Mysteries of Mind

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Book Agency

Page 90

SEARCH FOR TRUTH
specific characteristic which the soul has and that characteristic is consciousness.
77
Seeing and knowing are the fundamental nature of consciousness. Awareness and knowledge belong to the native existence of the soul. These faculties may be conceived as two separate faculties or they may be combined into a single faculty. In the state of its pure existence the soul does nothing else but see and know. When it becomes removed from its centre, its circumference becomes infiltrated with alien matter and it becomes difficult to clean it. It is easy to infiltrate but it is difficult to clean. As soon as the soul becomes infiltrated by pudgala particles and has become governed by attachments and aversions, seeing and knowing come to an end. What the soul can now do is to think, reflect and contemplate. People think that man to be great who thinks clearly and cleverly and gives a clear advice. On the other hand, he who sees and knows remains a man of unknown identity. Who would be able to recognise him who remains hidden in his own self? Thinking, arguing and reflection are weapons to confute the opponent. We go on inventing new arguments to render the arguments of the opponent futile. This process continues an infinitum. There is no end to arguments. One set of arguments follows another. The entire intellectual life of mankind consists of arguments and counter-arguments. This breeds rivalry and enmity in man. On the other hand, those engaged in the search for truth show nothing but friendliness towards others. Rivalry and enmity come into vogue when we are not engaged in the search for truth but in analysing and classifying it. Thinking and reasoning are not the instruments for the search for truth but for twisting and falsifying it. Those who have enough of these weapons can conquer the whole world and those who do not possess these become vanquished.
In the philosophical works composed during the middle ages there is ample use of the metaphors of conquest and defeat. You will seldom come across an instance in which the search for truth has been mentioned. The search for truth is incompatible with conquest and defeat. Conquest and defeat are relevant to the capture of the state or material wealth. One who is engaged in the search for truth knows neither conquest