ਪੰਡਿਤ (paňdit)
Meaning: noun: Pandits, learned Brahmins; priests.
Quote:
ਪੰਡਿਤ ਰੋਵਹਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਗਵਾਇ॥
ਪੰਡਤ ਆਪਣੇ ਗਿਆਨ ਨੂੰ ਨਿਸਫਲ ਗਵਾ ਕੇ ਰੋਂਦੇ ਹਨ।
paňḍit rovahi giaan gavaa-i.
The Pandits weep when their knowledge is wasted in vain. -Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 954
Message: In the past, there was a tradition of debate among religious scholars to establish the superiority of their knowledge and the path they followed. The one who defeated his opponent in the arguments was declared the winner. The one who lost wailed on account of the exposure of his inferiority and lack of knowledge.
The spiritual knowledge and wisdom are intended to overcome our conceit and arrogance. Conceited and arrogant scholars show off their knowledge or try to prove their superiority, but truly spiritual people try to put their knowledge to good use – for self-elevation and to help others.
The story of a pandit and a fool:
A fool was presented before a pandit for debate. The pandit showed him one finger, meaning that there is one Creator. The fool thought the pandit intended to blind him in one eye. He showed up two fingers, gesturing that if the pandit would blind him in one eye, he would blind the pandit in both eyes. The pandit, however, thought the fool meant there are two, the Creator and creation.
The pandit then showed five fingers of his hand, representing the five elements. The fool took this to mean the pandit would slap him. He showed a fist, meaning he would strike the pandit in return. The pandit thought the fool meant that the five elements need to come together for creation. Thus, the pandit considered that the fool knows more than he knows and accepted his defeat. The fool was declared the winner. Thus a pandit lost his wisdom before a fool.
Etymology: From Sanskrit paṅḍit (learned, clever; scholar) → Pali paṅḍit (learned man).
