Prajna (May 2011)

There is within you That Which Knows and that is your teacher. That is the true teacher. Most people have read that, but they don’t believe that. So they want to worship somebody who is alive; they want to have someone else do it for them. But within you is that which knows.

Then why do we act as though we are ignorant? Because that inner, innate wisdom – called prajna – is covered up by the vashanas. Vashanas are the habit energies, and they so cover the prajna that it becomes impossible for it to shine through to the conscious mind. But it is there. It is always there. But you don’t know it’s there if it doesn’t come through to your conscious mind and to where you can act in the wisdom of prajna.

Now, all through religious and spiritual literature, we read “Know thyself.” “The kingdom of heaven is within.” “The Inner Guru…” But we don’t believe this teaching and we look outside ourselves in the outer world. We have created for ourselves this world and we try to find someone to worship, someone to follow, and so forth. There are many teachers who use this fact to their own benefit – what some writers call “spiritual materialism.” And the benefit is frequently financial in character. This is why Krishnamurti said the guru system is “an exploitation.” Not always, but very frequently.

I have often told you the story of the Sufi teacher who was approached by a seeker who said, “Teach me, master.” “Are you ready to learn?” was the reply. “Teach me how to learn,” earnestly implored the seeker. “Are you ready to let me teach you how to learn?” was the cold water thrown on the seeker’s aspirations. You can’t just teach anybody you pick up. That one has to be ready to be taught at a level where he or she can absorb what you’re teaching. And there must be a proper attitude. If the cup is full, you can’t pour any more tea in it; the cup has to be empty.

When Paul Reps met somebody, he didn’t say, “How do you do?” which is meaningless. He said, “Thank you for your life.’ And that has deep meaning. When people asked Paul questions as to proper diet, whether they should have sex or not, Paul called these questions, “verbal delusionary.” This also has deep meaning, and relates closely to the reply of the Sufi master, “Are you ready to learn?” Unless the delusionary way of thinking is changed, no teaching is possible, and changing it can be painful. Giving up delusions, often recognized as neuroses, is not as easy as wallowing in them.

Prajna, p-r-a-j-n-a, your great treasure, the innate Wisdom that you are never without, is often personalized as Prajna Paramita, translated as “the perfection of wisdom.” It is thought of in many places as a female. In spiritual experiences, I have been told, “She will take you where you are meant to be.” In other words, you are being led. Also, that lets you off the hook. “She will lead you to where you are meant to be.” You’ll go there because you choose to go there and if you don’t you’ll be taken there anyhow. This is why the monk, Senzaki says, “It is better to discipline yourself than to have life do it for you.”

One time, I told a young Yogi who was actively seeking to be free from bondage, “The thing that binds you is the feeling that there is a goal to reach and you have not yet reached it.” Actually, you are complete. If you have faith in prajna, this inner wisdom, you will do and feel the right thing. It will almost do the right thing for you. Every word spoken to you will be a signpost to guide you, if you let it. But can you have faith in this guidance, instead of always trying to manipulate it?

… So my advice is to trust your inherent, intuitive wisdom – these are just words – rather than the accumulated knowledge that we all pile up. People read Lao Tzu who says, “Lose a little each day,” and then they think that wisdom consists in being a computer and piling up facts as you go along. All you have to do is go out in the forest, which we’re going to do this afternoon, or live somewhere where you are closely in touch with nature, and you’ll realize how false that is. There is no end to adding facts and filling our heads with knowledge, and that serves a very real purpose in its place. Whether you call it God, prajna, your own true nature, my advice is to know it and listen to it. This means to come to know who and what you are.

Excerpted and reprinted with permission from Good Karma Publishing. Available as a booklet through the New Mexico T’ai Chi Chih Association for a small fee (tel 505-299-2095), or as a free e-book downloadable on http://www.gkpub.com/talks.php.