The three classes of Jnanis
Extracts from the
book Tripura Rahasya.
103-104. Therefore, O Rishis! The chief
requisite is one-pointed devotion to God. The devotee is the best of aspirants.
The one devoted to Abstract Consciousness excels every other seeker.
Consummation lies in the discernment of the Self as distinguished from the
non-self.
105-112. The Self is
at present confounded with the body, etc. Such confusion must cease and
awareness of the Self must result as opposed to nescience in sleep. The Self is
experienced even now; but it is not discerned rightly, for it is identified
with the body, etc. There is therefore endless suffering. The Self is not
hidden indeed; it is always gleaming out as ‘I’, but this ‘I’ is mistaken for
the body, owing to ignorance. On this ignorance ceasing, the ‘I’ is ascertained
to be the true consciousness alone; and that sets all doubts at rest. This and
nothing else has been ascertained by the Sages to be the finality. Thaumaturgic
powers such as flying in space, etc., are all fragmentary and not worth a
particle of Self-realisation. For this is the unbroken and immortal bliss of
the Self in which all else is included. Thaumaturgic powers are also a
hindrance to Self-realisation. Of what use are they? They are but simple
acrobatic tricks. The Creator’s status appears to a Self-realised man to be
only a trifle. What use are these powers, unless for wasting one’s time?
113. There is no
accomplishment equal to Self-realisation, which is alone capable of ending all
misery, because it is the state of eternal Bliss.
114. Self-realisation
differs from all accomplishments in that the fear of death is destroyed once
for all.
115. Realisation differs according to the
antecedent practice and, commensurate with the degree of purity of mind, may be
perfect, middling or dull.
116-119. You have
seen great pandits well versed in the Vedas and capable of chanting them quite
correctly amidst any amount of distractions. They are the best. Those who are
capable businessmen, repeat the Vedas quite correctly when they engage in
chanting them without other distractions. These are the middle class. Whereas others are constantly chanting
them and do it well. Such are of the lowest order among pandits.
Similarly there are
distinctions among the Sages also.
120-121. Some Sages
abide as the Self even while engaged in complex duties, such as ruling a
kingdom (e.g., King Janaka); others can do so in the intervals of work;
still others can do so by constant practice alone.
The three classes of Jnanis
They are respectively of the highest, the middle and the lowest order.
Of these,
the highest order represents the utmost limit of realisation.
18-24. The
characteristics of a Jnani are hard to understand, because they are
inscrutable and inexpressible. For instance, a pandit cannot be adequately
described except by his appearance, gait and dress, because his feelings, depth
of knowledge, etc., are known to himself alone; while the flavour of a
particular dish cannot be exactly conveyed by words to one who has not tasted
it. A pandit can be understood only by another pandit by his method of
expression. A bird alone can follow the track of another bird. There are of
course some traits which are obvious, and others which are subtle and
inscrutable. Those which are obvious are their speech, language, postures of
meditation, signs of worship, dispassion, etc., which can, however, be imitated
by non-Sages.
25. What are accomplishments to others to the
accompaniment of dispassion, meditation, prayer, etc., remain natural to the
Sage whose mind is pure and unsophisticated.
The ignorant
36. The ignorant anticipate pleasure and
pain before the enjoyment, recapitulate them after enjoyment, and reflect on
them, so that they leave a strong impression on their minds.
42. The ignorant are
not aware of the pure Self; they see it as always blemished and hence they
believe in the reality of objective knowledge. They are therefore affected by
the pleasures and pains of life.
The lower class of Jnanis
37. Jnanis of
the lowest order also enjoy pleasure and pain like the ignorant, but their
remembrance of such experiences is frequently broken up by intervals of
realisation. Thus worldly experiences do not leave an impression on their
minds.
43-49. As for the
lowest order of Jnanis, these realize the Self off and on, and
spells of ignorance overtake them whenever they are overcome by their predispositions.
Then they look upon the body as the self and the world as real. They are often
able to override the old tendencies, and thus there is an ongoing struggle
between wisdom and ignorance — each of them prevailing alternately. The Jnani
ranges himself on the side of wisdom and fights against ignorance until
falsity is thoroughly blown out, and truth prevails. Therefore jnana is
indivisible.
The middle class of Jnanis
38. Jnanis of the middle class, accustomed to control their minds by
long-continued austerities, keep their minds in check even while experiencing
pleasure and pain, and thus their response to the world is as indistinct as
that of a man in sleep, to a gentle breeze playing on him or an ant creeping
over his body.
