Why is a Knowledge a direct cause for Liberation?

Chinmaya International Foundation > Why is a Knowledge a direct cause for Liberation?

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- April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm #623852
  
  dadmin CIF
  Keymaster
  
  There are a few points here. Direct cause, knowledge, liberation. I’ll try to explain as I understand it.
  
  Direct cause — when it is said that the Knowledge is the direct cause it means in the end that is the main cause. E.g. if I say the direct cause of hunger-removal is swallowing the food then it means that no matter what I do, until I actually swallow the food, the hunger will not go away. But we need to understand that there are other causes here – e.g. cooking, putting the food in mouth, act of chewing, etc. but of course the final and ultimate result of all of this is that the food goes down the throat. That is the direct cause. Similarly, for ‘liberation’, the self-knowledge is the direct cause (this is the only thing that will remove the ignorance) but there are other causes that will lead one to knowledge (e.g. mind purification, shravaNam, etc.)
  
  Knowledge — here, knowledge = self-knowledge and it means the generation of the aham-brahma-asti vRtti in the mind (it is not the words, it is not the books, it is specifically the outcome of the shravanam in the form of doubt-free understanding). This will make my nature evident to me and that dispels the ignorance.
  
  Liberation — liberation means freedom from samsara. Samsara is result of ignorance. Knowledge is a direct cause of liberation means that once my own nature is evident to me (after chittashuddhi and shravanam, mananam, etc.), the ignorance will just disappear (meaning I will not attach undue value to objects based on my raga/dvesha). So nothing more than knowledge is required to know that I am ever free and wasn’t bound in the first place. It is like me having my glasses on my head and looking for it. After a bit of searching a friend (whom I trust) points out they are on my head. His words generate the understanding in my head. And that understanding alone ‘gives’ me my glasses – I really didn’t need to travel anywhere or do anything to ‘attain’ my glasses.
- April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm #623848
  
  Arvind1 Kannan
  Participant
  
  Liberation is your own nature. Anything done by action will perish. Liberation is not created by action. What prevents the dawn of Knowledge is ignorance. Therefore Knowledge alone is the antidote for ignorance, and when that happens the Self shines on its own.
- April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm #623850
  
  Dr Harish Krishanswamy
  Participant
  
  Yes, Knowledge here is not something that of worldy as we usually take knowledge to be. This is the knowledge of OUR TRUE SELF. That is real knowledge and once we have that knowledge, we are liberated.
  
  Liberation is not possible without the Knowledge of the Self. To quote Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 4 verse 37) – As the blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the Fire of Knowledge reduce all actions (bondage) to ashes. Jnana Yagnas impart Self-Knowledge which destroys the root cause of sorrow.
- April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm #623887
  
  Manoj Ambardekar
  Participant
  
  My understanding is that “knowledge of the atman” – aham brahmasmi when experienced by a seeker will give liberation. Any good text like Atma Bodha or Gita can be the start of the journey! Best Wishes.
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