Through education alone can these gems of spiritual virtues and praiseworthy deeds be brought forth from the mine and appear in the realm of visibility.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1298-09 [1881-Jul], to Ahmad -- BH06970)
Education and capacity: bringing hidden possibilities to life
education and the development of capacity
Editorial introduction
Somewhere in every person lies a mine of gems that only education can bring to the surface; that conviction, in Bahá’u’lláh’s words, is where the work of teaching begins. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá describes a field left to itself turning into thorns and weeds, and the same field, cleared and tended, feeding a household, and he distinguishes three kinds of cultivation: of the body, of the mind through the arts and sciences of civilization, and of the spirit, which he calls the only true education because it makes a person the mirror of the divine image. He is blunt about priorities: a clean, kind, ignorant child is worth more than a rude scholar, since knowledge without character is a deadly poison. A black stone can be polished into a mirror; a tender plant grows as it is watered; capacities differ as soils differ, yet the rain falls on all and the bounty of God outruns any teacher’s estimate of a pupil. Aristotle, who held that moral virtue is formed by doing rather than by instruction, invites a close comparison with this emphasis on practice, habit and guidance [1]. The path continues into the differences in human capacity, the education of children, the self-improvement that no one can do for us, and the universal education that refuses to hold any soul in contempt.
Selected passages
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1911 ca., to Najjar, Ustad Ibrahim brother of Ustad Isma'il -- AB00824)
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1901 ca., to Members of Tarbiyat School -- AB03797)
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Chapter 3, The Need for an Educator, 1904-Jun ca. -- AB00081)
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at Woolson home on 1912-Sep-20 -- ABU0109)
Question: Is there any predominant quality which man should develop in order to obtain especial excellence or power after death?
Answer: No, man should develop all his qualities for each quality has its own use and function.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken in May 1911 in Ramleh -- ABU3555)
The criterion of human beings is the manifestation of humanity, which is the expression of those spiritual perfections that lie hidden within.
Assuredly, neglect not, throughout thy days and nights, the acquisition of spiritual and outward perfections, that the fruits of existence may be made manifest through thee.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1290-05 [1873-Jun], to Ali ibn Vazir -- BH08732)
Education and refinement after maturity becomes extremely difficult. Experience has shown that despite utmost effort to change even one trait in someone's character, it proves impossible. If today they become somewhat aware, after a few days they forget and return to their habitual state and accustomed ways. Therefore, this firm foundation must be laid in childhood, for while the branch is fresh and tender, it can easily be made straight and upright.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1900 or <, to Mulla Ahmad Ali Nayrizi -- AB00251)
O child who supplicates unto God!
The drawings and pictures which flowed from thy pen were presented through Mr. Abu'l-Fada'il and were observed, becoming a source of joy, for that tender plant in the rose-garden of the love of the All-Glorious is growing and developing and is occupied in acquiring spiritual and physical perfections.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1905-May-10, to Richard Paul Dodge -- AB09424)
O thou who art enkindled with the fire lit in the divine Tree!
Among the special favors of the Ancient Beauty in this Most Great Century is that He has adorned the human temple with wondrous capacities and abilities, such that children have attained the station of the mature, and youth have acquired the wisdom, intelligence and knowledge of the elderly. The unlettered one becomes learned in the school of divine knowledge, and the common man becomes aware of the mysteries of reality.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1900 or < -- AB02582)
Parents must find out as to that calling or profession for the acquisition of which their children show the most aptitude and natural desire - and then they must train them in the same, by engaging their attention in that direction. For a child will sooner or later make manifest his natural abilities and gifts.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Florence Khan spoken in June 1906 -- ABU2502)
For instance, this flower cannot by itself reach this perfection and attain this charm, color and loveliness.
