"If you are lucky, you get out of the trap of knowledge" ~ UG

    

    In this audio clip (please scroll down to the bottom), UG deconstructs 'knowledge', uncovering its true nature and exposing its serious limitations. 

    Knowledge or 'intellectual wealth' is considered the pinnacle of human achievement, setting us apart from the rest of creation. This is made possible, thanks largely to our 'plastic brain' (the 'neocortex' or the 'gray matter') that sits atop the old limbic-reptilian brain complex. It is the most pliable or the 'biologically programmable' cortical structure, that forms our cognitive or intellectual apparatus. 

    

    'Brain plasticity' refers to the flexibility or pliability of the brain cells or neurons in the cortex that grow, regrow, shrink, connect or reconnect in trillion different ways with other cells in the brain to form powerful neuronal networks to achieve new functionalities or capabilities. 

_______________________________________________________

    An aside:

 

Scientific research has clearly established the fact that any learning or cognitive undertaking results in the growth of tens of thousands of new dendritic connections (finger like projections) at the terminus of each neuron. A single neuron is known to grow anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand new connections (like the roots of a tree) whenever we embark on a new learning journey. Each brain cell then begins to grow new 'fingers' that reach out and form new associations with thousands of other neurons in different parts of the brain. This results in the acquisition of new capabilities or skillsets for the learner.

_______________________________________________________

    Yes, 'brain programming' or 'rewiring' is found to be the direct consequence of academic learning or environmental conditioning. This incredible biological adaptation to new environments or new experiences has not only helped humans to survive and thrive in challenging and hostile environments but it has helped us to undertake incredible intellectual adventures. 

    The human aspiration to explore 'life' or 'nature' or 'reality' is therefore, grounded in brain biology, in the uncharted wilderness of gray matter. 

    The pursuit of reality has uncovered many a secret of nature in the form of scientific or technical knowledge, giving us its many wonderful treasures. But on the flipside, it has also resulted in human overreach, the audacity to play god, to lord over all other forms of life, and to plunder and pollute the planet. 

    Yes, exploration of reality has gone awry and turned into exploitation of nature. 

****

    'Knowledge' is nothing but the enormous 'information dump' left behind by the pursuit of 'reality', human inquiry into the physical, or the metaphysical. 

    There are a number of paths or approaches to reality, including that of the scientist or the philosopher or the seeker etc., throwing up enormous amounts of 'intellectual litter'. UG refers to this knowledge dump as the 'world mind'. 

    'World mind' is thus the sum and substance of all that humans have thought, felt and experienced . It foms the very foundation of human knowledge and culture. We are all mere puppets in a culture-soaked, knowledge-driven society where information dictates every aspect of our daily life. 

    Knowledge has bestowed upon us many gifts, comforts and conveniences, but has also created the bomb and other weapons of mass destruction. It has become the albatross around our necks. The onus is entirely on us, individually and collectively, to beware of its limitations, and to steer clear of its dangers and traps. 

    Knowledge is a humungous repository of answers or solutions distilled from human exploration into various aspects of life or reality. Unfortunately, we have not found any answers or solutions to the burning problems of greed, anger, jealousy, inequality, racism, hatred, wars etc. These are the 'problems of living' (UG) born in relationships and interactions.

    There is no 'silver bullet' or 'one-size-fits-all' solution for living problems. 

    Each individual is unique, coming from an entirely different background. Each of us is saddled with peculiar circumstances, problems and challenges. Overwhelmed and helpless, we begin to seek answers or solutions from external sources. But we soon discover that all borrowed answers are woefully inadequate to address our unique challenges. Saddled with incomplete or incompatible answers, we fall into an abyss of self-doubt and despair. This sets off an avalanche of new questions. 

    We fail to see the beauty of this simple truism,  

    "All your questions are born of answers (given out by others)" ~ UG

    " So, what is necessary is not to find out the answer for the question, but understand that the question which you are asking, posing yourself and putting it to somebody is born out of the answer (knowledge) you already have, which is the knowledge."~ UG  

    What we fail to see is that majority of our problems are basically the 'problems of choice', rooted entirely in our own likes, dislikes, prejudices or biases.  

     For UG, all human 'problems' are nothing more than 'conflicts of interest'. He explains that for every situation in life, there is always an adequate, appropriate and definitive solution. But that solution demands a course of action beyond all personal likes or dislikes. Our tendency to cherry-pick a particular course of action, most suitable to us, complicates the matters and perpetuates the problem. 

