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A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga

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Title: A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga

Author: Yogi Ramacharaka

Release Date: September 9, 2004 [EBook #13407]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A SERIES OF

Lessons in Gnani Yoga (The Yoga of Wisdom.)

BY YOGI RAMACHARAKA.

THIS BOOK GIVES THE HIGHEST YOGI TEACHINGS REGARDING THE ABSOLUTE AND ITS

MANIFESTATIONS.

INDEX.

LESSON PAGE

I. The One 1

II. Omnipresent Life 27

III. The Creative Will 51

IV. The Unity of Life 75

V. The One and the Many 101

VI. Within the Mind of the One 127

VII. Cosmic Evolution 153 VIII. The Ascent of Man 177

IX. Metempsychosis 203

A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga

X. Spiritual Evolution 229

XI. The Law of Karma 253

XII. Occult Miscellany 277

THE FIRST LESSON

THE ONE.

The Yogi Philosophy may be divided into several great branches, or fields. What is known as "Hatha Yoga"

deals with the physical body and its control; its welfare; its health; its preservation; its laws, etc. What is

known as "Raja Yoga" deals with the Mind; its control; its development; its unfoldment, etc. What is known

as "Bhakti Yoga" deals with the Love of the Absolute−−God. What is known as "Gnani Yoga" deals with the

scientific and intellectual knowing of the great questions regarding Life and what lies back of Life−−the

Riddle of the Universe.

Each branch of Yoga is but a path leading toward the one end−−unfoldment, development, and growth. He

who wishes first to develop, control and strengthen his physical body so as to render it a fit instrument of the

Higher Self, follows the path of "Hatha Yoga." He who would develop his will−power and mental faculties,

unfolding the inner senses, and latent powers, follows the path of "Raja Yoga." He who wishes to develop by

"knowing"−−by studying the fundamental principles, and the wonderful truths underlying Life, follows the

path of "Gnani Yoga." And he who wishes to grow into a union with the One Life by the influence of Love,

he follows the path of "Bhakti Yoga."

But it must not be supposed that the student must ally himself to only a single one of these paths to power. In

fact, very few do. The majority prefer to gain a rounded knowledge, and acquaint themselves with the

principles of the several branches, learning something of each, giving preference of course to those branches

that appeal to them more strongly, this attraction being the indication of _need_, or requirement, and,

therefore, being the hand pointing out the path.

It is well for every one to know something of "Hatha Yoga," in order that the body may be purified,

strengthened, and kept in health in order to become a more fitting instrument of the Higher Self. It is well that

each one should know something of "Raja Yoga," that he may understand the training and control of the mind,

and the use of the Will. It is well that every one should learn the wisdom of "Gnani Yoga," that he may realize

the wonderful truths underlying life−−the science of Being. And, most assuredly every one should know

something of Bhakti Yogi, that he may understand the great teachings regarding the Love underlying all life.

We have written a work on "Hatha Yoga," and a course on "Raja Yoga" which is now in book form. We have

told you something regarding "Gnani Yoga" in our Fourteen Lessons, and also in our Advanced Course. We

have written something regarding "Bhakti Yoga" in our Advanced Course, and, we hope, have taught it also

all through our other lessons, for we fail to see how one can teach or study any of the branches of Yoga

without being filled with a sense of Love and Union with the Source of all Life. To know the Giver of Life, is

to love him, and the more we know of him, the more love will we manifest.

In this course of lessons, of which this is the first, we shall take up the subject of "Gnani Yoga"−−the Yoga of

Wisdom, and will endeavor to make plain some of its most important and highest teachings. And, we trust that

in so doing, we shall be able to awaken in you a still higher realization of your relationship with the One, and

a corresponding Love for that in which you live, and move and have your being. We ask for your loving

sympathy and cooperation in our task.

Let us begin by a consideration of what has been called the "Questions of Questions"−−the question: "What is

A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga

Reality?" To understand the question we have but to take a look around us and view the visible world. We see

great masses of something that science has called "matter." We see in operation a wonderful something called

"force" or "energy" in its countless forms of manifestations. We see things that we call "forms of life,"

varying in manifestation from the tiny speck of slime that we call the Moneron, up to that form that we call

Man.

But study this world of manifestations by means of science and research−−and such study is of greatest

value−−still we must find ourselves brought to a point where we cannot progress further. Matter melts into

mystery−−Force resolves itself into something else−−the secret of living−forms subtly elude us−−and mind is

seen as but the manifestation of something even finer. But in losing these things of appearance and

manifestation, we find ourselves brought up face to face with a Something Else that we see must underlie all

these varying forms, shapes and manifestations. And that Something Else, we call Reality, because it is Real,

Permanent, Enduring. And although men may differ, dispute, wrangle, and quarrel about this Reality, still

there is one point upon which they must agree, and that is that _Reality is One_−−that underlying all forms

and manifestations there must be a One Reality from which all things flow. And this inquiry into this One

Reality is indeed the Question of Questions of the Universe.

