The search :
‘What is?’ and ‘Who is?’
--
Meanwhile, let us turn a page of the last century.
The year was 1977.
I was a Post-Graduate student in The School of Studies in Mathematics.
Our H.O.D. was Prof. G.S.P.
Though He was on deputation, while the H.O.D. was languishing in jail, courtesy ‘Emergency’.
There were 3 or 4 other Professors who taught us different branches of Mathematics.
Dr.G.S.P. Sir taught us ‘Topology’ and ‘Complex-Analysis', while Dr.P.C. Sir taught ‘Real Analysis’.
Both were ‘D.Sc.’ and each had to his credit, more than 50 research papers published in Advanced Mathematical journals of repute at the international level.
There were few others like Sri Vilas Ranadive, O.P.Pathak, R.S.Katlana, Ms. Saroj Barve. who were Research Scholars.
The students of my batch were not much interested in Mathematics, but were in fact looking forward to for the jobs they could acquire after passing this post-graduate title.
I was not an exception.
The Year was 1983, when some alumni decided to arrange a get-together of the past students of this faculty only.
They were all there. About a 100 in number.
I was sitting in the last two benches with my batch-mates.
The H.O.D. was there. Dr.G.S.P. and Dr.P.C. (I think) were present.
And there was the usual exchange of formalities of such a meet of academicians and Scholars.
I was a petty clerk in a bank and had the good fortune of attending such an ‘event’.
The function was concluded and we enjoyed the party afterwards.
--
We 4 (my batch-mates) and some senior and junior students were in a small group exchanging memories of the school.
One Research Scholar who had been a Professor in I.Sc. Bangalore or in some such institute took the center-stage and started a Lecture.
“I shall tell you in very sharp, crisp and direct words what I experienced here in my times when I had been doing P.G.
As my uncle was a Professor of Archaeology (V.S.Agrawal? पुरातत्व का रोमांस), I lived with him during those days.
And there they used to come to see him.
Mostly in the evenings.
And they discussed many things like politics to religion to University-matters.
I had to look after their refreshment and tea-coffee.
I took best advantage of this chance and noted down some conversations in a note-book which is still somewhere there with my old papers, books...
That fortunate evening, there was a ‘guest’. who, ‘shared’ something so original and extra-ordinary, I felt I wold never come across such wisdom and insight in my whole life.
“Look Sir, There are two approaches that inevitably lead to the Ultimate truth.
The one is the question “What is?” and another is “Who is?”.
A physicist keeps finding out “What is?” and hopes to come upon this Ultimate Reality some day.
This is his ‘faith’. The faith of an intellectual who because of his intellectual audaciousness is adamant though ever in confusion and fails to see that Ultimate Reality could not be ‘objectified’. All speculation and thought about ‘object’ is limited to the thinker who is an escape from his own Reality.
Again like this ‘intellectual’ arrogance, there is an ‘ignorant’ arrogance as well which maintains that ‘faith’ is the only ‘God’ and ‘God’ is but ‘faith’ only. And still insists that only his (version of) faith / God is the Real God. And his sacred book is the only scripture. And his own Messiah the only True Messenger.
The intellectual has a firm ‘faith’ in ‘thought’ and yet he doubts the way of ‘faith’ and laughs at the ‘believer’.
The search in ‘What is’ directs the attention to ‘Whatever that exists’ and ultimately is lost in this search. Then one clings to ‘thought’ and ‘concludes’ the ‘thought’ is the only Ultimate Reality.
The search in ‘Who is’ directs the attention to ‘who-so-ever’ –the conscious entity that perceives the objective existence.
Both these searches either keep one stuck into ignorance of the Ultimate Reality, or just keep him moving in circles.
But rather than the 'faith', the Indian Mind has a practical approach into'What is?' and 'Who is?'.
