Fwd: What is Avidya or Knowledge

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Venkataraman Ranganathan <kaamakshi wrote:"Venkataraman

Ranganathan"

srividya101

What is Avidya or Knowledge

Wed, 04 Feb 2004 20:32:15 +0530

 

 

Pranam

 

What is avidya or what is vidya? When we say Vidya what do we mean? Is it the

knowledge of the process enunciated in various sastras? Or is it quoting

copiously from various treatises given to us by various Acharyas? Many consider

mastering Prasthanathraya is the path of knowledge. If it is so, many so called

learned pundits should have become liberated. We see many of them fail miserably

as human beings where even illeterates are superior in human behaviour, ie.

applied knowledge. As application of knowledge is very important - walking the

talk is the essence. This is why vedanta also emphasises ShatGuna Sampath.

Kshama, Uparathi, .....list is there in viveka Chudamani and all other vedanta

books. The emphasis on vichara in upanishads is actually applied vichara . The

Sishya applies the concept enunciated by the Guru and after living in that state

for some time goes back to the Guru with his doubts. These are not intellectual

doubts. These are experiences and not gymnastic

exercises of the intellect. If it is so, even when one simple mohaavesha pushes

him down many spiral. That is what happended to Vishwamitra. The vichara spelt

out in upanishad is applied vichara. It is about applying each of guru's

teachings and not discussing at intellectual level alone. Let us take one

example - Tyagena Ekena Amrutatvam says upanishad. Can we implement this? What

is Tyagam? For whom is it? what is that state? These have eluded us. We find in

actuality, our mind plays the trick finally to pull us back in to confusion. We

move one inch forward, but slip back four inches. Sometimes we are worse than

uneducated in applying tyagena- as we can interpret many things convenient for

us. Atleast illiterates will have abiding faith, but we cheat ourselves. I am

talking out of my experience with myself. I see inpite of all the inputs, I am

worse than even ordinary mortals. why does this happen? These things happen, for

those who have not yet become adhikari to implementing

that knowledge. Till he reaches that state of equilibrium, these are not

discussed at that level.

 

Avidya - ignorance - These have remained words for us. The Branthi - that I am

this deha or getting enmeshed in DehatmaBhava is Avidya - How does one come out

of this? Sadhana is one of the factors only. As a sadhak puts in his sadhana,

the Divine reaches him with Her Karuna or Grace. Is it that the sadhana invoked

the Grace? No. It is only a prameya. That is why It is Adishaya Karunaam in

Trisati - it is adishaya. The mukthi is like a distant star in our present

state. We can worry about that when we are somewhere near by. We should know

that even after being given the upadesam of "Asavadityo Brahma Sohamasmi

Brahmaiva Ahamasmi" we have not moved one inch in our realisation. That means

our state of intellect is not in camphor state, but Vazhamattai. Even petrol

cannot light vazhamattai. We will not worry whether mukthi is there or not or

how to get it. We will pursue our path, whatever our satguru has given with the

sraddha that it will elevate us to That state. Everything else is

anartha with reference to each of us - whether for mukthi mantropasana is

required or atma vichara or krama mukthi is there et all. These serve the

purpose of spending our time in intellectual pursuits away from the Reality, as

Reality is beyond the grasp of any of these. The Acharyas have given these to us

with the purpose that we get sradhha in what we pursue and out of karuna only.

 

Regards

 

Venkat

 

 

 

 

Ranganathan Venkata Raman

 

Audit Manager, Dubai National Insurance & Reinsurance PSC

 

PO Box - 1806, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

 

Ph: 009714-2635568® - 0097150-4535970 (Mobile)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ganapathy --- Vijaya

 

" Jai Bhavani " - - - - " Jai Sri Lalitha Maha Maha Tripura Sundari "

 

" Sarvam Shakti Mayam Jagath "

 

 

 

 

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