Some Reflections on Perfection

What is perfection, what are its elements, is there something called perfection, which are perfect, and can the transient things and beings be perfect? And lastly, can human being be perfect? If we analyze Plato’s Idea then we come to know that the idea is perfect, which lives in idea, which is not visible to us, but which exists, and all other things and beings are imperfect imitation of idea. There are many examples to illustrate this theory. One famous is, not this horse or that horse is the ideal horse, not perfect horse, but the idea of horse is the perfect, which must be the subject of equine science. The same argument goes further. It is an abstract thought, perhaps not amenable to empirical analysis. Then the argument goes, not everything is subject to empirical analysis, even the idea of perfection as well. The idea lives in the sphere of ideas, but It is, and It exists. Then comes the idea of agnosticism, which says that we cannot say whether there is something called perfect or something called God or not, we do not know is the answer.

Veda’s theory, or also in a different way propounded by Spinoza and Hegel is that every determination is a negation, and the Vedic equivalent is ‘Neti Neti,’ not this, not this. When we talk about something, or when we elaborate something, then we leave so many other things as well. As the Jainas say in their theory of Anekantavada, that the Truth, the Perfect is many sided reality, and we human beings with our limited knowledge and perception see only one aspect, and take it as the whole. But that is not the truth. It is like in Shankara’s language to perceive in rope the snake in dark, but that is not the reality. But, then can we see something perfect, something called perfection? But, then, perhaps we will need not limited knowledge, but a knowledge, a perception which has 360 degree vision of the things and beings, or the kind of humility what Socrates says, ‘I know that I do not know.’

The ontological proof of God says that God is perfect, and it is self-evident, a priori like three angles of a triangle equals to 180 degree, and for which we do not need proof. The existence of God is a self-evident axiom, which does not need any proof. The idea of God emanates in our mind shows itself there must be something or somebody, which is called God, which is perfect, the best, the beautiful, the knowledgeable, the wise, and so on.

Coming back to this idea of perfection, which various theories about God attempt to prove that God is perfect, the question emerges can human beings attain perfection? We have seen spurt of genius around us and in history, that there are great scientists, philosophers, who have unraveled many mysteries of the universe. But how far they have attained perfection? Is it possible for human beings to attain perfection, or is it something called chimera, or something too idealistic and abstract, which is an impossible chase for the ordinary, brittle human beings, who take birth, grow old and then die, like any other animal?

I read somewhere the famous philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti wrote that mediation is where there is no meditator, implying that meditation is something so deep, and so immense and enthralling, that individual doing meditation loses the sense of self-identity or loses himself in universal identity. A person having this realization can vouch it, otherwise like A. J. Ayer call it non-sense, as it is not verifiable to logical analysis and empirical observation. But, when we study the lives of great people, we come to know that there are many things which are beyond empirical, or what Kant says transcendental, which are beyond the reach of both realist and empiricist paradigms.

I believe in the saying that all life is a movement towards higher goal. I read, ‘no human will can conquer against Divine’s will, let us put ourselves exclusively on the side of the Divine and the victory is ultimately certain.’ If we study it from its face value, it may appear as a call to sheer dogmatism and orthodoxy. But a deeper analysis completely changes its meaning. When it says Divine will, it is not the will of the narrow thinking of an individual, but an elevated thinking of an individual who identifies his will with the universal will. It moves the human animal to rise towards perfection, for that one needs a constant aspiration. This is not pure mysticism, or something pure tantric, or something old and outdated. This is amenable to practice. A person who has done meditation for 10 or 15 minutes with a composed mind and realized its power can obviously find the real sense of this argument and its kernel.