Common misconceptions about Self Realization

 Common misconceptions about self realization 

A series of recent incidents opened a discussion about self realized gurus. What they are perceived to be and how they often disappoint. 

I know two brothers who for the past couple of years have been stretched thin due to the rapidly declining health of both parents. One brother is spiritually inclined, the other not at all. The one who leans toward spiritual routines has been initiated into these by a guru who he met through his wife’s family. Besides the common circus that both brothers have been doing, handling their demanding jobs and the care of their parents, the younger brother is additionally devoting time towards his spiritual duties. When he takes off to meet his guru in the midst of being with his parents, it irks his brother. If the guru has a sixth sense doesn’t he know better to ask his disciple to not leave the side of his parents ? 

The question was steeped in sarcasm stemming from deep distrust in spiritual gurus in general and his brother’s guru in particular. 

What needs to be understood here is sixth sense and common sense. 

Common sense tells us that if parents need our immediate attention and care, God can wait, Guru can wait. To tell a disciple to prioritize service to parents if that is the need of the hour requires common sense, not sixth sense. Any ordinary person can have this sense. There is no reason to think that the guru in this situation lacks it. If he did not tell the disciple to not leave his parents and come all the way to meet him, there could be other reasons for that. May be it wasn’t he who asked the disciple to come. May be some other people coaxed him to go. Or may be he genuinely was aware that taking a day off from parent duty would not create any significant inconvenience and in fact be beneficial to his disciple. There could be a number of plausible reasons. 

The misconception lies in the mind of the brother who questions the authority of the guru based on a presumption that the guru ought to have some sort of a sixth sense, through which he ought to see that the parents are not well and hence he should guide the disciple to stay with them instead of asking him to come to himself. 

Self realization is not synonymous with omniscience. 

Self realization is the process by which one transcends the barriers of mind and body and finds the pure essence of himself and simultaneously also the fact that the same essence pervades rest of creation. The process calls for stringent ethical standards and minimizing of personal needs. 

One who has successfully achieved the difficult feat of sifting the real self out of the thick layers of entities that reveal as non-self, qualities to be called a self realized or enlightened person. 

He is said to have graduated in the science of atma vidya, atma dnyan, Bramha vidya or knowledge of the self. Like any qualified person in any profession or faculty, a person well versed in Bramha Vidya and identified with the pure self is qualified to become a teacher of that subject. 

The process of mind purification that precedes the final revelation can sometimes lead to a certain amount of clairvoyance but that is not a requirement or consistent occurrence. Occasionally special occult powers may accompany the state of self realization. Even these are not essential. Some self realized people have demonstrated these powers on rare occasions. But that is merely to get people interested in the message they carry. Miracles are the easiest way to get people to listen. 

The reality is that self realization carries no mandate for super powers or miracles. It is a way of life that makes you investigate your own real existence. And in the process of that search you gain valuable insights into humanity and the relationship of a human being with everything and everyone around himself. Like the study of any other science it calls for a certain amount of dedication and discipline. 

A person versed in Atma Vidya is simply a person versed in that specific subject. Just like a medical graduate is versed in medical science. A singer is trained in vocal music. The more they practice their art or trade, the more experienced or proficient they become. The same applies to a self realized person. He brews in his knowledge. A singer is not expected to teach medicine, a doctor is not expected to know law, a lawyer is not expected to program software and a programmer is not expected to conduct a symphony. Occasionally a person may have more than one talent or skill.  But you can’t find someone who has all skills in the universe. Dnyaaneshwar is considered one of the finest examples of a self realized genius. But he did not practice medicine or earn renown as a musician or painter or sculptor. He spoke and taught about Atma Vidya. There are anecdotes about some miracles he performed. The goal of those extraordinary feats, as discussed earlier, was to make people pay attention to the valuable message he carried to uplift them from their state of ignorance. He is considered by many to be an incarnation of Vishnu. Yet in that particular manifestation he fulfilled a specific role. An authentic guide for the path of self realization. From the highest point, every person is a manifestation of the supreme being. Every manifestation has unique and limited powers and abilities. Omniscient, omnipotence and omnipresence are characteristics of the Unmanifest being. These characteristics do not apply to manifest beings.

Self realized persons are ordinary people who have conducted a search within themselves and torn past internal barriers to reveal their eternal identity. They still must conduct normal transactional operations in the world as per their place in society. It is a grave mistake to go to them seeking miracles or demonstration of some supernatural power. Go to them if you are seeking peace or internal reform. Go if you are seeking a direction in your life. Go if you are having difficulty interpreting scripture or texts on Atma Vidya. Go if you want to connect with the Unmanifest reality. They can facilitate that meeting if you have difficulty doing it by yourself.

A real guru never ceases to be a student himself. He continues to learn from honest investigation, dialogue and observations. He shares what he has with the sole purpose to help another person grow. He seeks nothing in return. 

It is unwise and unfair to comment about anyone without knowing facts. Not believing is ok. But presuming anything as a fact, dismissing anything as false, without an effort to determine the validity of your presumption is not right. It is plain stupid and immature. Even irresponsible. Yet we see this happening over and over again. People dismiss science. People dismiss research. People dismiss art. People dismiss people. Without a sound basis for the dismissal. 

I can only hope that people can begin to see Atma Vidya in the same light as they see any other branch of science or art and give equal consideration to the students of this subject. It is as absurd to call Atma Vidya as fake and useless as it is to call art as fake and useless. It only reveals the ignorance of the person who sees it that way.