ego claiming the "prize"

[Gummuluru Murthy]

On Thu, 26 Mar 1998, Gummuluru Murthy wrote:

>
> On Thu, 26 Mar 1998, Gregory Goode wrote:
>
> > At 12:23 PM 3/26/98 -0330, Gummuluru Murthy wrote:
> > >
> > >If an aspirant is in ajnAna and still says or thinks that he/she is
> > >not in ajnAna, he/she is still in ajnAna, irrespective of what the
> > >"claim" is. The "claim" does not matter. AjnAna/jnAna is not measured
> > >by what a jeeva says or claims. I think it cannot be measured. A true
> > >test of jnAni is to be oblivious to and above these measures.
> >
> > Would you say that someone who said they are in jnAna are ALSO in ajnAna?
> >
> > --Greg
> >
>
>
> In my view, yes, although it is upto individual jeeva to make its own
> assessment.
>
> Regards
> Gummuluru Murthy

On further reflection on this point, it seems to me that the concept of
jnAni is non-existent. There is only jnAnam, or wisdom; no jnAni.

In our ajnAna, we can define jnAni as personified form of jnAnam.
However, that is from the perspective of the ajnAni. The entity whom
the ajnAnis consider as jnAni does not consider itself to be either
a jnAni or ajnAni. It is pure jnAnam.

Quite often, it was argued on this list that the danger of some ajnAni
making a statement of wisdom is that the ego claims to be the jnAni and
such an approach is counter-productive. So, it was argued, acknowledge
your ajnAnam and some day you will see the light. When does the thought
"I am ajnAni" drop out ? That is, when the thought of individuality
falls. When you think you are an individual, you are an ajnAni. Now,
if it is not the ego that claims (whatever is to be claimed), then what
else is there to do the claiming ? The Self is unattached and has no
claims. If any claim is made, it has to be done by the ego only and
nothing else. And, if the ego dies, there is only pure jnAnam. This
gets us back to Shri Shankara's Viveka ChuDAmaNi statement (... aham
bhAvodayAbhAvo bodhasya paramAvadhih...).

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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Yadaa sarve pramucyante kaamaa ye'sya hr^di shritaah
atha martyo'mr^to bhavatyatra brahma samashnute   Katha Upanishhad II.3.14

When all the desires that dwell in the heart fall away, then the mortal
becomes immortal, and attains Brahman even here.
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