WHAT IS THE END OF LEARNING?

                                                           

Knowledge is gained through books and there is nothing that we cannot learn through books on different subjects. But most of the books we read are on subjects related to material and worldly things  They help us to make our life comfortable, happy and luxurious. Our life is intended for higher things and a proper understanding of the purpose of life is absolutely essential for every person. There are books of the hour which we read to pass our time and forget soon. There are also books of all time that we cherish, keep them at home and go back to them again and again, Books of the hour are worth their weight and are consigned to the paper buyer. But books of all time invite us to read them again and   again.This takes us to the question ‘what is the end o of learning.’

           In spirituality the end of learning is not mere knowledge. Knowledge itself, in the real sense, means knowledge of the self or a realization that we are not the external body but the inner, indestructible Self!  Books of all time, like the Vedas ,Upanishads, itihasas, puranas and other scriptures or sacred books tell us the only way to God. In other words they indicate the means for the realization of God. Man should not stop at that point.  The next step is to work his way to the realization of his goal. The ordinary knowledge we get is worldly and ephemeral. The enjoyment through such knowledge is not everlasting as our existence itself is limited and uncertain.

           Higher knowledge by which we know God is called PARA VIDYA. All else, mere scriptures, philosophy, logic, or grammar are a burden and confuse the mind! That is why Adi Sankara advises the man to think of Govinda in his last moments instead of memorizing the grammar rule” dukrunkarane” Books are good so long as they lead you to God. Otherwise they are mere knots creating difficulties. To say that we can know God only through books is wrong.  Hearing and seeing or realizing are far more superior to reading. Hearing through the Guru leaves a better impression and more than that seeing leaves the best and   after learning all sciences and scriptures  realize that they know nothing!

greatest impression on the mind. Our visit to any place is the best when we see it actually rather than hearing or reading about it. People who are not encumbered with learning, that is, people who do not borrow thoughts from others attain self knowledge. The second type are those who ,

             Book learning makes the person proud and arrogant. A sincere devotee even if takes a wrong path, is rescued by the Lord. The story by Sri Ramakrishna is very interesting. Two friends went to an orchard full of mango trees. The worldly wise man counted the number of mango trees, the number of mangoes in each tree and estimated the value of the orchard. The other friend went to the owner of the orchard, made friends with him, and with his permission plucked the mangoes and started eating them. Who is the wiser of the two? You can easily guess.  What is the use of counting trees and leaves and fruits and calculations? The man with learning or wisdom ‘makes friends with the creator and enjoys his gift of supreme bliss.

              Sri Ramakrishna speaks of Sri Chaitanya who came across a person shedding profuse tears on hearing a discourse on the Gita by the pandit. The devotee was totlay illiterate. He could not follow a single text of the Gita.  He was questioned why he was shedding tears. He agreed that he was an illiterate man. But he had an inner vision of Lord Krishna seated on the chariot in front of Arjuna on the battle field of Kurukshetra! Having that vision all the while and hearing the sublime thoughts of the Gita he could not but shed tears of joy!  This man,totally an illiterate, had the highest knowledge or learning as he had pure love for God and could realize Him

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