Letter 13:
Three levels of knowledge
12/06/07
Everyone,
Hello! How are you? Let us discuss the different levels of knowledge.
Knowledge from having heard of fire
There are different levels on which we can know something. Let us imagine that some people know what fire is. One person has heard about fire from several people and read about it in science books, but has not seen it himself. He has a certain knowledge. Someone could tell him that there is no such thing as fire, that it is unreasonable to believe that there is such a thing as fire which changes its shape and is neither solid, liquid nor gaseous which remains sat on a piece of wood or jumps onto other pieces of wood if there are any, converting the wood into something smaller which is black, which appears from nothing when you rub two sticks together, and that he should see with his own eyes before believing nonsense. However, that person has studied and heard a lot about fire and so argues with him. Nevertheless, if ten other people tell him that fire does not exist, he will no longer believe.
Knowledge from having seen fire
There is a higher level that comes from having seen something with one's own eyes. Someone who has seen fire that hears from ten people that that there exists no such thing, will not lose faith in his knowledge. Nevertheless, when a hundred people have contradicted him, he begins to wonder if he had an eye problem that day.
Knowledge from having been burnt by fire
The highest level of knowledge comes from personal experience. If someone who has been burnt by fire hears from everybody in the world that there exists no such thing as fire, each time he simply says that he still feels the flames licking his skin. The realised soul feels his realisation in that way, and there never comes a moment in his life in which he loses consciousness of his realisation.
Knowledge from having been burnt in the fire of samadhi
Someone born in the next century will not have seen Bhagavan however, if he believes in Him, will have a certain knowledge, but not the ultimate. Someone who has seen with his own eyes the effects of Bhagavan in his devotees will have a higher knowledge, if he recognises that knowledge. However, only those that jump into the fire and get burnt in the deepest samadhi will know with absolute certainty that he himself is Brahman, and who Bhagavan actually is. If enough reasonable people have been burnt, it would be worth the effort to jump into the fire as, if it be true, with a little sincerity we can attain the goal of life as taught by all the sages with very little effort. The opportunity will not be there forever.
Hare Krishna,
Koji