Page:An Essay On Hinduism.pdf/197

(d) A change is taking place in the dress, manners, and diet of the Hindus.

(e) Atheism and agnosticism and materialism are increasing in strength.

(f) The racial pride, which induced the Hindus to look upon the rest of the world as savage and impure, has considerably decreased, or at least been wounded. A large multitude of people have learned to fear and to hate the Europeans. Respect for the knowledge and the science of Europeans has increased. On account of the efforts of Christian missionaries, hatred for Christianity has also increased.

(g) A large number of stories from history (Epics, Itihāsa) and antiquity (Purānas) are now being regarded as myths.

(h) The ancient Hindu sciences and philosophies are now studied in a different light. With the dogma that "there is only one truth" (that there can be no contradictory orders of truth), an attempt is being made to reconcile the two different developments of sciences.

The production of common tradition for the whole world has been rendered to-day easier not only on account of the recent changes in Hindu thought but also on account of the development of European thought along the lines which India had already drawn over fifteen centuries ago or even long before. To a Hindu, looking carefully at European theology and philosophy, the occidental world seems just emerging out of theological barbarism. The noble ideas on theological matters which Hindus have once thought out are being appreciated now by the occidental thinkers, but in general the European world seems to be incapable of understanding their full bearing on account of either theological bias or lack of the intellectual preparation