Anand,
“This is the reason why, instead of quoting from experience, it is better to refer to authentic texts.”
What one considers as “authentic” or “inauthentic” texts, are just your own prejudices and identifications. You are speaking as though there is some kind of absolute category as to what is “authentic” and what is not. Certainly, for the dogmatic Buddhists who do not accept the Vedas as authority - the Vedas is not an “authentic” texts. For the dogmatic Brahmins who have rejected Buddhism - there can be no higher authority or authenticity than the Vedas. For certain schools of Tantra - they have their own opinions as to what scriptures are authentic, certainly, like all of the other schools - the Advaitists, the Samkhya schools, Shaivism, Skatism, the Charvakas, anything which supports their philosophy is authentic. And if you are following a guru who belongs to any particular tradition - he too has his own ideas as to what is authentic and what is not. These are all just the relative likes and dislikes of the mind, projecting themselves all over the place.
Enlightenment does not require any scriptures, beliefs, or philosophies - all that is needed is to come to know yourself. And in knowing yourself - there is no philosophy that is to be gained out of it - only freedom which is beyond measure. Because all philosophies, are just an attempt to destroy the mystery of existence which is inexpressible.
“Lastly, don’t you think that the “borrowed knowledge” you refer to may in fact be the road map to the destination?”
Yes, I agree. It can be. Even if what one is believing is false, that does not matter. In coming to ones awakening, Truth is irrelevant. What is relevant - is any strategy that leads you towards your awakening. If you, temporarily, have a certain belief which triggers an attitude in you which is useful towards your transformation - then such a belief can be used as a skillful means. The same is the case with any knowledge. But it is not because of the knowledge itself - what is far more of a force for ones expansion is ones inner attitude towards it. Depending on ones inner attitude, the same knowledge can be used in countless different ways. So - it is my own understanding, that there is something far more essential in the spiritual process than ones knowledge, although knowledge can certainly help.
“No harm in referring to it, unless one is a spiritual adventurer/ nomad/ explorer akin to someone who wanted to reach India, but landed up in America.”
Yes, but the problem is that if you have different maps - all telling you that they know where to go, and yet they are all pointing in different directions, then it may be far more useful just to accept whatever they have said just as a hypothesis and nothing more. One will have to investigate on ones own. If, by chance, one happens to come across a few things which were indicated on the map - then certain things can be verified - but not before.
“I think, the only problem with being a spiritual wanderer is that this life is too short to risk its span this way.”
Whether one is knowledgeable or not, if one is basically asleep - then one is wandering in darkness. And no amount of knowledge can bring light to ones eyes, one can only learn of how to open ones eyes. Wandering in darkness is always a risk - even if you are tremendously intelligent. In fact - because one may be tremendously intelligent - it is possible that even one can become deceived by too much intelligence. The spiritual process is a dangerous one, it is the most dangerous undertaking a human being can become involved in. Because what it means essentially - is a complete collapse of the whole dream world which the ego has been clinging to for its survival.
