Gnosis - Acquaintance - Experiential Knowledge - Sant Mat Satsang
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Gnosis - Acquaintance - Experiential Knowledge
Sant Mat Satsang Discourse Excerpted from, “Implicit Meaning of Knowledge - Satsang-Suman”, By Swami Ashutosh Gurusnehi, February, 2011, Sadguru Shanti Sandesh magazine [the Satguru’s Message of Peace, English Edition])
The general dictionary definition of “knowledge” is perception or acquaintance, but it’s special or esoteric meaning includes: “Becoming aware of the Soul”, “Self-Realization”, “Veda”, “Divine”, etc…
Knowledge can be something which is conducive to the public, creative, something which can beget peace, and something which can help with self progress. When true knowledge enters into one’s interior, it diminishes the evil encrustation over the mind and soul. One gets refined. Like the philosopher’s stone when touches iron, iron turns into gold. Similarly, with the touch of knowledge, a corrupt mind turns bright and pure.
The knowledge of the soul and Supreme Soul is the highest level of knowledge for human beings. It uplifts us from earthly suffering, births and deaths to the State of Salvation (i.e. Moksha, Nirvana).
Lord Krishna, in the Bhagavad Gita says: “A reverent, stoic and meditation-absorbed person attains knowledge and immediately reaches ultimate peace”. (Bhagavad Gita 4:39) This means, knowledge is inevitable as a result of having reverence for the guidance of the Master, the subduing of one’s senses, and correct practice.
In the context of this discussion, a precept of Lord Buddha summarizes it quite nicely: “No meditation without knowledge, no knowledge without meditation. Whosoever possess both meditation and knowledge, are near to salvation”. (Dhammapada)
The statement of Lord Buddha clarifies that, for the process of meditation, knowledge is inevitable, and this is surely the knowledge of initiation (related to process of meditation practice as taught or revealed by a meditation-absorbed Master). And in the statement, “No meditation without knowledge”, knowledge refers to divine realization-related experience. The Mukti Upanishad also agrees with this that: “meditation produces knowledge and freedom of soul (i.e. salvation)”, saying: “The cause of meditation, from which knowledge and salvation is produced, is one-point-concentration (concentration of mind).”
When the practitioner collects and joins both the currents of consciousness at a Single Point within, as taught by the Master, in a state of complete concentration, the veil of darkness breaks and he views the Refulgent Light. There he hears many melodious Inner Sounds. With the Master’s benevolence, he identifies the Quintessential Sound centered amongst those other Sounds. And with the help of that Quintessential Inner Sound, the practitioner’s consciousness ascends to the Soundness Realm. He knows soul and Supreme Soul by experience, attaining salvation in the Living State itself, and thus he becomes the Supreme Master. This is the ultimate Level of knowledge in which Light and Sound play the principal role. ////////
