Why does intellect fail to understand Self-Realization?
Written by DadaBhagwan
Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, an enlightened being has said, “When the doors of the intellect close, that is when the preparations for liberation will begin.”
Intellect Is The Light Of Knowledge Which Comes Through The Medium Of The Egor
To impose ‘I’ where ‘I’ does not belong to is ego (ahankar). We believe, ‘I am John (you may insert your own name here).’ This belief itself is called ego. We wrongly believe the ego to be our own Self (Atma).
It is like a sparrow that repeatedly pecks at its own reflection in the mirror, perceiving it to be another sparrow. Its belief is altered. That is just how our belief has altered. We are really a Pure Soul. But we begin to believe the John, reflected in the light of the Soul, to be ourselves, which is why the ego has arisen, and also why the intellect has arisen. As the light of the intellect is turned on, a curtain of illusion is drawn over the original light of the Self (the Pure Soul).
The intellect is now the support and guide. The intellect helps accomplish the work in worldly life. It is possible to get solutions to our worldly problems through intellect. But Self-Realization is beyond intellect.
Intellect That Takes One Towards The Self Is Called The Right Intellect (Samyag Buddhi)
The right intellect can take us upto the doors of Self-Realization. But realization of our Soul is beyond this intellect. Intellect will remain as long as ego exists. That is indeed the interference.
Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan emphatically says, “As long as the intellect exists, there will not be a complete solution. Where there is no intellect, there will be Knowledge of the Self (Gnan) and where there is intellect, there is no Gnan. There can be only one of the two. People consider the intellect as being Gnan. But the intellect is an indirect light, whereas Gnan is the direct light of the Self (Atma).”
Intellect is the mother of duality; it keeps showing profit-loss, right-wrong, pleasure-pain. The light of the intellect shows, ‘This is good and this is bad’, and because of that, one keeps doing attachment and abhorrence, which is precisely why this worldly life perpetuates. Whereas the light of the Self says, ‘Both circumstances are equal. You, as the Self, are indeed free from the circumstances.”
Intellect makes a person emotional. The light of the intellect shows divisiveness, ‘This much is mine and that is his’. Since the divisive intellect shows, ‘I am this, I am John, he is that other person,’ separation is created with others. The intellect is always with ego, whereas the Knowledge of the Self (Self-Realization) is always an egoless state.
The knowledge of the Self - the universal truth is something that the intellect (buddhi) cannot reach. It is beyond the intellect. That is where the intellect comes to a halt. When you cross the last layer of the intellect, you enter the light of Knowledge (Self-Realization); you have entered into the universal truth.
After The Light Of The Self Is Attained, The Need For The Light Of The Intellect No Longer Remainsr
When one meets a Gnani Purush (One who has realized the Self and is able to do the same for others), and He makes you attain the Self (Self-Realization), that is when ‘Pragna’ begins.
Pragna is the direct light of the Self (the Pure Soul). It is the liberating energy of the Self; the energy that is awakened within upon attaining Self-realization. That very Pragna takes one to final liberation (moksha). Pragna constantly cautions us to remain in the Self and thus leads us to ultimate liberation, whereas the intellect keeps on interfering within and creates obstacles on the path of liberation.
The Gnani Purush Is Abuddh (Without Intellect)
The Self is not visible to the eyes, and we are not be able to understand it with our intellect either. There is no other way that we will be able to understand the formless Self, but going to Gnani, in whom the formless Self has manifested. He who is realized can help others achieve Realization. Without a Gnani, it is impossible to achieve Self-Realization.
When such a person is around, he liberates hundreds and thousands of people!!! A Gnani Purush does not have the slightest of ego; hence is without intellect. Gnani has full knowledge of the Soul. And one who knows the Soul is obviously full of bliss; he does not experience internal or external suffering in any circumstance. In the presence of such a person, by attaining his divine grace, we too can achieve Self-Realization and progress on the path of our liberation.
In Akram Vignan, Gnani uproots our ego and gives us the awareness of the Self. Gnani further gives us five directives (Agnas) that preserve our awareness as the Self. If we remain in those Agnas, the intellect will not be used. Following the Agnas, when we, in the awareness of the enlightened Pure Soul, begin to see and know how intellect is functioning, then no problem will arise!
To know more please visit: https://www.dadabhagwan.org/self-realization/
Article author
About the Author
Ambalal M. Patel was a civil contractor by profession. In June 1958, spontaneous Self-Realization occurred withi
Ambalal M. Patel. From this point on, Ambalal became a Gnani Purush, and the Lord that manifest within him became known as Dada Bhagwan. A Gnani Purush is One who has realized the Self and is able help others do the same. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan used to go from town to town and country-to-country to give satsang (spiritual discourse) and impart the knowledge of the Self, as well as knowledge of harmonious worldly interactions to everyone who came to meet him. This spiritual science, known as Akram Vignan, is the step-less path to Self-realization
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