Brahmo Dharma Beej

The Brahmo Dharma Beej were seed ("beej") principles, possibly created by Debendranath Tagore in 1850 for Brahmo religionists and followers of Brahmo Samaj.

Controversy

These are possibly the seed beej principles of Brahmo Dharma propounded by Maharishi Debendranath Tagore (father of Rabindranath Tagore) and founder of the Brahmo religion in 1850.^[1] However, the circumstance of actual publication of these seed principles attributed by Sivanath Sastri to Debendranath is dubious, ".. Accordingly, he proceeded to make a compilation of judiciously selected passages from Upanishads inculcating the truth of monotheism. These were published in the form of a book called Brahma Dharma (11 - First published in 1850) .. He also laid down certain principles of Natural Theism called Brahma Dharma Bija, or Seed Principles of Brahmoism, for the acceptance of members of the Samaj.".^[2] Other sources^[3] impute that the Brahma Dharma book was a compilation of Debendranath's philosophy of 1848 published as articles in the organ Tattwabodhini Patrika from 1850 and first published in book form in 1862 with the 2nd. part of Brahma Dharma - the "Moral Code". The original Brahma Dharma book does not contain these seed principles appended to Sastri's History, which Seed Principles, however, are claimed to have been published at the head of the Tattwobodhini Patrika from 1857 onwards.

Seed Principles of Brahmoism

Sivanath Sastri version

1. The Supreme Being alone was in the beginning, nothing else existed, He created all this universe.
2. He is eternal, infinite, all wise, all merciful, independent, formless, one without a second, all pervading, ruling over all, all-containing, all knowing, all powerful, the permanent, the perfect, the one beyond any comparison.
3. In His worship alone lies our welfare in this world and in the world to come.
4. To love Him and to do the works He loves is His worship.

Anusthanic (Adi Dharm) version

1. There is only One "Supreme Spirit", Author and Preserver of Existence.
2. There is no salvation and no way to achieve it.
3. There is no scripture, revelation, creation, prophet, priest or teacher to be revered.
4. There is no distinction.^[4]

Ananusthanic (Sadharan Brahmo Samaj) version

1. There is always Infinite Singularity - immanent and transcendent Singular Author and Preserver of Existence
2. Being is created from Singularity. Being is renewed to Singularity. Being exists to be one (again) with Loving Singularity.
3. Respect all creations and beings but never venerate them for only Singularity can be loved.
4. Knowledge of pure Conscience is the One ruler of Existence with no symbol or intermediary.

References and notes