DIFFERENCE IN ATTITUDE OF EAST AND WEST

 
Let us for a moment discuss the difference in the attitude of East and West towards miracles. The East, which possesses a long record of familiarity with Perfect Masters and advanced souls, has come to accept that God, because He is infinite, cannot be comprehended by the finite mind.

The East knows that human intellect, which is limited in scope has its use only up to a certain stage in tackling metaphysical problems. As sung by the philosopher Dr. Iqbal:

Aql go astan se dur nahin
Uski taqdir main huzur nahin

"Intellect, though not far away from the threshold (of the Beloved)
is not destined to enjoy the Divine Presence."

The East thus knows that at the point where intellect gives up its efforts in grappling with that which is transcendental, love must take up the link. The West sets great store by the intellectual approach, and that which refuses to come within the orbit of intellect is apt to be either denied or scoffed at. As a by-product of this occidental attitude we may cite the utter misuse of the word "mystic" in current American idiom.