And emphasis is on 'finding out', 'questioning everything', rather than taking things granted. And that needs maturity of mind.Sincerity, earnestness for accepting whatever is found to be unchanging and immutable in this phenomenal existence that is ever so changing. Readiness to discard whatever seems perishable. And in this search, The Indian mind discovered a word 'ब्रह्मन् / brahman / that is
सत् / sat / that is what is meant by 'What is?'. The Indian mind didn't stop at that . 'What is' is though objective Reality, there is an essential counter-part that is 'Who is'.
'What is' and 'Who is' are one and the same and Unique as The existence and the one who observes this Existence. The observer / the consciousness is ever so indivisible with the 'observed' or 'What is'.
This is what 'Spirituality' that could never be equated with 'religion'.
'Spirituality' relegated to tradition is religion.
And tradition continues to survive and prosper because of 'faith' only.
The 'faith' is its own destruction inherently.
For this 'faith' is ever so a thought / idea and never a fact that could be dealt with a practical approach.
The 'faith' in the existence of a 'God' or the 'faith' that there is no such 'God', are but in thought only.
And caught in this or that thought, the thinker repeatedly asserts with the help of thought only the 'faith'. Though every and any faith could be greatly thought-provoking, keeps the mind captive and captivated in ignorance of 'What is.' and 'Who is.'
Such a mind insists vehemently upon 'faith' and at the collective level this results into the multitudes of 'faiths'. Tradition / Religion smothers the spirit of 'finding out'.
--
Listening to his extempore speech which though he halted for a minute or few seconds so as to choose a correct word, I was playing the same role of the Butler who clandestinely remembered and noted J.Krishnamurti's informal conversations with the people of His inner circle while ostensibly 'serving' the snacks and food, tea-coffee.
--
'Fall and fall of Religion' started when tradition was overpowered by people, Kings and Emperors in their penchant for power and authority, and deterioration, degeneration followed which dictated and imposed tradition, ethics, morality and religion.
All faiths ride the same boat.
--
This 'religion' of faith was slowly destroying and distorting the tradition of 'dharma' as was practiced all over the globe. There was the सनातन-धर्म / sanātana-dharma, ब्राह्मण-धर्म / brāhmaṇa-dharma, वर्णाश्रम-धर्म, varṇāśrama-dharma, अब्राह्मण-धर्म, abrāhmaṇa-dharma, all living in harmony with one-another, according to the temperaments and cultures of different societies and races.
Rise of 'Religion' which was basically अब्राह्मण-धर्म, abrāhmaṇa-dharma, though adopted ’यह्वः’ / yahvaḥ, was soon transformed into YHVH > yod-he-vau-he and subsequently was given the status of 'One' God.
Veda has enough evidence how they discovered the Realities of different time-realms and these time-realms are though mutually disjoint and independent of one-another, together constitute the whole picture. Veda prohibit and even dissuade any-one who is not truly deserving and earnest in mind. Veda comprise all knowledge in the essence form though also exhort that the knowledge in terms of thought will lead to deterioration, degeneration and destruction of human mind.
The same thing happened when YHVH > yod-he-vau-he was misinterpreted and that is the kind of
,
‘What is?’ and ‘Who is?’
--
Meanwhile, let us turn a page of the last century.
The year was 1977.
I was a Post-Graduate student in The School of Studies in Mathematics.
Our H.O.D. was Prof. G.S.P.
Though He was on deputation, while the H.O.D. was languishing in jail, courtesy ‘Emergency’.
There were 3 or 4 other Professors who taught us different branches of Mathematics.
Dr.G.S.P. Sir taught us ‘Topology’ and ‘Complex-Analysis', while Dr.P.C. Sir taught ‘Real Analysis’.
Both were ‘D.Sc.’ and each had to his credit, more than 50 research papers published in Advanced Mathematical journals of repute at the international level.
There were few others like Sri Vilas Ranadive, O.P.Pathak, R.S.Katlana, Ms. Saroj Barve. who were Research Scholars.
The students of my batch were not much interested in Mathematics, but were in fact looking forward to for the jobs they could acquire after passing this post-graduate title.
I was not an exception.
The Year was 1983, when some alumni decided to arrange a get-together of the past students of this faculty only.
They were all there. About a 100 in number.
