Chapter 18. Kku vksj fo ks kkrk. Knowledge and Specialization

Transkript

1 Knowledge and Specialization The problem of knowledge and specialization, it seems to me, is very important. Let us consider it and see if the mind which is trained in specialization and in knowledge can be free to investigate and to discover whether there is nothing more beyond what it has known, to investigate where knowledge is leading us and the significance of specialization. There are many avenues of knowledge, and more and more information on a vast scale is becoming available to us. Where is it all leading us to? What is the function of knowledge? We see knowledge is essential at a certain level, in our conscious and unconscious living, in our existence. Can such knowledge be a hindrance to further investigation of man s realization of the total significance of existence? For instance, I may know how to build a bridge. Will that knowledge bring about a radical change in my ways of thinking? It m m ay produce a superficial change or adjustment. But in this present crisis in the world, which is necessary, a mere superficial adjustment or a radical revolution? It seems to me that revolution born of any particular pattern of action is not revolution at all, and that if we are to bring about a new generation with a new way of thinking, we must find out what the function of knowledge is. What is knowledge not the dictionary meaning, or a definition? Is it not the cultivation of memory along a particular line? Is it not the development of the faculty of gathering information to be utilized towards a particular end? Without knowledge, obviously, modern existence is almost impossible. Can knowledge, which is the cultivation of Kku vksj fo ks kkrk eq>s,slk yxrk gs fd Kku,oa fo ks kkrk dk ç u vr;ar xahkhj ç u vkb, ge bl ij fopkj djsa vksj nsa[ks fd D;k og eu] ftls fo'ks"kkrk gkfly djus vksj Kku izkir djus ds fy, izf'kf{kr fd;k x;k gs] tkap&im+rky vksj [kkstchu djus ds fy, Lora= gs fd tks dqn mls Kkr gs mlls ijs dqn gs ;k ugha( D;k og bl ckr dh ij[k dj ikrk gs fd Kku mls dgka ys tk jgk gs rfkk fo'ks"kkrk dh lkfkzdrk D;k gs\ Kku ds vusd jklrs gsa vksj cm+s isekus ij vf/kd&ls&vf/kd tkudkjh gekjs fy, miyc/k dh tk jgh ;g lc gesa fdl fn kk esa ys tk jgk gs\ Kku dk D;k dk;z gs\ ge ns[krs gsa fd gekjs psru,oa vpsru thou esa],d [kkl Lrj ij rks Kku vko ;d D;k bl çdkj dk Kku vflrro dh laiw.kz lkfkzdrk le>us esa] mlds vuos k.k esa] ck/kd cu ldrk gs\ mnkgj.k ds fy, eku yhft, eq>s bldk Kku gs fd iqy dsls cuk;k tkrk D;k og Kku fopkj djus ds esjs rjhdksa esa vkewy ifjorzu yk ldrk gs\ gks ldrk gs ;g lrgh cnyko ys vk, ;k lkeatl; csbk ys] fdarq fo o ds orzeku ladv esa t+:jh D;k gs] ek= lrgh lkeatl; ;k vk/kkjhkwr Økafr\ eq>s eglwl gksrk gs fd fdlh fof k V ç.kkyh ds vuqlkj fd, tkusokys dk;z ls?kfvr gksusokyh Økafr olrqr% Økafr gh ugè gksrh vksj ;fn u;s rjhds ls lkspfopkj djus okyh dksbz u;h ih<+h gesa fodflr djuh gs rks gesa bldk irk yxkuk vko ;d gksxk fd Kku dk dk;z D;k Kku D;k gs\&& kcndks k esa fn, x, vfkz ;k fdlh ifjhkk kk ds vuqlkj ugèa D;k fdlh fo ks k Øe esa Le`fr dk lao/kzu djuk gh Kku ugè gs\ D;k ;g fdlh [kkl mn~ns ; ds fy, lwpuk,df=r djus dh {kerk dk fodkl djuk gh ugè gs\ blesa lansg ugè fd Kku ds vhkko esa vk/kqfud <ax dk thou th ikuk yxhkx vlahko Kku gs Le`fr dk lao/kzu djuk] tkudkjh,df=r djuk vksj fqj [kkl mn~ns';ksa] tsls fd Talks wit hstudents/f k{kk D;k gs Page 1

