by Jean-Pierre de Caussade

The reading of good books and any other pious exercises are useless unless they are the channels through which God operates.

All our learning should consist of finding out what God has planned for us at each moment. Anything we read which is not chosen for us by God is harmful. We receive grace through the will of God, and this grace works within us through our reading and through everything else we do. Without God, all our theorizing and reading is useless, and, as they are without the life-giving power of God, all they do is drain the heart and fill the mind.

The will of God working in the soul of a simple, ignorant girl through quite ordinary sufferings and actions produces deep within her a supernatural activity yet leaves her quite humble. How different this is from the case of the man, proud of his intellect, who reads spiritual books only out of curiosity and with no link to God. What happens to him? Well, he receives only the dead letter of the message and his heart grows steadily harder and more shrunken.

The designs of God -- what he chooses to do, his will, his actions, and his grace -- are all one and the same thing, all working together to enable us to reach perfection. And perfection is neither more nor less than the soul's faithful cooperation with God. This cooperation begins, grows and comes to fruition in our souls so secretly that we are not aware of it. Theology is crammed with theories and explanations about the wonders of this state. We may know all about these theories and be able to speak and write about them brilliantly, teach them to others and give spiritual advice, but if we have only an intellectual  knowledge of them we are compared to those who do God's will and yet know absolutely nothing of theology and certainly cannot talk about its complexities, like a doctor who is ill compared with simple people who enjoy perfect health.

If a faithful soul accepts God's will and purpose in all simplicity, he will reach perfection without ever realizing it, just as a sick man who swallows his medicine obediently will be cured, although he neither knows nor cares about medicine. We need know nothing about the chemistry of combustion to enjoy the warmth of a fire. Holiness is produced in us by the will of God and our acceptance of it. It is not produced by intellectual speculation about it. If we are thirsty we must have a drink and not worry about books which explain what thirst is. If we waste time seeking an explanation about thirst, all that will happen is that we shall get thirstier. It is the same when we thirst after holiness. The desire to know more about it will only drive it further away. We must put all speculation aside and, with child like willingness, accept all that God presents to us. What God arranges for us to experience at each moment is the best and holiest thing that could happen to us.

******************************************************************************* 

If we want to profit through reading of the scriptures, we are told in the Upanishads that hearing, contemplating and experiences of what we have read are important stages just as knowing, being convinced and consummation of medicine is a necessary part of curing our disease (ignorance). The following Upanishadic mantra very clearly advises us about the difference between bookish knowledge and experienced knowledge (Realization):

"This Atman or Self is not attained through mere discourses, discussions and arguments or logics and counter arguments, nor by the repetition and memorizing the scriptures intellectually. Self-Realization is gained only by the devotee who internally longs for It with the pure heart. To such a gopi, the Self-Lord reveals Its own nature."

The above article by the Saint require no comments just as the above Mantra requires no further explanation. Gitaji students who are intent on Abhyas Yoga will note that the following Mantras from the Gita instruct us in one form or the other on the vanity of bookish knowledge and the absolute need for experienced knowledge:

2:    42-44, 46, 50-54 

3:    6, 28, 42

4:    16, 19, 34-39

5:    2, 4-6, 17-26

6:    8, 22-24, 29-32, 35-36, 47

7:    3, 7, 10, 18-23, 28

8:    7-8, 11-12, 14, 26, 28

9:    1-4, 11-13, 20-22, 25, 29, 34

10:   4-5, 8-11, 20, 22, 32, 34, 38, 42

11:   8, 19, 32, 37-38, 40, 43-44, 48, 52-55

12:   2-12, 20

13:   2-3, 5-6, 7-11, 12-17, 22, 24-29, 34

14    1-4, 6-20

13:   3-7, 10-11, 15-20

16:   1-4, 7-24

17:   2-22

18:   5-7,10,13-17,20-22,26-28,29-40,42,51-58,59,61-62,65-66

--Swami Radhanandaji