As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Proverbs 4:7 

Wisdom is defined as  “the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting” whereas understanding is “information gained through experience, reasoning, or acquaintance”.  So knowing what is right or wrong is important but the practical experience of implementing action and reflection on its consequences is also required.

Wisdom without understanding does not suffice.  Honour and progress only occurs when you hold wisdom and understanding within your heart.  So how can we learn wisdom?  Confucius claimed there were three ways to learn wisdom

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”

Confucius

I like the way he tells us the easiest way, is to imitate someone who is wise.  That is easy to relate to.  You get to see an example in front of you and you copy it.  Or with experience you learn through trial and error, which can be very painful and take time. Or as proverbs more eloquently but crudely puts it,

"As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly"

Proverbs 31

Reflection is described as the noblest perhaps because you work it out yourself using your own rational ability.

But real grace and honour will never be dependent on what you acquire but on what service you carry out as a result of this wisdom and understanding. Or in the words of Zoroaster,

“One good deed is worth a thousand prayers.”

Zoroaster

It also brings benefits not just to the recipient as he further explained,

“Doing good for others is not a duty.  It is a joy, for it increases your own health and happiness.”

Zoroaster

In fact he advises,

“Turn not yourself away from three things: good thoughts, good word and good deed.”

Zoroaster

However, attaining these goals is ever dependent on control of oneself and that is no simple matter.  As the Buddha pointed out,

“To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s mind.  If a man can control his mind he can find the way to enlightenment and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.”

Buddha

The statements from Zoroaster are from around 2000 BC , Proverbs is thought to be made up of some of the writings of Solomon ( 970–931 BC) and even the writings from the Buddha are from approximately 500 BC.  In other words, the path that leads to true understanding and wisdom has been clearly elucidated for several millennium so why are we still struggling?  Well, as luck would have it, Proverbs has an explanation.

“..fools despise wisdom and instruction”

Proverbs 1.7

In other words fools deliberately choose another path. Why would we make this choice to turn from wisdom and ignore guidance that could help? Again, a proverb even suggests an underlying cause for these bad choices.

“The complacency of fools is their undoing.”

Proverbs 1:32

So it seems a strange lethargy and carelessness leads to loss on many fronts.  Personal loss is just one aspect but there are larger considerations too.  The community does not flourish and develop as it should and the fruits of such wisdom is lost to humanity.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

James 31.17

Without wisdom and understanding those longed for fruits slip through our fingers.  We have ever been urged to acquire knowledge. 

“My Lord, increase me in knowledge”

Quran 20:14

To desire knowledge means humility is required not the fool’s complacency. The fool’s pride allows him to assume he knows it all.  That’s why guidance is despised.  How do you fill a full cup?  Submissive humility requires we put aside the insistent self and make room for wisdom and understanding.  It demands recognition of our essential poverty.

“The essence of understanding is to testify to one’s poverty, and submit to the Will of the Lord”

Bahá'u'lláh

It should not surprise us that the enlightened have ever pointed out the importance of wisdom and understanding.  Urging us to choose the path towards truth and not falsehood over the millennia.  It has never been easy but it has always been emphasised by those who knew the needs of their time.  We should recognise the truth because it has ever been so. 

“This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future.”

Bahá'u'lláh

“The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. “

Bahá'u'lláh

Through thousands and thousands of years the guidance and remedy has consistently been given.  Do we choose complacency or search out truth because a world without wisdom and knowledge is an unworthy choice even for fools.

Seeing the world as one community

Despite being brought up in a small village, Dungiven in the heart of the Sperrin mountains (in Northern Ireland), I was aware of a wide range of religions from my father. He was headmaster of the tiny secondary school and was an avid reader and educator. Thanks to him, a whole generation of children in that area knew the world map with an intensity that was unique. Not only were all children expected to know where Bolivia, Kenya, Finland etc but also the major seas and of course all the continents. In the early years of secondary school he got children to write the names of countries on a huge blank world map at the front of the classroom. Within a few more years the best students could draw their own world map and label countries and most capitals. He developed games to reinforce their knowledge and in that secluded isolated village, high in the Sperrins, it is delightful to think of so many youngsters having their minds opened to the world beyond their tiny village. In today's world of compulsory syllabuses, learning goals, lesson plans and regular testing no teacher has the freedom to make the choices my father did. I fear the educational system is poorer as a result. I like to think that there are a whole bunch of middle-aged ex-students of my father in Northern Ireland watching their TVs in amazement as Americans are stopped and asked about world geography and demonstrate a bewildering ignorance of such things.  These ex-student’s of my dad could grab a blank piece of paper and stun the interviewer with their insights on this planet of ours and the nations that live on it.