2 memory, the gathering of information, and the using of that information for special purposes for surgery, for wars, for uncovering new scientific facts, and so on be a hindrance to the total understanding of human society? As I said, knowledge may be useful at one particular level. But if we do not understand the total process of human existence, will not that knowledge be a hindrance to human peace? For example, we have scientific information enough to create food for the whole of mankind and to give them shelter. Why is it that that scientific knowledge is not used? Is that not a problem to most of us? Is not that very knowledge preventing the consideration of human understanding and peace? What is preventing the stoppage of war, of feeding man, clothing him, giving him shelter? It is surely not knowledge, it is something entirely different. It is nationalism and vested interests in various forms capitalistic or communistic or of a particular religious group which are preventing the coming together of man. Unless there is a radical change in our ways of thinking, knowledge is used, is it not, for the further destruction of man. What are the universities of learning doing, the academic as well as the spiritual? Are they producing, bringing about, a fundamental revolution in our hearts and minds? It seems to me, that is the fundamental issue, and not the constant accumulation of further information and knowledge. Can a total revolution take place through knowledge, which is, after all, the continual development of the mind through memory? I may know various facts, I may know the distances between the various planets, I may know how to run jet planes, but will that knowledge, ky;&fpfdrlk] ;q)] u;s oskkfud rf;ksa dh [kkst] bu lc ds fy, ml tkudkjh dk mi;ksx djuka D;k ;g lahko gs fd ;g lkjh tkudkjh ekuo&lekt dh O;kid le> esa vkm+s vkrh gks\ tslk fd esaus dgk],d [kkl Lrj ij Kku vo ; gh mi;ksxh gks ldrk ijarq ;fn ge ekuoh; vflrro dh lexz çfø;k dks ugè le>rs gas rks D;k ;gh Kku ekuo dh kkafr ds fy, ck/kd ugè cu tkrk\ mnkgj.k ds fy,] gekjs ikl,slh oskkfud tkudkjh gs fd ge lewph ekuo tkfr ds fy, i;kzir vuu isnk dj ldrs gsa vksj muds jgus ds fy, LFkku dh O;oLFkk Hkh dj ldrs gsaa rks fqj,slk D;ksa gs fd bl oskkfud Kku dk blrseky ugha fd;k tk jgk gs\ D;k ;g geesa ls vf/kdka'k ds fy, lel;k ugha gs\ D;k ;gh Kku gh ekuoh; le> vksj kkafr dks vo#) ugè dj jgk gs\,slk D;k gs tks ;q)ksa dks jksdus ls] yksxksa dks Hkkstu&oL= vkfn ns ikus ls] muds fy, vkokl dh O;oLFkk dj ikus ls gesa jksdrk gs\ fuf pr gh og Kku ugè cfyd mlls lozfkk fhkuu dqn vksj gh og gs jk Vªokn vksj fufgr LokFkZ ds fofhkuu :i&&iwathokn ;k lke;okn ;k fof k V /kkfezd leqnk; tks euq"; dks euq"; ds lkfk ugha gksus nsrsa D;k vkidks ugha yxrk fd gekjs fopkj djus ds rjhdksa esa tc rd ewy :i ls cnyko ugè vkrk rc rd Kku dk ç;ksx euq"; ds fy, vksj Hkh vf/kd fouk kdkjh gksxk\ f k{kk çnku djusokys vksj vk/;kfred Kku dk çlkj djusokys fo ofo ky; D;k dj jgs gsa\ D;k os gekjs ân;ksa vksj eu&eflr dksa esa dksbz vkewy Økafr yk jgs gsa\ esa le>rk gwa fd ;gh gekjs lkeus ewy eqn~nk vf/kd&ls&vf/kd lwpuk,a tek djrs tkuk] Kku,df=r djrs tkuk mrus egÿo dh ckr ugè Kku rks Le`fr ds ek/;e ls eu dk vuojr fodkl djrs jguk Hkj gs] blfy, ç u ;g gs fd D;k Kku ds ek/;e ls lexz Økafr gks ikuk lahko gs\ gks ldrk gs fd eq>s vusd rf;ksa dh tkudkjh gks] eq>s fofhkuu xzgksa ds chp dh nwjh Kkr gks] eq>s ;g irk gks fd tsv gokbz tgkt Talks wit hstudents/f k{kk D;k gs Page 2

