As an innocent child, I learned a saying:
Quote:
|
He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool; avoid him. He who knows not and knows that he knows not is a student; teach him. He who knows and knows not that he knows is asleep; wake him. He who knows and knows that he knows is a wise man; follow him.
|
The origins of this became lost in the annals of antiquity.
In the modern interpretation:
"He who knows and knows that he knows is arrogant; abuse him". LOL
A lot of things change over time...even though they say that time does not exist, but then how are we to ever correlate dichotomies and discrepancies existing in the "eternal now?"
In the case of any given "belief system", when it is viewed objectively, the same belief set may be viewed as "ignorance" by one and yet, as "naivite" by another..in any case, both "ignorance" and "innocence" are not viewed socially as desirable traits to possess anyway according to modern (wo)mankind.
Ignorance relates to the "lack of knowledge" whilst innocence relates to the "lack of experience"and whatever the case, it all boils down to a "lack" of something which presents itself like a vacuum within the soul that human nature abhors.
Of course people who have been awakened or "self-realised" know differently and like Jesus, understand:
Quote:
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”
— Matthew 18:1-5
|
In a way, ignorance can beget innocence, in that the willful shunning of knowledge...to forget what it is that we know or only THINK that we know, is required to open the heart to the love of God, to see things afresh and anew with awe and wonder, just like a little child...and in that moment, both ignorance and innocence are transcended in the light of total, mindful awareness.