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The Spirit of the Upanishads1528
The Good is one thing, the Agreeable another; men find them in a variety of
objects and become bound, one way or other. He who attaches himself to
the Supreme Good reaps the highest bliss; he who persues the Agreeable is
cheated of the real object of existence.
Kathopanishad.
These, the Good and the Agreeable, thou knowest, are opposed one to
the other in their very nature, and having entirely different results in store.
Oh Nachiketas! the various desires I propose to thee fail to move, thou art
really devoted to the Agreeable alone. Groping about in its night, fools
flatter themselves with wisdom and learning, and continue to tumble about,
without end, like the blind led by the blind.
Kathopanishad; Mundakopanishad.
The lyre with all the beauty of its make, and the melody of its music, serves
at best to please the hearer; it cannot lead to universal empire. In the same
manner all the flow of speech, all the stream of sweet words, all the skill
expended in explaining philosophy,—all that the learned call learning, has
the senses and mind, not the Self, for its end. Vain is the study of philosophy
if it leads not to the Essence, equally vain is all philosophy if the Essence is
realized.
Vivekachudamani.
Disease disappears not with the mere name of medicine, but by actually
swallowing it. Talking of the Self, without proper realization, can never bring
about liberation. Till the objective is not dissolved in the subject; till the
Essence of Self is not realized; no liberation can come from speaking Its
mere name—all the fruit of such, activity is only waste of so much breath.
Vivekachudamani.