knowledge, Experience & Creativity

In a training session, the trainer asked the audience "knowledge is power, how many of you agree" almost everyone agreed, the trainer said "not true, knowledge is not power, applied knowledge is power". No matter what we learn, the ultimate test of our knowledge is in our experience. Theoretical knowledge is of no use unless it is backed by practical experience. That is the essence of education.

Apart from languages, human beings are capable of articulating their feelings and ideas through complex condensation of symbols. But, there may arise the question : where was the necessity of evolving symbols, when already language was there to express their ideas? If language evolved out of man's practical necessity to communicate experience, symbols were evolved to communicate experiences which could not be communicated through language alone. the term experience has different shades of meaning. The way we experience life, the heat of the sun, the coolness of the breeze, light and darkness, sweet and sour is different from the way we experience the beauty of the landscape, or scientific and mathematical truths. In other words, an aesthetic experience is different from a sensory experience and rational understanding.

Therefore the need to have different modes of expression for different levels of experience. We do not experience through our senses or our reason alone. Human experience is multifarious: the mind body and spirit complex. There is a domain beyond the mental and the empirical. The transcendental is that realm , the domain of Faith, the domain of the Intuition. It is felt to be Blissful also. Many artists, poets and singers reach these heights. But having reached it, they feel inadequate to communicate it through the language of everyday use. They have to convey a mystical experience for ethic the ordinary language is found to be handicapped. So the mystic runs into paradoxes, contradictions, and at times invokes symbols and similes to make himself intelligible.

Iccha Shakti, Kriya Shakti and Jnana Shakti

A good thought over scriptures and articulated way of putting it out in the form of writing a blog may mesmerize and captivate a few for a short time but will not have any positive impact on the spiritual growth of seeker himself. This entire universe is running on the combination of the three powers namely Iccha Shakti (Power of Aspiration), Kriya Shakti (Power to Action) and Jnana Shakti (Power of Knowledge). If there is lacking in any one of the three, the task cannot be completed. There has to be a perfect harmony among the three. While Jnana Shakti is the power of the Intellect the Iccha Shakti is power of Mind and the Kriya Shakti is the power of the Senses. Suppose there is an artist who can create wonders on the canvas. One fine morning he stands before the huge canvass to draw. Let us observe what happens?

The first and foremost he has the desire to draw a picture; this is Iccha Shakti which is propelled by the Mind. The Mind is in fact the instigator of all actions here. Now what has he got to draw? Obviously he has in him the knowledge about the picture he is going to draw. This knowledge is Jnana Shakti and it is the substratum of Intellect. And ones he has the picture in the mind he needs the motor organ namely hand and the sense organ eye to co-operate and the art is unfolded and comes out as an easy flow. Jnana Shakti is like the pivot to the fulcrum with Iccha Shakti and Kriya Shakti on either side. From where does Jnana Shakti come to him? It is the Dhi Shakti (Power of Absolute) that provides him this knowledge.

For instance this computer which has to work on Hardware, Software and power from SMPS (Switch Mode Power Supply). Hardware is Kriya Shakti, Software is Iccha Shakti and Power for SMPS is Jnana Shakti. Without the Software (Mind), the Hardware (Senses) is dead and without the Hardware Software is also useless. And both are useless without power in SMPS. So Jnana Shakti is the power is got by connecting it to Main Power point and this is Dhi Shakti. Connect yourself to the Absolute which is like the Main Power point that provides power to your SMPS so that the Iccha Shakti and Kriya Shakti in you are able to perform well.

One has to gain and apply knowledge first, and experience will automatically help after that. That knowledge which gives one experience also helps in achieving realisation. It is easy to talk about the results of both the methods and look which is better. “Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavathi” says a famous Upanishad statement which means the “knower” of Brahman becomes Brahman. Those who prefer knowledge path often repeat this statement to confirm their stands and get satisfied. But it is only experience that can lead a seeker to “Truth.”Yet, when one feels that having experience is indeed ultimate, does the knowledge if already obtained go down the drain? Will it not help?

It is said that to have Anubhuthi (realisation) a seeker who has Anubhava (experience) should never think Jnana (knowledge) is for initial level only and not required afterwards. Acquired knowledge in whatever form can never lead to self realization . Self realization will always flood the seeker with authentic knowledge emanating from source -the soul which represent ultimate truth as this has never been borrowed from external agents. Experience is also a different kind of knowledge or better to say, Experience is a kind of input which gives a kind knowledge as output.The perception is the strong impressions created by your mind of the situation, out of the thoughts, emotions and energy that already exists inside. Your mind utilizes different situation, people and experiences of life to create the perception in the moment.

