ego claiming the "prize"

[Frank Maiello]

Gummuluru Murthy wrote:

> [...] it seems to me that the concept of
> jnAni is non-existent. There is only jnAnam, or wisdom; no jnAni.
>
> In our ajnAna, we can define jnAni as personified form of jnAnam.
> However, that is from the perspective of the ajnAni. The entity whom
> the ajnAnis consider as jnAni does not consider itself to be either
> a jnAni or ajnAni. It is pure jnAnam.
>
> Quite often, it was argued on this list that the danger of some ajnAni
> making a statement of wisdom is that the ego claims to be the jnAni and
> such an approach is counter-productive. So, it was argued, acknowledge
> your ajnAnam and some day you will see the light. When does the thought
> "I am ajnAni" drop out ? That is, when the thought of individuality
> falls. When you think you are an individual, you are an ajnAni. Now,
> if it is not the ego that claims (whatever is to be claimed), then what
> else is there to do the claiming ? The Self is unattached and has no
> claims. If any claim is made, it has to be done by the ego only and
> nothing else. And, if the ego dies, there is only pure jnAnam. This
> gets us back to Shri Shankara's Viveka ChuDAmaNi statement (... aham
> bhAvodayAbhAvo bodhasya paramAvadhih...).

This is all we need to know.

Namaste.