What happens when we remain ignorant?

The first step in sannyas is to get rid of knowledge and the second step is to get rid of ignorance and the journey is complete. But first one has to get rid of knowledge because it is knowledge that covers your ignorance, protects your ignorance. It gives you a false notion that you know, when in reality you know nothing. But people are even afraid to ask the question 'Do I know? Do I know god? Do I know truth? Do I know love? Do I know what this universe is? Who am I?' People are afraid of asking these questions, afraid because they will bring you to your ignorance, you will have to encounter your ignorance, and ignorance is very shattering to the ego. Knowledge is a nourishment to the ego, so everybody wants to remain knowledgeable.

Question: THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE PATH OF IGNORANCE ENTER DARKNESS; AND THOSE WHO ARE ABSORBED IN KNOWLEDGE Ignorance is not deep darkness, it is like evening. There is no sun now, there is no light of understanding now, but at the same time neither is there the dark night of ego. It is just evening. Ignorance stands on the threshold from where it is also possible to go towards the light. But as the boast of the learned becomes stronger and stronger and his notion, "I know, I know, I know," becomes firmer and firmer, his night becomes darker, his evening disappears, and he sinks deep into the darkness. And as his boast grows from strength to strength, his night will become as dark as a moonless night.

25. The disassociation of the seer and the seen which is brought about by the dispersion of ignorance is the remedy that brings liberation.

26. THE UNWAVERING PRACTICE OF DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN WHAT IS THE REAL AND WHAT IS THE UNREAL BRINGS ABOUT THE DISPERSION OF IGNORANCE. 27. THE HIGHEST STAGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT IS REACHED IN SEVEN STEPS. The whole effort of yoga is like that. Many methods have to be used to remain alert: and because of this many things have gone wrong. For example, fasting: fasting is a method to remain alert -- it has nothing to do with the body -- because whenever you are fasting you cannot fall asleep easily. To fall asleep, the body needs food. When you have overeaten you fall asleep immediately. If you have overeaten, immediately you feel that now you cannot move. you cannot do anything. The consciousness is losing itself. The whole energy of the body moves into the stomach, it leaves the head where it remains conscious, because the food has to be digested,…

It has been asked: “Then we will remain ignorant, won’t we?”

The man said, “Understand what! You were about to take my life, my very breath. Where was there any question of understanding? And what a madman I came to! I should have suspected when you said you might even tell me in the river’s current. I should have known then I’d come to the wrong place. But I couldn’t just leave at once, so I came along. You nearly killed me. Visions of God were far off—my own life was slipping away. Who would be left to see anything then?” Farid said, “I want to ask you one thing. When I held you under, how many thoughts were in your mind?” He said, “Are you joking? There were no thoughts—only one idea: ‘Somehow, a breath—air!’” Farid asked, “How long did even that idea remain?” He said, “Only a little while. When my whole being was in danger, even that thought…

So the first thing: remembrance of ignorance — “I am ignorant.” If you ever want to enter the realm of knowledge, become alert to your ignorance. Seek day and night where your ignorance lies — and wherever you see it, accept it at once; do not delay even a moment. Whoever shows it to you — place your head at his feet; he has become your guru. Do not try to prove your ignorance is not ignorance — the mind will try; the ego will say, “Do not admit it. I — and ignorant? Never!” Thus we all go on insisting upon our ignorance. We go on saying, “This alone is right.” Those who know nothing make big claims to rightness. Those who do not know even the stone by the roadside make claims about Paramatman — “My God alone is right.