 124. Philosophy � Greek |
Plato
Plato's own theory of knowledge (insights obtained in a state of enlightenment, or SELF realization) is found in the "republic," particularly in his discussion of the image of the divided line and the myth of the cave.
In the former, Plato distinguishes between two levels of awareness: opinion and knowledge (i.e., observations and judgements made in the psychological egoic state of mind and the true knowledge which is obtained when one knows one's self as ETERNAL SPIRIT. True knowledge is to KNOW-THY-SPIRITUAL SELF. False knowledge is to know - conceptualize - everything else.)
Claims or assertions about the physical or visible world, including both common sense observations and the propositions of science, are "opinions" only. Some of these "opinions" are well founded; some are not. But none of them counts as genuine knowledge.
"The Myth of the Cave"
The myth of the cave describes individuals chained deep within the recesses of a cave (the psychological egoic state of mind), bound so that vision is restricted. They cannot see one another (that is, they see only the outer form and individual egoic person and do not truly see the "divine quality" or "consciousness" in each other.) The only thing visible is the wall of the cave, upon which appear shadows cast by models or statues of animals and objects that are passed before a brightly burning fire. (The only thing visible to these egoic or unenlightened people is the imaginary quality of life which appears real to them but is actually a delusion, or what the Hindus called "Maya" and what Jesus called "Satan," the images of creation which are not real.) The imaginary objects which we, in an unenlightened state of mind perceive to be real and "solid" and "physical," are in actuality all produced by subtle light ("let there be light").
Breaking free (obtaining self-realization, Satori, Nirvana, Enlightenment, Heaven, Samadhi, etc.) one of the individuals escapes from the cave (psychological egoic state) into the light of day (enlightenment) with the aid of the son (becoming the "Son" of "God" and all things come to one's remembrance.)
That person sees for the first time the real world (the spiritual world) and returns to the cave with the message that only the things they have seen heretofore are shadows and appearances and that the real world (spiritual world found in enlightenment or/and self realization) awaits them if they are willing to struggle free of their bonds (their limited mentality in the psychological egoic state, or "sin").
This is the same teaching of Jesus, Lao Tzu, the Buddha, Mohammed and all other teachers who found their "way out" and tried to teach the truth of the life they had found (actually returned to).
There is another realm that is non-contiguous (not connected) with the material realm, a realm of form (spirit) which actually accounted for the form (energy) in which material reality manifested.
