Two Types of Knowledge
Man is as a seed. The seed sprouts, becomes a sapling, grows into a tree, and fulfils its destiny, offering flowers and fruits to the world. So, too, man rises from childhood through adolescence into youth and middle age, and when fully grown up he has to justify himself by offering to the world the flowers and fruits of good thoughts and deeds, himself acquiring the fullness of wisdom. A bird has need of two wings; a cart must have two wheels. Without these, they are mortally handicapped. Man, too, must have two types of knowledge—to live on and to live for. The one helps him to eke out his livelihood and the other rewards him for having lived at all.
The one is called jeevanopadhi (the means of living), and the other, jeevanaparamavadhi (the goal of living). The one enables to us to garner the material riches which make our lives comfortable and safe; the other answers the questions that haunt us and pressurize us while we live—where have we come, to where are we proceeding, how did the Universe originate, etc. No religion concerns itself with the first type of knowledge, they all are interested in stressing the second type only. Each of you have to pay attention to this second type even more than to the first, for it has beneficial impact on the first also.
Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 13 (1975 – 77)
The scriptures also say that the atman, the Real Core of the individual, is ananda swarupa (the very embodiment of bliss). But man being blind to this truth, invites sorrow and anxiety to hold mastery over him and discards the joy that awaits him. Every man is a messenger to fellowmen, entrusted with the task of spreading knowledge of the joy that is being missed. If he misuses this mission and fritters away his years in gratifying his senses, he only loses the chance and reduces himself to the level of beasts. He who announced Himself as the Messenger of God, developed, through the blossoming of Divinity and the expansion of compassion and service in Him, to a stage when he declared Himself as the Son of God. And then, finally, He rose to the status of ‘I and my Father are One.’ When Jesus declares that He is the Son of God, He becomes entitled to the paternal Majesty and Power. These He can claim only when He grows in the qualities that His Father has. As a result he attains sayujya (mergence), which leads Him to assert, ‘I and my Father are one.’ The scriptures say, Brahmavith Brahmaiva Bhavathi—He who knows Brahman, becomes Brahman.
Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 13 (1975 – 77)
Jesus passed through the entire process and inspired all mankind by His example and teachings, to be generous and kind, detached and discriminating, and to bring Light and Love to all. He attracted people by His miracles and transformed them into apostles and exemplary servants of man. You must realize that the Divine current that flows and functions in every living being is the One Universal Entity. When you desire to enter the Mansion of God, you are confronted by two closed doors—the desire to praise yourself and the desire to defame others. The doors are bolted by envy, and there is also the huge lock of egoism preventing entry. So if you are earnest, you have to resort to the key of prema (love) and open the lock; then remove the bolt and throw the doors wide open. The education must train you in the difficult operation.
Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 13 (1975 – 77)
The sublime significance of higher learning (vidya) can be grasped by one or communicated to another only when the pure mind sheds its revealing light. Inside a room kept scrupulously clean, no snake, no scorpion, no poison-bearing insect can enter. They will be at home only in dark, dirty places. For the same reason, the sacred wisdom cannot enter dark and dirty hearts. Instead, poisonous breeds like anger will find those hearts to be congenial resorts.
Washing a lump of coal with soap and water won’t rid the coal of its color. Nor will washing it in milk help. The only way is to put it in a fire. That will turn it into a heap of white ash. Similarly, only gaining awareness of the atma(atmajnana)—in other words, knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-vidya)—will destroy the darkness of ignorance and the dirt of desire.
Darkness can be ended only with the help of light. Darkness cannot be overwhelmed by attacking it with more darkness. Spiritual knowledge (vidya) is the light that one needs to destroy the inner darkness. Spiritual learning provides the inner illumination. Spiritual wisdom is the authentic yoga of the Supreme Person (Purushothama Yoga) defined in the Gita; it is the knowledge of the Supreme, the higher learning (vidya). This yoga cannot be bought for money or acquired from friends or ordered from concerns or companies. It has to be assimilated and won by each one for oneself, through steady faith and ardent devotion.
Vidya Vahini
