Humans round the world blunder in engaging all their time in merely acquiring intelligence at the expense of developing the all-important intellect. A serious lapse stemming from the failure to realise the distinction between intellect and intelligence.
Intelligence is built by gaining information, knowledge from external agencies, from schools and universities, from teachers and textbooks. Distinct and different from intelligence is the intellect. The intellect is developed through your individual effort by exercising the faculty of questioning, thinking, reasoning. Not accepting anything that does not admit logic or reason. You must realise the difference between the two. And that any amount of intelligence gained cannot per se build your intellect.
The intelligence acquired from external agencies is much like the data fed into a computer. Consider, a computer charged with a complete knowledge of fire extinguishers, firefighting and fire escapes. All the knowledge stored in its memory cannot help the computer act on its own. If the room catches fire, it cannot escape. It will perish in the flames. Likewise, all the knowledge you acquire is of no use to you without an intellect.
In truth, you need a powerful intellect to put the knowledge, intelligence gained to practical use in life. That explains why among millions of doctors graduating from medical schools only a few have discovered lifesaving drugs and surgeries; have found the remedy for terminal diseases like tuberculosis or kidney failures through transplant. So too, millions of engineers have passed out of engineering schools but a rare few designed the Panama Canal or the Eurotunnel. It is the intellect in them that renders their performance outstanding. On the contrary, all intelligence sans intellect, besides lacking success and progress ends up destroying peace and happiness in the world.
By Swami Parthasarathy
