:

• Subordinate Conjunction + Subject + Verb
  • Example: “Although it rained, we continued our journey.”

Pronunciation Tips:

• Illusion: /ɪˈluːʒən/
• Purpose: /ˈpɜːrpəs/
• Dharma: /ˈdɑːrmə/

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Conclusion

Through his eloquent speech, Amish Tripathi challenges traditional views on religion and science, offering a harmonious perspective rooted in Hindu philosophy. His reflections on purpose, knowledge, and divinity inspire a profound understanding of human potential and the coexistence of faith and reason. By embracing the dharmic way, we are encouraged to find our purpose, evolve through learning, and recognize the divine within ourselves.

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Learning Tips

• Practice New Vocabulary: Use the highlighted words in sentences.
• Grammar Exercises: Create sentences with conditional structures.
• Pronunciation Practice: Repeat vocabulary with tips provided.
• Reading Comprehension: Summarize the dharmic worldview in your own words.

By engaging with Amish Tripathi’s insights, learners not only enhance their English skills but also gain a deeper understanding of philosophy and spirituality.

How you see the world is often defined by where you come from. Now, I’m a Hindu. Hinduism is most probably among the most ancient living religions on earth. Hinduism is a part of the dharmic group of religions, which also includes Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. In many ways, our worldview is fundamentally different from the Abrahamic group of religions. The Abrahamic group, as you all know, includes Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It could be argued that Western atheism, which emerged as a reaction to the Abrahamic religions, also has many of the features of Abrahamic religions.

So, how is our worldview, the dharmic worldview, different? One of the key things is we don’t see the world in binaries—good, evil, black, white. We don’t see the world that way. We see it in shades of grey. From this perspective, how do we answer the question that God is a delusion? The question itself is incomplete for two reasons. The first is that, according to Hindu philosophy, anything that has a beginning and an end is temporary and hence an illusion. The Sanskrit word for it is Maya. Therefore, everything, including the universe, because it does have an end date, is an illusion, which makes this entire debate itself infructuous.

But there is a second concept of reality in Hinduism that I am more interested in. It says that anything that has a purpose and function is real, even if it’s intangible. Let me explain this concept further. We’ve all heard of Carl Sagan, obviously. Carl Sagan had said that all our bodies are made up of water, calcium, and organic molecules. This is a scientific fact. Now, if you pick an amount of water, calcium, and organic molecules of the right proportion and throw it under a bus, nothing will change. Nothing will happen to the bus or those elements. But I’m not about to jump under a bus, very obviously. Even though my body is made up of that exact proportion of elements, there’s something extra within me. That something extra gives purpose to the elements that make up my body. Therefore, I have a purpose for now. I am not an illusion for now. That’s the way it is with me. That’s the way it is with all of us. And that is the way it is with God. If God has a purpose, then God is real.

So, is the real question perhaps not whether God has a purpose? Is the real question why the West no longer feels a need for the purpose of God? Or, to calibrate a bit, why do most Westerners no longer feel the need for God? I think the answer lies in the tortured relationship that Abrahamic religions have with science—or more broadly, knowledge. Any scientific truth that is in conflict with Abrahamic faith can be labeled as blasphemy. That sets up a magnificent duel: Abrahamics and God on one side, and science on the other. You have to pick one side; you can’t have both.

How does Hinduism see this debate? First of all, Hinduism does not have a doctrinal concept of blasphemy. There is no scientific truth that I have to deny to prove that I am a good Hindu. The concept of blasphemy simply doesn’t exist. Moreover, Hinduism has a different relationship with knowledge. Let me explain through the book of Genesis. All of you are aware of the Garden of Eden, right? Broadly, the story goes that God punished Adam and Eve because they ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Most Abrahamic scholars say that good and evil was a metaphor for everything. So essentially, Adam and Eve were punished because they ate an apple from the tree of the knowledge of everything.

I’m not deriding this philosophy. Knowledge, if you’re not prepared for it, is often a path to unhappiness and destruction. It can be argued that you see evidence of this in the modern West. If your purpose is simply to be happy, perhaps it’s better to avoid knowledge. Innocence is bliss. It’s a fair call. Just remain innocent. Remain happy. How does Hinduism view knowledge? Hindu philosophy acknowledges the risks of knowledge but still tells us to go for it. To put it in terms you may understand, Hindus wouldn’t be told, “Don’t eat that apple.” In fact, we’d be told, “Go for the entire freaking tree.” But we would also be told to prepare ourselves so that we can handle that knowledge. This is essentially the concept of karma and dharma—learn, evolve, so that you can handle knowledge, and then learn some more.

You keep learning until you know everything there is to know. Then you become divine. You attain nirvana. I’m sure you’ve heard of the term nirvana. This is what the concept means. You keep growing, learning, and evolving until you know everything there is to know, and then you become divine. From this philosophical construct, what is the purpose of God? God is not a strict father who keeps you in line for your own happiness. No. In the dharmic way, God is supposed to be a witness or a guide, someone who guides you on how to acquire knowledge without messing up your life.

This is why it’s common in India to be both religious and scientific at the same time. How many of you have read about the Indian space scientist who sent a probe to the moon? The cost of that project was cheaper than a Hollywood movie about a moon mission. What many don’t know is that before launch, the scientist took the rocket components to a temple to pray. They saw no contradiction in this. Unlike some Western atheists who feel the need to insult religion to prove their scientific temper, Hinduism allows for coexistence. The divine can be male, female, or transgender and even expects humans to question him or her, as Lord Krishna did in the Bhagavad Gita.

I am primarily an author. In my books, I openly criticize the caste system, write about powerful women, and include gay and transgender characters. By God’s grace, my books sell reasonably well. You won’t find any controversy around me because Hinduism is open to multiple truths and multiple paths to the divine.

In some ways, this debate is similar to the one around artificial intelligence. From what I have read, Elon Musk is concerned about the risks of AI and hesitates, while Sam Altman wants to forge ahead. In the Hindu way, the opportunities of AI would be acknowledged, but so would the risks. Perhaps AI has the power of God. Do we have the ability to wield that power? Do our societies have the ability to handle the consequences of something like this?

Everyone knows what this gesture is—namaste. Most Westerners erroneously translate namaste to mean hello. In Sanskrit, it means “I bow to the divine within you.” It’s a statement of humility—I’m bowing—but also a challenge to you: Discover the divine within you. That is the challenge Hinduism puts forth. If you find purpose, you will discover that God exists within you. Your task in this life—and many lives—is to grow, evolve, and learn, to become God. God is not a delusion because you are God. You are all potential Gods. You just don’t know it yet. Find your purpose, and you will discover that you and God are, in fact, real.

Thank you.