Ignorance is the state of not knowing the truth while stupidity is the dull state of mind that allows us to repeat the same thing over and over again despite its negative consequences. A mind enveloped in stupidity could not link the laws of cause and effect, seed and fruit.
There is a story of a blind man who argued that light exists not. Being blind, he would refute, "Well, if light exists, let me see it, smell it, touch it or beat it like a drum so that I can hear it."
The blind man would laugh and jeer at his friends: "You fools! You are trying to prove something to me which is not. I have five senses. Prove that light exists, I am open to accept it if you can do so. You all are fooling me; I am not blind because light exists not. If light exists not, the eyes need not be there."
He would further argue, "You are all blind, for you are dreaming about something that exists not. The whole business of light is just a fiction, a deception, a fraud."
Being tired of this blind man's stupidity, the villagers decided to bring him to the Buddha.
Buddha said, "Don't bring him to me because he needs no conviction. But, I know of a doctor whom you can bring him for treatment . He needs eye or vision to see light."
The blind man was taken to the doctor for treatment. After six months, he was able to see.
By that time, Buddha had moved to another village. The man came running and fell on his knees at the Buddha's feet, saying, "You have convinced me that light exists."
Buddha said, "I have not done anything. Your eyes have convinced you, there is no other way."
Moral of the story:
Like the blind man, we continue in an unintended direction. Knowing that you don't know can be an open, inquisitive and humble state of mind, full of possibilities for exploration and learning. Like the blind man who is so dogmatic that light exists not, we too may fall into the same trap when we doubt about Nirvana. We can be as blind as the blind man.
There is a story of a blind man who argued that light exists not. Being blind, he would refute, "Well, if light exists, let me see it, smell it, touch it or beat it like a drum so that I can hear it."
The blind man would laugh and jeer at his friends: "You fools! You are trying to prove something to me which is not. I have five senses. Prove that light exists, I am open to accept it if you can do so. You all are fooling me; I am not blind because light exists not. If light exists not, the eyes need not be there."
He would further argue, "You are all blind, for you are dreaming about something that exists not. The whole business of light is just a fiction, a deception, a fraud."
Being tired of this blind man's stupidity, the villagers decided to bring him to the Buddha.
Buddha said, "Don't bring him to me because he needs no conviction. But, I know of a doctor whom you can bring him for treatment . He needs eye or vision to see light."
The blind man was taken to the doctor for treatment. After six months, he was able to see.
By that time, Buddha had moved to another village. The man came running and fell on his knees at the Buddha's feet, saying, "You have convinced me that light exists."
Buddha said, "I have not done anything. Your eyes have convinced you, there is no other way."
Moral of the story:
Like the blind man, we continue in an unintended direction. Knowing that you don't know can be an open, inquisitive and humble state of mind, full of possibilities for exploration and learning. Like the blind man who is so dogmatic that light exists not, we too may fall into the same trap when we doubt about Nirvana. We can be as blind as the blind man.
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