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Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures and the Hindu Upanishads share remarkable similarities, despite originating in vastly different cultural and historical contexts. Both texts serve as foundational spiritual works that articulate a metaphysical idealism, emphasizing the primacy of consciousness over matter, the divine nature of the self, and the illusory quality of the material world. These parallels reflect a common endeavor to transcend physical limitations and reveal an eternal, spiritual reality—whether framed as divine Mind in Eddy’s Christian Science or Brahman in the Upanishadic tradition of Vedanta. Drawing from Swami Yogananda’s observations, Eddy’s early quotations of Hindu scriptures, and the philosophical underpinnings of both works, this essay explores their key similarities in detail.
1. Metaphysical Idealism: Consciousness as Ultimate Reality
Science and Health:
Eddy asserts that God, as infinite divine Mind, is the only true reality, and matter is an illusion or “error” of the mortal mind. She writes, “There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all” (Science and Health, p. 468). This idealism denies the material world’s independent existence, framing it as a misperception to be corrected through spiritual understanding.
Upanishads:
The Upanishads, foundational texts of Vedanta, proclaim Brahman—pure, infinite consciousness—as the sole reality. The Chandogya Upanishad (6.2.1) states, “All this is Brahman,” while the Mandukya Upanishad describes the world as an illusion (maya) superimposed on Brahman by ignorance (avidya). Matter is a transient appearance, not an ultimate truth.
Similarity:
Both texts champion a radical metaphysical idealism where consciousness (divine Mind or Brahman) is the essence of existence, and matter is unreal. Eddy’s rejection of material substance mirrors the Upanishadic view of maya, positioning reality as a spiritual construct rather than a physical one. This shared premise underpins their teachings on overcoming physicality, whether through healing in Christian Science or liberation in Vedanta.
2. The Divine Nature of the Self
Science and Health:
Eddy teaches that humanity’s true identity is spiritual, a reflection of God’s perfection. She states, “Man is not material; he is spiritual” (Science and Health, p. 475), emphasizing that the “real man” is immortal and sinless, existing in eternal harmony with divine Mind. The mortal self is a false perception to be transcended.
Upanishads:
The Upanishads assert that the individual self (atman) is identical to Brahman. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.4.10) declares, “I am Brahman,” and the Chandogya Upanishad (6.8.7) repeats, “That thou art” (Tat Tvam Asi). The apparent separateness of the self is an illusion, dissolved through realization of this unity.
Similarity:
Both texts affirm the divine, eternal nature of the self, distinguishing it from the temporary, material ego. Eddy’s “real man” parallels the atman, with each work urging readers to recognize their spiritual essence—whether as God’s reflection or Brahman’s identity. This convergence elevates human potential, suggesting that true selfhood transcends physical limitations.
3. Illusion as the Source of Suffering
Science and Health:
Eddy attributes suffering—sin, disease, and death—to the mortal mind’s erroneous belief in matter’s reality. She writes, “Sin, disease, whatever seems real to material sense, is unreal in Truth” (Science and Health, p. 353). Healing comes by dispelling this illusion through understanding God’s allness, as Yogananda notes: “Christian Science, by its sole emphasis on mind-power... has greatly helped to free many matter-bound, materially-minded people.”
Upanishads:
The Upanishads locate suffering in ignorance (avidya), which binds the atman to the illusory world of maya and the cycle of samsara. The Mundaka Upanishad (1.2.8) describes the unenlightened as “living in darkness,” mistaking the material for the real. Liberation arises from knowledge (jnana) that reveals Brahman’s unity.
Similarity:
Both identify suffering as a product of illusion—mortal mind’s error or avidya—rather than an inherent truth. Eddy’s view that disease is unreal aligns with the Upanishadic notion that physical woes stem from misperception, with each text offering a path (prayer or jnana) to pierce this veil and restore harmony. This shared diagnosis frames suffering as a mental, not material, problem.
4. Knowledge as the Path to Liberation
Science and Health:
Eddy emphasizes understanding as the means to salvation and healing. She writes, “The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus’ time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness” (Science and Health, p. xi). Knowledge of God’s truth transforms perception, manifesting as physical restoration.
