Part Second
I
If thou thinkest "I know It well," then it is certain that thou
knowest but little of the Brahman (Absolute Truth), or in what
form He (resideth) in the Devas (minor aspects of Deity).
Therefore I think that what thou thinkest to be known is still to
be sought after.
Having given the definition of the real Self or Brahman, by which mortals are
able to see, hear, feel and think, the teacher was afraid that the disciple,
after merely hearing about It, might conclude that he knew It. So he said to
him: "You have heard about It, but that is not enough. You must experience
It.
Mere intellectual recognition will not give you true knowledge of It. Neither
can It be taught to you. The teacher can only show the way. You must find It
for yourself."
Knowledge means union between subject and object. To gain this union one must
practice, theory cannot help us. The previous chapter has shown that the
knowledge of Brahman is beyond sense-perception: "There the eye does not
go,
nor speech, nor mind." "That is distinct from known and also It is
beyond the
unknown." Therefore it was necessary for the teacher to remind the disciple
that knowledge based on sense-perception or intellectual apprehension should
not be confounded with supersensuous knowledge. Although the disciple had
listened to the teacher with unquestioning mind and was intellectually
convinced of the truth of his words, it was now necessary for him to prove by
his own experience what he had heard. Guided by the teacher, he sought within
himself through meditation the meaning of Brahman; and having gained a new
vision, he approached the teacher once more.
II
The disciple said: I do not think I know It well, nor do I think
that I do not know It. He among us who knows It truly, knows
(what is meant by) "I know" and also what is meant by "I know It
not."
This appears to be contradictory, but it is not. In the previous chapter we
learned that Brahman is "distinct from the known" and "beyond the
unknown."
The disciple, realizing this, says: "So far as mortal conception is
concerned,
I do not think I know, because I understand that It is beyond mind and speech;
yet from the higher point of view, I cannot say that I do not know; for the
very fact that I exist, that I can seek It, shows that I know; for It is the
source of my being. I do not know, however, in the sense of knowing the whole
Infinite Ocean of existence." The word knowledge is used ordinarily to
signify acquaintance with phenomena only, but man must transcend this relative
knowledge before he can have a clear conception of God. One who wishes to
attain Soul-consciousness must rise above matter.
The observation of material science being confined to the sense plane, it
ignores what is beyond. Therefore it must always be limited and subject to
change. It discovered atoms, then it went further and discovered electrons,
and when it had found the one, it had to drop the other; so this kind of
knowledge can never lead to the ultimate knowledge of the Infinite, because it
is exclusive and not inclusive. Spiritual science is not merely a question of
mind and brain, it depends on the awakening of our latent higher
consciousness.
III
He who thinks he knows It not, knows It. He who thinks he knows
It, knows It not. The true knowers think they can never know It
(because of Its infinitude), while the ignorant think they know
It.
By this text the teacher confirms the idea that Brahman is unthinkable,
because unconditioned. Therefore he says: He who considers It beyond thought,
beyond sense-perception, beyond mind and speech, he alone has a true
understanding of Brahman. They who judge a living being from his external
form and sense faculties, know him not; because the real Self of man is not
manifested in his seeing, hearing, speaking. His real Self is that within by
which he hears and speaks and sees. In the same way he knows not Brahman who
thinks he knows It by name and form. The arrogant and foolish man thinks he
knows everything; but the true knower is humble. He says: "How can I know
Thee, who art Infinite and beyond mind and speech?" In the last portion of
the text, the teacher draws an impressive contrast between the attitude of the
wise man who knows, but thinks he does not know; and that of the ignorant who
does not know, but thinks he knows.
IV
It (Brahman) is known, when It is known in every state of
consciousness. (Through such knowledge) one attains immortality.
By attaining this Self, man gains strength; and by Self-knowledge
immortality is attained.
We have learned from the previous text that the Brahman is
unknown to those whose knowledge is limited to sense experience;
but He is not unknown to those whose purified intelligence
perceives Him as the basis of all states of consciousness and the
essence of all things. By this higher knowledge a man attains
immortality, because he knows that although his body may decay
and die, the subtle essence of his being remains untouched. Such
an one also acquires unlimited strength, because he identifies
himself with the ultimate Source. The strength which comes from
one's own muscle and brain or from one's individual power must be
limited and mortal and therefore cannot lift one beyond death;
but through the strength which Atma-gnana or Self-knowledge
gives, immortality is reached. Whenever knowledge is based on
direct perception of this undying essence, one transcends all
fear of death and becomes immortal.
V
If one knows It here, that is Truth; if one knows It not here,
then great is his loss. The wise seeing the same Self in all
beings, being liberated from this world, become immortal.
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