The way of attaining spiritual knowledge is quite opposite to the way that a person attains worldly knowledge. As the sky is in the opposite direction from the earth, so the source of knowledge of spiritual things is opposite to the knowledge of the world. As a person becomes intellectual, they know things of the world; but it does not mean that they become spiritual. On the contrary, they go further from spirituality by their thought, “I understand worldly things.”
What is the best way of attaining spiritual knowledge? First, a person must develop in their nature that little spark which is divine, and which is shining in one’s infancy, showing something pure, some sign of Heaven. What is it in the infant that attracts us most? What attracts us most is innocence. It is innocence that gives an impression of a pure heart. We must not understand this wrongly. Knowledge of the world, the knowledge of names and forms, is necessary. It is necessary to live in the world, necessary to make the best of one’s life, necessary to serve God and humanity. It is not necessary in order to attain spiritual knowledge. Innocence is necessary for that.
When a person sees among their friends or relatives something that attracts them the most, perhaps this is the side of their nature that is innocence. People forgive those who are dear to them; they tolerate their faults. They say, “They are wrong, but they are innocent.” There is a purity that is divine, and that attracts everyone. Innocence is like a spring of water, in which the heart and soul bathe, purifying all that is foreign to the heart and soul.
How can we attain innocence? Innocence is not foreign to our nature; we have all been innocent. By being conscious of this nature, we develop it; in admiring that nature in others, appreciating it, we also develop it. All things which we admire become impressions. Those who have a bad nature are observant of the bad in others. Those who have collected good impressions, will in time get that impression in themselves.
During my travelling in India, the purpose of which was to pay homage to the sages of that land, the thing that appealed most to me was not their power nor their radiance. It was that the greater the soul was, the greater was their innocence. One sees in them innocence, not simplicity. There is a difference. The one who is simple does not understand. We see this in everyday life. The noble-hearted one understands but closes their eyes.
Innocence is to understand and to rise above the common understanding. Insight gives a person the power to see clearly and rise above. For the average person sees another through their own glasses, their own opinion. Prejudice often stands between people. For insight, unity is necessary. When anyone smiles at a child, they do not know if it is a friend or foe; the child only smiles back. When that attribute is developed, a person has taken the spiritual path. What is lacking in life is the lack of innocence. A person becomes wise after having been intellectual. They rise above the intellect. Knowledge that seemed so important is nothing. They see the cause behind the cause. They judge and tolerate all. They understand the way of their enemy. For they are innocent. Would it be practical to live altogether according to this principle? No. A principle is to be used, not to control our life. When people make of a principle a chain, it becomes captivity.
Life is freedom, developing nobleness. One cannot force oneself to be innocent. But there is no better sign of piety or spirituality than innocence with all understanding.
January 7, 1923
CW 1923, Vol. 1, pp. 3-6.
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