Reason and Experience

[Swami Vishvarupananda]

>And can we not, like the medieval Christian Scholastics, spend our
>whole life energy on scholarship without ever reaching a truly deeper
>understanding?

We sure can. On the other hand without proper study we can also keep
practicing according to our own ideas and end up going in circles. Both are
necessary, proper knowledge and its translation into pracitcal life. Proper
knowledge is the foundation on which sadhana needs to be built. But the
foundation alone will not be of value, of course. Intense sadhana is
indispensable.

>So maybe my best course for now is to stop asking questions, and focus
>more on meditation. If the process of laying the groundwork doesn't stop
>at some point, then it becomes just digging up the foundation and
>relaying it endlessly, often with a new design.

I don't think this comparison really works. Study with shraddha
cannot be called *digging* at the foundation. It is building work. Of course
study does not mean intellectually taking apart everything. That is the
digging work. Then the time has to come when one has found the conviction
and the
study builds our viveka and nourishes the sadhana.

OM namaH shivaaya OM