Thus, there are two great blessings in the world of existence: one is innate capacity which is bestowed by the Creator; and the other, acquired perfections which depend upon training by a teacher and educator.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Mr Wilhelm and others, spoken on 1912-Nov-15 -- ABU2331)
The development of innate capacity is completely dependent on education and on man's own exertions. In other words, innate capacity is not realized without education and exertion on the part of man and its perfection demands effort and training.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at Plaza Hotel in Chicago, 1912-May-02 -- ABU1691)
Civilization and education add a new perfection to the perfection of man, and education transforms stone into crystal, brings the light from the oil, changes an ignorant man into a clever one, and places him above the animal.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Alma Albertson et al, spoken on 1900-Dec-02 -- ABU0272)
As regards the personality which is the result of acquired virtues, let us take this mirror as an example: In the beginning it was a piece of black stone; now, through the process of purification, it has become a mirror and has reflecting power and displays its innate perfections so that they are clearly visible to all. The rock was endowed with a distinct individuality which acquired a personality through the process of education.
… However, personality has no element of permanence. It is a slightly changeable quality in man which can be turned in either direction.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at Rue St. Didier 30 in Paris, 1913-Feb-14 -- ABU0384)
We Baha'is say: By nature man is not an unalterable entity with bad or good tendencies or with a more positive or more negative mixture of tendencies. The great Rousseau maintained - despite knowledge of his own self (Les Confessions = his famous description of his life) - that man is by nature an uncorrupted being with good qualities, whose education should consist only of guiding and protecting. … It is equally false when the Christian missionaries place the whole emphasis on original sin, consider man as impure and corrupted from the time in the mother's womb, and when they, as the 'instrument of the Almighty', expect all salvation from their schooling and training of the small sinner.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on Mt Carmel in June 1909 -- ABU0376)
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Address to a group of Baha'i women at Hotel La Salle in Chicago, 1912-May-02 -- ABU0900)
If you educate a savage, he becomes a complete human being; if you cultivate a dunghill, it becomes a rose garden; if you nurture soil, it becomes a flower bed; if you refine a stone, it becomes a brilliant ruby. This is why an educator is necessary - without an educator, man does not become human.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken ca. Jan. 1909 -- ABU1077)
Every soul that enters under the shadow of Baha'u'llah, day by day their capacity increases, like a tree that is under the care of a perfect gardener - it will surely grow and develop and achieve perfect cultivation.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1913-May-02 at Baltimore Hotel in Paris -- ABU2471)
The divine Gardener has, with the hand of providence, planted you and set you in pure and goodly soil, watered you from the spring of bounty, bestowed upon you the rain of mercy from the cloud of grace, shed upon you radiance and warmth from the Sun of Reality, and caused the pollinating winds and breezes of the divine springtime and spiritual spring to blow and surge, nurturing you with the hand of lordly education until you have become fruitful.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá -- AB04634)
This is how innate capacities and divine gifts in the human world become perfected through education - the thorny wilderness of ignorance and cruelty becomes the rose garden of knowledge and purity, and the dark abode of enmity and hatred becomes the temple of love and fidelity.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1913-Jun-07 in Paris -- ABU1208)
I hope that through the heat of the Sun of Reality, the dewdrops of the cloud of bounty, and the breeze of the winds of guidance, you may grow and develop in the stream of divine knowledge, and that each one of you may appear as a fruitful tree and a flowering rose bush.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1920-Dec-09, to Baha'is of Esslingen, Germany -- AB12368)
I hope that day by day the friends will increase in capacity and potential, so that through the downpour of the rain of mercy, the seed of divine gifts will flourish in the soil of the heart.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, to Muhammad Hasan Sabzivari -- AB11769)
O seeker after truth! Capacity in all things attracts divine confirmations. Observe how when the earth develops capacity, the bounty of the spring rain pours forth in torrents, and likewise with all other things.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1914-Apr-25 ca., to Mohanlal K Shah -- AB05788)
O thou who gazest upon the Most Great Scene!
The effulgences of the All-Merciful Lord of humanity have illumined and brightened the horizon of the world with infinite bounty, and the rain of mercy from the Most Great Beauty has watered and saturated the lands of capacity with the flood of divine knowledge.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1894 ca., to Mirza Ahmad -- AB05835)
Confirmations and success arrive from every direction, but capacity and worthiness are necessary, for while spring rain adorns the garden, in salty soil it brings forth nothing but thorns. Thus it became clear and evident that first capacity and then assistance is needed - until the nostrils of longing are opened, the holy fragrances cannot perfume the gardens of minds.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, to Shirin Gushtasb et al -- AB02402)
Therefore strive to obtain capacity.
