Janki Chopra, Times of India, Sep 6, 2005, 12.00am IST
To gain knowledge does not mean that automatically you will efface ignorance. Paradoxically, knowledge and ignorance are not two sides of a coin. Increase of one is not always the decrease of the other.
In the spiritual pursuit we tend to focus more on gaining knowledge and less on effacing ignorance. Gaining knowledge is the capacity to quote scriptures and teachers. To get the words right, but to miss the inherent meaning behind them. To hug onto the carcass, and lose the spirit.
If it were so simple to become spiritual that one could do it by reading spiritual books and attending discourses then the whole world would be spiritual. That is, the whole world would have a ready understanding of the truth.
Dharma is the most difficult thing to know. Truth or Reality, and its path, dharma, have baffled great thinkers since ages. Truth is ultimate Reality, the transcendental, the state of moksha or self-realisation. Dharma is the path to it. It is the capacity to decide on right action.
The choice of action is necessarily based on one’s understanding of life; on understanding the laws that govern life. By merely gaining definitions from various masters and books, by merely listening to discourses and speaking about them, you do not find the Truth. You have to execute right actions, be they physical, mental or intellectual. That alone takes us closer to Truth .
The process effaces our ignorance. When ignorance is effaced, Truth stands revealed. How does one move from the stage of pedantic knowledge to removal of ignorance? Ignorance is ignorance of Truth. It cannot be eradicated by accumulating knowledge from the external world. Not all the knowledge prevalent in the world is capable of removing our ignorance of the transcendental Truth, not even spiritual knowledge. However, the same knowledge when reflected upon gives us true wisdom.
The more we are able to reflect upon, cogitate, think about acquired knowledge independently, the more will our vision clear.
jankiji,defination of surrender is more clear with this articlr.thanks.hari om
Thanks for that awesome posting. It saved MUCH time 🙂
I liked your article is an interesting technology
thanks to google I found you
I applaud the writer.
kerry Propper
Job well done
1) You have to “execute right actions”, be they physical, mental or intellectual. That alone takes us closer to Truth .
The process effaces our ignorance
2) Not all the knowledge prevalent in the world is capable of removing our ignorance of the transcendental Truth, not even spiritual knowledge. However, the same “knowledge when reflected upon” gives us true wisdom.
Que: Do we require two separate efforts?
No, its part of the same process. Right action at the intellectual level is reflection on the knowledge gained from Vedanta.
Another query:
How important is the role of will-power in the decision making & execution of decisions?
Thnx janakiji for throwing more light.
Now it’s clear why you said:
Dharma is…
The capacity to decide on right action.
And,
Dharma is the most difficult thing to know!
Will power is an aspect of the intellect. The intellect governs and controls the mind. It is the mind that makes us choose wrongly or to put it more correctly, makes us choose temporary pleasures instead of permanent ones. The intellect is developed through reflection on the truths of life or Vedanta.
Thanx Jankiji.
Can you also elaborate upon other aspects of intellect. How many aspects of intellect are there?
Can all of them be developed through reflection on the truths of life? Does this one method applies to all the aspects of intellect?
How do we know that we are moving away from Reality? Sometimes it may apaepr that you are thinking objectively and then choosing, however later on after knowing the outcome you realize in which areas you moved away from reality. Is there any way to know that you are moving away from Reality on an ongoing basis?
Thnx janakiji for throwing more light.
Now it’s clear why you said:
Dharma is…
The capacity to decide on right action.
And,
Dharma is the most difficult thing to know!
I’m quite pleased with the inimfoatron in this one. TY!
@ Kamal :There are basically two aspects of the intellect. Discrimination and control. The second in fact is derived from the first. Clear discrimination results in control of the mind.
And yes, reflection builds up both these aspects.
Thanx Jankiji.
Pls. provide also the details of this aspect of intellect called “Discrimination”.
Discrimination is the capacity to tell things apart like tall-short, black-white etc. The better the intellect, the more discrimination is it capable of. The highest form of discrimination is the discrimination between the terrestrial and the Transcendental. The conscience is the discrimination between the higher and the lower. Gnana Yoga is the discrimination between the Permanent and the ephemeral.
BTW are you attending classes? If so, which one?
Thanx Jankiji.
No, I am not attending any regular class. Though I am regularly studying by myself. Can you recommend some authors for self-study?
Is such self-study without regular & direct guidance recommended?
Have you read Swami Parthasarathy’s Vedanta Treatise? If so, read his other works. It is not necessary to read anything more. The essence of understanding lies in reflection not excessive reading. The above mentioned books will cover the range of Vedanta.
Self-study without guidance from a teacher: It is neither recommended nor forbidden. It depends on the individual. As this method requires more work on the part of the student, if he is willing for it and capable of it, why not. All external sources of education are only tools to promote reflection and study. Make use of the tool only to the extent it helps progress. If you do use them, it should be with gratitude and surrender.
The essence of understanding lies in reflection not excessive reading…
Thnx Jankiji for highlighting. Will try to follow.
I read your post and wished I’d wrttien it
Perhaps two different blogs might do the trick for the the kndlgeowe of the Self and the other for the kndlgeowe of others (i.e., news).But I myself am highly interested in learning more about Vedanta, Geeta, and Sri Adi Sankara’s teachings. Hopefully, you might start from the basics and definitions to help out novices like me.
I found just what I was needed, and it was entaiteinrng!