Original article: https://www.vedanta4all.com/articles/mt-ignorance-the-i-know/
I found this illustration precisely as the topic of this article was crystallising in my mind. The beautiful synergy of life.
Many a day in practice or teaching, I hear the phrase “I Know.” It is often a response to a discussed topic where I explain a principle of Self-Knowledge to a client or inquirer. Invariably, the individual did indeed hear about the principle before, definitely read about it, and probably told others about it and to practise it.
This response is often the companion, however, of not living the principle.
And the problem with the phrase “I Know” is that it immediately veils the fact that the person clearly does not yet know the principle as lived assimilation.
The moment “I Know” is uttered, any chance the individual had to be open to learning or inquiring into the principle is hijacked by the ego’s defence of “I Know.” The energy of inertia has just ensured that, with the overconfidence of incompetence, a claim was staked on knowledge that was not yet integrated into life.
And with “I Know,” there is no possibility for asking a question and examining the current life situation against the principle — the very basis of inquiry.
Just like that, the person becomes a prisoner on Mt Ignorance.
I changed it from Mt Stupid (as shown on the illustration), because this is not about being intellectually challenged. It is about not knowing what you don’t know.
The Valley of Realisation
Once you have mustered enough clarity to recognise what you don’t know — probably by learning to Pause and take a breath before you react — you fall into the Valley of Despair, the realisation of how little you actually know.
This can be a brutal attack on the ego — on the “I Know” factor.
Yet it also creates vulnerability and openness, and now knowledge becomes possible.
Every moment becomes an opportunity to inquire. This is when the Pause becomes even more vital.
This openness is often referred to as Beginner’s Mind in Buddhism.
A well-known Zen story illustrates this beautifully. A student once visited his Master and spoke incessantly about everything he knew. As was the tradition, the Master offered him tea.
While pouring the tea, the Master simply kept pouring, allowing the tea to spill over the cup.
The student finally protested.
“Master, the cup is overflowing!”
The Master calmly replied:
“You are like this cup — overflowing, with no room for knowledge.”
The Vedantic Method
In Vedanta, Self-Knowledge unfolds through a three-step process:
- Listening (Shravana)
- Reasoning (Manana)
- Assimilation (Nididhyasana)
Without Beginner’s Mind, true listening is impossible.
Listening may sound easy — simply hearing the knowledge — but it requires the suspension of your opinions, ideas, and beliefs.
Knowledge must be allowed to enter freely.
Your existing views must be measured against the knowledge — not the other way around.
The reason for this is simple.
If you were already joyous and free, you would not need knowledge.
Your seeking itself indicates that you do not yet know who or what you truly are.
If you did know, you would know that:
- You are whole and complete
- Nothing can be added to you
- Nothing can be taken away from you
- You are changeless
- You are pure Awareness
- You are ever-present
And you would naturally live in effortless freedom, unconcerned.
Reasoning and Inquiry
Once you have listened with an open mind, the next step is reasoning.
This involves:
- Reading
- Asking questions to the teacher
- Discussing the teachings with other inquirers
Vedanta does not require blind faith.
It asks for faith pending the results of your inquiry.
Its logic has liberated millions of minds through the centuries.
What remains is simply to examine the limited beliefs, opinions, and ideas that prevent you from recognising your wholeness and completeness here and now.
At its core, the problem is always misidentification.
You take yourself to be the body-mind-ego complex.
Yet in truth, you are the Light that illuminates it.
And it is not merely your light.
It is the Light of Awareness, because of which everything shines.
Living the Knowledge
When this truth becomes something you live moment to moment, the knowledge is assimilated.
But assimilation requires mastery of the mind and senses.
If you are pulled by every sensory impulse, inquiry becomes impossible.
If you have not made a friend of your mind — where you do not have to follow every thought that appears — you cannot remain established in knowledge.
Thoughts arise automatically due to karma.
But they do not require your participation.
They can simply pass through the mind.
You do not have to entertain them.
You can simply let them leave — without offering them tea.
The Quiet Confidence of Self-Knowledge
The confidence that comes from Self-Knowledge is quiet and humble.
It brings a deep calm and peace.
You know, without a shadow of doubt, that you are — and will always be — whole and complete.
Nothing anyone says or does can change that.
For they are not separate from you.
Then you are free.
And you know that you know — without ever needing to say “I Know.”
A Simple Daily Practice
As a daily practice, monitor your speech for the phrase “I Know.”
Speech discipline is incredibly important for cultivating clarity of mind.
Whenever you hear yourself say “I Know,” pause.
Then inquire:
What am I veiling right now?
Be fearless.
Look deeper.
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