- Avidya
Avidya is only ignorance masquerading as knowledge.
Doctors' theories change constantly; every time they say "This is it", they are still experimenting.
It is all ignorance.
Yet, it is necessary to enable us to live our worldly life, because that too is unstable and changing value.
Eternal value is unchanging
"Fire is Hot" - true at all times and circumstances.
The Statement "Coramine strengthens the heart" is not true - it can have no such effect on a dead body.
From one point to another point - a straight line?
Take a rope and stretch it long enough - it will curve because the earth is round.
- Why Suffering at All?
Evolution takes man "up" to God.
But, past Samskaras - impressions and Vasanas - tendencies, and also his own lower desires tie man to the ground.
This was one of the forms of torture which the medeaval Rulers adopted.
Hence, man is unhappy, tortured.
If he wants to be truly happy and free from suffering, he has to let himself go to the Divine Evolutionary Power.
- Purify
You cannot recognise God until your heart is purified.
Better purify your heart first - then you will see God in all names and forms.
- The West and I
Sometime during the industrial revolution, the western layman lost his regard for both the (1) Christian cloistered mystic, and (2) Christian ordained priest.
The former he rejected as an escapist, the latter - who mingled with the crowd and behaved as a human - he laughed at as imperfect.
The layman felt he was better than either, and since they depended on him and he did not have to depend on them, he lost all regard for them.
Egotism was the result.
- Traditions
Customs like the Deepavali have comprehensive influence on us.
They bring us together - they promote charity - they cement social unity - besides their spiritual meaning.
But it is not always wise to explain these aspects to the people.
If, for instance, we explain that asking one another on Deepavali day "Have you had your Ganges bath?" is a ruse of getting us together and that there is no inherent merit in it, we shall either abandon it, or, if we do it, mechanically, we will get back the feeling of ill-will and hatred for our neighbour on the very next day.
Ignorance of these ideas and faith in the simple fact that they confer spiritual merit upon us will enable us to react spontaneously - and that is the way to ensure that the purpose is really served.