There are two ways of gaining knowledge: through direct experience, and from external sources. The knowledge gained from direct experience is complete, self-evident, and fulfilling. The knowledge gained from external sources is incomplete, fragmented, requires evidence for its validity, and is not satisfying. Direct knowledge alone should be considered valid. Direct experience is the highest of all ways of gaining knowledge. All other means are only fragmentary. On the path of Self-realization, purity, one-pointedness, and control of the mind are essentials. An impure mind hallucinates and creates obstacles, but an orderly mind is an instrument for direct experience. Generally we keep gathering knowledge from the external world in the form of information. The world around us is an ever present teacher.

Our mother is our first teacher, then our father, and then our brothers and sisters. Later we learn from the children with whom we play, from teachers at school, and from the writers of books. No matter what we have learned, we have not learned a single thing independently. All our ideas are the ideas of others. It is shocking to realize that whatever we have learned so far is not ours. That is why it is not satisfying. Even if we have mastered an entire library, still it doesn’t satisfy us. However, by experimenting with the knowledge that we have acquired from outside, we can move a step toward enlightenment. By gaining worldly knowledge, we develop the skills that are useful for gathering means and resources.

A resourceful person can then have a better chance to direct his energies inward to explore the subtler and more glorious dimensions of life. The knowledge gained in the form of information serves a noble purpose as long as it inspires us to gain direct experience. No matter how impressive it may appear, if knowledge gained from the external world doesn’t help us loosen the knots of worldly snares, it is in vain. In most cases, the more information we gain, the more burdened our life becomes. By gaining such knowledge we become educated, but not enlightened. The indirect knowledge that we gain from years of studies and vocational training is of course informative, and to some extent, useful, but not fulfilling. All wise people throughout history have gone through great pains in order to know Truth directly. They were not satisfied by the mere opinions of others. They were not frightened away from this quest by the defenders of orthodoxy and dogma who persecuted, and sometimes even executed them, because their conclusions were different.

Direct experience is the final test of the validity of knowledge. When you have known the Truth directly, you have the best kind of confirmation. Most of you go to your friends and give your viewpoint. You are seeking confirmation in their opinions. Whatever you think, you want others to confirm it by agreeing with you, to say, “Yes, what you think is right.” Someone else’s opinion is no test of truth. When you know Truth directly you do not need to ask your neighbors or your teacher. You don’t have to seek confirmation in books. Direct experience alone has access to the source of real knowledge. We all know what to do and what not to do, but it is very difficult to learn how to be. Real knowledge is found not in knowing, but rather in being. Knowing is mere information. Practice leads to direct experience and valid knowledge.

The outside world can soothe and stimulate your mind and senses, but peace, wisdom, and knowledge come from within. That knowledge that we gain through books is valid in the mundane world, but the real knowledge is found within. The best of knowledge comes through revelations, not through the mind. It is a flood of knowledge that overwhelms the whole being. When you can calm the mind, then that knowledge will come to you.Spiritual Truth does not need an external witness. As long as you doubt, it means you have yet to know. Tread the path of direct experience until you attain that state where everything is clear, until all of your doubts are resolved.

Experience is the bedrock of civilisation, it is the foundation on which all growth blossoms, while suffering sensitizes us, experience is the greatest of all teachers, the great Albert t Einstein says: The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. The only source of knowledge is experience. It was the experience of mystery - even if mixed with fear - that engendered religion. Knowledge HELPS eradicate so much of unnecessary confusions/confused Perceptions/Misconceptions, but it comes with an option "To Become" either "ARROGANT and Confident" or "HUMBLE and Confident". Arrogant and confident are those who follow the saying. It is important to be nice but it is more nice to be important Humble and confident are those who follow the saying. It is nice to be important but it is more important to be nice. Knowledge is what the human mind craves for , be it about the Unknown or about the known. But this knowledge does not come alone to anyone. It is often accompanied along by a layer of pride. But this is not what the trueness of knowledge is about. This is the phase of "Imperfect Knowledge".

