The Hindu : Knowledge of the Self, beyond intellect

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 25, 2002

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Knowledge of the Self, beyond intellect

CHENNAI JUNE 25 . The scriptures of Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma) are the collective wisdom of many seers who have experienced the truth. These scriptures are the ultimate authority on spiritual knowledge, which after study must be validated by direct experience. One method, which these texts adopt, is to indicate the blissful nature of the Self by analysing the three states of consciousness, which all experience. Man experiences bliss in the state of deep sleep but he is not aware of it in that state. There are no objects or thoughts or demands and hence no craving in the mind in sleep. But, there is no conscious awareness of the bliss of the Self either.

The state of Samadhi (union with the Self) in deep meditation is also silence of the mind. But in this state there is total awareness of bliss. Everyone yearns for the peace of deep sleep experience because human beings leave behind the agitations of the mind, which they face in the waking state. But, this does not last and as though propelled by some force man wakes up. What makes man wake up from the state of sleep and drives his mind for sense gratification in the world? It is the latent tendencies of the mind (Vasanas), which drive him to action.

In his discourse, Swami Mitrananda said man's ignorance of his true blissful nature was due to the power of Maya. It is a power of the Lord and without a beginning. When study of the scriptures is undertaken it is natural for the intellect to probe when Maya began. In Vedanta, it is made clear right at the outset that it is beyond the ken of the human intellect. Though it is without beginning, it has an end. The spiritual aspirant can exercise his choice and put an end to it, by Self-knowledge. Maya is experiencing that which is not there and hence can only be inferred. When the truth is not known misapprehension occurs because of Maya.

The Vivekachoodamani describes Maya as a great wonder, which cannot be explained. When the intellect cannot understand something it becomes lost in wonder. The text further says that it is neither existent nor non-existent, nor both and hence beyond description. The intention is to stun the intellect and make it surrender. Then the aspirant develops faith in the scriptural teachings. This faith is different from the belief a spiritual aspirant has initially. True faith results due to surrender of the intellect when it is quietened after its probing does not yield knowledge.

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Knowledge of the Self, beyond intellect

This day that age: dated 25, June 1952

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