Nature of the Divine Incarnation

 

Vijnāna or Transcendental Knowledge

“… If a thorn has entered your foot, get another thorn and with its help take out the first; then throw away the second also.”

M: "Should one throwaway both knowledge and ignorance?" 

MASTER: "Yes. That is why one should acquire vijnāna. You see, he who is aware of light is also aware of darkness. He who is aware of happiness is also aware of suffering. He who is aware of virtue is also aware of vice. He who is aware of good is also aware of evil.  He who is aware of holiness is also aware of unholiness. He who is aware of 'I' is also aware of 'you'. 

"What is vijnāna? It is knowing God in a special way. The awareness and conviction that fire exists in wood is jnāna, knowledge. But to cook rice on that fire, eat the rice, and get nourishment from it is vijnāna. To know by one's inner experience that God exists is jnāna. But to talk to Him, to enjoy Him as Child, as Friend, as Master, as Beloved, is vijnāna. 

The realization that God alone has become the universe and all living beings is vijnāna.” 

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 288 (7 September 1883)

Best Devotee

 

Jnāni and Lover of God

The Jnāni experiences God-Consciousness within himself; it is like the upper Ganges, flowing in only one direction. To him the whole universe is illusory, like a dream; he is always established in the Reality of Self. 

But with the lover of God the case is different. His feeling does not flow in only one direction. He feels both the ebb-tide and the flood-tide of divine emotion. He laughs and weeps and dances and sings in the ecstasy of God. 

The lover of God likes to sport with Him. In the Ocean of God-Consciousness he sometimes swims, sometimes goes down, and sometimes rises to the surface-like pieces of ice in the water. (Laughter.) 

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 277 (19 August 1883)

Joy of God-Consciousness

 

Good Use of Money

Spiritual practice with a view to winning a lawsuit and earning money, or to helping others win in court and acquire property, shows a very mean understanding. 

Money enables a man to get food and drink, build a house, worship the Deity, serve devotees and holy men, and help the poor when he happens to meet them. These are the good uses of money. Money is not meant for luxuries or creature comforts or for buying a position in society.   

People practise various Tantrik disciplines to acquire supernatural powers. How mean such people are! Krishna said to Arjuna, 'Friend, by acquiring one of the eight siddhis you may add a little to your power, but you will not be able to realize Me.' 

One cannot get rid of maya as long as one exercises supernatural powers. And maya begets egotism. 

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 285 

                    (7 September 1883)

Law of Karma