Chaitanya Jyothi Museum Opening, 2000

RAMANAM
In the Name of The Father, and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit, Amen.

Countrymen,

ORBIS NON SUFFICIT
SOLUS DEUS SUFFICIT

Each of the five great religions of man — Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Islam and Christianity — is universally, but not solely universally, valid. Each is a universally effective, but none is the sole universally effective, array of modes of moving Godward.

Each of these religions exists with heresies attaching themselves to it. For example, Christianity was beset anciently with Manicheism, Arianism and Pelagianism and is beset modernly with their correlates, Fundamentalism (biblical literalism), Revivalism (sentimentalism) and Communism (vandalism), respectively.

Each of the religions of man should be presented as universally valid. None may be presented as solely universally valid. In that distinction the peace can be made between them.
The need of the day is to transcend faction. The particular faction to be transcended here is religious faction.

What is religion?

Religion is a word. Words exist and what exists is estranged from itself and from its world.

So the question is, what in religion overcomes estrangement?

To answer this question we begin by asking, what do religions have in common?

Religions have in common symbols and activities.

What symbols, what activities?

The symbols religions have in common are fire, flowers, buildings and graphics. The activities religions have in common are praying, reading, singing, meditating and giving. Four symbols and five activities making nine things religions have in common. Nine is the number of unity because its multiples sum to itself.

Now, what can we do to put these nine things together as an expression and example of the transcendence of faction?

We construct a Sarva Dharma or Leading Forward Together Prayer Hall, employing common particulars of these nine common things, at or near the vital centers of every city, town and village.

Sarva Dharma is a Sanskrit word meaning all modes of leading forward together, or, all modes of proper conduct.

Sarva Dharma Prayer Halls should be constructed first at the United States Military Academy, Yale University and Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York.

They should be privately funded, endowed to perpetuity and designed, constructed and administered by arrangement between management of the school or other private property on which they stand and the donors or, if on their own property, by a board established by the donors.

Design and usage details should express the nine things religions have in common, four symbols and five activities. The adverb only is implied behind the verb express in the foregoing sentence.

Sarva Dharma or Leading Forward Together Prayer Halls should be constructed as soon as possible.

AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA