Ignorance - By Sai Baba Of India

IGNORANCE explained by Sai Baba
The ignorance is described by several names. It is sometimes called 'tamas' and sometimes called 'Moha'. There are many other names like 'avyakta', 'Maya' and so on. Man tries to create an illusion, in his own mind about what does not really exist. Man also tries to forget what really exist. The creation of something which does not exist is described 'vikshepana'. This is also to forget what really exists. In these two things, man experiences illusion. Just as in the case of a rope mistaken for a snake, the rope constitutes the basis, so also for all the creation we see around us, the basis is Paramatma, the Lord. One aspect is to find that reality is covered by something called 'avarana'. For this process, there are three states of our body, one is the gross body, the other is the subtle body and the third is the causal body. In creation there are two methods - One is the individual purpose and the other is the collective purpose. A tree represents an individual form and the forest indicates the community, the totality of trees. The house is an individual form. A village consisting of several houses is a total form. Here one human body becomes an individual form.

The combination of several such individual forms becomes a total community. Without an individual form, we cannot have a total group form. The most important characteristic of the human form is the blood, the life blood that flows from head to toe. The total life flow that is contained in all the individuals that make up the community gives you the total group. The causal body is the third aspect of the body. The totality of all such forms constitutes the jeeva. The totality of the subtle forms is called 'Hiranyagarbha'. The individual form of the subtle is called 'taijasa'. The totality of the gross body is called 'virata'. The individual gross body is 'viswa'. The aspect of Atma has been taught to us by presenting one and the same individual in three different forms, the gross, the subtle and the causal form. It has become common for us to hide the connection that exist between the five elements that constitute the basis of creation and of the atma. Because ignorance covers the reality here, it has been called 'avarana'. This 'avarana' is of two kinds. One is called 'asat', related to untruth and the other is called 'abhava' related to wrong ideas. The idea that sprouts from the feeling that the particular thing does not exist is represented by untruth of 'asat'. If there is a feeling that one does not know whether that particular item exist or does not exist, it is referred to as 'abhava'. This type of 'abhava' is responsible for 'Samsara'. 'Vikshepa' is the main path for liberation or moksha. 'manana' and 'nidhidhayasana' are two
other processes by which this ignorance of 'asat' can be got rid of. 'Manana' consists of thinking over or contemplation of what you listen to 'nidhidhayasana' consists of digesting what you have taken in the form of the listening. By just sarvana' or listening, one can understand only to
limited extent the nature of the item. It is only after' going through those three steps 'sravana' 'manana and 'nidhidhayasana' that one can remove this ignorance of 'asat'.

(* S.S B. 1977)

Do not feel proud of your learning and think that you are a very knowledgeable person. To think that, because of the limited education you have had, you are better than others is a matter of warranted pride and ego and you have to give up. In truth you are an embodiment of ignorance.

Oh man; just as you cannot see the stars shire during the day, as a result of your ignorance you are not able to see God who gives you prosperity and just because of this, do not think that GOD does not exist. You are not being able to see Him as a result of your ignorance. There is no death for the two great qualities sathya and dharma, truth and righteousness.

(* S.S. B. 1974)

Ignorance so fundamental and so deep can be destroyed only by the sword of Sathya or TRUTH
(** S.S.S. Vol. VIII )

The fundamental ignorance, my dear fool, is : identification of yourself with something that is not you; viz. the body. Deha is Anaatma; you; believe that it is the Atma!

Ignorance or Ajnana, has to be transformed first. That Ajnana does not exist alone; it has an offspring, ahamkara (ego), selfishness.
This Asura (ogre), again, has two children, Raga and Vasana, Passion and Craving respectively. Raga means attachment.

Ignorance is the basis of the misapprehension.

- Sai Baba