http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/one-who-thinks-he-knows-actually-does-not-know
Kena Upanishad says, “Avijnatam Vijanatam Vijanatam Avijanatam” which roughly translate to “One who thinks he does not know in fact knows it. One who thinks he knows does not.” In Kena Upanishad the Guru questions the disciple about his knowledge of Brahman, the Absolute Truth.
Kena is to know “Why” “By What” “Whence”. Unless these questions arise in the mind of an individual the purpose of his life is never fulfilled. The answers to the questions like: “Why am I here? Where from did I come? What is the purpose of my life? Where shall I go after my life span? Why are there birth, death, and rebirth?” should be realized.
When I say I know then I will never get the answers to these questions. When I say I do not know I will have opened my space to fill up that which I do not know. It is quite natural for me to say “I know” because of my Ego. If a friend of mine asks me if I know about a certain place without batting my eyes I say “I know” but I will have visited a part of that place, I might not have visited the entire landscape of the place. There are chances that I do not know about the particular place my friend was referring to instead of hearing from him in detail about the place I shoot my mouth saying “I Know”.
When I tell “I know” (with ego) it really means I do not know. However if I says, “I do not know completely but, I do know what I know, and that which I know is just a part of what has to be known”, then there is a chance that at-least I know the little of what is known and also that I am open to know what I do not know. Hence the Upanishad statement “One who thinks he does not know in fact knows it. One who thinks he knows does not.” It is so prominent because, in the world of knowledge, what I do not know is infinite and what I know is exceptionally limited and realistically very finite.
Once Sri Sri Shankara was traveling in the Himalayas along with his disciples. They came to the vast river bed of Alaknanda. One of the disciples started praising Sri Sri Shankara by saying, “O Acharya! Your knowledge is amazing! This river Alaknanda flowing before us seem to look very small compared to your knowledge as your knowledge is ocean.”
On hearing this, Sri Sri Shankara dipped the staff he was holding in his hand into the river. After a few moments, he took it out of the water and showing it to the disciple who praised him he said, “Look at the quantity of water that has clinged to the staff only a few drops I suppose.” Sri Sri Shankara gave a pleasant smile to his disciple and said further, “What you mentioned about my knowledge is only like the few drops of water that has stuck to the staff when compared to the vast ocean of knowledge present in the universe.”
When Sri Sri Shankara who is the embodiment of knowledge has this to tell about his knowledge, who am I to say I know?
Kena Upanishad says, “Avijnatam Vijanatam Vijanatam Avijanatam” which roughly translate to “One who thinks he does not know in fact knows it. One who thinks he knows does not.” In Kena Upanishad the Guru questions the disciple about his knowledge of Brahman, the Absolute Truth.
Kena is to know “Why” “By What” “Whence”. Unless these questions arise in the mind of an individual the purpose of his life is never fulfilled. The answers to the questions like: “Why am I here? Where from did I come? What is the purpose of my life? Where shall I go after my life span? Why are there birth, death, and rebirth?” should be realized.
When I say I know then I will never get the answers to these questions. When I say I do not know I will have opened my space to fill up that which I do not know. It is quite natural for me to say “I know” because of my Ego. If a friend of mine asks me if I know about a certain place without batting my eyes I say “I know” but I will have visited a part of that place, I might not have visited the entire landscape of the place. There are chances that I do not know about the particular place my friend was referring to instead of hearing from him in detail about the place I shoot my mouth saying “I Know”.
When I tell “I know” (with ego) it really means I do not know. However if I says, “I do not know completely but, I do know what I know, and that which I know is just a part of what has to be known”, then there is a chance that at-least I know the little of what is known and also that I am open to know what I do not know. Hence the Upanishad statement “One who thinks he does not know in fact knows it. One who thinks he knows does not.” It is so prominent because, in the world of knowledge, what I do not know is infinite and what I know is exceptionally limited and realistically very finite.
Once Sri Sri Shankara was traveling in the Himalayas along with his disciples. They came to the vast river bed of Alaknanda. One of the disciples started praising Sri Sri Shankara by saying, “O Acharya! Your knowledge is amazing! This river Alaknanda flowing before us seem to look very small compared to your knowledge as your knowledge is ocean.”
On hearing this, Sri Sri Shankara dipped the staff he was holding in his hand into the river. After a few moments, he took it out of the water and showing it to the disciple who praised him he said, “Look at the quantity of water that has clinged to the staff only a few drops I suppose.” Sri Sri Shankara gave a pleasant smile to his disciple and said further, “What you mentioned about my knowledge is only like the few drops of water that has stuck to the staff when compared to the vast ocean of knowledge present in the universe.”
When Sri Sri Shankara who is the embodiment of knowledge has this to tell about his knowledge, who am I to say I know?
Yes I can see this Sreeram, to admit an unknown is to actually say I know I don't know all of there is to know which I know.
ReplyDelete