Intelligence vs Intellect

 Intelligence is defined as an ability to learn and understand things which help us to gain skills. So all of us think that our life is secure and set if we somehow acquire a skill or a bundle of knowledge which makes us employable in a defined role or job description. It is something which is acquired from outside in an education system which is utilitarian. Most of us live life which is mundane and routine. without clearly defining a purpose  We seem to be victims of a herd instinct and go through the stages of birth, toddlerhood, then go to school, rote education which crams us with external education. This prepares you for college and a job, so you get married, have children, retire, grow old and die after fulfilling your worldly obligations. Our upbringing and parents often feel that this is what is enough and there seem to be hardly any incentive to go beyond the routine and find a higher purpose for life. 

The fundamental question which needs to be asked is " Is human life a routine existence similar to insects, fish, birds, animals? or Is there a higher purpose for living? "Once you ask this question you explore the difference between life forms. Every life form is a combination of the material and the spiritual part. If we look at inanimate stone it still is composed of a combination of elements with some energy which is not visible. Plants have a visible body which grows and is nourished by elements. They have rudimentary minds which means plants have life but have no intellect at all. The plants cannot move and die even if close to water but not getting it directly. Animals are better off in that they have body and can move hunt and fend for themselves and some of them have a rudimentary intellect which teaches them to recognize, protect and feed their children. Some can even show qualities of loyalty which suggests presence of intellect. They also care for their species but cannot think beyond the terrestrial. The humans have well developed highly evolved bodies capable sensing by using sense organs, and acting with their organs of action. Humans have minds which can react by showing feelings, emotions which lead to attachments. Lastly and most importantly they have intellect which is like a director which makes a choice to act according to the circumstances. This is what allows humans to make a choice to discriminate between good and evil. It is the intellect which makes man seek a purpose of living and leave the life dictated by herd instinct. The intellect enables one to drop the lower and choose the higher. So the hierarchy is of body which perceives and acts followed by mind that exhibits feelings and emotions and intellect which thinks of the worldly phenomenon and contemplates and reflects on that which is beyond this world. 

While we lament about the problems and pandemics of the world, humans as a species do not understand the problem of lack of intellect. This has resulted in a society which lives life selfishly, merely pandering to likes and dislikes and indulging in a unending cycle of acquisition and enjoyment. All this in turn leads worry of the past and anxiety for the future. This state of affairs is unacceptable and needs urgent attention of humanity. So while all our education is geared to acquisition of spatial knowledge of the external world, what is required is to turn inward and activate our discriminative faculty which is the intellect.

If this sounds too abstract we need to just look around and see examples to understand lack of intellect. It is this which leads to known diabetics eating sweets, many of us choose to avoid exercises and watch TV, we eat junk food vs home food. Lack of satisfaction despite fulfilment of desires leading to mental agitation and suffering. The inability to see the difference between actions which lead to permanent joy  versus the actions which lead to indulgence of non-serious passing pleasure has led to breakdown in relations. This occurs at the level of individuals leading to divorces between couples, breakdown of parent child, brother sister, friends, and employer employee relationships. At the level of region and country there is war and violence for land water and other resources. At the thought level it leads to religious or ideological fanaticism. All of us with our intelligence know about the disaster of global warming but do nothing to slow it down. If this is not a sign of absence on intellect then I fail to understand what is?

How often have we seen examples of geniuses who excel in their field but because of lack of intellect destroy themselves their lives and ruin their families. Tiger Woods, Michael Jackson are clear examples of great intelligence with rudimentary intellect. 

The need of the present day is to realize this situation and seek a solution for this problem. The first step is awareness of the problem followed by providing knowledge of the intellect  which equips us to face all the problems of life with a calm steadfastness arising out of a well developed intellect. The methods of Karma Yoga (selfless action) Bhakti Yoga (dispassionate passion) and Jnana yoga (ability to convert knowledge into wisdom) are needed as propounded in the Gita. This seems to be difficult but not impossible. Concentrated, consistent effort in a spirit of Co-operation is needed to rekindle the age of enlightenment. 

I urge readers to recognize this and act.