3 will that information, bring about a radical change in my thinking? If it cannot, what will it bring about? Is it not a problem for most of us? We want peace in this world; we want to put an end to envy which arises in human individuals in their search for power; we want to put an end to wars. How is this to be done? Will mere accumulations of knowledge put an end to wars, or must there be a radical revolution in our thinking? Will thinking produce that revolution? I do not know if you have considered any of these points, but it seems to me, a revolution based on a particular pattern of thought is not a revolution at all. After all, thinking is the response to a particular condition, the response to a challenge according to a particular background. I respond to a challenge according to my conditioning, to my training, to my upbringing as a Christian or a Hindu or a Muslim or whatever I am. How is that background, that conditioning, that peculiar pattern of action to cease, and a new way of thinking to be born? Is this not a problem to most of us? Because, there cannot be a radical revolution unless the breaking of all the background takes place, of the pattern of our constant thinking along a particular line. Will knowledge, the accumulation of information about facts, bring about the breaking of my conditioning? Yet, this is what we are doing; we are constantly accumulating information, knowledge, training our memory. All this is important at one particular level. We may search out information about the whole consciousness of man, about the psychological process of uncovering oneself mostly intellectual, mostly verbal through specialization. But, fdl rjg ls mm+k;k tkrk gs] ijarq D;k ;g tkudkjh] ;g lwpuk esjs lkspus ds rjhds esa cqfu;knh cnyko yk ldrh gs\ vksj ;fn ;g,slk ugè dj ldrh rks blls D;k gkfly gksus okyk gs\ D;k geesa ls T+;knkrj ds fy, ;g,d lel;k ugè gs\ ge bl lalkj esa kkafr pkgrs gsa] ge pkgrs gsa fd ekuo&ekuo ds chp lÿkk dh fyilk ds dkj.k mriuu gksusokyk }s k [kre gks] ge pkgrs gsa fd ;q) can gksaa ;g dsls fd;k tk,\ flqz Kku bdv~bk dj ysus ls D;k ;q) can gks tk,axs\ ;k blds fy, gekjh lksp esa Hkh vkewy cnyko gksuk t+:jh gs\ D;k fopkj ds ek/;e ls,slh Økafr yk;h tk ldsxh\ esa ugè tkurk fd vkius bu fcanqvksa ij /;ku fn;k gs fd ugè ysfdu eq>s yxrk gs fd fdlh [kkl fopkj/kkjk ij vk/kkfjr Økafr oklro esas Økafr ugè gksrha D;ksafd varr% lkspuk fdlh fo ks k ifjflfkfr dks fn;k tkusokyk,d çr;qÿkj Hkj gksrk gs] fdlh fof k V i`f BHkwfe ds vuqlkj fdlh pquksrh ij dh tkusokyh,d çfrfø;k ek= gksrk bzlkbz] fganw ;k eqflye ;k ftl Hkh :i esa eq>s laldkfjr fd;k x;k gksrk gs] eq>s ftl rjg dk çf k{k.k fn;k tkrk gs mlh ds vuqlkj esa fdlh pquksrh dk çr;qÿkj nsrk gwaa ml i` BHkwfe dk] ml laldkjc)rk dk] vkpj.k ds ml [kkl <jsz dk var dsls gks rkfd u;s rjg dk fparu tue ys lds\ D;k ;gh geesa ls vf/kdka k dh lel;k ugè gs\ D;ksafd tc rd ml iwjh i` BHkwfe dks fevk ugè fn;k tkrk gs] fdlh [kkl yhd ij fujarj py jgs gekjs fopkj ds <kaps dks tc rd rksm+ ugè fn;k tkrk rc rd vkewy Økafr ugè gks ldrha D;k Kku vfkkzr rf;ksa ds laca/k esa tkudkfj;ksa dk laxzg] esjh laldkjc)rk dks rksm+ ikus esa lqy gksxk\ ysfdu fqj Hkh ge ;gh dksf k k djrs jgrs gsa] ge lwpukvksa vksj Kku dk yxkrkj laxzg djrs jgrs gsa] viuh Le`fr dks çf kf{kr djrs tkrs gsaa,d Lrj ij rks ;g lc vko';d fo ks kkrk ds ek/;e ls ge&&[kkl rksj ls cksf)d,oa kkfcnd Lrj ij&&euq ; dh laiw.kz psruk ds ckjs esa vksj Lo;a dks vuko`r djus dh euksoskkfud çfø;k ds ckjs esa cgqr lh tkudkfj;ka [kkst ldrs gsaa ijarq D;k mlls dksbz Talks wit hstudents/f k{kk D;k gs Page 3

