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PROBLEM OF AVIDYA
[CH.
the truth, which is attested and approved by logical thought. That is the truth which satisfies the whole man--the rational man in particular. As the emotional and active man in us is liable to be swayed by his ancient habits into untruth, logic comes in to his rescue. Logic clarifies the vision of truth, corrects it of illogical accretions, and purifies our knowledge of reality. Logic is not opposed to spiritual vision, though it is not a direct means to this consummation. The differences among the seers and mystics are rather due to interpretation. A strong logical attitude is thus a necessary propædeutic to the realization of truth. The value of philosophy is enhanced in proportion to its love of logic, which is nothing but the will not to take anything as truth unless the reason is satisfied.
But the majority of mankind is noted for the inertia and incuriosity. They do not feel an urge and inspiration for truth. Why is this difference between the thinking and the unthinking man? Why should there be people who hug their ignorance and make a pet of it? There must be a reason for this.
Confronted with this fundamental fact and in full realization of it, all the systems of Indian philosophy admit, in some form or other, the existence of a principle which acts as hindrance against the apprehension of truth. If the experiences of those who have realized the truth are reliable, what is it that hides the truth from us? There must be some reason or explanation for our common ignorance or perverse knowledge. If the truth is not unknowable, if the records of the experiences of the gifted souls are trustworthy, there must be something which obstructs our innate capacity to know the truth. If this worldly existence is a degradation and a fall because of its hiatus from perfection, there must be some perfect state of existence which we have failed to reach as yet and the realization of which is the ultimate goal and objective of a spiritual aspirant. This again leads to the further enquiry as to what is it that is responsible for the failure. The Indian thinkers are unanimous as regards the cause of this degeneration or descent. It is turning away from the truth. It is looking in the opposite direction. It is going towards the darkness. It is admitted that perfection is integral to the spirit and realization of the same is not a new creation in the sense of emergence of an absolutely unprecedented state. Yet the soul has been hindered from selfrealization, which is the same as the discovery of its infinite glory, from eternity. The spirit has been oblivious of itself and has been wandering in the wilderness. The question 'What was the first fall due to?' is avoided by admitting the beginninglessness of the process. The historical beginning of the process is unknown because the spirit is an uncreated entity and exists from the eternal past, but the end is clearly envisaged. The spirit must realize itself. There is no controversy on
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