If Truth is Beyond Mind – How to Discover It? – Part 10
Previous part 9 answered an important doubt, “What makes our Vedic scriptures so relevant and why should I trust them? Why not find out the truth for myself? Why depend on ancient books; we live in the modern world!”
Student realizes that scriptures are means of knowledge to discovering the truth which is beyond our senses and mind.
This brings another objection in listener's mind: “If truth is beyond our mind, intellect and senses… then how can we ever find or discover it? Doesn't this mean that limitless One (brahman) is beyond us?”
” Beyond our mind and senses, the truth cannot be objectified.
Although “beyond” is a spatial word (implying truth is located in time and space), it is not intended.
Because the One Limitless Consciousness has neither form, attributes nor qualities. Thus how can the mind and senses objectify it?
For example, the moment water thinks “I am water”, in that moment it is not water, because it turned the truth of itself into a separate thought.
In same way, we cannot know the Limitless One as we know any particular object. Because it is the truth of our self.
For example…
When we hear a word or name, like: orange, tree, anger, pain, person, city, mountain range – then…
…a feeling, an image forms in our mind.
But when we say Consciousness, the content of our very self which is all pervading, then what form or feeling can it assume?
The Limitless One illumines the mind, making it sentient. It is the eye of the eye. The one REAL subject.
It is the eye of the mind and senses and objects.
The One is an independent-real (satyam), while my mind is a dependent-real (mithyā).
How can a dependent-real mind know the very Consciousness which makes it known.
Hence we call it “beyond the mind”. But it's not really “beyond”. The One Limitless Consciousness is pervading in and through not only your mind, also my mind.
Just like the one same space pervades every room in the house.
House is compared to the world.
Individual rooms are compared individual minds.
Few rooms have shelves filled with spiritual wisdom. Most seems to be filled with either romance novels, or monetary manuals.
However all depend on shelf-space. In presence of one same space, all the shelves exist.
Now student makes an erroneous conclusion, “It is often said in our sacred books that the old masters taught the truth in SILENCE. It is mentioned they had no need for words, since words are inadequate to convey the Absolute. Perhaps this is what is meant by ‘truth is beyond our senses' ? “
” How can you teach in silence?
If masters responded without sound to each question, the students will interpret the silence differently… coloring it with a personal overtone.
For example…
If the master remains silent when asked about the existence of a creator (Īśvara; cause of universe), then each student may conclude:
“There is no creator”, or…
“Yes there is a creator but he cannot be described”, or…
“The master wants us to find out on our own”.
Literally infinite interpretations from the master's silence that appears so wise on the surface.
In reality, how will students find answers to their questions in this way?
We learn everything through words. It is our only means of knowledge.
Imagine a silent driving instructor! A silent English teacher. A silent job interview. Silent wedding vows.
With neither teacher nor teaching, neither words nor means of communicating the truth… there will be no end to seeking… no end to our life of suffering.
Thus silence teaching cannot be valid, since the world consists of pairs of opposites. One does not exist without the other.
For example…
No darkness without light.
No birth without death.
No sorrow without joy.
No problems without solutions.
Pairs of opposites is a irrefutable fact throughout creation.
Meaning if there was no solution or answer to our endless search, then creation would be defective.
Therefore every problem must have a solution.
Meaning our seeking implies a sought. Our problem implies existence of a solution. Common sense. Else nobody would seek.
Another clever objection brought up “If solution is through words, and words are in the mind, and limitless truth is beyond the mind… then how can words reveal the limitless truth?”
” Words can communicate a vision through means that are known, since we cannot communicate an unknown through another unknown.
Words and their meanings are known. Masters use them to reveal the truth.
The truth is One. Thus it is already known to all. Unlike learning a new language. Meaning truth can be revealed by means of knowledge (pramāṇa) through use of words wielded by a master.
“Why does the truth have to be taught by a master? Why not do it alone?”
The Limitless One has no form, qualities, nor attributes. Therefore words cannot reveal directly the nature of the All-Pervading Absolute (brahman).
Reason is words create more images, concepts and memories in our mind.
This is where we define what it means to say “teaching in silence”…
Silence means… revealing indirectly (by implication)… using words in apposition… pointing out subtly but clearly the Limitless Truth which you are.
Again, the word usage must be wielded by a master who reveals with prevision the vision of our Upanishads.
And what is the Upanishads vision to be understood? Truth of the All-Pervading Being is the truth of the knower, I.
This is what we mean by teaching in silence. It was never supposed to sound mystical or esoteric.
In short, silence means teaching by implied meaning.
For example…
Wife tells you, “You need to make more space in the garage!”.
Is she talking about space or objects IN space?
More on this in future.
Ho…. excellent….. Thank you
Ho…. excellent….. Thank you…. Wish to read from 1 st chapter
Hi Andre.
With respect to teaching in silence.
The question really is, “ can silence convey wisdom, awakening, enlightenment, and if so, how”?
What examples do we have of this?
Baba Muktananda ( I am sure you are familiar with him) had Nityananda as a guru.
He is described as “ sparkling with enlightenment “ and taught mainly in silence.
This points to both entrainment and the principle of sympathetic vibration.
This is a universe of movement.
Everything vibrates.
If you look up on the web, you will see that when pendulums are set in motion and left to themselves, they will eventually settle into the same rhythm.
When a tuning fork is vibrated at high C and another is set next to it at middle C, the lower will entrain to the higher and both vibrate at high C.
Thus the Gurus higher vibration raises the vibratory rate of the consciousness of the student.
Question:
How would Vedanta account for this
And how does it accord with your criticism of silence as a means of teaching?
Regards.
Silent teaching is not new. A father remains silent, being witness to son’s foolish behavior. This (sometimes) is enough to make son draw conclusion that behavior was inappropriate. After all, everyone is already in touch with dharma (inner teacher).
For silence to teach, student needs to have close relationship with teacher. Else student will misinterpret more often then not. EG: He is ignoring me, My question is foolish, He is acting superior, etc.
Although it can only teach no more then what student ALREADY knows. It certainly has no power to remove ignorance.
It’s important to understand, the only principle in existence that opposes ignorance is knowledge. Knowledge specifically takes place through words.
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He is described as “ sparkling with enlightenment “ and taught mainly in silence.
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What people say often is hurried. No time to elaborate further. So we draw conclusions from these one-liners.
What’s more, also need to take into account background of Muktananda, his maturity (owning to past lifetimes), and relationship with teacher, including conversions that DID take place with words with Nityananda.