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satay
16 May 2007, 03:48 PM
namaste,

Is path of Gyana a crutch to our ego? Let's examine what Aitareya Upanishad tells us.

Rishi Aitareya explains the cyle of life and death according to one's own punya and paapa and how freedom from this cyle is possible through Gyana of the nature of Atma.

Prajnaanam brahma - the actual experience alone is Brahma is the first maha vak.

How can this be a crutch and to whom?

This instruction, can it be given to any student or spiritual aspirant? It is my understanding that no, it can only be given to a highly qualified aspirant...someone who is adhikari of receiving such instruction.

So Who is qualified to receive? And to those who are not qualified to receive this may be a crutch.

more on this as I learn...
pls contribute...

yajvan
17 May 2007, 01:01 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~~

namaste,

Is path of Gyana a crutch to our ego? Let's examine what Aitareya Upanishad tells us.
Rishi Aitareya explains the cyle of life and death according to one's own punya and paapa and how freedom from this cyle is possible through Gyana of the nature of Atma.
Prajnaanam brahma - the actual experience alone is Brahma is the first maha vak.
How can this be a crutch and to whom?

This instruction, can it be given to any student or spiritual aspirant? It is my understanding that no, it can only be given to a highly qualified aspirant...someone who is adhikari of receiving such instruction.

So Who is qualified to receive? And to those who are not qualified to receive this may be a crutch. pls contribute...

Namaste satay,
Lets see , if I may, add a few points of consideration to think through this notion of Jnana or gyana - from jna= to know. Lets start with the key observation one needs to consider:
The acquaintance with a certain field of enquiry does not make one wise.
Wise = knowledge, understanding and being the knowledge one knows.
[ please , let no one read anything more to these words I offer. I am also one-legged as the wise say, that is not operating from Moksha. My knowledge is that of my teachers, study, experience and cogitation that I pass on here. I am not finding blemishes with any one's approach or skill.]

So what is the formula here?
Knowledge is the basis of action, action is the basis of achievement and achievement is the basis of fulfillment - or wholeness (samasta).
So knowledge is connected with fulfillment. Full knowledge=total fulfillment =moksha. Limited knowledge= limited fulfillment = ignorance.

As we know there is higher knowledge (that of Brahman) and lower knowledge ( that of fulfilling desires). In either case this knowledge serves us - to take one to the path of the SELF (atma) or to the of abundance life, pending our merits , that is the relative field of our daily life.

If we take the word 'crutch' that was offered and slightly change it to 'support' then we know jnana is for the support of the native. Now in what way? Jnana-sakti is the power of knowledge (or potency or energy) that the native has access to.

Knowledge say the wise, is the greatest purifier. This is why Jnana Yoga is considered as a Raj-yoga. What makes it Raj-yoga? Knowledge + experience.That is, just as you have mentioned the mahavakaya's, the essence of each veda, they act and support upasaka in two ways:
Upadesa vakya - instructional verses or proclamations
Anubhava vakya - experiential verses or proclamations

Knowledge goes with experience. Discussion and understanding of say a banana - it has so much potassium and sugars, a soft texture, its yellow , grows in multiple places around the world. This lower knowledge is complimented with the taste and experience of eating the banana.

Knowledge+experience breeds wisdom, breeds fullness, jnana-karma-samaccaya ( the combination of knowledge and action). Such is the knowledge of the SELF. We become acquainted with this Self, intellectually, reading, talking, satsang, etc. Now one needs to experience it. Like that, knowledge and experience. So , with the 4 mahavaka's they are not alone a statement of knowledge but an experiential truth that muni's and rishi's tell of their personal experience and that of Sat, the aim of the sadhu.

When I first started meditating, my teacher gave me a little knowledge to set the stage, then gave me lots of time to meditate - to taste the banana. Now the desire has been kindled to know more and more - this more purifies ones actions, and indeed gives a better appreciation (adoration) for one's sadhana.

One is to make the resolve - sa kratum kurvita, for knowledge and experience.

pranams,