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Seeking help a sign of weakness? || Acharya Prashant, on Vedanta (2022)
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3 years ago
Knowledge
Seeking Help
Ego
Sovereignty
Liberation
Conditioning
Repetition
Wisdom
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the hesitation to ask questions that may have been answered before. He explains that if one extends this logic, even the first time hearing an answer was unnecessary, as all knowledge actually pre-exists within us. The self, or ego, argues that a question has been answered before, but the truth is that even the first answer shouldn't have been needed because the ego itself contains all answers at its core. The reason one cannot access these answers is that the ego is outward-looking and inflated, preventing it from looking inward. Therefore, any moralistic hesitation to ask a question again is not needed, and repetition is a small effort compared to what is required to drive the point home. Furthermore, Acharya Prashant discusses the idea of figuring things out on one's own. He states that while one can, relying on available sources is a part of one's sovereignty and empowerment. He points out the contradiction in being free to make debilitating choices influenced by the world, yet hesitating to make enabling choices by seeking help. He questions why debilitation is seen as an indicator of sovereignty and free will, while seeking empowering assistance is viewed as a weakness. We readily seek much from the world, including conditioning and corrupted things, so we should not resist seeking help for liberation from our bondages. He emphasizes that this is a collective journey, stating, "we are all in it together," and it's not possible for some to sink while others swim. He encourages mutual support. He shares his personal example of digging within while also eagerly seeking help from books, noting that he has a large library and still needs them. He concludes by mentioning that not all books are useful, and he can only recommend a few. The dilemma is that some books are only useful in specific parts, and recommending an entire book might be a waste of time for the reader.