- The idea ‘I am the doer,’ comes from ignorance. ‘Oh Lord, You are the doer’ – this is knowledge. The Lord alone is the doer and all others are non-doers. You bring upon yourself such trouble if you say, ‘I, I.’
- I am the doer’: this is ignorance. ‘O Lord, You are the doer, I do nothing; You are the operator, I am the machine’: this is knowledge.
- Go beyond knowledge and ignorance. Only then will you be able to know God. Knowledge of many things is ignorance. Pride of learning is also ignorance. ‘God pervades all’ – this conviction is knowledge. Knowing Him intimately is called vijnana.
- A thorn has stuck into your foot. You need another thorn to take it out. When you have taken out the thorn that pricked you, you throw them both away. To remove the thorn of ignorance, you first have to acquire the thorn of knowledge. Then both the thorns of knowledge and ignorance have to be thrown away. (BG 7.14)