4 will that bring about a radical change? It seems to me that mere information, knowledge, will not bring about a radical change. There must be a totally different factor, and that is the understanding of the process of consciousness, of the mind that is constantly accumulating, gathering information. Why are we gathering information, knowledge? It is for the purpose of security, which is essential at one level of our being. Some people think that knowledge is a means of discovery. Do we discover through knowledge? Does not knowledge impede discovery? How can the mind find this out if the whole mind is trained to merely gather information, knowledge? Must not the mind examine this question free from any anchorage, from any belief, from any knowledge? The mind, having information, having knowledge, must be free of it in order to find out; otherwise, it cannot find out. After all, there is a conflict in all of us between the conscious and the unconscious, between the superficial ways of thinking and the hidden processes of motives, desires, anxieties, and fears. We are gathering information, knowledge at the superficial level, without fundamentally altering the deeper levels of our consciousness. The most important thing in the present crisis is that the revolution should take place at the unconscious level, and not merely at the conscious level. Revolution at the unconscious level is not possible if the conscious mind is merely cultivating memory. Is not the problem, with all of us, how to bring about this revolution deep in ourselves? vkewy ifjorzu?kfvr gks ik,xk\ eq>s ;g yxrk gs fd dsoy tkudkjh ewyhkwr cnyko ugha yk ik,xha blds fy,,d iw.kzr% fhkuu çdkj dk dkjd gksuk Hkh t+:jh gs vksj og dkjd gs psruk dh ml çfø;k dks] ml eu dks le>uk tks vuojr tkudkfj;kasa dk laxzg djrk jgrk ge lwpuk,a] tkudkfj;ka D;ksa bdv~bk djrs jgrs gsa\,slk ge lqj{kk ds mn~ns'; ls djrs gsa vksj,slk djuk,d gn rd gekjs vflrro ds fy, t+:jh Hkh dqn yksx lksprs gsa fd Kku [kkst dk,d lk/ku D;k ge Kku ds ek/;e ls [kkstrs gsa\ D;k Kku [kkst esa ck/kk ugha Mkyrk gs\ ;fn gekjk iwjk eu flqz tkudkjh,d= djus ds fy, gh çf kf{kr fd;k x;k gs rks ;g lc og dsls irk yxk ik,xk\ D;k ;g t+:jh ugè gs fd eu bl ç u dh tkap&ij[k fdlh Hkh izdkj ds vkj; ls] fdlh Hkh fo okl vksj reke tkudkfj;kas ls eqdr jgdj gh djs\ ;fn bldk irk yxkuk gs rks tkudkfj;ka gksrs gq, Hkh] Kku gksrs gq, Hkh ;g vko ;d gs fd eu ml lcls eqdr jgs&&ugè rks og dqn Hkh irk ugha yxk ldsxka blesa dksbz 'kd ugè fd geesa ls gj,d ds Hkhrj,d }a} pyrk jgrk gs] pkgs og psru,oa vpsru ds chp gks ;k lkspus ds lrgh rjhdksa rfkk fofhkuu çsj.kkvksa] bpnkvksa] fparkvksa,oa Hk;ksa dh çpnuu çfø;kvksa ds chpa ge viuh psruk ds xgurj ryksa esa dksbz ewyhkwr ifjorzu yk, fcuk gh flqz lrgh Lrj ij gh lwpuk,a o Kku,df=r djrs jgrs gsaa orzeku ladv dh flfkfr esa lokzf/kd egÿoiw.kz ckr ;gh gs fd Økafr vpsru ry ij gksuh pkfg, u fd egt+ psru Lrj ija tc rd ge ek= Le`fr ds lao/kzu esa yxs gq, gsa rc rd vpsru Lrj ij Økafr ugha gks ldrha D;k ge lhkh dh lel;k ;gh ugè gs fd vius Hkhrj] xgjkbz esa ;g Økafr dsls gks\ After all, the individual is the man; the vkf[kjdkj gj O;fDr euq"; gh rks gs] lkjk Talks wit hstudents/f k{kk D;k gs Page 4

