The Way To Freedom-Part II

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A true teacher, however, has a thorough knowledge of the science of religion and is also rooted in his own subjective experience of that state of Consciousness indicated by the scriptures. Only such a master can convincingly propagate the scriptures and kindle the enthusiasm of students to brave the difficulties of life until they reach the eternal goal.

In the olden days, the students would approach a teacher carrying a bundle of fuel as a symbol of the disciple's readiness to surrender totally to the master and tune himself through continuous and tireless service. The fuel in the student's hand symboilized the disciple's declaration that he was coming to the guru only after he had burned all his negativities, animal tendencies, egoistic vanities, and foolish attachment to the sense-world.

The scriptures dictate that a guru explains to the sincere aspirant the Truth, in all its purity, and consistently encourage the student to live that life which can take him to the goal.

To that pupil who has thus respectfully approached him whose mind is at rest and whose senses are subdued, let the wise teacher truly teach that Brahma Vidya (Science of Brahman) through which the Supreme is known.

(Mundaka Upanisad, I:II:13)

A true guru has no right to deny instruction to any qualified disciple; that is, a disciple with complete self-control and a degree of mental tranquility. To such a disciple the guru must explain not only the word meaning, but also the indicative meaning by which the limited words of the scriptures explain the inexplicable, thus relieving the student of his mental confusions.

This is not all. The scriptures contain many technical methods by which one can achieve a direct experience of the Truth as described in the Upanisads. The guru must also instruct the student on the processes of self-unfoldment and help him along the path to succeed in his subjective quest of Truth.

The Conditioned Truth

Yet declarations made by the scriptures and the teachers are at best a vain attempt to define the indefinable. Since the theme of the Upanisads is the subjective Self- which is a realm of experience that lies beyond the intellect - all theoretical discussions must necessarily fall short of the subjective experience. But at the same time, the teacher can instruct only from the level of the intellect. The following story illustrates this point:

The master would often repeat at the end of his discourse that the discussion had been concerned only with "the conditioned" "Remove the conditioning and realize the Self', he would say. So, one day the disciple was compelled to ask him: "Sir, if this be so, why not remove the conditioning and explain the pure Brahman?"

The student received no direct reply, and the class continued.
As the lesson proceeded, the student forgot his doubt. Then, all of a sudden, the teacher said to the disciple: "Get me water to drink".
Though surprised at this unusual thirst at such an early hour, the disciple brought a glass of water and placed it in front of his master. "What is this?" asked the guru in an assumed air of anger.

"Sir, this is the water you wanted", the disciple murmured.

"But did I ask you for a glass, or for water?" roared the master "Take the glass away and bring me the water".

"But sir, how can I serve water without a glass?" the disciple stammered, feeling confused and agitated.

"Never mind," said the master in a soft, encouraging tone.

"Nobody can convey water without a vessel. So too absolute Truth cannot be explained in words. Just as you cannot bring water without a vessel, so too we cannot express Truth except through the medium of its conditioning. Hence it is that the scriptures and Gurus explain only the conditioned Truth instead of the absolute Truth".

Any amount of intellectual understanding of the conditioned Brahman will not take us to our goal. The spiritual thirst in man can be satisfied only when he breaks away from the shackles of his limitations and soars higher and higher to his full divine stature. And this can be accomplished by the seeker only through an intimate and intense subjective experience of his own real nature as the eternal Existence-Knowledge-Bliss.