Upanishads:
The Upanishads stress jnana (knowledge) as the key to moksha (liberation). The Katha Upanishad (1.3.14) advises, “Arise, awake, and learn by approaching the excellent ones,” while the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.19) states, “Through knowledge, immortality is attained.” Realizing Brahman’s oneness frees one from maya’s bondage.
Similarity:
Both elevate knowledge—whether of divine Mind or Brahman—as the transformative force that liberates. Eddy’s focus on understanding God parallels the Upanishadic pursuit of jnana, with each viewing enlightenment as a shift in consciousness that dissolves illusion and reveals eternal reality. This intellectual-spiritual path unites their soteriological visions.
5. Rejection of Material Causality
Science and Health:
Eddy denies that matter causes disease or sustains life, asserting, “Mortal mind is the only actor in sickness” (Science and Health, p. 392). Healing occurs by rejecting physical remedies for mental alignment with God, a stance Yogananda praises: “A complete abandonment of medicine... will certainly bring results in healing the body.”
Upanishads:
The Upanishads dismiss material causality as ultimate, viewing the body and world as projections of Brahman obscured by avidya. The Isha Upanishad (1) states, “All this—whatever exists in this changing universe—is pervaded by the Lord,” implying that physical phenomena depend on consciousness, not independent laws.
Similarity:
Both reject material causation, attributing phenomena like sickness to false perceptions rather than physical processes. Eddy’s dismissal of medicine echoes the Upanishadic transcendence of bodily concerns, with each advocating a shift to spiritual causation—divine Mind’s perfection or Brahman’s omnipresence—as the true determinant of existence.
6. Scriptural Inspiration and Universal Insight
Science and Health:
Eddy presents her work as divinely inspired, a “key” to interpreting the Bible and unlocking universal truth. Her early inclusion of Bhagavad-Gita quotes (e.g., “Never the Spirit was born... Death hath not touched It at all” in the 33rd edition, per Yogananda) suggests an openness to broader spiritual wisdom, aligning with her claim of revealing eternal principles.
Upanishads:
The Upanishads are considered shruti (revealed wisdom), eternal truths intuited by ancient seers. They explore universal questions of existence, as in the Kena Upanishad (1.3): “That which cannot be expressed by speech, but by which speech is expressed—that alone know as Brahman.” Their insights transcend specific traditions.
Similarity:
Both texts claim a revelatory authority, presenting themselves as conduits of timeless, universal truth. Eddy’s nod to Hindu scriptures mirrors the Upanishads’ expansive scope, with each work aiming to illuminate a reality beyond sectarian limits—God’s allness or Brahman’s unity—accessible through inspired understanding.
7. Ethical and Practical Implications: Living the Truth
Science and Health:
Eddy ties spiritual understanding to ethical living, urging purity, love, and harmony with God’s will. She writes, “The vital part, the heart and soul of Christian Science, is Love” (Science and Health, p. 113), linking metaphysical insight to practical transformation, including healing and moral upliftment.
Upanishads:
The Upanishads connect knowledge of Brahman to ethical conduct and detachment. The Taittiriya Upanishad (1.11) instructs, “Speak the truth, practice righteousness,” while detachment from maya fosters equanimity, as in the Isha Upanishad (6): “He who sees all beings in his own self... feels no hatred.”
Similarity:
Both emphasize that realizing spiritual truth—divine Mind or Brahman—manifests in ethical behavior and practical outcomes. Eddy’s focus on love and healing parallels the Upanishadic call for righteousness and liberation, with each viewing spiritual insight as a lived reality that transforms the individual and their relation to the world.
Conclusion
Science and Health and the Upanishads converge in their metaphysical idealism, divine conception of the self, and rejection of material illusion as the root of suffering. Both present knowledge as the path to liberation, deny material causality, claim revelatory authority, and link spiritual truth to ethical living. Eddy’s text, though rooted in Christian monotheism, echoes the Upanishads’ non-dual vision, as seen in her early engagement with Hindu scriptures noted by Yogananda. While Eddy focuses on healing and the Upanishads on cosmic unity, their shared insistence on consciousness as reality unites them in a profound spiritual kinship. These similarities suggest a universal human quest to transcend the material, refracted through distinct yet resonant lenses—Eddy’s divine Principle and the Upanishads’ Brahman—offering timeless insights into the nature of existence.
