Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
16 March 2018
The Unknowable
“Known and Unknown”
Primitive man did not have any known in his mind. This implies that primitive man did not know the unknown either. Primitive man lived his life instinctively just as animals did.
Now, as the intelligence in life evolved intellect, the sound in primitive man evolved as a letter. Further, as the intellect evolved, primitive man came to know a letter, which was unknown to him, and later all the letters in the alphabet, which were unknown to him.
Similarly, primitive man came to know a word, which was unknown to him, and later many words that were unknown to him. This was followed by sentences, which were unknown to him.
Further in evolution, man came to know identification and identified what was unknown to him. Eventually, man came to know reason, logic, cause and effect, which were unknown to him.
Next in evolution, man came to know reason, which was unknown to him. This signifies that reason came to be known from the unknown and not from the unknowable.
Next in evolution, man came to know logic, which was unknown to him. This signifies that logic came to be known from the unknown and not from the unknowable.
Next in evolution, man came to know cause, which was unknown to him. This signifies that cause came to be known from the unknown and not from the unknowable.
Next in evolution, man came to know effect, which was unknown to him. This signifies that effect came to be known from the unknown and not from the unknowable.
Next in evolution, man came to know the past, present and future, which were unknown to him. Further in evolution, man came to know the different branches in knowledge, including spirituality, which were unknown to him. Even to this present day man comes to know what happens in life, which is unknown to him before it actually happens.
Therefore, man comes to know the known from the unknown and not from the unknowable. The unknowable can never be known. The source of the unknown is the unknowable. Therefore, the unknown is the source of the known and not the unknowable.
Instinct cannot be known. Only the word ‘instinct’ could be known and this word is known by modern man from the unknown and not from the unknowable. Therefore, what is the reality of instinct in man or woman can neither be the known nor the unknown. This signifies that instinct is unknowable.
Similarly, what is the reality of enlightenment can neither be the known nor the unknown. This signifies that enlightenment is unknowable as well.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2018
Editor’s Note:
The wisdom of the author of this article illustrates how man may come to understand. The dexterous use of the verb ‘to know’ guides the reader from the known to the unknown and from the unknown to the unknowable. Every body of knowledge - the known - no matter the context, arises from the unknown, whilst the unknown arises from the source that can never be known – the unknowable. In his search for liberation, man may come to understand that the ‘enlightenment’ he seeks is known only as a word. Enlightenment is unknowable.
Julian Capper, UK.