5 whole world is not different from you and me, and it is the individual that brings about the radical transformation. History shows how a few individuals, different from others in their way of living, have wrought a change in society. Unless we individually transform ourselves deeply, fundamentally, I do not see any possibility of having peace and tranquillity in this world. How is the individual that is, you and I to change radically at the deep, unconscious level? Is it brought about by the practice of a particular ideal or a particular virtue? Is not the cultivation of a particular virtue merely the strengthening of that consciousness which is pursuing the accumulative process of memory, the strengthening of the self, of the ego? Is not the practice of a particular idea or an ideology still a strengthening of the self, the me, with the inevitable conflict within and without which is the fundamental cause of wars? Can there be a revolution in the me through the action of will? I do not know if you have exercised will in order to bring about a change. You must have noticed that the action of will is still at the conscious level and not at the unconscious level. And mere alteration or exercise of will at the conscious level does not produce a revolution, an alteration, a radical change in our ways of thinking. So, is it not important to find out, for each one of us, how the mind works, not according to any particular philosophy, but actually observing the ways of our mind in action, the ways of our life, so that through the understanding of the superficial mind, it may be possible to go beneath the surface and understand the whole mind? lalkj vkils vksj eq>ls fhkuu ugè gs vksj O;fDr gh vkewy ifjorzu dks lahko cuk ldrk bfrgkl bl ckr dk xokg gs fd dsls FkksM+s ls O;fDr ckdh yksxksa ls vyx rjg dk thou thrs gq, bl lekt esa vusd ifjorzu yk ldsa,d O;fDr ds :i esa tc rd ge vius vkiesa xgjkbz ls] cqfu;knh :i ls ifjofrzr ugè gksrs rc rd bl lalkj esa veu&psu dh dksbz lahkkouk eq>s utj ugè vkrha O;fDr dk] vfkkzr esjk,oa vkidk] xgu,oa ewyhkwr :i ls vpsru ry ij ifjofrzr gks ikuk dsls lahko gksxk\ D;k ;g fdlh fo'ks"k vkn kz ;k fdlh fo'ks"k ln~xq.k dks fodflr djus ls lahko gksxk\ D;k fdlh fo'ks"k ln~xq.k dk lao/kzu egt+ ml psruk dks 'kfdr'kkyh cukuk ugè gs tks Le`fr dh lap; dh] laxzg dh çfø;k ij vk/kkfjr gs] vksj tks Lo dks] vga dks kfdr kkyh cukrh gs\ fdlh fof k V /kkj.kk ;k vkn kzokn dk vh;kl Hkh D;k Lo dks] ^esa* dks n`<+ djuk ugè gs] tks Hkhrj vksj ckgj vfuok;z :i ls }a} isnk djrk gs vksj tks ;q)ksa dk ewyhkwr dkj.k gs\ D;k bpnk kfdr dh fø;k ds }kjk ^esa* ds Hkhrj dksbz Økafr gks ldrh gs\ esa ugè tkurk fd vkius cnyko ykus ds fy, dhkh bpnk kfdr dk ç;ksx fd;k gs ;k ugèa vkius ns[kk gksxk fd bpnk kfdr dh fø;k Hkh flqz psru ry ij gh gqvk djrh gs vksj vpsru rd bldk çhkko ugè tkrka vksj flqz psru Lrj ij cnyko djus ls ;k bpnk kfdr dk ç;ksx djus ls gekjs lkspus ds rjhds esa Økafrdkjh cnyko] ewyhkwr ifjorzu ugè vk ikrka vr% fdlh nk kzfud ç.kkyh dk voyacu ysdj ugè cfyd Lo;a gh ;g irk yxkuk egÿoiw.kz ugè gs fd eu dsls dk;z djrk gs] vius thou ds rksj&rjhdksa ds çr;{k voyksdu ls D;k ;g irk yxkuk t+:jh ugè gs fd gekjk eu dsls dk;z djrk gs] rkfd lrgh eu dks vpnh rjg le>rs gq, ge ml lrg ds uhps tk ldsa rfkk lewps eu dks le> ldsaa Unless we bring about an integration tc rd fopkjd vksj fopkj] nksuksa esa vhksn] Talks wit hstudents/f k{kk D;k gs Page 5

