It turns out that certain human illnesses have a latent period — the disease sits hidden inside the body and…

It turns out that certain human illnesses have a latent period — the disease sits hidden inside the body and then, when it finds the opportunity, shows itself. In the same way, humanity's spiritual illnesses are always hidden; a person cannot see them, and to see them he needs a little knowledge and the help of a spiritual physician. In particular, ignorance — the lack of knowledge — is the most serious illness, perhaps the mother of all vices. The most curious thing is that people do not consider ignorance an illness. Knowledge should not be given to those who do not consider ignorance an illness, because they will never know the value of knowledge. In this sense, it is good for respected teachers and dear masters not to give knowledge to any ignorant person who has not come and bowed his head at their threshold; one must not go chasing after an ignorant person in order to give him knowledge, so that knowledge and the people of knowledge are not left in humiliation and helplessness. One should even drive away the ignorant who come seeking knowledge, so that it is worth considering giving them knowledge only after they knock on the door again and again, saying, “Without knowledge we will perish.” Do not give knowledge obtained through suffering and hardship to the ignorant and the vile; in return you will be humiliated and trampled underfoot.