Spiritual Dimensions of Indian Culture
ivilization and Culture are hall- mark of the collective life of man. Civilization signifies the moral evolved state of the society, which embraces activity of mental life, including arts and learning. According to Sri Aurobindo civilization is harmony of spirit1 Culture is the discipline by which man’s moral and intellectual nature is elevated. According to Sri Aurobindo, culture comprises various activities of the cultivated aesthetic being , mind and body- the harmony of the inner and outer man. Will Durant has defined civilization, in his monumental work ‘The Story of Civilization, to mean social organization, moral order and cultural activity. Four elements constitute civilization: Economic provision, political organization moral traditions, and pursuit of knowledge and arts. In a nut-shell we may comprehend civilization of people as an advance stage of its social development. 2 Spirit is the non- material, animating and immortal part of man. According to Sri Aurobindo, Spirit is the self -existence being, with infinite power of consciousness and unconditional delight . Will Durant has defined culture as the sum-total of a people’s institutions, customs and arts. The UNESCO- sponsored book ‘Traditional Cultures of South East Asia’ gives the definition of Culture thus: Culture means the total accumulation of material objects, ideas, symbols, benefits, sentiments, values and social forms which are passed on from one generation to another in any given society. “In short, Culture signifies refinement of minds and manners as also cultivation of aesthetic faculties in a particular society.
