Not-Knowing

Socrates seldom addressed the public or made any public statement. He said, "I always address the individual". Because, whatever form of government or society we may have, no improvement is possible unless the individual is educated by educating himself, unless his hidden being is awakened to reality. Without such self-mastery, people continue to be like a sheep following all sorts of beliefs and ideologies. He did not hand down any wisdom. He just made everyone perplexed – provoking confusion. From such perplexity grows insight. And he died for it!

All beliefs are mere borrowed information. Only awareness of our ignorance would lead to our own authentic knowledge. He said, "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." Belief gives an illusion of knowing, but in reality it only prisons us. Not-knowing sets us free.

"Not-knowing is true knowledge.

Presuming to know is a disease.

First realize that you are sick;

then you can move toward health."

― Lao Tzu

"I don't want to be a believer; I want to be a knower. I don't want to be knowledgeable; I want to be innocent enough so that existence reveals its mysteries to me" — Rabindranath Tagore

"I can live with doubt and uncertainty and not knowing. I think it is much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers that might be wrong. If we will only allow that, as we progress, we remain unsure, we will leave opportunities for alternatives. We will not become enthusiastic for the fact, the knowledge, the absolute truth of the day, but remain always uncertain. In order to make progress, one must leave the door to the unknown ajar" — Richard Feynman

CK. Kamaraj

28 November 2020