The bounties of the kingdom of Abha are successive; the effulgences of the Sun of Reality shine gloriously. But capacity is necessary. The soil of the hearts must be receptive and pure so that it may be benefited by the downpour of rain.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1912-Oct-05 in San Francisco -- ABU0574)
Consequently we must pray and supplicate that we may gain the capacity to receive, for no one will profit by drinking water unless he is thirsty, and no one will find unless he is seeking. He who has the greatest capacity will receive the greatest bounty.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Alma Albertson et al, spoken on 1900-Nov-23 -- ABU0694)
Capacity attracts. Develop capacity to receive the Word of God. First develop the thirst, the capacity; then you will receive the precious Water of life.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Mary MacNutt et al in 1904 -- ABU3205)
Today, every essence that becomes more delicate grows more luminous, and every heart that develops greater capacity becomes more radiant in its lights.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1892-Dec-21 -- AB04435)
Nevertheless, the friends of God must in all these fields excel others and especially in the acquisition of bounties and perfections. They must endeavour with the utmost of their ability for these sanctified souls are aided before all others, they are confirmed beyond anyone's expectations.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1903 ca., to Mirza Asadullah son of Haji Mirza Shukrullah Shirazi et al -- AB02126)
Therefore man needs a teacher by whom his spiritual powers may be developed-that his lamp may be lighted. For this is the coming of the Messengers of God: that man may be educated, that his latent perfections may be brought forth and made manifest, that his spiritual and heavenly estate may be realised.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Myron Phelps and Madame Canavarro in Dec. 1902 -- ABU0927)
The efforts of all the Divine Teachers have been directed to the end of so educating mankind that the souls of men shall attain the capacity to reflect in their essence the rays sent forth from God -that the light of the Sun of Reality should shine in the mirror of the heart, giving forth radiance.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Myron Phelps and Madame Canavarro in Dec. 1902 -- ABU0565)
The questioner then said, how could this state of development be acquired? Abdu'l-Baha replied, by unceasing effort, striving to do right, and to attain spiritual qualities.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken in Sep. 1911 in London -- ABU1243)
Divine bounties are of two kinds: One station is that of capacity, wherein each is given his due according to his merit. This comes through effort - the more one prepareth himself, refineth himself, and polisheth the mirror of his being, the more light he will attract. The other station is the special station of the Prophets, wherein God raiseth up an individual to the station of Prophethood without regard to capacity or qualification, as in the case of Moses, Christ, and Muhammad.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1916-Aug-16 in Bahji -- ABU0830)
Hence in thanksgiving for this great bounty, we must manifest great capacity and worth, because if capacity be not proportionate to the bounty the result will be unworthy of the bounty. For example, consider the shining of the sun upon a common stone. Even though the sun should shine upon it for ages the stone would never become a ruby or a diamond, as it lacks that capacity.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1912-Oct-24 in San Francisco -- ABU0820)
On the other hand, the divine reality is unlimited and immeasurable and can never stop or deteriorate, therefore the holy souls who are confirmed with this divine power are likewise endowed with eternal motion. Their progress becomes unlimited. Day unto day their lives are strengthened, the circle of their comprehension becomes wider, the sphere of their intellects becomes more effectual and their capacities are increased.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at Rue St. Didier 30 in Paris, 1913-Mar-16 -- ABU0989)
One must learn to distinguish black from white, light from darkness; one should listen to the response of the spirit and receive the answer to perplexing problems.
