Maha Yoga - Ignorance #2 by Who

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......... In the second place there is nothing like a real unanimity among those whom we regard as knowing ones. Often this want of unanimity does not come to the knowledge of the general public, because the great majority of those who are supposed to know are agreed, and they make all the noise, while the more knowing ones — who strongly disagree from the majority — are practically silent; and it does often happen that these are in the right, and not the

vocal majority, who are mostly mediocre minds. The common man assumes that there is such a thing as science apart from the scientist. But, as in religion or philosophy, so in science there are differences of opinion due to differences in natural intelligence and character. It was observed by Mr. Bernard Shaw that the conversion of a savage to Christianity is really the conversion of Christianity to savagery; for the savage does not cease to be one by being baptised and taught a catechism. The pursuit of truth demands on the part of a seeker certain perfections of head and heart which are certainly rare; universal

education has certainly not succeeded in increasing the number of really competent investigators. Hence it is that with the same data different people come to different conclusions. Hence we must be willing to concede that the Sage may be right after all. The reason given by the Sage is that he that would know the truth of anything whatever must first know himself aright. He means that he that does not know himself begins with an initial error, which falsifies all the knowledge he gains by his inquiries; from this error the Self-knower is free, and hence he alone is competent to find the truth of the world or of the things in the world. The quality of the would-be knower is an inescapable element in the knowledge gained by him; it would be right knowledge only if the would-be knower were rightly equipped for the quest of knowledge. This is the true explanation of the fact — though many might deny it — that science has failed. The scientist assumes that he does not need to know himself aright. In any case, he starts on his enquiry into objective reality with certain notions about the self that are wrong. But do we not know ourselves? We think we do. The average man is very positive that he knows himself aright; and it may not be possible for him to realise that he does not, even if he listens to a Sage. For it requires a very advanced and greatly purified mind even to perceive and acknowledge the fact tha twe do not know ourselves — that those notions about ourselves that we have cherished all along are mistaken. Sages tell us that

our notions of ourselves are a mixture of truth and error. Once a few followers of a faith which very vehemently condemns the use of ‘idols’ came to the Sage and started questioning him. Their aim was to obtain from him an admission that it is wrong to worship God in an idol. Their spokes man

asked the Sage: “Has God any form?” The Sage said in reply: “Who says that God has form?” The questioner then said: “If God is formless, then is it not wrong to worship Him in an idol?” The Sage said: “Let God alone: tell me if you have a form or not.” The questioner promptly answered: “Yes, I have a form, as you see.” The Sage said: “What! Are you this body, which is about three and a half cubits in height, dark in colour and moustached and bearded?” “Yes,” came the

answer. “ Are you this in your dreamless sleep also?” “Of course; for on waking I find myself to be the same.” “Also when the body dies?” “Yes.” “If so, why does not the body say to the people, when they are preparing to take it away for burial, ‘No, you must not take me away. This house is mine and I want to remain here?’” Then at last the disputant realised his error; he said: “I was wrong; I am not the body; I am the life that dwells in it.”

Then the Sage explained: “Look here; until now you quite seriously believed that this body is yourself; but now you see that you were wrong in this; understand that this is the initial ignorance, out of which grows inevitably all the ignorance that enslaves men; so long as this primal ignorance remains, it does not matter

much whether you regard God as with form or formless; but when this primal ignorance goes, then with it will go all the rest.”