It wasn't until I read the works of David Godman, that I clearly understood who a Jnani is. My earlier understanding was that Jnani is a Sanskrit word used interchangeably to refer to a Saint. The true import of this word Jnani is one who has realised himself as the Self or Brahman.
The scriptures like the Ribhu Gita, Asthavakra Gita have mentioned in detail the state of a Jnani. A simple point is that He / She is a Jnani whose "I" thought is totally absent and they abide in the Self / Brahman.
A Jnani has no real teaching, and has nothing new to add to us in the conventional sense. This is because he / she sees everything as the manifestation of the Self and there is no difference in their perceptions of the world of forms. To them, the individual jivas are no different from them. Their Presence is the most powerful transformational force and their teaching is through Silence.
Saints who re-incarnate on earth or exist in different lokas cannot be Jnanis as they have some desire to reincarnate or exist in subtle realms of creation. A Jnani has no mind, hence the question of re-incarnating does not arise. Usually Jnanis don't initiate people into Mantras as mantras relate to the mind, and in fact they exhort people to go beyond the mind. They sometimes encourage people to chant mantras if asked, but otherwise they only prescribe Vichara - discrimination between the Unreal and the Real.
The scriptures like the Ribhu Gita, Asthavakra Gita have mentioned in detail the state of a Jnani. A simple point is that He / She is a Jnani whose "I" thought is totally absent and they abide in the Self / Brahman.
A Jnani has no real teaching, and has nothing new to add to us in the conventional sense. This is because he / she sees everything as the manifestation of the Self and there is no difference in their perceptions of the world of forms. To them, the individual jivas are no different from them. Their Presence is the most powerful transformational force and their teaching is through Silence.
Saints who re-incarnate on earth or exist in different lokas cannot be Jnanis as they have some desire to reincarnate or exist in subtle realms of creation. A Jnani has no mind, hence the question of re-incarnating does not arise. Usually Jnanis don't initiate people into Mantras as mantras relate to the mind, and in fact they exhort people to go beyond the mind. They sometimes encourage people to chant mantras if asked, but otherwise they only prescribe Vichara - discrimination between the Unreal and the Real.
I suggest reading "Mahayoga" by WHO, and "No Mind - I am the Self" by David Godman to get a clear understanding of who a Jnani is. It will be clear that most of the Saints and Spiritual teachers may not fit the description of a Jnani. It is not to demean the spiritual status of Saints, and I do believe each person has a role to play in the cosmic scheme of things. But to elevate them as Jnanis and Avatars is too far fetched.
I intend to publish more posts on Jnanis in the near future. More later.............
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