Hazrat Inayat Khan now begins to reflect upon the respective strengths and weaknesses of the East and West. The previous post in the series is here.

All that I, as a Sufi, a universal being, have learned from my experience in both East and West is that I can now appreciate the merits and also understand the defects of both impartially.

Although the East has progressed to an inconceivable extent in certain aspects of life, this has never been fully recognized. In other words it has not been sufficiently fruitful, because its progress has been individualistic and not general. Also self-satisfaction, linked with laziness and recklessness, retard it from material advancement to a great degree. It is sad to see that Eastern students usually adopt the most undesirable qualities of the West, such as extravagance, excessive gaiety, and exclusiveness, instead of its courage, power of organization, and its most wonderful knowledge of administration.

In many cases Westernized Orientals grow indifferent towards their own people, owing to the varied direction of thought which retards their unity. The present unbalanced condition of the East is such that the man with intellect is, as it were, unbalanced in body, while the sane in body are unstable in mind. The spiritual person is lost in the spirit, and the material person is absorbed in matter; thus the one is an angel while the other is an animal. No doubt the unbalanced state of the East has deprived it for the present of both the world and God.

The East can learn a lesson of order from the West, for the lack of this is at the root of its downfall. She can also learn balance and moderation in most things, and cooperation among all classes regardless of caste or creed. Although the East has taught the lesson of brotherhood to the world, yet her children seem to forget to practice it among themselves; the brother drags his brother down and selfishness is on the increase, especially in India.

The East should also imitate the regularity of Western methods of work and rest, as well as its commercial activity, together with its love of research.

To be continued…