THE FOUR SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Inspiration, revelation, insight, intuition, ecstasy, divine sight and Paramananda state are

the seven planes of knowledge. There are four sources of knowledge, viz., instinct, reason, intuition

and super-intuition or Brahma-Jnana.

                 
                                                                   Instinct

When an ant crawls in your right arm, the left arm automatically moves towards the right

arm to drive away the ant. The mind does not reason there. When you see a scorpion in front of your

leg, you withdraw your leg automatically. This is termed instinctive or automatic movement. As

you cross a street, how instinctively you move your body to save yourself from the cars! There is no

Vritti in such mechanical movement.

Instinct is found in animals and birds. In birds, the ego does not interfere with the free divine

flow and divine play. Hence the work done by them through their instincts is more perfect than that

done by human beings. Have you not noticed the excellent work done by birds in their building of

wonderful nests?

                                                  Reason

Reason is higher than instinct and is found only in human beings. It collects facts,

generalises, reasons out from cause to effect, from effect to cause (

a priori and a posteriori methods

of reasoning), from premises to conclusions, from propositions to proofs. It concludes, decides and

comes to judgment. It takes you safely to the door of intuition and leaves you there.

Belief, reasoning, knowledge and faith are the four important psychic processes. First you

have belief in a doctor. You go to him for diagnosis and treatment. He makes a thorough

examination and then prescribes certain medicines. You take them. You reason out: ìSuch and such

is the disease. The doctor has given me Iron and Iodide. Iron will improve my blood. The Iodide

will stimulate the lymphatics and absorb the exudation and growth in the liver. So I should take it.î

Then the disease is cured, by a course of these drugs, in a month. Then you get knowledge of and

perfect faith in the efficacy of the medicine and the proficiency of the doctor. Then you recommend

to your friends this doctor and his drugs.

                                                 Intuition

Intuition is spiritual Anubhava. Knowledge through functioning of Karana-Sarira is

intuition. Sri Aurobindo calls it super-mind or supramental consciousness. There is direct

perception of truth (Pratyaksha) or immediate knowledge through Samadhi. You know things by a

flash. Professor Bergson preached about intuition in France to make the people understand that

there is another higher source of knowledge than intellect. In intuition, there is no reasoning process

at all. It is Pratyaksha. Intuition transcends reason, but does not contradict it. Intellect takes a man to

the door of intuition and returns back. Intuition is Divyadrishti. It is Jnana-Chakshus. Spiritual

flashes and glimpses of truth come through intuition. Inspiration, revelation, spiritual insight come

through intuition.

                                               Atma-Jnana

Atma-Jnana is above intuition. It transcends the Karana-Sarira. It is the highest form of

Knowledge. It is the only Reality.