Joseph Pallattil
In this article we are discussing something related to the life and teaching of the famous philosopher Baruch Spinoza. As we all know, Baruch Spinoza had a traditional Jewish upbringing and was trained under famous Rabbis. He was a star pupil of his teachers and perhaps considered as a potential rabbi. Spinoza was an upstanding member of the Talmud Torah Congregation. But, everything turned upside down. In addition to that, he was excommunicated from the Jewish Community. He faced many objections from his own people for what he had taught. The document of the indult of excommunication concludes with the warning that “no one should communicate with him, not even in writing, nor accord him any favour nor stay with him under the same roof nor within four cubits in his vicinity; nor shall he read any treatise composed or written by him.” We wonder how it happened to a person who had a deep routed traditional and religious background. The answer is, Spinoza lived for philosophy. He stood for philosophy. In fact, he gave up everything for Philosophy.
Taking his own words, “I could see the many advantages acquired from honour and riches, and that I should be debarred from acquiring these things if I wished seriously to investigate a new matter… But the more one possesses either of them, the pleasure is increased, and the more one is in consequence encouraged to increase them; whereas if at any time our hope is frustrated, there arises in us the deepest pain. Fame has also this great drawback, that if we pursue it we must direct our lives in such a way as to please the fancy of men, avoiding what they dislike and seeking what pleases them… But the love towards a thing eternal and infinite alone feeds the mind with a pleasure secure from all pain.” Because the greatest good is the knowledge of the union which the mind has with the whole of nature. This knowledge is power. This knowledge is freedom. “The permanent happiness is, therefore, the pursuit of knowledge and the joy of understanding.” For him, honour, riches and fame are nothing but hinder him from the true knowledge or truth.
In order to follow this definite path to truth, Spinoza insists a way of life having following characteristics: 1. to speak in a manner comprehensible to the people, and to do for them all things that do not prevent us from attaining our ends; 2. to enjoy only such pleasures, as are necessary for the preservation of health; 3. to seek only enough money as is for the maintenance of our life and health, and to comply with such customs as are not opposed to what we seek.
