The distinction between knowledge and ignorance starts with the hymns of the RigVeda, where knowledge means being conscious of the Truth and what is right, and ignorance is being unconscious of the Truth and what is right, opposing it and creating false or negative effects.
concept
Differences
Differences refer to the varied perspectives and distinctions across world spiritual traditions. Traditions converge in recognizing the importance of understanding and respecting differences. They diverge in their interpretations and approaches to embracing or transcending these differences.
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Quotes
The Jivas are distinct from God and matter. According to Madhva, the difference between Brahman and Jiva is real.
Avidya is a form of Prakriti that obscures the spiritual powers of the individual soul, forming a veil that hides the Supreme from the individual's vision.
But the knowledge that sees in all beings various distinct entities, separate from one another — know that knowledge to be rajasic.
पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान् | वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम् ||१८-२१||
There are two kinds of beings created in this world, the divine and the demonic. The divine has been described at length; now hear from me about the demonic, Partha.
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च | दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु ||१६-६||
Everyone follows their own imagined path; the endless variety of misdeeds cannot be put into words.
The person who accurately knows the names of the unmanifest, the qualities, and their pure operations, is well-versed in the truth about all distinctions, freed from the body, liberated from all qualities, and enjoys absolute happiness.
The collective is a mass that forms and takes shape, while the individual is the one who discovers truth, creates form, and brings things into being.
Infact uniformity is not something that we require. What we need is unity - unity in diversity. We do not want uniformity of material goods but unity of hearts.
As a matter of fact all the objects created by God are meant for all human beings. It is man himself who is imposing limits on them because of his own selfishness and narrow-mindedness. That is why man is suffering.
The sacrifice devoid of injunction, in which no food is distributed, without sacred verses, without gifts to the priests, and empty of faith — that they call tamasic.
विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् | श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ||१७-१३||
Food too, which is dear to all, is of three kinds; and so are sacrifice, austerity, and giving. Hear the distinction among them.
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः | यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ||१७-७||
Sattvic people worship the gods; rajasic people worship yakshas and rakshasas; and others, the tamasic, worship ghosts and hosts of spirits.
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः | प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ||१७-४||
Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, left overnight, the leavings of others, and impure, is dear to the tamasic.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् | उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ||१७-१०||
Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry, and burning are craved by the rajasic, and they produce pain, grief, and disease.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः | आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ||१७-९||
In just this way the individual self of the wise one dissolves into the Supreme Self. Day and night, everywhere and always, the wise one delights in that Oneness.
तथैव ज्ञानी जीवात्मा परमात्मनि लीयते । ऐक्येन रमते ज्ञानी यत्र तत्र दिवानिशम्
Just as water merges into the ocean, milk into milk, and clarified butter into clarified butter; just as the space within a broken pot merges into the open sky — so does the individual self merge into the Supreme Self.
समुद्रे च यथा तोयं क्षीरे क्षीरं घृते घृतम् । भिन्ने कुंभे यथाकाशस्तथात्मा परमात्मनि
Salutations to the Guru — by whose knowledge the universe is no longer seen as fractured into separate parts, who is ever one, whose form is forever the same undivided wholeness.
यस्य ज्ञानादिदं विश्वं न दृश्यं भिन्नभेदतः । सदेकरूपरूपाय तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः
The Guru is not separate from the self that knows — this is truth, truly the truth, beyond all doubt. Therefore the wise must earnestly strive to attain that realization.
गुरुर्बुद्ध्यात्मनो नान्यत् सत्यं सत्यं न संशयः । तल्लाभार्थं प्रयत्नस्तु कर्तव्यो हि मनीषिभिः
The dispute is not that of languages, neither states nor nations; the problem lies in not treating others as our own, in treating them as lower than ourselves, inferior to ourselves.