I was sitting in the last two benches with my batch-mates.
The H.O.D. was there. Dr.G.S.P. and Dr.P.C. (I think) were present.
And there was the usual exchange of formalities of such a meet of academicians and Scholars.
I was a petty clerk in a bank and had the good fortune of attending such an ‘event’.
The function was concluded and we enjoyed the party afterwards.
--
We 4 (my batch-mates) and some senior and junior students were in a small group exchanging memories of the school.
One Research Scholar who had been a Professor in I.Sc. Bangalore or in some such institute took the center-stage and started a Lecture.
“I shall tell you in very sharp, crisp and direct words what I experienced here in my times when I had been doing P.G.
As my uncle was a Professor of Archaeology (V.S.Agrawal? पुरातत्व का रोमांस), I lived with him during those days.
And there they used to come to see him.
Mostly in the evenings.
And they discussed many things like politics to religion to University-matters.
I had to look after their refreshment and tea-coffee.
I took best advantage of this chance and noted down some conversations in a note-book which is still somewhere there with my old papers, books...
That fortunate evening, there was a ‘guest’. who, ‘shared’ something so original and extra-ordinary, I felt I wold never come across such wisdom and insight in my whole life.
“Look Sir, There are two approaches that inevitably lead to the Ultimate truth.
The one is the question “What is?” and another is “Who is?”.
A physicist keeps finding out “What is?” and hopes to come upon this Ultimate Reality some day.
This is his ‘faith’. The faith of an intellectual who because of his intellectual audaciousness is adamant though ever in confusion and fails to see that Ultimate Reality could not be ‘objectified’. All speculation and thought about ‘object’ is limited to the thinker who is an escape from his own Reality.
Again like this ‘intellectual’ arrogance, there is an ‘ignorant’ arrogance as well which maintains that ‘faith’ is the only ‘God’ and ‘God’ is but ‘faith’ only. And still insists that only his (version of) faith / God is the Real God. And his sacred book is the only scripture. And his own Messiah the only True Messenger.
The intellectual has a firm ‘faith’ in ‘thought’ and yet he doubts the way of ‘faith’ and laughs at the ‘believer’.
The search in ‘What is’ directs the attention to ‘Whatever that exists’ and ultimately is lost in this search. Then one clings to ‘thought’ and ‘concludes’ the ‘thought’ is the only Ultimate Reality.
The search in ‘Who is’ directs the attention to ‘who-so-ever’ –the conscious entity that perceives the objective existence.
Both these searches either keep one stuck into ignorance of the Ultimate Reality, or just keep him moving in circles.
But rather than the 'faith', the Indian Mind has a practical approach into'What is?' and 'Who is?'.
And emphasis is on 'finding out', 'questioning everything', rather than taking things granted. And that needs maturity of mind.Sincerity, earnestness for accepting whatever is found to be unchanging and immutable in this phenomenal existence that is ever so changing. Readiness to discard whatever seems perishable. And in this search, The Indian mind discovered a word 'ब्रह्मन् / brahman / that is
सत् / sat / that is what is meant by 'What is?'. The Indian mind didn't stop at that . 'What is' is though objective Reality, there is an essential counter-part that is 'Who is'.
'What is' and 'Who is' are one and the same and Unique as The existence and the one who observes this Existence. The observer / the consciousness is ever so indivisible with the 'observed' or 'What is'.
This is what 'Spirituality' that could never be equated with 'religion'.
'Spirituality' relegated to tradition is religion.
And tradition continues to survive and prosper because of 'faith' only.
The 'faith' is its own destruction inherently.
For this 'faith' is ever so a thought / idea and never a fact that could be dealt with a practical approach.
The 'faith' in the existence of a 'God' or the 'faith' that there is no such 'God', are but in thought only.
And caught in this or that thought, the thinker repeatedly asserts with the help of thought only the 'faith'. Though every and any faith could be greatly thought-provoking, keeps the mind captive and captivated in ignorance of 'What is.' and 'Who is.'
