There’s a clear difference between knowledge and understanding (awakening of the Heart). Knowledge is power, but it is incomplete, whereas understanding is complete as it is not backed by thought, which, by nature, is divisive. Knowledge, however, is not to be discounted, and it is the first step towards spiritual understanding, and that’s why the path of jnana has been so well-known in the eastern cultures.
Why do I say knowledge is incomplete? As you must have observed, there’s no dearth of knowledge in the modern world. Any of us can get facts and information about any topic at the click of a button on our smartphones. The entire known human history can be downloaded onto our smartphones instantly. However, information alone does not bring peace and calm. It does bring a certain amount of clarity on a subject, but it doesn’t calm the restless mind. Knowledge without understanding breeds conflict.
You see, understanding is “knowing” in the Being, which means it is not a product of past activities and experiences. We can make decisions based on past learning, but the moment a similar situation presents with different variables, we find ourselves conflicted and confused. That’s because we rely heavily on knowledge and not understanding. Now, knowledge has a significant role to play, and it is not to be discarded, but it won’t clear the conflict because it is born out of the intellect, which is dualistic.
When we accumulate too much knowledge, we find ourselves more restless because it enhances the sense of personal identification as the separate “doer” entity. Therefore, intellectuals experience more anxiety and depression as compared to the “average” Joe who works at the cafe. They are left-brain thinkers, and without the involvement of the right-brain, they act in arrogance with an “all or nothing ” attitude, and hence, experience loneliness.
Real intelligence is not limited to statistics, numbers, and facts. Facts of today are likely to become fiction of tomorrow. As J Krishnamurti puts it, the real intelligence is to be free from the known (past). The actions arising from the totality of the left and right brain are wholesome. For example, if someone believes that the earth is square, I can allow that person to express without contradicting and defending. Their perception is not a threat to mine. I still act from my understanding, but I allow others to experience life in their own way. They don’t become my adversary but are seen as another expression of the Completeness that is here now. In other words, understanding is the compassionate Heart – Whole & Complete.
With love,
Jagjot
