Raja-Yoga

IIO
RAJA YOGAthe
future, are alike one book for him to read; he does
not require to go through all this tedious process, and
his words are proofs, because he sees knowledge in
himself ;
he is the Omniscient One. These, for
instance, are the authors of the Sacred Scriptures;
therefore the Scriptures are proof, and,
if
any such
persons are living now, their words will be proof.
Other philosophers go into long discussions about this
Apia, and they say, what is the proof that this is truth?
The proof
is because they see it; because whatever I
see is proof, and whatever you see is proof, if it does not
contradict any past knowledge. There is
knowledge
beyond the senses, and whenever it does not contradict
reason and past human experience, that knowledge is
Any madman may come into this room and say
proof.
he sees angels around him ;
that would not be proof. In
the first place it must be true knowledge, and, secondly,
it must not contradict knowledge of the past, and,
thirdly, it must depend upon the character of the man. I
hear it said that the character of the man is not of so
much importance as what he may say we must first hear
;
what he says. This may be true in other things; a
man may be wicked, and yet make an astronomical
discovery, but in religion it is different, because no
impure man will ever have the power to reach the
truths of religion. Therefore, we have first of all to
see that the man who declares himself to be an Apta
is
a perfectly unselfish and holy person; secondly that
he has reached beyond the senses, and thirdly that
what he says does not contradict the past knowledge