Words and Concepts
Tuesday August 31 2004 10:35 IST
By Karmayogi
We often use words like
judgement, prejudice, opinion. We use them correctly. They may not be very
precise in the context, serving as an appropriate word, but our usage is always
correct. There is a distance between being correct and being perfect. We may
know a range of words such as anger, rage, fury, incensed, annoyance,
irritation, embarrassment, discomfort, displeasure, but we may not take the
trouble to use the appropriate word. We may use anger in all places. It is not
taking enough linguistic effort in a speech delivered or a conversation. Even
when we know correctly, sometimes we may not know precisely. Opinion,
prejudice, judgement are all commonplace words. Trying to draw the distinction
between them, suddenly we are face to face with a revelation that we know them
as words and not as concepts. A conceptual knowledge is called for to know the
right difference between these words.
In teaching a wide vocabulary to the students, the teacher takes effort to
explain each word and draw the distinctions, but she may feel that it is for
the student to acquire this higher refinement on his own. These words can be
taught with conceptual clarity at school with sure success, when the teacher is
conceptually clear and takes all the teaching efforts in class to communicate
it to the students. In that sense, what is opinion? Let us try to define
opinion to ourselves without resorting to the aid of the dictionary. Opinion is
a personal understanding. It is an understanding arrived at in the context of
what one already knows. Can we distinguish it from understanding? At this
stage, judgement will very much look like opinion, while prejudice may not
present that problem. My judgement is my RATIONAL opinion.
Almost every word in the language has a defined concept behind it. That
definition is precise and full. Personally, we may constantly use some fifty
concepts. To know the exact meaning behind these words will enhance our mental
comprehension. That will help us to invoke the Spirit. Mental clarity is an
asset in the invocation of Spirit. The rule extends to vital concepts, physical
concepts and all CONCEPTS in general. Language is spoken orally for
communication. We use these words. Concepts are formed by clarity of mental
comprehension. They create the words for people to use. The highest concept Man
has so far formed is that of Sachchidananda. It is a concept of Brahman.