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as man goes on being knowledgeable of many things； he has to remain equally ignorant of many others。
now； for example； a scientist is quite a knowledgeable person； but if he is a chemist he will know nothing about physics； if he is a mathematician he will know nothing about chemistry。
if he wants to know a great deal about mathematics； he will have to be content with not knowing about many other things。
he will have to make this choice。
if you want to be an expert in a particular field； you will have to have the courage to remain ignorant about many other things。
thats why mahavira and buddha were not men of knowledge in this sense。
they did not have any specialized knowledge； they were not experts in any field。
hence； on the one hand we say mahavira was omniscient； but the fact is he didnt even know how to fix a puncture in a bicycle tire。
he was not a specialist。
one who needs to know how to fix a puncture in a bicycle tire will have to keep himself from knowing about many other things。
his consciousness will have to bee object…centered and allow many things to be left in the dark。
the very meaning of science is knowing more and more about less and less。
as the amount of knowledge grows； the area of knowledge bees more and more narrow。
finally； only one point remains to be known and the rest of the areas are filled with ignorance。
thats the reason a scientist who may be able to produce a hydrogen bomb can be easily fooled by an ordinary shopkeeper …… because whatsoever he knows is in such a limited sphere that he knows nothing about the rest。
about the rest he is as dull as a villager； even worse。
a villager knows about a good many things； he is not a specialist。
thats why an old…fashioned man knows about many things while a modern man does not。
the modern man has had to make a choice。
in order to know a lot about one thing he has had to give up knowing about many other things。
concentration is bound to end up like this。
one particular object will gain importance while all remaining objects will fall into neglect。
yet another result of concentration is that the more an object grows in importance； the more the one who knows about it bees secondary。
a scientist knows a great deal； but he has no knowledge of the knower； of the knowing element within himself。
he bees object…centered。
if you ask him about an object he will explain it to you； but if you ask him to say something about himself； you will often times find him at a loss。
there is an interesting episode in the life of edison； who made a thousand discoveries。
perhaps no one else has made so many discoveries。
in the first world war； when rationing was introduced in america； edison had to bring his ration card to the shop and stand in the queue as well。
when his name； thomas edison； was called out； he looked around with indifference； as if someone elses name was being called。
somebody in the queue happened to recognize him。
he came up to him and said。
〃pardon me； i have seen your photograph in the newspapers。
you yourself seem to be edison。
〃
edison gave a start。
he thanked the man for reminding him who he was。
he said； 〃in the last thirty years i have had little free time or leisure to meet myself。
〃 for thirty years this man had been so busy in his laboratory that he had no time for himself。
he was such an important figure that in thirty years no one had ever called him by his given name。
obviously； he had forgotten it。
concentration happens when the arrow of consciousness strikes an object with great intensity。
with that； however； the entire world； including ones own self； falls into darkness。
in the ultimate state that i am speaking to you about the particular object will have vanished； instead； everything will be illuminated； including yourself； including that which you are。
it will be an unfocused light。
instead of calling it light； we should rather call it luminosity。
light and luminosity are not synonymous； there is a slight distinction between the two。
what appears with the sunrise is light； but when the night is past and the sun is yet to rise； what then appears is luminosity。
it is unfocused； uncentered； just luminosity。
so； god is just luminosity …… or； luminosity is the state of ultimate awakening。
exactly opposite to this is the state of darkness or of dreamless sleep。
lets put it this way。
in the state of total awareness neither the subject nor the object remains。
what remains is just infinite luminosity。
in a manner of speaking； this luminosity is a state of knowing all； but in another sense； it is a state of knowing nothing at all。
it is all…knowing； because now nothing remains that falls outside the radius of its light。
and it knows nothing； because now there is nothing left which needs to be known。
if one attempts to know something in particular； many other things will obviously be left unknown。
so this is not the kind of knowledge that is acquired by a scientist； it is knowledge in the sense a poet is known to have it。
the second mon state of awareness is that of concentration； where you know about one thing and forget about all the rest； including yourself。
and there is yet another state which es before this。
it is the primary state in which you know neither the object nor yourself。
it is the state of total darkness。
neither do you know about anything …… it is not even concentration； nor do you know about everything …… it is not even awareness。
nor do you know yourself。
the knowing is still in the embryo state。
it is still in seed form； it is still unmanifest； hidden in the roots。
so there is sushupti； the state of dreamless sleep； and there is the state of total awareness。
in between these infinite points of attention we oscillate。
when you are aware in the day； the pendulum of your attention swings a little towards awareness。
at night； when you are asleep； it swings towards sushupti。
the fact is； in sleep we e nearer to matter。
when we are awake we e closer to the divine； just a little closer。
we swing towards god。
should we cont