Mysticism -- Hinduism; Religion; Sanskrit literature -- Translations into English
That which cannot be thought by mind, but by which, they say,
mind is able to think: know that alone to be the Brahman, not
this which people worship here.
VI
That which is not seen by the eye, but by which the eye is able
to see: know that alone to be the Brahman, not this which people
worship here.
VII
That which cannot be heard by the ear, but by which the ear is
able to hear: know that alone to be Brahman, not this which
people worship here.
VIII
That which none breathes with the breath, but by which breath is
in-breathed: know that alone to be the Brahman, not this which
people worship here.
Ordinarily we know three states of consciousness only,--waking, dreaming and
sleeping. There is, however, a fourth state, the superconscious, which
transcends these. In the first three states the mind is not clear enough to
save us from error; but in the fourth state it gains such purity of vision
that it can perceive the Divine. If God could be known by the limited mind
and senses, then God-knowledge would be like any other knowledge and spiritual
science like any physical science. He can be known, however, by the purified
mind only. Therefore to know God, man must purify himself. The mind
described in the Upanishads is the superconscious mind. According to the
Vedic Sages the mind in its ordinary state is only another sense organ. This
mind is limited, but when it becomes illumined by the light of the Cosmic
Intelligence, or the "mind of the mind," then it is able to apprehend the
First Cause or That which stands behind all external activities.
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."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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