The second priority of my dad's education system was learning about all the major world religions. In Dungiven, where there were only two groups of Christians, Protestants and Catholics, viewing each other with considerable hostility, my father taught the pupils about Hinduism, Judaism, Buddism, the Muslim Faith etc. So the basic knowledge conveyed was an insight into both the world’s nations and the faiths that sustain them. I like to think in his own way he was giving all a broader vision literally, of the world they lived in and the forces that shape the people in it. He was not popular because of this wider vision. Ignorant fanaticism was infinitely more popular. As one furious farmer shouted, 

“Look you're trying to stay on the fence between Protestants and Catholics and there is no room on that fence!”

I like to think that, in fact, my father was not focused on just being impartial between two opposing camps in the community but had a vision of the whole world and the diversity of the creeds and nations to be explored.

Almost 37 years ago I was at university and encountered the Baha’i Faith. I met the Baha’i community during their yearly fast. I remember peering into a dimly lit university refractory to see a group of students sitting eating and laughing together. When I asked what was going on, someone said the university had kept the cafeteria open longer especially for the Baha’i youth as they were fasting and could only eat after sunset. It seemed bizarrely opposite to the hedonistic lifestyle most students usually adopted when free from parental control for the first time. It made me curious but, I asked no questions, just made a mental note to check them out sometime.

My next encounter with a Baha'i happened in a lab deep in the bowels of the physics department at university. A visitor was announced and Richard St Barbe Baker OBE was introduced.  This was the famous ‘Man of the Trees’, an organisation he founded that is found all over the world and is still in existence today, known as the International Tree Foundation.  He was ahead of his time (9 October 1889 – 9 June 1982) in that, even then, he knew the importance of trees to the planet, to our atmosphere and to the soil and ecosystem.  I was impressed that Baha’is  like him took such ethical stances concerning the environment.

My curiosity got the better of me and I began to talk to the Baha’i youth and attend their well attended international evenings which were known for serving food from all over the world. Everything I heard predisposed me towards this Faith. Radiant faces, the diversity of their backgrounds, their openhearted response to questions and discussion. This was no bigoted narrow set of beliefs but rather a calling to see the earth as one planet and mankind its citizens.  Its founder’s name was Bahá'u'lláh  and when I began to read his writings they had a huge impact on me.

“Possess a pure, kind and radiant heart that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting.”

“Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. He Who is the Daystar of Truth beareth Me witness! So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”

The words seemed to reach in and open my heart to a new way of living, full of hope and endeavours.  I consulted my dad about this new religion, founded in 1844, and he bought me a book about Bahá'u'lláh called the King of Glory,  and had me inscribe on its front page the lines

“The truth will make you free.”

John 8:32

In this book Bahá’u'lláh's life of suffering, exile and imprisonment unfolded. Born in Iran, almost two hundred years ago, he became a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire and was sent to the prison city of Akka.  This is why the Baha’i World centre is found in Israel. His life story also demonstrated the power of goodness to prevail over fanaticism and hatred. The more I read  the more responsibility I felt for each member of this planet whatever their nation or religion.

If you are weary of deceit, falsehoods, disunity and division investigate a different path. Let the light of God’s words illuminate the way. There are no clergy in the Baha’i Faith, the equality of men and women is emphasised with refreshing intensity. In fact, Bahá’u'lláh stated if you cannot afford to educate all your children choose to educate the girl over the boy. Such is the importance of the role of mothers and educators of the next generation.

I like to think we were all meant to have a broader vision above our local realities. A view that lifts our heads from the small-minded pettiness of what we see around us. Our loyalties  to the entire human race must dominate every other allegiance. We all live on one planet and we must care for it and each other. Every action, every prayer should be for the betterment of the whole human race anything less does not beseem us.

“Let your vision be world embracing”.

Baha'i World Community