THE SUPREME QUESTION -- 2

official source: Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 7

cross-references: also published in Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a 
Nutshell Part 8

this version: is the printed Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell 
Part 8, 1st edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been 
corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present 
Electronic Edition.

      During the last dharma-maha'cakra, I said that Brahma is the Knowing Entity, the subjective counterpart, not the objective counterpart; that is, Brahma is the Supreme Subject, not the object. Wherever there is actional expression there are invariably three factors: kartha'(doer), karma (doing) and karana' (the connecting link between kartha' and karma). In the case of creation, Brahma is the doer and the microcosms are His doings or objects of creation. He is the subject and the rest are His objects. As the Supreme Subject He knows His objects, but His objects do not know Him. You know the moon, but the moon does not know you. Your object is, in effect, His object too. All are His manifestation bound by the limitations of Prakrti. That is why, He knows what you know, and not only that, He knows what you do not know. You do not know yourself, but He knows you. You cannot point to any one of His finite manifestation in this quinquelemental world and declare that it is the Supreme Entity. Each finite manifestation is only an infinitesimal part of the vast Macrocosmic body expressed within the bounds of a particular time and space. The rivers and springs, the hills and valleys,the seas and oceans, and the earth itself are nothing more than His finite objective manifestations, perennially proclaiming His infinite glory.

      Yadi manayase suvedeti dabrameva'pi nu'mam' tvam' vettha brahmano ru'pam'.
      Yadasya tvam' yadasya deves'vatha nu miima'm'syameva te manye viditam.

      To know something about Brahma means to know a small fraction of His objective expression. If people claim that they have known Brahma, I will say that they know nothing of Brahma because whatever is known through intellectual effort is not Brahma as the subjective counterpart, but an infinitesimal part of His vast objective expression. Hence it is erroneous, it is the height of foolishness, to claim that one has known Him.

      A microcosm is only a part of His objective manifestation. In order to know Brahma as the Knowing Entity one will have to merge one's self in His subjective bearing. There is no other way. The objective expression of the microcosm is created by the binding faculty of Prakrti; hence, in order to merge in His subjective bearing by discarding one's objective counterpart, the bondages of Prakrti must be broken. Microcosms will have to fight against the static influence of Prakrti. The supreme culmination of this microcosmic struggle is the ensconcement in the field of supreme cognition. The self-seeking disciples of the rs'i realised that it is futile to show off one's egoism by declaring that one has attained Brahma. They understood the true relationship between the microcosm and the Macrocosm, and proclaimed,

	Na'ham' manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca
	Yo nastadveda tadveda no na vedeti veda ca.

      " I cannot say that I have known Brahma perfectly, because to know Brahma in His entirety the entire Brahma should be my psychic object. But it is not possible for the small-I to know even His finite manifestation, far less the entire Brahma. On the other hand, I cannot emphatically declare that I do not know Him, because by saying that, Brahma indirectly becomes my psychic object."

      The person who has realised the significance of the positive and negative statement, "I know Brahma" and "I do not know Brahma," knows Him.

      When after due deliberation, one accepts one of two opposing psychic projections, either the positive or the negative, causing it to be firmly rooted in the mind, it is called siddha'nta (conclusion). But Brahma is beyond the periphery of the positive and the negative. Hence He cannot come within the scope of siddha'nta .

      Yasya'matam tasya matam' matam' yasya na veda sah
	Avijina'ta'm vija'natam' vijina'tamavija'nata'm.

      Do you know the difference between intellectual knowledge and spiritual knowledge? Intellectual knowledge is psychic, and thus cannot help one to attain Brahma. Those who think they do not know Brahma, have perhaps known Him; and those who think they know Him after reading many books, most probably know nothing about Him. The so-called pandits know nothing of Brahma, whereas the so-called illiterate people may be successful in attaining Him.

      Yato va'co nivarttante apra'pya manasa' saha
	A'nandam' brahman'o vidva'n na vibheti kutashcana.

      "The one from whom words and mind return disappointed, after trying to fathom His depths, is Brahma".

      After knowing that Entity, the Embodiment of Supreme Bliss, all the fetters snap open. Remember, the mind cannot fathom Him. To attain Him one must merge one's mind in Him.

      Ratna'karastavagrham' grhin'ii ca padma'
	Deyam' kimapi bhavate purus'ottama'ya
	A'bhiirava'manayana'pahrtama'nasa'ya
	Dattam' manah yadupate tvamidam' grha'n'a.

      The Supreme Entity is beyond the scope of mind. That is why only foolish people declare themselves Brahmajina'na(one who knows Brahma). Just as a worm-eaten flower cannot be presented as an offering, similarly, a mind eaten by ego cannot be offered to Purus'ottama. Hence, before merging one's mind in Him one must sincerely endeavour to destroy all the worms of the mind.

