Pre-requisite---Intellectual abilities

[Guest guest]

Pre-requisite of Intellectual abilities to understand the 'Spirit'

 

Taken from Ashokananda's talk " Four pillars of Wisdom "

 

You may consider yourself intelligent, and you may be intelligent

in certain respects, but if you want to understand the subtlest of

all realities, the Spirit, then you have to develop and refine your

intellect. Vedanta does not assume that its philosophy can be

understood by just anyone. No system of knowledge has ever

adapted itself to ignorance. For instance, if you want to understand

Einstein's theory of relativity you have to have some training in

Physics. Why should you think that without any preparation you

should be able to understand religion, the subtlest of all studies?

So I say that those of you who have brains and ability should study.

But at the same time you have to practice. That was the ancient way.

One who studied Vedanta had first to fulfil certain conditions. He

would be taken through certain disciplines to purify his reason and

to make his mind subtle and strong, then he would understand

certain principles; then he would practice further, then he would

generate greater understanding.... and so on. In this way

the development of intellect and the deepening of experience

become simultaneous....... You will not be subject to vacillations

of faith, and therefore your practice of spirituality will be unhampered

by this risk.......

 

 

Commentary:

" No system of knowledge has ever adapted itself

to ignorance " ...... What a grand observation.