Thursday, February 12, 2009

BONDAGE OF BOOK-LEARNING - BARRENNESS OF MERE BOOK-LEARNING

[Barrenness of mere book-learning—Vanity of disputation—The true end of learning]

BARRENNESS OF MERE BOOK-LEARNING

One day the late Keshab Chandra Sen carne to Sri Ramakrishna in the temple of Dakshineswar and asked him, ' How is it that even learned people remain so profoundly ignorant of things that truly matter in spiritual life, although they have read a whole library of religious books?" The Master replied, "The kite and the vulture soar high up in the air, but all the time their eyes remain fixed on charnel-houses in search of putrid carcasses; similarly the minds of the so-called learned men are attached to the things of the world, to lust and wealth, in spite of their erudition in sacred lore, and hence they cannot attain true Knowledge."

That knowledge which purifies the mind and heart alone is true Knowledge, all else is only a negation of Knowledge.

What is the use of mere book-learning? The Pandits may be familiar with plenty of sacred texts and couplets. But what is the good of repeating them ? One must realise in one's life the truths embodied in the scriptures. Mere reading will not bring Knowledge or salvation as long as one is attached to the world, as long as one is fond of ' woman and gold .

Our so-called Pandits will talk big. They will talk of Brahman, of God, of the Absolute, of Jnana Yoga,, of philosophy, of ontology, and the rest. But there are very few who have realised what they talk about. They are dry and hard, and good for nothing.

It is easy to utter 'do, re, mi, la, si, do' with the mouth, but it is difficult to play them on an instrument. So it is easy to talk on religion, but difficult to practise it.

A parrot repeats by rote the holy name of Radha-Krishna, but as soon as it is caught by a cat it screams 'kang, kang' betraying its natural cry. Worldly-wise men sometimes repeat the name of Hari (God) and perform various pious and charitable deeds with the hope of worldly gains, but when misfortune, sorrow, poverty and death overtake them, they forget Him and all such deeds.

Can love of God be acquired by reading holy books ? In the Hindu almanac it is mentioned that on a particular day there will be twenty Adas (a unit of measure) of rain-water. But you will not be able to squeeze out of the almanac a single drop! So also many good sayings are to be found in holy books, but merely reading them will not make one religious. One must practise the virtues taught in such books in order to acquire love of God.

In the kingdom of God reason, intellect and learning are of no avail. There the dumb speak, the blind see, and the deaf hear.

To explain God after merely reading the scriptures is like explaining to a person the city of Benares after seeing it only in a map.

The intoxication of hemp is not to be had by repeating the word hemp' even a thousand times. Get some hemp, pound it with water into a solution and drink it; you will then really get intoxicated. What is the use of crying aloud, "O God, O God! " Regularly practise devotion, and you will see God.

This knowledge of God comes not to the person who is proud of his learning or wealth. You may say to such a person, " There is a holy man in a certain place. Do you like to see him? He is however, sure to put forward excuses and say that he cannot go. He thinks he is too big a man to pay a visit to such a person. Such pride is born of ignorance.

Those who have read a little become puffed up with pride. I had a conversation with a certain person on God. He said, "Oh, I know all this." I said to him, Does one who had been to Delhi go about boasting of it? Does a gentleman ever tell us that he is a gentleman ?

Grantha does not always mean a holy scripture, but often it comes to mean a Granthi or a knot. If a man does not read it with an intense desire to know the Truth, and renouncing all vanity, the mere reading of books only gives rise to pedantry, presumption, egotism, etc., which will be an encumbrance on his mind like so many knots. %

Water is dried up at once if poured on a heap of ashes. Vanity is like this heap of ashes. Prayer and contemplation produce no effect upon the heart puffed up with vanity.

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