You have large capacity and much is expected of you. Responsibility is also increased.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Marie Watson et al around Aug. 1921 -- ABU1473)
O spiritual friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! The favors and confirmations of the Blessed Beauty encompass every expanse, and bounties flow successively and continuously from all directions. But capacity and receptivity are the condition for receiving them, and receptivity comes through servitude, service and thralldom.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1900 or <, to Aqa Mirza Mahmud son of Muhammad Hashim Yazdi et al -- AB11841)
With Spiritual food the capacity to know increases with the will to serve.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Julia Grundy spoken around Jan. 1905 -- ABU3090)
If she advanceth in this manner, maketh more effort and day by day groweth in spirituality, sincerity, devotion and severance, in a short time she will become purely merciful and will spiritualize others; she will progress in the stations of sanctity and purity; she will become the possessor of a fluent speech and will find her heart brilliant and full of serenity and faith to such an extent that her pure breath will so take effect even in stone, tree and clay (i.e., in all people), that she, herself, will be astonished.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1916 or <, to Ali-Kuli Khan -- AB06079)
Man can become so debased that he will worship a stone which of the lowest kingdom; but the spiritual will lift him to the Supreme Realms. Jesus Christ had the same two conditions, the earthly and the heavenly, and man has the same. Man has the power of knowledge which will exalt him to Heaven, and the power of ignorance which will debase him to the lowest condition. The more the person advances in Divine things, the more will he receive the Attributes of Light; and the more he retrogrades, the more will he receive the attributes of darkness.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Breakwell, Hopper, Brittingham, spoken around 1901-Sep-04 -- ABU1999)
The enjoyment of man comes through the unfoldment of his intellect, intelligence, the virtues of the world of humanity and the divine characteristics.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at Rue Lauriston 97 in Paris, 1913-May-30 -- ABU2552)
But according to the life we have lived here depend the conditions of life on that next plane. What we sow here, that we reap there. Even though on leaving this body we enter upon a life of the sprit, the conditions of the spirit-life must depend upon the degree of development to which the spirit has attained."
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken ca. Sep. 1911 in London -- ABU2537)
O beloved servant of God! The Blessed Beauty is the Sun of Truth, the luminous Full Moon, and the ethereal Daystar. All contingent beings are manifestations and mirrors receiving this effulgence. Though the Bestower of Grace is mighty and powerful, capacity is necessary, receptivity is essential, and worthiness is required. Ask thou from the Truth for great capacity, that mighty grace may be revealed.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá -- AB10826)
O Nasru'llah! If thou seekest divine assistance from the Abha Kingdom, detach thyself from the world and become awakened and alert. The assistance of the Abha Kingdom is destined, witnessed and renowned, but it requireth an army to achieve victory. Beseech God to bestow upon thee capacity and capability, that the lights of the Sun of Truth may shine forth. And upon thee be the Glory.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1901 ca., to Nasrullah brother of Muhammad Ali (Yazd) -- AB10126)
Though the plant be weak, yet the power of the sun is intense. Consider this clearly and evidently: the disciples were like other humans, outwardly mere fishermen with absolutely no capacity or capability. But since the outpourings of Christ were like the radiance of the sun, these weak souls surpassed the mighty ones of the world. Thus it became clear that one must not look to capability but must look to divine bounties.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1919-Jan-26, to Mary H Ford -- AB02045)
Look not to thine own capacity and ability; rather, fix thy gaze upon the eternal bounty of the Glorious Lord. Capacity and ability are like unto a drop which hath no capacity indeed, but look thou to the divine favors which are like unto a limitless ocean.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1920-Oct-16, to Johanna Hauff -- AB12435)
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
...Baha'u'llah considered education as one of the most fundamental factors of a true civilization. This education, however, in order to be adequate and fruitful, should be comprehensive in nature and should take into consideration not only the physical and the intellectual side of man but also his spiritual and ethical aspects.
LG#707 (9 Jul. 1931 on behalf of Shoghi Effendi)
Continue exploring
For thought and discussion
Questions to carry forward
- What do the images of gems, seeds, and gardens each reveal about the work of education?
- How do moral purpose and spiritual development affect the value of intellectual learning?
- How can attention to differing capacities coexist with universal education and the refusal to hold anyone in contempt?
- What can Aristotle’s account of practice contribute to the passages on effort, habits, and developing virtues?
- Where do these selections challenge an educator’s estimate of another person’s possibilities?
- How might service both express a present capacity and help a new one develop?