Our need to understand (on all material levels) has a subliminal cause and is ultimately driven by the need to know the Self and source of Consciousness.  Our natural evolutionary habitual instinct is to turn outwards and engage with the world and in doing so harvest worldly knowledge (Duality) in the belief that it will be satisfying.  We can, if we have the intelligence and the stamina, glean endless quantities of information about the gross and the subtle aspects of Nature (the Mother) by this process.  We will then in time, become clever, in that clever is a relative personal attribute.  Nature is infinite in its complexity and hence all this acquisition of knowledge, though it fills the Hallowed Halls of our universities, is an endless process and it can never be satisfied.  Neither is it ultimately True.  It is merely relative.

Analysis of the Mind falls into the same category as worldly knowledge because it too is dualistic.  Thus it is that analysis of mind, or a compulsive need to understand our personal suffering is also futile and can never bring peace of Mind.  Only by turning away from Ego/Mind towards the Self can enduring peace ever prevail.

So what is the proof of this assertion that the endless search for knowledge is driven by a longing to know the Self?  It is that if one turns inwards (through practice) one eventually begins to SEE knowledge in a way that is deeply fulfilling until such time as the Self is realised. The compulsive longing for relative knowledge then ceases to hold any fascination.  Our curiosity is sated and we are fulfilled by a profound sense of well-being.  Desire generated by Ego/Mind falls silent because all desire has been satisfied.

Then we only need to know as much as is required to satisfy our daily needs.  All Proper Knowledge; the knowledge of the Self, is revealed by turning inwards and asking, ‘Who am I’.  One needs no books.  And this Knowledge is different.  It is certain, unequivocal and doubtless. It is not speculative and when realised it is unifying and has a startling ‘charm’.  And slowly one acquires Wisdom as distinct from Cleverness. Hence you will find spiritual teachers who can instantly answer many spiritual questions, despite having limited worldly knowledge, and who are no match for a master of physics. This is not a contradiction.

During conversation Swami Bawra once said, ‘If you want Self Realisation what you need to understand is very simple, but if you want to teach then you must know a great deal more.’  Spiritual Practice (meditation) and the Guidance of a good teacher (one that has authority) will do the rest and is essential.