The highest reason of Man−−as well as his deepest intuition−−has always recognized that this Reality or

Underlying Being must be but ONE, of which all Nature is but varying degrees of manifestation, emanation,

or expression. All have recognized that Life is a stream flowing from One great fount, the nature and name of

which is unknown−−some have said unknowable. Differ as men do about theories regarding the nature of this

one, they all agree that it can be but One. It is only when men begin to name and analyze this One, that

confusion results.

Let us see what men have thought and said about this One−−it may help us to understand the nature of the

problem.

The materialist claims that this one is a something called

Matter−−self−existent−−eternal−−infinite−−containing within itself the potentiality of Matter, Energy and

Mind. Another school, closely allied to the materialists, claim that this One is a something called Energy, of

which Matter and Mind are but modes of motion. The Idealists claim that the One is a something called Mind,

and that Matter and Force are but ideas in that One Mind. Theologians claim that this One is a something

called a personal God, to whom they attribute certain qualities, characteristics, etc., the same varying with

their creeds and dogmas. The Naturistic school claims that this One is a something called Nature, which is

constantly manifesting itself in countless forms. The occultists, in their varying schools, Oriental and

Occidental, have taught that the One was a Being whose Life constituted the life of all living forms.

All philosophies, all science, all religions, inform us that this world of shapes, forms and names is but a

phenomenal or shadow world−−a show−world−−back of which rests Reality, called by some name of the

teacher. But remember this, all philosophy that counts is based upon some form of

monism−−Oneness−−whether the concept be a known or unknown god; an unknown or unknowable

principle; a substance; an Energy, or Spirit. There is but One−−there can be but One−−such is the inevitable

conclusion of the highest human reason, intuition or faith.

And, likewise, the same reason informs us that this One Life must permeate all apparent forms of life, and that

all apparent material forms, forces, energies, and principles must be emanations from that One, and,

consequently "of" it. It may be objected to, that the creeds teaching a personal god do not so hold, for they

teach that their God is the creator of the Universe, which he has set aside from himself as a workman sets

aside his workmanship. But this objection avails naught, for where could such a creator obtain the material for

his universe, except from himself; and where the energy, except from the same source; and where the Life,

unless from his One Life. So in the end, it is seen that there must be but One−−not two, even if we prefer the

terms God and his Universe, for even in this case the Universe must have proceeded from God, and can only

A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga

live, and move and act, and think, by virtue of his Essence permeating it.

In passing by the conceptions of the various thinkers, we are struck by the fact that the various schools seem

to manifest a one−sidedness in their theories, seeing only that which fits in with their theories, and ignoring

the rest. The Materialist talks about Infinite and Eternal Matter, although the latest scientific investigations

have shown us Matter fading into Nothingness−−the Eternal Atom being split into countless particles called

Corpuscles or Electrons, which at the last seem to be nothing but a unit of Electricity, tied up in a "knot in the

Ether"−−although just what the Ether is, Science does not dare to guess. And Energy, also seems to be

unthinkable except as operating through matter, and always seems to be acting under the operation of

Laws−−and Laws without a Law giver, and a Law giver without mind or something higher than Mind, is

unthinkable. And Mind, as we know it, seems to be bound up with matter and energy in a wonderful

combination, and is seen to be subject to laws outside of itself, and to be varying, inconstant, and changeable,

which attributes cannot be conceived of as belonging to the Absolute. Mind as we know it, as well as Matter

and Energy, is held by the highest occult teachers to be but an appearance and a relativity of something far

more fundamental and enduring, and we are compelled to fall back upon that old term which wise men have

used in order to describe that Something Else that lies back of, and under, Matter, Energy and Mind−−and that

word is "Spirit."

We cannot tell just what is meant by the word "Spirit," for we have nothing with which to describe it. But we

can think of it as meaning the "essence" of Life and Being−−the Reality underlying Universal Life.

Of course no name can be given to this One, that will fitly describe it. But we have used the term "The

Absolute" in our previous lessons, and consider it advisable to continue its use, although the student may

substitute any other name that appeals to him more strongly. We do not use the word God (except

occasionally in order to bring out a shade of meaning) not because we object to it, but because by doing so we

would run the risk of identifying The Absolute with some idea of a personal god with certain theological

attributes. Nor does the word "Principle" appeal to us, for it seems to imply a cold, unfeeling, abstract thing,

while we conceive the Absolute Spirit or Being to be a warm, vital, living, acting, feeling Reality. We do not

use the word Nature, which many prefer, because of its materialistic meaning to the minds of many, although

the word is very dear to us when referring to the outward manifestation of the Absolute Life.

