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Knowledge that is gained directly through an independent
search after truth is infinitely more valuable and reliable than beliefs
accepted blindly from peers or from tradition. Because of this, the
independent investigation of truth is one of the highest values of the Bahá'í
Faith.
There is, of course, nothing wrong with accepting
traditional values from the past or the opinions of others if we have taken
care to establish for ourselves that they are valid. After all, the
achievements of each generation are built on the achievements of past
generations. It is the blind and unthinking acceptance of public opinion or
traditions handed down from the past that can lead to prejudice and
superstition.
The principle of the independent investigation of truth
underlies lasting success in all aspects of life, from daily transactions to
major decisions. People implement this principle when buying a house, for
example, and taking care to learn as much as possible about the property — its
locality, whether it is soundly built, the prices of other similar houses and
so forth — before deciding to go ahead.
As is well known, scientific progress depends on the
unbiased investigation of reality, and openness to new ideas. Great scientific
discoveries are made by people who work hard to delve deeper into their chosen
field and who are willing look beyond the accepted ideas of their time.
The Bahá'í teachings emphasise that this same diligence,
intellectual honesty and openness to new ideas is important for individual
spiritual growth and even for the unification of the global community. The
Bahá'í writings state:
The first principle of
Bahá'u'lláh is independent investigation of truth, that is, all the nations of
the world have to investigate after truth independently and turn their eyes
from the moribund blind imitations of the past ages entirely. Truth is one when
it is independently investigated, it does not accept division. Therefore the
independent investigation of truth will lead to the oneness of the world of
humanity.
As the search for truth is a supremely important goal, it
should be pursued passionately:
The state in which one should be
to seriously search for the truth is the condition of the thirsty, burning soul
desiring the water of life, of the fish struggling to reach the sea, of the
sufferer seeking for the true doctor to obtain the divine cure, of the lost
caravan endeavoring to find the right road, of the lost and wandering ship
striving to reach the shore of salvation.
It is also important that the seeker of truth be free from
all types of prejudice:
Science must be accepted. No one
truth can contradict another truth. Light is good in whatsoever lamp it is
burning! A rose is beautiful in whatsoever garden it may bloom! A star has the
same radiance if it shines from the East or from the West. Be free from
prejudice, so will you love the Sun of Truth from whatsoever point in the
horizon it may arise! You will realize that if the Divine light of truth shone
in Jesus Christ it also shone in Moses and in Buddha. The earnest seeker will
arrive at this truth. This is what is meant by the 'Search after
Truth'.
The Bahá'í Faith offers its teachings as a powerful source
of understanding on the situation of the human race at the present stage of its
development. Seekers of truth are invited to explore these teachings as a
source of profound concepts that help in meeting the challenges of modern life.
At the heart of the Bahá'í message is the claim of
Bahá'u'lláh to be another bringer of divine Truth, like Moses, Jesus, and
Buddha . He is revered by Bahá'ís as the Manifestation of God for this age.
Ultimately, it is the divine inspiration behind
Bahá'u'lláh's teachings that makes them so accurate in diagnosing the human
condition and so potent in providing the remedy. His Writings have a
super-human breadth of vision and a depth of perception that go far beyond the
capacity of any mere philosopher.
Those who accept Bahá'u'lláh as a Messenger of God, as
"the Word made flesh", regard the investigation of truth as
essentially a mystic journey of the soul towards God. Bahá'u'lláh wrote:
In this journey the seeker
becometh witness to a myriad changes and transformations, confluences and
divergences. He beholdeth the wonders of Divinity in the mysteries of creation
and discovereth the paths of guidance and the ways of his Lord. Such is the
station reached by them that search after God, and such are the heights
attained by those who hasten unto Him.
Further on this topic
For related ideas, see: Key teachings — the unity of
religion and science
Quotations in context
Click on the links below to search for quotations from
this page, in the Bahá'í reference library.
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