      Pratibodha viditam' matamamrtatvam' hi vindate
	A'tmana' vindate viiryam' vidyaya' vindate'mrtam.

      A sincere spiritual aspirant understands that Parama Purus'a is the Prati bodhasattha' (Omni-telepathic Entity). What does this mean ? Mind is the perceiver and the apparent knower of objects. The subjective emanations from this perceiving mind are finally reflected in the Cognitive Faculty. Hence the Cognitive Faculty is called the Omni-telepathic Entity. Only when psychic emanations are reflected on the cognitive plate, can one acquire some kind of intellectual knowledge. The Omni-telepathic Entity is like a mirror. When a spiritual aspirant, after relinquishing the authorship of actions, is established in this Omni-telepathic Entity, he or she attains immortality. As this Entity is free from the bondage of mind, obviously He is not bound by spatial, temporal and personal bondages, and hence is not subject to waxing or waning. For waxing and waning to occur a third entity is required. But as there cannot exist any other entity except that Infinite Knowing Entity, no external pressure can bring about any change in Him. He is beyond the scope of mutability, beyond birth and death. Rather, He is the Source of mutability, the source of birth and death of all finite objects. But He Himself is undecaying, undying.

      The nature of reflection depends upon the nature of the object placed before the reflecting place. A fully-bloomed flower and a withered flower cast totally different reflections on a mirror. Is the mirror affected by the changes in the condition of the flower?

      What happens to those who accept the Supreme Entity not only as the Omni-telepathic Entity, but as the life of their lives, the soul of their souls? who accept Him as an object of genuine devotional sentiment? The answer is that they will certainly attain immortality. The manifestation of the Supreme Entity will be clearer in those who are free from the vanity of intellectual knowledge, who love Him as the soul of their soul.The more elevated they become, the more their existence will glitter with spiritual effulgence. Brahma is love personified, Brahma is unbounded. One who is in deep love with Him will steadily advance towards the infinite from the world of finitude.

Accelerated progress towards the Supreme occurs in the flow of Pratisaincara with the help of the force of Vidya'. Though Vidya' is non-existent in the Supreme stance, it takes microcosms right to the door of the Supreme Stance. Hence it is said, Sa vidya'ya' vimuktaye. "Vidya is that which leads to complete emancipation". In the pursuit of knowledge the Supreme Entity is your Omni-telepathic Entity, and in the path of devotion He is the big-I of your small-I.

      Iha ced vediidatha satyamasti na cedi'ha' vediinmahatii vinas't'ih 
Bhu'tes'u bhu'tes'u vicintya dhiira'h pretya'sma'llonka'damrta'h bhavanti.

      Progress along the path of devotion is sweet and smooth. However the one who advances only a short way along the path of knowledge is soon assailed on all sides by the laments of the parched desert. No matter what the nature of one's sa'dhana' might be, one will have to practice sa'dhana' in this world; one will not get the opportunity after death. It is up to you to choose between the path of divinity and the path of animality. But remember, the highest fulfillment in life lies in Brahma sa'dhana'. The attainment of immortality lies in the pursuit of this path. Only through Brahma sa'dhana' can one properly evaluate life and attain genuine progress. The fulfillment of a bud lies in its unfoldment, not in its withering. Those who spend life in the pursuit of limited mundane objects allow the bud of their lives to wither, and regress along the path of negative Pratisaincara to suffer the eventual miserable plight of becoming as inert as bricks, stones or iron, what to speak of dogs or cats. This process of crudification will lead to the total annihilation of their latent humanity.

      An intelligent person should not follow the path of annihilation, but the path of spiritual unfoldment. The pursuit of dharma is the path leading to progress. Life reaches a glorious culmination and supreme fulfillment only in this pursuit of dharma.

      The common masses cannot easily realise that they are moving towards their annihilation. So intelligent people should point out their mistakes and inspire them to move along the path of progress. Just as motorists  are warned about a road under repair with the signboard "Danger ahead", similarly those moving along the wrong path should be warned of the impending danger by the well-wishers of society and guided along the proper path. To render this service is everyone's bounden duty.

      All petty thoughts and narrow sentiments disappear from the mind of a person moving towards the Supreme Entity. Brahma includes all; therefore to love Brahma means to love all. So Brahma sa'dhakas see Brahma in everyone and everything, loving all equally. They look upon all countries as their own country, all languages as their own language, and all races as their own race.

      Even the worms and insects that infest hell are as dear to them as the greatest of human beings. To them, the importance and glamour of tiny ant is equal to that of an elephant. They realise that the entire universe is their own self, that the all-thinking Brahma is their own all-thinking self. This is the true stance of immortality.

Paos' Pu'rn'ima' 1958, Trimohan, Bhagalpur
Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 7