Of the real nature of The Absolute, of course, we can know practically nothing, because it transcends all

human experience and Man has nothing with which he can measure the Infinite. Spinoza was right when he

said that "to define God is to deny him," for any attempt to define, is, of course an attempt to limit or make

finite the Infinite. To define a thing is to identify it with something else−−and where is the something else

with which to identify the Infinite? The Absolute cannot be described in terms of the Relative. It is not

Something, although it contains within itself the reality underlying Everything. It cannot be said to have the

qualities of any of its apparently separated parts, for it is the ALL. It is all that really IS.

It is beyond Matter, Force, or Mind as we know it, and yet these things emanate from it, and must be within

its nature. For what is in the manifested must be in the manifestor−−no stream can rise higher than its

source−−the effect cannot be greater than the cause−−you cannot get something out of nothing.

But it is hard for the human mind to take hold of That which is beyond its experience−−many philosophers

consider it impossible−−and so we must think of the Absolute in the concepts and terms of its highest

manifestation. We find Mind higher in the scale than Matter or Energy, and so we are justified in using the

terms of Mind in speaking of the Absolute, rather than the terms of Matter or Energy−−so let us try to think of

an Infinite Mind, whose powers and capacities are raised to an infinite degree−−a Mind of which Herbert

Spencer said that it was "a mode of being as much transcending intelligence and will, as these transcend mere

mechanical motion."

While it is true (as all occultists know) that the best information regarding the Absolute come from regions of

A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga

the Self higher than Intellect, yet we are in duty bound to examine the reports of the Intellect concerning its

information regarding the One. The Intellect has been developed in us for use−−for the purpose of examining,

considering, thinking−−and it behooves us to employ it. By turning it to this purpose, we not only strengthen

and unfold it, but we also get certain information that can reach us by no other channel. And moreover, by

such use of the Intellect we are able to discover many fallacies and errors that have crept into our minds from

the opinions and dogmas of others−−as Kant said: "The chief, and perhaps the only, use of a philosophy of

pure reason is a negative one. It is not an organon for extending, but a discipline for limiting! Instead of

discovering truth, its modest function is to guard against error." Let us then listen to the report of the Intellect,

as well as of the higher fields of mentation.

One of the first reports of the Intellect, concerning the Absolute, is that it must have existed forever, and must

continue to exist forever. There is no escape from this conclusion, whether one view the matter from the

viewpoint of the materialist, philosopher, occultist, or theologian. The Absolute could not have sprung from

Nothing, and there was no other cause outside of itself from which it could have emanated. And there can be

no cause outside of itself which can terminate its being. And we cannot conceive of Infinite Life, or Absolute

Life, dying. So the Absolute must be Eternal−−such is the report of the Intellect.

This idea of the Eternal is practically unthinkable to the human mind, although it is forced to believe that it

must be a quality of the Absolute. The trouble arises from the fact that the Intellect is compelled to see

everything through the veil of Time, and Cause and Effect. Now, Cause and Effect, and Time, are merely

phenomena or appearances of the relative world, and have no place in the Absolute and Real. Let us see if we

can understand this.

Reflection will show you that the only reason that you are unable to think of or picture a Causeless Cause, is

because everything that you have experienced in this relative world of the senses has had a cause−−something

from which it sprung. You have seen Cause and Effect in full operation all about you, and quite naturally your

Intellect has taken it for granted that there can be nothing uncaused−−nothing without a preceding cause. And

the Intellect is perfectly right, so far as Things are concerned, for all Things are relative and are therefore

caused. But back of the caused things must lie THAT which is the Great Causer of Things, and which, not

being a Thing itself, cannot have been caused−−cannot be the effect of a cause. Your minds reel when you try

to form a mental image of That which has had no cause, because you have had no experience in the sense

world of such a thing, and there fail to form the image. It is out of your experience, and you cannot form the

mental picture. But yet your mind is compelled to believe that there must have been an Original One, that can

have had no cause. This is a hard task for the Intellect, but in time it comes to see just where the trouble lies,

and ceases to interpose objections to the voice of the higher regions of the self.

And, the Intellect experiences a similar difficulty when it tries to think of an Eternal−−a That which is above

and outside of Time. We see Time in operation everywhere, and take it for granted that Time is a reality−−an

actual thing. But this is a mistake of the senses. There is no such thing as Time, in reality. Time exists solely

in our minds. It is merely a form of perception by which we express our consciousness of the Change in

Things.

We cannot think of Time except in connection with a succession of changes of things in our

consciousness−−either things of the outer world, or the passing of thought−things through our mind. A day is

merely the consciousness of the passing of the sun−−an hour or minute merely the subdivision of the day, or

else the consciousness of the movement of the hands of the clock−−merely the consciousness of the

movement of Things−−the symbols of changes in Things. In a world without changes in Things, there would

be no such thing as Time. Time is but a mental invention. Such is the report of the Intellect.

And, besides the conclusions of pure abstract reasoning about Time, we may see many instances of the

relativity of Time in our everyday experiences. We all know that when we are interested Time seems to pass

rapidly, and when we are bored it drags along in a shameful manner. We know that when we are happy, Time

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