Knowledge Through Intuition

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

Knowledge Through Intuition
At several places the Upanishads clearly state that intellect or discursive reason is not
adequate to grasp the Supreme. “Speech, with the mind, turns away unable to reach it”. “The eye
cannot perceive it, nor can speech describe it, while the mind cannot reach there. We do not know
how we can reach it.” “The great Spirit transcends the reason.” “That which one cannot think with
the mind, but that by which they say the mind is made to think, know that alone to be the Brahman.”
“It cannot be apprehended by word or eye.” “Through argumentation, it cannot be grasped.” “Much
learning, genius, or knowledge of books cannot lead us to the Atman.”
That the Brahman cannot be known through a study of the Vedas is the earlier view
maintained by the Upanishads. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Janaka who has studied the
Vedas and heard the Upanishads confesses that he is ignorant of what will become to him when he
is dead. In the Chhandogya Upanishad, Narada who has studied the Vedas, history, science,
philosophy, fine arts, politics and the art of warfare, confesses that he is only a knower of scriptures
and not of the Atman, and so he was still plunged in misery. In both of these Upanishads, Svetaketu,
the son of Aruni, who was well-taught by his father in all branches of learning, confesses to
Pravahana Jaivali that he does not know the mysteries of death and birth; and in Chhandogya
Upanishad, after a twelve year study of the Vedas, Svetaketu is still depicted as ignorant of that by
knowing which all that is unheard is heard and all that is unknown is known.
The Mundaka Upanishad finally sums up this trend of thought by saying that all the four
Vedas and the six Vedangas are inferior knowledge, while superior knowledge is that by which the
Imperishable is known. The Brihadaranyaka, therefore, advises us not to study too many books, as
that is only a cause of fatigue, but to cultivate Prajna or intuition. Having spurned scholarship, the
seeker after Brahman should become like a child. This reminds us of Christ’s teaching, “Except ye
be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.”