Knowledge is the establishing of links between things already known and things unknown. It is adding new experiences upon an existing accumulation of experiences in the subconscious. If something attracts one’s attention, a connection is established with some previous experience. This starts a fresh trail of links between the present and past impressions. Every new experience will thus trigger off a corresponding reaction into the subconscious and a gathering of new experiences. This state of gathering is called knowledge. It is obvious one cannot acquire knowledge until one already has a stock up of some past knowledge.
Knowledge is the recognition of the new through association with matching old impressions already stored in the subconscious. It is the establishing of association with like impressions in one’s subconscious mind. To know anything thoroughly one has to bring together all similar experiences, knowledge being the linking of new impressions with similar impressions of the past. Otherwise one cannot gain any further knowledge. To know about a building one has to make the round of the building, inspect every room, walls, ceiling, floor, rooftop, etc and compile all this information. Only then can one have a clear idea of the building. By merely standing and seeing its facade one cannot write a ‘thesis’ on the building!
Man is probably the most ignorant being. Man knows only one part of himself. So he can only know one part of the universe, not the whole of it. The subconscious, the conscious and the superconscious which constitute man’s intelligence, and the Universal Intelligence, as any ensuing modifications, constitute the universe. Our perception of the universe is thus limited by our limited consciousness. We cannot have full knowledge of the universe unless we go beyond our consciousness. Until then that part of the universe beyond our consciousness will remain unknown to us. Thus, we can neither deny nor speculate on its existence.
What is unknown and without former links will remain unknown. Until we find its association we must recognise and acknowledge our limited knowledge. We shall have find ways and means to go beyond the conscious mind and beyond the unknown universe to come to some valid, sound or logical conclusion. Only then shall we have knowledge of the unknown beyond reason! Then and then alone will the universe stand explained.
Consciousness is only the surface of the mental ocean. Within its depths, in the subconscious, is stored up all our past experiences. The conscious is constantly changing. Past experiences are being continually stored up in the subconscious. The whole universe is built up on a similar pattern. As the part is a microcosm of the whole, so the whole is a macrocosm of the part.
Parallel with the individual mind, there is a universal mind – a cosmic mind so to speak. Behind the mind there is the universal gross body, behind it a universal fine body, behind that a universal mind and finally a universal consciousness; and behind that a Universal Intelligence! To realise the individual Self (atma) is to realise the Universal Self (Paramatma). This is the whole aim of meditation.
We have seen that the microcosm and the macrocosm are built on exactly the same plan. In the microcosm man knows only the middle part, the conscious. He knows neither the subconscious nor the superconscious. Thus, man cannot come to any sound conclusion concerning himself; still less concerning the universe or creation.
Consciousness therefore has to be thoroughly understood. Every new experience of man’s conscious mind is being constantly replaced by another new experience. All these past experiences having been replaced by the present, become stored in man’s subconscious mind. Because these past experiences have become subconscious, we are not aware of their presence in us. Nevertheless, unconsciously they influence both our body and mind. That which is termed habit and which acts as second nature, without the help of consciousness, was previously consciousness. Through constant association these past conscious experiences receive the necessary impetus to manifest spontaneously as instinct.
The basis of the unconscious is the conscious. The unconscious thoughts (impressions) are the millions and millions of our previous conscious thoughts, old conscious actions, which have sunk deep within our subconscious mind. We have forgotten these because it is not possible to remember them, see them or know them. But somehow, some of these past impressions are decaying and stinking deep within our subconscious. This is the potential danger: they represent the unconscious causes that bring the downfall of man. It is really a tremendous psychological problem.
True psychology would be to try and bring these smouldering stinks under the control of the conscious. This would be just one step forward in the right direction. It is vital to control the unconscious. The great task would consist in revitalizing the whole man in such a way to make him his own absolute master. It is no secret that yogis, those highly evolved souls, can control at will their heartbeats and various organs of their body. Hence control of the unconscious would be the first step.
The second and most vital course consists of going beyond the conscious. For just as one has to toil hard on the unconscious beneath the conscious, similarly one has to labour above the conscious to reach the superconscious, which state when attained, man becomes free and divine. Weakness becomes infinite power, bondage becomes freedom and death becomes immortality. That is the goal of man’s phenomenal life: the infinite realm of the superconscious. This is man’s spiritual perfection which can only come through meditation.
Unless the dual task is undertaken, the rehabilitation of man in his true divine nature can never be achieved. Man will never evolve nor free himself from the bondage of ignorance and suffering. The perfect man is he who through long practice in meditation attains to this truth.
Man knows only one part of God just as he knows only one part of the universe. All the rest is beyond human cognition. Man’s own imperfect knowledge makes him see imperfection in God and His creation. The only way to understand Him and His universe is to go beyond reason, beyond consciousness: beyond what is known. Only when man goes beyond them will he find the ‘Perfect Harmony’, and not before.