True or perfect knowledge is only achieved when you start acquiring the knowledge for the sake of sharing. When the self appears less and what matters is the good that the knowledge can do to others. Knowledge without experience remains incomplete. Knowledge gives us the tools to handle situations in life and the experience we gain in life provide practical knowledge. Application of knowledge to gain experience is required. Knowledge alone cannot help. Experience can be hard to beat, even though you may have lot of knowledge. Knowledge is infinite and there is no end of learning, it takes one's total life to learn and improve knowledge. Still something would be there to know.

Life is a journey, during this we keep on updating our knowledge. Knowledge is wealth and gives us energy and courage to know the world and help improve life. One may know many things but one should make sure that his knowledge is shared with others. Sharing knowledge is important otherwise there is no value of knowledge. Any knowledge is a mere experience of others. It is never our own experience. Unless, we apply that knowledge and experience the results ourselves, we would never gain an experience. It is the experience, which gives us wisdom. Some people learn from the experiences of others. We call such people wise.

Those who try to learn from their own experiences they too eventually turn wise, but it might take an inordinately longer time. By learning from the experiences of others you can learn more, but by learning from your own experiences you might be able to learn little. it would remain more knowledge, it would never change into experience, unless we apply that knowledge. With age and with maturity we develop our life's experiences. Experiences give us wisdom. Knowledge and experience should be utilized to improve society, community and take the community toward upward of life which could be religious or spiritual, to know the God, the infinite.

Thus, only proper utility of knowledge is valued. Self declaration of knowing everything is not possible. Not the self but others too should say that one have knowledge which is useful for society and community. Knowledge is king and knowledge is GOD. Psychological memories are the burden to people. The burden of past,, one should learn to live moment to moment. Self-knowledge is wisdom. To find out the inner nothingness is the jewel, all other knowledge are nothing but information. They are of no use practically except to live in society. If psychological memories , emotions are removed, then all is well,, & all one needs is awareness.

The Power of Aspiration, Action and Knowledge

Knowledge Sharing is an activity through which knowledge (i.e., information, skills, or expertise) is exchanged among people, friends, families, communities or organizations. There are two different thing in it when we try to find which has more value or which is more important then other, one is in the activities of our day to day life and here knowledge is more important then experience because people learn from other mistake and follow the right way without actually experiencing that in their own life, learning from others mistake because you don’t have so much time to do every thing for yourself and then drove a n experience from it and applied in your work because it not possible there is a time factor to have finished your work in time, here knowledge is better.

In spirituality, experience is better then knowledge because seeker in spirituality quest for realization for a sincere seeker he drove knowledge in every bit of things from nature ..A nature will be a guru for a sincere seeker because self relization is not about knowledge but its about experience what he has gained so here experience is better then knowledge The experienced you gain from your mistake is far better then imitating someone else perfectly.. But one more thing that both compliment each other like husband & wife, with the two its more easy for the seeker or professional to perform better towards his goal. Experiences when they are contemplated turn into knowledge. Then that knowledge is put to test and thus gives more knowledge.

If experience is by ordinary mind it is just an experienced fact. But if same experience is by a 'thinking' mind, like Isaac Newton, then a fall of an apple discovers the most fundamental Law of Nature i.e. Gravity; else a negative mind will cut the tree that bore the fruit! But some say that experience could be got even without knowledge. Agreed, but will it not be a lengthy process all together. If one has to cook a certain dish and has the recipe, it would be simpler than experimenting with the ingredients just for the sake of experience. Isn’t it? Experience from knowledge or knowledge from experience. Which is better?

There is difference of opinion and hence confusion prevails always. What I personally feel is a proper appreciation of both and the approach that suits to the seeker depending upon the school of thought he is following will help. It becomes unfair and premature for a seeker to reject without prior analysis on what could help when approached. And it is also not proper for a seeker to create controversy by telling that approach which has suited him is correct and ask other seekers to denounce the other. We are not trying to resolve the dispute as we know it is impossible since it is a volatile issue which needs the seeker himself to attend it. Also in this relative world professionals do not match their problems with their experiences; instead they try to match them with their knowledge. Experience is handy only if one has the knowledge in place. Experience has no value when there's no knowledge to verify whether the applied experience is falling at the right slot. From Jnana (Knowledge) one gets Anubhava (Experience) and from Anubhava one has Anubuthi (Realisation).

-- 摘自 LinkedIn Dr Anadi Sahoo先生发表的文章