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EXAMINATION OF THE 'PERSON OF SUPER-NORMAL VISION'. 1505
It has been argued, under Text 3164, that-"Similarly great superiority is found among men in the matter of scientific discussions, but that does not prove that the man is an expert in all sciences".
The answer to this is as follows:
TEXTS (3410-3413).
WHEN THE EXISTENCE OF THE OMNISCIENT PERSON IS ASSERTED, IT IS
NOT ON THE BASIS OF HIS KNOWLEDGE OF ANY ONE PART OF THINGS, IN VIEW OF WHICH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDA AND THE ALLIED SUBJECTS COULD MAKE HEAVEN, ETC. PERCEPTIBLE TO HIM. WHAT WE FIND IN HIM IS A SUPERIOR GRADE OF WISDOM, MERCY AND SUCH QUALITIES BROUGHT ABOUT BY CONSTANT PRACTICE, AND FROM OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THESE QUALITIES WE DEDUCE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF HIS OTHER KINDS OF SUPERIORITY ALSO. AND AS THESE ARE QUALITIES OF THE MIND, THERE IS EVERY POSSIBILITY OF THEIR RISING TO THE HIGHEST STAGE.-LIKE THE CRUELTY (OF WICKED PEOPLE), THE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THINGS REACHES THE HIGHEST STAGE, THROUGH CONSTANT PRACTICE; THUS IS THAT WISDOM ATTAINED WHICH CONSISTS IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THINGS; AND IT REMAINS INCOMPLETE WHILE EVEN A SINGLE THING REMAINS UNKNOWN.-(3410-3413)
COMMENTARY.
We do not accept the view that there is knowledge of all things, on the basis of the knowledge of a single thing, in view of which you have asserted that merely that does not secure the knowledge of other sciences' (Text 3164). What we do hold is that, through constant practice, the highest stages of wisdom are reached; and from that we gather that other kinds of superiority are also brought about by the knowledge of supersensuous things, through the rising grades of that same practice. That this is so has been already proved before; it is further supported, the argument being formulated as follows: all qualities of the Mind reach their highest stage through constant practice, like the cruelty and other qualities of the Vedic Sacrificers (1);and Wisdom is a quality of the Mind; hence this is a Reason based upon the nature of things.-The Reason adduced here cannot be regarded as 'Inconclusive'; because Wisdom, which consists in the comprehending of the nature of things, cannot reach its highest stage without the knowledge of all things. Nor can the Reason be regarded as 'Inadmissible' on the ground of its qualification being unknown; because it has already been proved before in detail that constant practice is what is quite feasible.-The word 'Kāştha" is synonymous with highest stage' (3410-3413)
