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Chapter 18: Conclusion
244
He, who verbally talks of knowledge, but internally stays attached, is a miserable being,
who merely betrays the enlightened ones.
- 137
Explanation & Discussion:
The above stated position of the bare knowledgeable person is described here in a different perspective. Such a person has simply learnt about the blissful potential of the soul but has not done anything to realize it. Had he realized this, his ego and attachment for worldly objects would have melted down. Instead of overcoming ego and attachment, the bare knowledgeable person would contend that attachment to worldly objects relates to the body and mind; soul has nothing to do with it. This displays his infatuation. He overlooks the fact that the lifeless body does not have any longing or desire, it is only by virtue of the soul's inspiration that the body acts in a particular way. By thinking and talking about enlightenment without overcoming attachment and infatuation, one actually works against the concept of enlightenment.
Since such a person is likely to continue indulging in the wrong mode, it would create an adverse impression in the minds of others. They may also be led to think that his Guru might be like him. Thus his behavior becomes instrumental in casting aspersion on the enlightenment of the Guru. By being bare knowledgeable, such a person thus betrays the image of the enlightened entity.
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