6 between the thinker and the thought, mere thinking, reason, philosophy, accumulation of knowledge, will be used by the thinker as a means of selfaggrandizement, either of the individual or of a group, or for the propagation of a particular ideology. So is it important, for those who are really serious about these matters, to find out how the total integration of man can take place. Obviously, it cannot be through any form of compulsion or persuasion or through disciplinary processes, or through any action of will because they are all, if one really looks at it, on the surface level. So, our problem then is, how is this total transformation of our being to come about? We have tried through authority, through compulsion, through conformity, through imitation. If we understand the truth of compulsion, the truth of discipline, the truth of imitation or conformity, then the superficial mind becomes free from these compulsory imitative processes, and so the superficial mind becomes quiet. Then, the total, unconscious processes can project themselves into the conscious, and in their projection, there is a possibility of uncovering them, understanding them and being free. Whenever there is understanding of any deep facts of life, the mind is invariably still, not making an effort to understand. It is only when the mind is entirely still that there is a possibility of an understanding which brings about a radical revolution in our life. nksuksa dk,dhdj.k ugè gks tkrk rc rd lkspus dk] rdz] n kzu vksj Kku ds laxzg vkfn dk ç;ksx fopkjd }kjk,d O;fDr fo ks k ds fy, ;k lewg ds fy, vfkok fof k V vkn kzokn ds çpkj&çlkj ds fy, vfkok vius efgekeamu ds,d lk/ku ds :i esa fd;k tkrk jgsxka vr% tks bu fo k;ksa ds çfr oklro esa xahkhj gsa mugsa bldk irk yxkuk t+:jh gs fd euq ; vius esa iw.kz:i ls vfohkkftr fdl çdkj ls gks ldrk blesa lansg ugè fd fdlh çdkj dh ck/;rk ls ;k vkxzg }kjk] vfkok vuq kklu dh fdlh çfø;k ;k bpnk kfdr ds ek/;e ls ;g lahko u gksxk] D;ksafd /;ku ls fujh{k.k djus ij Li V gks tkrk gs fd ;s lhkh dsoy lrg rd gh vljnkj gksrs gsaa vr% gekjh lel;k ;g gs fd gekjh psruk dk iwjh rjg ls :ikarj.k dsls lahko gks\ lÿkk&eku;rk] t+ksjt+cjnlrh] ijaijkikyu vksj vuqdj.k vkfn rjhds vkt+ekdj ge ns[k gh pqds gsaa ;fn ge bl rf;&lr; dks le> ikrs gsa fd cyiz;ksx] vuq'kklu] vuqdj.k vfkok vuqlj.k ls :ikarj.k lahko ugha gs rks lrgh eu bu vuqdj.k dh ck/;dkjh çfø;kvksa ls NqVdkjk ik ysrk gs vksj bl izdkj kkar gks tkrk blds i pkr lewph vpsru çfø;k,a vius vkidks psru ry ij ç{ksfir dj ikrh gsa] vksj muds bl çdkj ds ç{ksi.k esa muds m?km+us dh] mugsa le>us] muls eqfdr ikus dh lahkkouk gksrh tc Hkh thou ds fdlh xgu rf; dh le> geesa isnk gksrh gs rks eu çk;% vo ; gh fu py gks tkrk gs] ml flfkfr esa og le>us ds fy, dksbz ç;kl ugha dj jgk gksrka tc eu iw.kzr% eksu gks tkrk gs dsoy rhkh og le> lahko gs tks gekjs thou esa vkewy Økafr yk nsrh Talks wit hstudents/f k{kk D;k gs Page 6