The middle class of Jnanis are never deluded by their bodies. Delusion is the
false identification of ‘I’ with the body; this never arises with the more
advanced Jnanis, namely the middle class among them. Identification of
the Self with the body is attachment to the body. The middle class of Jnanis
are never attached to the body. Their minds are mostly dead because of
their long practice and continued austerities. They are not engaged in work
because they are entirely self-possessed. Just as a man moves or speaks in
sleep without being aware of his actions, so also this class of yogi does
enough work for his minimum requirements without being aware of it. Having
transcended the world, he behaves like a drunken man. But he is aware of his
actions. His body continues on account of his vasanas (predispositions)
and destiny.
50-57. Forgetfulness of the Self never overtakes a
middle class Jnani and wrong knowledge never possesses him.
However, of his own accord, he brings out some predispositions from his own
depths in order to maintain his body according to prarabdha. This is the
conduct of an accomplished Jnani. As for the aspirant, there is no
forgetfulness of the Self so long as he is engaged in practising samadhi.
But the accomplished Jnani is always unforgetful of the Self and picks
out his own predispositions according to his own choice. The highest Jnani makes
no difference between samadhi and worldly transactions. He never finds
anything apart from the Self and so there is no lapse for him.
Jnanis of the
highest class
26. He whom honour
and insult, loss or gain, cannot affect, is a Sage of the best class.
27. The best among
Sages can, without hesitation, give complete answers on matters relating to
Realisation and the sublimest truths. 28. He seems to be spontaneously animated
when discussing matters pertaining to jnana (realisation) and is never
tired of their exposition. 29. His nature is to remain without efforts.
Contentment and purity abide in him. Even the most critical situations do not
disturb his peace of mind.
30. These are
qualities which must be tried for oneself and verified; they are of no value as
tests applied to others, for they may be genuine or spurious.
31. An aspirant must
first apply the tests to himself and always prove his own worth; he can then
judge others.
32-33. How can the repeated testing of oneself
fail to improve one? Let one not spend one’s time judging others; but let one
judge oneself. Thus one becomes perfect.
34-38. What have here
been called the traits of a Jnani are meant for one’s own use and not
for testing others, because they admit of many modifications according to
circumstances. For instance, a Jnani who has realised the Self with the
least effort may continue in his old ways although his mind is unassailable. He
looks like a man of the world for all practical purposes. How then can he be
judged by others? Nevertheless, one Jnani will know another at sight,
just as an expert can appraise precious stones at a glance.
122. Unbroken supreme
awareness even in the dream state is the mark of the highest order.
123. The person who
is not involuntarily made the tool of his mental predispositions, but who
invokes them at will, is of the highest order. 124. He who abides in the Self
as ‘I-I’, as spontaneously and continuously as the ignorant man does in the
body, is again of the highest order.
125. He who, though
engaged in work, does not look upon anything as non-self, is a perfect Sage.
126. He who, even
while doing his work remains as if asleep, is a perfect Sage.
127. Thus the best
among the Sages are never out of samadhi, be they working or idle.
128-133. He who is,
from his own experience, capable of appreciating the states of other Jnanis,
including the best among them, is certainly a perfect Sage. He who is not
influenced by happiness or misery, by pleasure or pain, by desires, doubts or
fear, is a perfect Sage. He who realizes pleasure, pain and every other
phenomenon to be in and of the Self, is a perfect Sage. He who feels himself
pervading all — be they ignorant or emancipated — is a perfect Sage. He who,
knowing the trammels of bondage, does not seek release from them and remains in
peace, is a perfect Sage. Those perfect among the Sages are dentical with Me.
There is absolutely no difference between us.
Jnanis of the highest class do not
identify the Self with the body but remain completely detached from their
bodies. Their work is like that of a charioteer driving the chariot, who never
identifies himself with the chariot. Similarly the Jnani is not the body
nor the actor; he is pure intelligence. Though entirely detached within from
action, to the spectator he seems to be active. He performs his part like an
actor in a drama, and plays with the world as a parent does with a child.
39-41. Jnanis of the highest order are left untouched, for they always
remain as the burnt skeleton of a cloth (retaining its old shape but useless)
after their realisation. Just as an actor is not really affected by the
passions which he displays on the stage, so also this Jnani, always
aware of his perfection, is not affected by the seeming pleasures and pains
which he regards as a mere illusion, like the horns of a hare.
55-56. Of the two higher orders of Jnanis,
the one remains steadfast through his sustained practice and control of mind,
whereas the other is so on account of the force of his discrimination and
investigation. The difference lies in the merits of their intellect.
The middle order Jnani
is fond of samadhi and voluntarily abides in it. There is
accordingly a lapse, however slight, when he is engaged in worldly affairs, or
even in the maintenance of his body. On
the other hand, the Jnani of the highest order involuntarily and
naturally abides in samadhi, and any lapse is impossible for him under
any circumstances.
The Jnani of the middle order or of the highest order has no tinge of
karma left in him, because he is in perfection and does not perceive anything
apart from the Self. How can there be anything of karma left when the wild fire
of jnana is raging, consuming all in its way?
Peace love harmony