Such a mind insists vehemently upon 'faith' and at the collective level this results into the multitudes of 'faiths'. Tradition / Religion smothers the spirit of 'finding out'.
--
Listening to his extempore speech which though he halted for a minute or few seconds so as to choose a correct word, I was playing the same role of the Butler who clandestinely remembered and noted J.Krishnamurti's informal conversations with the people of His inner circle while ostensibly 'serving' the snacks and food, tea-coffee.
--
'Fall and fall of Religion' started when tradition was overpowered by people, Kings and Emperors in their penchant for power and authority, and deterioration, degeneration followed which dictated and imposed tradition, ethics, morality and religion.
All faiths ride the same boat.
--
This 'religion' of faith was slowly destroying and distorting the tradition of 'dharma' as was practiced all over the globe. There was the सनातन-धर्म / sanātana-dharma, ब्राह्मण-धर्म / brāhmaṇa-dharma, वर्णाश्रम-धर्म, varṇāśrama-dharma, अब्राह्मण-धर्म, abrāhmaṇa-dharma, all living in harmony with one-another, according to the temperaments and cultures of different societies and races.
Rise of 'Religion' which was basically अब्राह्मण-धर्म, abrāhmaṇa-dharma, though adopted ’यह्वः’ / yahvaḥ, was soon transformed into YHVH > yod-he-vau-he and subsequently was given the status of 'One' God.
Veda has enough evidence how they discovered the Realities of different time-realms and these time-realms are though mutually disjoint and independent of one-another, together constitute the whole picture. Veda prohibit and even dissuade any-one who is not truly deserving and earnest in mind. Veda comprise all knowledge in the essence form though also exhort that the knowledge in terms of thought will lead to deterioration, degeneration and destruction of human mind.
The same thing happened when YHVH > yod-he-vau-he was misinterpreted and that is the kind of
अब्राह्मण-धर्म, abrāhmaṇa-dharma, which was the beginning of the end.
Like-wise अब्राह्मण-धर्म, abrāhmaṇa-dharma, which is correctly pronounced as आब्रह्मन्’ > ābrahman, and means the totality of the manifest (imperatively the father ancient-most of all this 'manifestation') took the tradition of 'Quest into the spiritual' towards freedom of mind / spirit of man. But that undercurrent was soon lost under the religion of tradition.
--
"So what are you coming to or concerned about?"
Some-one interrupted his speech.
"Me? Not at all, I'm just laughing at the collective human stupidity, suicidal ignorance, arrogance of the intellectual or ignorant kind, insensitivity, traditional approach to find out something of consolation or hope but not the Reality. And I don't think man is mature enough, ready and willing to see the things in their right perspective without fear, expectation, ideology, philosophy. 'Thought' is such a futile tool there. And man can't imagine the tyranny of 'thought'. For criticizing some tradition creates enmity and bitterness and adds to the arrogance of the intellectual or the ignorant kind. And intellect could not necessarily be intelligent. The movement of intellect and the Intelligence are so unrelated."
He concluded.
--
Like-wise अब्राह्मण-धर्म, abrāhmaṇa-dharma, which is correctly pronounced as आब्रह्मन्’ > ābrahman, and means the totality of the manifest (imperatively the father ancient-most of all this 'manifestation') took the tradition of 'Quest into the spiritual' towards freedom of mind / spirit of man. But that undercurrent was soon lost under the religion of tradition.
--
"So what are you coming to or concerned about?"
Some-one interrupted his speech.
"Me? Not at all, I'm just laughing at the collective human stupidity, suicidal ignorance, arrogance of the intellectual or ignorant kind, insensitivity, traditional approach to find out something of consolation or hope but not the Reality. And I don't think man is mature enough, ready and willing to see the things in their right perspective without fear, expectation, ideology, philosophy. 'Thought' is such a futile tool there. And man can't imagine the tyranny of 'thought'. For criticizing some tradition creates enmity and bitterness and adds to the arrogance of the intellectual or the ignorant kind. And intellect could not necessarily be intelligent. The movement of intellect and the Intelligence are so unrelated."
He concluded.
--
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