Page 109 - Hinduism

The spiritual activities which are the special province of Religion and religious associations can never be taken over by the State as part of its general functions. A secular State or a welfare State may seek to distribute equitably the goods of the world on the principle of greatest happiness of the greatest number. The qualitative distinction of the spiritual good can indeed never become part of the quantitative goods of the social and economic or hedonistic order (artha and kāma). It is true in these spheres the right distribution which is equitable distribution between all the members of the world society or nation is the legitimate method. Equitableness of the distribution of the goods however, is only part of the right or dharma with which a State is charged. There are and have been other criteria of rightness than equitableness of distribution. Freedom can never be distributed though security can perhaps be. Even a theocratic state (such as Pakistan in modern times) cannot but create conditions of freedom or growth to happen in a particular manner. But in attempting this there happens the socialisation of the religious consciousness which is not always an unmixed good. But it helps the awareness of the need for greater and greater enlightenment in matters pertaining to personal liberty. An ordered or self- disciplined liberty is the aim of liberty, or else mokṣa would become meaningless. There is in every soul an elemental need for the inner discovery of God
which has most often been achieved in spite of 109