Liberation: Wisdom and Humility

There is an unfortunate misunderstanding about living liberation and the liberated human being in the Hindu tradition. Regrettably, this confusion is too often perpetuated by Hindu teachers who are regarded by their supporters as liberated individuals.

I am referring here to the belief that the liberated person (jīvanmukta) becomes all-knowing and thus infallible as a teacher in all matters. We witness Hindu teachers in public and private settings questioned and offering, often flawed and questionable, opinions on every conceivable subject.  I am yet to hear a teacher in such a setting admit that he/she has no expertise or training in a particular area of study, whether this is in the humanities, social or empirical sciences.

Hindu sacred texts, such as the Upanishads, Bhagavadgita and the Brahmasutra, do not associate liberation with infallibility and expertise in all branches of human learning. The qualities associated with liberation are freedom from greed, hate and anger, compassion, self-control and peace. and not omniscience.  

The fact is that liberation does not suddenly confer expertise in fields of knowledge not pursued or cultivated by a liberated person before the attainment of liberation. The intellectual limits of the person, and all too often even the prejudices, continue after liberation. If a person lacked knowledge of history, world politics or economics, such ignorance continues after liberation. Perhaps this is the reason why the Bhagavadgita (5:18), speaks of the liberated one as rich in knowledge and humility (vidya vinaya sampanne), even while praising the liberated as one who sees as all beings with a vision of equality (panditah sama darshinah). Affirming the equality of all beings is a mark of liberation; one can do this without claiming arrogantly that one is a master in all fields of knowledge.

The importance of understanding this fact about the liberated person in the Hindu tradition is consequential. It protects the disciple from exploitation and unquestioning obedience to a teacher in all matters. Respect for a teacher does not require that we irrationally regard him/her as infallible and as an expert in all fields.  At the same time, a teacher who openly acknowledges the limits of his knowledge is liberated to learn and to grow and to be a disciple to others. One does not have to claim all-knowledge to be a good teacher.

A healthy teacher-disciple relationship is characterized by a transparent mutual humility which enables both to grow in authenticity and knowledge.

Today, the Christian world celebrates the birth of a child whose parents sought shelter in a barn and who was placed in a trough used to feed farm animals. The circumstances of the birth are humble and simple. He grew up to be a powerful teacher, who exemplified and spoken often of the virtue of humility. We can all, students and teachers, learn from this exemplar of unpretentiousness. =

Greetings to my Christian friends around the world on the occasion of Christmas.  I wish peace and happiness for you and your families.

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