Daily Meditation: Thursday, March 17, 2005

Four categories of human beings - Arabic proverb

03/17/2005

One of the principle differences among human beings lies in their awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses. According to an Arabic proverb, there are four categories of human beings. The first are so limited that they do not know they do not know. Nothing can be done for them, and we must let them be. In the second category are those who know they do not know. They are sincere, filled with good intentions and eager to improve themselves, and they can therefore be educated. In the third category are those who do not know they know: it is as if they were asleep and must be awakened. Finally, the fourth category consists only of a small number of human beings; they are conscious that they know. These are the sages, the initiates, the great masters, about whom the proverb says: follow them!