Illiteracy to a 'man of god' can turn out to be a blessing. Literacy consists of the learning of the three R's, reading, writing, and 'rithmetic. We read a lot, and all that is only the studying of other men's thoughts to evolve some thought of our own which is a hotchpotch of all that, we have read. We can therefore, at best, be second hand men, since there is nothing of our own in all such 'thinking'. The other part of our reading consists of gathering information, which no doubt is necessary for living in the modem world. This is mistaken for knowledge, but it is not 'knowledge' in the real sense of the word, since real knowledge can arise only by 'being', or 'experiencing' it. Thus reading more often than not, is a hindrance to real knowing. If a man does not know how to read and has not read at all, he may be considered fortunate in as much as he does not need to forget or set aside whatever garbage he has gathered by way of other people's thoughts.
Writing can also come in the way of attaining real knowledge. If a man has something worthwhile to say or write, then he may put it down on paper. Otherwise one fills up pages, with nothing original in it. Society which is made up of similar ones, applauds and eulogizes him. This man now suffers from the illusion that he does 'know'; otherwise why should society honor him?
Imagine the amount of money that is being spent on printing. publishing and marketing of books which have no intrinsic value. Since this man of knowledge is quite satisfied with himself, he will never make an effort to gain real knowledge. Arithmetic is of no use to a real man of god. He does not want to calculate anything lest he ultimately become 'calculative' in his relationship with others. Love, which is the chief characteristic of a man of god, is immeasurable. Love is not quantitative but qualitative. What will the holy man, who lives wholly trusting in god, totally in love with existence, do with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division?
He lives wholly, moment to moment, showering love on everyone who comes near
him. He does not divide man as good or bad, as belonging to this or that religion,
does not see any difference between one creature and another, all of whom he
loves equally, as the sun sheds its rays on all irrespective of creed or color.
Since the holy man has thus identified himself with nature and existence, how
can he die? Even while he was in the body he was not identified with it, or
with the mind. He lived in the heart, which is the heart of everyone, a part
of existence, a part of the spirit that animates all existence. Before he arrived
at this point, he had already died to all his opinions, drives, ambitions and
motivations. A man who has thus died to his mind even while living and had become
a part of the eternal, where is death for him? Can death ever touch such a real
holy man?