    UG offers this wonderful tip for a conflict-free life, 

    " Don't seek, don't reject."

    Life is really that simple. It is our personal preferences or choices that turn ordinary situations into extraordinary problems. Even mere labelling of a situation as 'uncomfortable' or 'unfavorable' midwifes the birth of a nonexistent problem. 

  

****

    In this audio clip, UG highlights some of the traps and pitfalls of acquired knowledge, especially of the spiritual or cultural kind. 

    UG points out that 'knowledge of reality' has nothing to do with 'reality'. For him, even reality is a fabrication. He explains that the human pursuit of reality is fuelled by the false assumption of reality leading to relentless acquisition of information and the buildup of falsified or flawed knowledge of reality. Over time, this body of knowledge turns into 'de facto' authority. Therein lies the danger, the trap and the tyranny of spiritual or cultural knowledge. 

    " If you are lucky enough, it's only luck, to get out of this trap of knowledge, the question of reality is not there anymore." ~ UG

    UG drills home the human gullibility and absurdity in unmistakable terms,

    " And that assumption (that there is reality) is born out of this knowledge you have, of and about the reality. So, when this (assumption) is not there, the knowledge is (also) not there. The knowledge is the answer you already have. That is why you are asking the question. The question automatically goes." ~ UG

    Knowledge, the spiritual or the cultural kind, wields tremendous clout over people and nations. A book or a sermon or a stone tablet or a hymnal could turn into a powerful authority that could hold sway over millions of followers. The faithfuls blindly follow such authority with unquestioning obedience.There ensues division between the followers and non-followers, followed by hatred, conflicts and wars. This is the naked reality of the civilised world.

    Knowledge, with its grandiose promise of 'heaven on earth' goes terribly astray, leading us on to the prickly path of hell. 

       ****

   The hegemony of knowledge over humans is thus total and complete. There is no escape from its vicious grip. Seeing through its limitations is the only way to steer clear of its many traps. That is the awakening of intelligence. 

    "Intelligence is to see one's own limitations" - UG

    Once intelligence is awakened, knowledge falls into its rightful place in the scheme of things. We could then use knowledge as and when needed without falling into its trap. 

    Acquired knowledge or literacy remains the primary currency of the human world but is no match to the native intelligence of the body that is unrivalled and unparallelled. 

   " All that is necessary for the survival of this living organism is already there. All that is gathered and acquired through intellect (KNOWLEDGE) is no match to the tremendous intelligence of the body." ~ UG

    Here is yet another passage nailing the unassailable truth from Tao Teh Ching of the great Tao master, Lao Tzu

****

Audio Clip

Audio Transcription

Q: What I am asking is, is there any chance - I understand that there is no method - but is there any chance of getting out of this 'knowledge of reality' to [actual] reality?

UG: If you are lucky enough, it's only luck, to get out of this trap of knowledge, the question of reality is not there anymore.

    Because the question (what is reality?) is thrown out by this knowledge which is still interested in finding out the reality of things and to experience for yourself directly what the reality is all about. 

    So, when this (interest or curiosity in finding out the reality) is not there, the question is also not there. So, there is no need for finding out any of these because this question which you are posing, you said, and also putting it to me, is born out of the assumption that there is a reality. 

    And that assumption (that there is reality) is born out of this knowledge you have, of and about the reality. So, when this is not there, the knowledge is not there. The knowledge is the answer you already have. That is why you are asking the question. The question automatically goes. 

    So, what is necessary is not to find out the answer for the question, but understand that the question which you are asking, posing yourself and also putting it to somebody, is born out of the answer you already have, which is the knowledge.

    So, the question-and-answer format, if we indulge in for long, becomes a meaningless ritual, the question-and-answer business. 

    But if you are really interested in finding out the reality, this has to dawn on you that your very questioning mechanism is born out of the answers that you already have. Otherwise, there can't be any questions because it's an assumption on your part that there is reality, first of all. And then there is something that you can do to experience the reality of things without the knowledge. The knowledge gives you the experience of reality, that is for sure.

    So if this is not there, is there any other way of experiencing the reality? You are asking the question, the question goes with the answer.

    So there is no need to ask questions and there is no need to answer.

    I am not trying to be clever, I am just spotlighting what is involved in the question and answer business. I'm not actually answering any of the questions, just pointing out you cannot have any questions.

    What you have may be answers. 

****