IMPARTING OF KNOWLEDGE

 
Knowledge is imparted in two ways — indirectly and directly. There are two steps in the imparting of indirect Knowledge and two different ways in imparting direct Knowledge.

In order to make a clear picture let us liken gross-consciousness of the ordinary human-being to remote village-life, and God-consciousness of the realized-being to life in New York, and the six states of involution of consciousness to six halts or ports of call between the two places.

If you as a villager go to New York and remain there absorbed in the life of the city, you will not be able to tell those who have stayed in the village about your experience. But if you return to the village with your new knowledge, and, at the same time, remember the speech and ways of the villagers, you will be able to describe to them what you have seen and experienced, and so encourage some of them to make the journey also.

But you cannot sustain their interest indefinitely by description alone, so, through the aid of coloured slides and a projector you give them actual glimpses of New York. This brings Reality more vividly before the seekers' minds and spurs their interest to make the journey.

Now, there are two ways in which a villager can travel: either on his own under your directions, in which case he is exposed to the enchantments of each port of call — but his love and full trust in you will save him from being ensnared and never completing the journey; or you may take him blindfolded under your personal care and he sees nothing until he reaches New York with you and you take the bandage from his eyes. This is the safer and quicker way. But whichever way, when he arrives at his destination he sees and experiences directly all the wonder and grandeur that he had only glimpsed on the screen.

The direct knowledge of God is that Knowledge (Dnyan) had through the experience of becoming one with God and can only be had by the grace of the Perfect Master. But indirect knowledge such as that obtained through descriptions and pictures is information for the mind only.

To know Reality is to become it. It is nearest to you — for, in fact, it is you. Owing to ignorance God who is nearest appears to be farthest. But when the veil of ignorance is rent by the grace of the Perfect Master you become you — the real Self which is the innermost Reality that you are, ever were and ever will be.