Acharya Mahaprajna
I And Mine [ 2.27 ] – One-sidedness Of Faith
Some of our metaphysicians want to have pulp after destroying the peel. The question is: 'Is it possible?' Have you ever seen a fruit having pulp but no peel? As far as I know, to have pulp it is necessary to have peel. Rejecting its necessity is tantamount to rejecting reality.
You go to a fruit market and buy oranges. Oranges weighing a kilo have about half a kilo of peelings. You do not eat the peelings; you throw it away. Knowing fully well that you will have to throw away the peel, you buy oranges with peel and pay the fruiterer the cost of a kilo of oranges. You accept the usefulness of the peeling pay for it because you know that the cut-slices of oranges cannot survive without the peel. You do throw away the peel but only when it comes to you for eating.
I am comparing the peel with external observances and the pulp with spiritual bliss or self-realization. Self-realization comes by degrees. I concede that external observances do not constitute self-realization. But I have no solid proof for accepting that they are not a means to self-realization. I also concede that the peel has to be given up. But won't you accept that it cannot be given up before the fruit ripens? Every voyager has to give up the ship after reaching the shore, but how can it be given up in midstream? Shall we accept that the ship has no use for reaching the shore? The role of the worthless and the useless is not single and absolute. It is multiple and relative.
One who has fulfilled the role of spiritual realization has no use of external observances. But how can their usefulness be denied for someone who has embarked on the course of spiritual realization? Fruition is aborted if the peel is removed prematurely. Abandoning the ship prematurely results in drowning.
The metaphysical truth which Acharya Rajneesh and Kanji Swamy are expounding can be compared with the following precept: 'Since we have the strength to swim, the ship is not necessary for us, which amounts to denying the need for the peel.' Shall I hold their exposition as untrue? Is there any exposition in which a syaadvadi (one who asserts probability) will not find a fraction of truth?
The above exposition has truth in it but it relates to the explanation of our existence, not to its achievement. Consciousness is full of knowledge, philosophy, bliss and power. In the beginning it is non-manifest. It manifests itself by degrees through the devoted practice of spiritual accomplishment.
This practice has three parts:
- Right Faith
- Right Knowledge
- Right Conduct.
Among them Right Faith is basic. Only after acquiring it does one acquire Right Knowledge and Right Conduct. In its absence the other two cannot be acquired. But this sequential relationship does not mean that once the Right Faith has been acquired Right Knowledge becomes perfect. There is a very wide gap between Right Faith and the perfection of Right Knowledge. All that happens is that on the attainment of Right Faith, the falsehood of knowledge disappears. But knowledge does not become fully manifest and clear. It becomes so through the acquisition of Right Conduct.
The sequential relationship between Right Faith and Right Conduct does not mean that the former automatically generates the latter. Right Conduct is acquired only when the soul becomes concentrated on itself - when self-knowledge is acquired. If self-knowledge and self-love were to yield the same result, everyone concentrating on himself would have become free from all ignorance and passions.
But this is not the case.
Even after acquiring Right Faith, passions are not enfeebled and in the presence of passions Right Knowledge does not manifest itself. If one could acquire all having acquired Right Faith, the period of penance and spirituality would have become redundant. But this is not true of real life.
The need for long spiritual practice remains even after attaining Right Faith.
Even after acquiring perfection of Right Faith perfection of Right Knowledge is not achieved.
Even after acquiring perfection of Right Knowledge perfect stoppage of Karmik influx is not attained, and liberation is not possible without perfect cessation of Karmik influx.
There is no principle that perfection of Right Knowledge and perfect cessation of Karmik influx are ensured by perfection of Right Faith. The principle is that perfection of Right Knowledge is impossible without perfection of Right Faith and perfect cessation of Karmik influx is impossible without perfection of Right Knowledge.
Lord Mahavira had acquired Right Faith. Even after acquiring Right Conduct he performed spiritual practice full of penance for a period of twelve and a half years. The proposition that there is no need of fasting, abstinence from sinful activities by attaining fusion with the true self, etc., is likely to make a person inactive and disloyal to tradition and scriptures, and is incapable of animating his creative consciousness.
A harmonious state of Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct is essential for building creative consciousness. The first part of the principles of its exposition will state that a man should not remain confined to the peel-he should reach the pulp and enjoy it. The second part will state that a man should not deny the usefulness of the peel. The roles of the cover and the content should not be allowed to overlap.
