Intelligent And Intellectual – In Gita Verse 2.11 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.
Krishna elucidates to Arjuna the difference between borrowed knowledge and true intelligence, highlighting Arjuna’s inappropriate mourning while citing scriptural wisdom. This paradoxical behavior indicates a lack of genuine wisdom, as the truly wise do not grieve for the living or the dead. Krishna’s critique, though delivered with a smile, is severe. He asserts that Arjuna, despite his scriptural rhetoric, is not a scholar but a fool. Arjuna’s interpretations, cloaked in scriptural terms, merely validate his pre-existing beliefs rather than seeking true understanding. The true distinction lies in the use of scripture: a fool manipulates it for self-validation, while a scholar seeks truth.
Simone Weil once wrote that some people seek to align the truth with their own side, while others strive to align themselves with the truth. This dichotomy is evident in how individuals approach religion and scripture. Some use religion as a shield for convenience and security, while others stand courageously with religion, ready to be transformed by it.
Arjuna, despite his scholarly language, seeks to bend the scriptures to his favor. By doing so, he places himself above the scriptures, a dangerous position that precludes the possibility of error. This self-assuredness leads him to seek confirmation of his own beliefs within the scriptures.
Christian mystics have noted that even the devil can quote scripture. The ability to quote scripture is not indicative of true wisdom. Arjuna quotes scripture before Krishna, the embodiment of scriptural wisdom, highlighting his folly. Krishna’s laughter is a fitting response to this irony.
A story about Bodhidharma illustrates this point well. When a man asked Bodhidharma to explain a book of Buddha, Bodhidharma replied that if the man believed he could explain it, he should discard the book and learn directly from him. Conversely, if he believed Bodhidharma could not explain it, he should discard Bodhidharma and rely solely on the book.
Krishna’s laughter underscores the absurdity of Arjuna’s actions. Despite addressing Krishna as God, Arjuna fails to recognise the divine wisdom before him. He continues to make decisions independently, saying he will not fight, even as he addresses Krishna as God. This contradiction is what Krishna finds laughable.
The mind is not synonymous with intelligence. While the mind can be intellectual, this is a poor substitute for true intelligence. Intellectuality is mechanical and relies on borrowed knowledge. In contrast, intelligence is an innate ability to perceive and understand.
Intelligence is an inborn quality, a natural phenomenon akin to breathing or seeing. It is intuitive and independent of intellect, which is taught and imposed by others. True intelligence is inherent to one’s being, while intellect is borrowed and cultivated.
All individuals are inherently intelligent at birth, yet societal education often diminishes this natural intelligence, compelling conformity and stifling originality. This educational process leads to a loss of clarity and vision as individuals begin to adopt borrowed perspectives. Intelligence deteriorates when one starts imitating others. To maintain your intelligence, it is imperative to avoid imitation. When intelligence is replaced by copying, it effectively commits suicide. The moment you aspire to emulate another person, you compromise your own intelligence, rendering yourself less capable. Comparing yourself to others diminishes your natural potential, leading to dissatisfaction and a lack of clarity. You lose your vision and adopt a borrowed perspective, which is inherently flawed as you cannot perceive the world accurately through someone else’s eyes.
To truly thrive, one needs to rely on their own faculties – eyes to see, legs to walk, and a heart to beat. Living a borrowed life results in a metaphorical paralysis, making individuals appear foolish. There is a pressing need for a new educational paradigm that respects individual nature and potential. A poet forced into mathematics, or a mathematician into history, results in a misalignment of talents and interests. Current educational systems fail to respect individual differences, instead imposing uniform patterns that hinder personal growth and fulfillment.
A new kind of education is needed, one that respects individual nature and potential. The current system forces everyone into a uniform pattern, which may fit a few but leaves the majority feeling unworthy and unintelligent.
Arjuna is currently trapped in the objective world and the words of knowledge. Krishna reminds him that true wisdom involves acting according to the demands of the circumstances, not merely reciting borrowed knowledge. Krishna’s words serve as a wake-up call for Arjuna to recognise the difference between true intelligence and the mere appearance of wisdom.
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