Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

(17) HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING?

Prev Next 31st December, 1945
During the first week of last month, on one morning, an
ignorant traveller came to the Ashram and, after staying here
for two or three days, and in accordance with the saying “satra
bhojanam matha nidra” (eating in choultries, sleeping in mutts)
went away to eat and stay elsewhere, but was all the same
coming here for some days enjoying the bliss of staying near
and having the darshan of Bhagavan. Before leaving this town
he approached Bhagavan one day with great hesitation and
said, in humble tones, “Swami, the people sitting here always
ask you something and you give them some replies. When
I see that, I also feel tempted to enquire, but I do not know
what to ask you. How then can I get mukti?”
Bhagavan, looking at him endearingly and smiling, said,
“How do you know that you do not know anything?” He said,
“After I came here and heard the questions asked by all these
people and the replies Bhagavan is pleased to give them, the
feeling that I do not know anything has come upon me.” “Then
it is all right. You have found out that you do not know
anything; that itself is enough. What more is required?” said
Bhagavan. “How to attain mukti by that much alone, Swami?”
said the questioner. “Why not? There is some one to know
that he does not know anything. It is sufficient if you could
enquire and find out who that someone is. Ego will develop if
one thinks that one knows everything. Instead of that, isn’t it
much better to be conscious of the fact that you do not know
anything and then enquire how you could gain moksha?”
He felt happy at that and went his way. That questioner
might or might not have understood the essence of that
Bhagawathvani (the voice of the Lord) but, for us people here,
those words were echoing in our heart of hearts like
mantraksharas (letters of the gospel).

Prev Next TOC 16. The First Bhiksha 17. How Do You Know That You Do Not Know Anything? 18. Leopards and Snakes 19. Won’t You Please Hear My Speechless Appeal? 20. A Squirrel 21. Dharma is Different From Dharma–Sukshma 22. Moksha 23. Worship of the Cow 24. A Pair of Pigeons 25. Baby Cheetahs 26. Medication without Treatment 27. Bhakti’s Taste