What are the Karmic Causes for being born Intelligent?

[Akashad]

Hi all,

What makes someone born intelligent? Like in class some people are just really smart and outshine the rest of us.They have GPA 4.00 and can grasp concepts really fast.Sometimes when the teacher asks a question they are already answering before she finishes her sentence What did this person do in their past lives to bear this fruit?

Thank you

Metta

[confusedlayman]

Hi all,

What makes someone born intelligent? Like in class some people are just really smart and outshine the rest of us.They have GPA 4.00 and can grasp concepts really fast.Sometimes when the teacher asks a question they are already answering before she finishes her sentence What did this person do in their past lives to bear this fruit?

Thank you

Metta

because everyday he reads books and his stuffs and he also reads many things out of conceit to be smart or its just natural curiosity... if u have interest in what u do, u will be smart...

however not questinging the monks about dhamma to clear the doubts of dhamma will lead to born stupid i think it is supported by sutta but has nothing to do with people smart in work place or school... anyone can do that if that is the only option they have...

if someone put gun to your head and say only when u become smart and get gpa 4 u will be alive, then u will surely get gpa 4.1 or 5 even though maximum is 4... its about situation

[Sam Vara]

Hi all,

What makes someone born intelligent? Like in class some people are just really smart and outshine the rest of us.They have GPA 4.00 and can grasp concepts really fast.Sometimes when the teacher asks a question they are already answering before she finishes her sentence What did this person do in their past lives to bear this fruit?

We don't know what kamma - if any - has caused present circumstances, but a partial answer might be here:

here, student, some man or woman visits a recluse or a brahmin and asks: ‘Venerable sir, what is wholesome?…What kind of action will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?’ Because of performing and undertaking such action…he reappears in a happy destination…But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is wise. This is the way, student, that leads to wisdom, namely, one visits a recluse or brahmin and asks such questions.

https://suttacentral.net/mn135/en/bodhi

Note that the sutta specifies wisdom, rather than intelligence. Einstein was especially intelligent, but didn't seem to be particularly wise in personal matters. The sutta is silent on the type of intelligence which involves Einsteinian abilities.

[santa100]

What makes someone born intelligent? Like in class some people are just really smart and outshine the rest of us.They have GPA 4.00 and can grasp concepts really fast.Sometimes when the teacher asks a question they are already answering before she finishes her sentence What did this person do in their past lives to bear this fruit?

Might want to check out MN 135 and MN 136. While there's no specific instruction on the kind of book-smart that you inquired about, one can infer somewhat based on the common patterns laid out in those suttas. So basically the pattern would be, not only one'd need to cultivate/develop intelligence for oneself with much time and effort over many life times, but one'd also need to assist and help others in developing theirs too. It's probably this combo. of cultivation for both oneself and for others that eventually will generate enough merits for a rebirth like Einstein, Newton, Stephen Hawking, etc.. Although one thing to keep in mind (regarding the case of the "Hawk"), don't forget to also cultivate other areas of generosity, not just book-knowledge generosity, or else you might reap quite a weird unbalanced kind of merit like Hawking did.

Oh, and try your best not to make fun of people's intelligence. Very bad Kamma...

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[Pondera]

The Buddha implies that the majority of people are, for lack of a better word, stupid.

Only a few have little dust in their eyes.

I’ve met intelligent people. But I also recognize that there are an increasingly large number of stupid people surrounding me.

As for the causes ... seriously? Look to genetics. If you asked “where does beauty come from?” - you look to genetics and human breeding.

Beauty and intelligence don’t always go together. All the same, look at dogs ... we have dumb breeds and intelligent breeds.

A German Shepard is intelligent but also unpredictable and viscious.

A Border Colly is very intelligent and loyal and not viscious.

People have done the same thing throughout history. The whole establishment of arranged marriage is a breeding program.

The Buddha had it all. Supreme intelligence and looks - the outcome of hundreds to thousands of years of breeding for a number of things - strength, bravery, looks, intelligence, loyalty, etcetera.

Keep in mind that Ashkenazic Jews (like DNS for example) have an IQ across all members of this group which far exceeds the norm for any other group of people in any given nation.

It’s all about breeding. It’s not about kamma. Unless you say, “well, this person will show intelligence - and then what being inhabits this body? What did that being do in a past life to inherent such a well bred birth?”

The questions become endless at this point.

Pondera

[Sam Vara]

I also recognize that there are an increasingly large number of stupid people surrounding me.

Do you think they might be following you?

[Pondera]

I also recognize that there are an increasingly large number of stupid people surrounding me.

Do you think they might be following you?

Well. If they are, then they’re a silent bunch PM box is the same and my YouTube channel hasn’t blown up I guess I’m not dumb enough for some people’s taste.

[DooDoot]

What makes someone born intelligent?

Is the above suggesting Einstein & his tribal clique, including Oppenheimer, were "intelligent" in their role of building the atomic bomb?

What did this person do in their past lives to bear this fruit?

Possibly its best to ask what will these persons reap in their future lives?

[DNS]

What makes someone born intelligent?

Is the above suggesting Einstein & his tribal clique, including Oppenheimer, were "intelligent" in their role of building the atomic bomb?

Intelligence doesn't necessarily mean wisdom, i.e., paññā. One could be intelligent and use it for nefarious purposes.

[DNS]

Keep in mind that Ashkenazic Jews (like DNS for example) have an IQ across all members of this group which far exceeds the norm for any other group of people in any given nation.

Thanks, but I'll let you in on a secret.

We wrote the IQ tests.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wechsler

But on a more serious note, Ashkenazi Jewish culture pushes knowledge and education on their children. You might remember the old joke of the lady whose son is being inaugurated as president of the United States and she says to the person sitting next to her "you see that guy taking the oath of office to be president? his sister is a doctor."

[Pondera]

Keep in mind that Ashkenazic Jews (like DNS for example) have an IQ across all members of this group which far exceeds the norm for any other group of people in any given nation.

Thanks, but I'll let you in on a secret.

We wrote the IQ tests.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wechsler

But on a more serious note, Ashkenazi Jewish culture pushes knowledge and education on their children. You might remember the old joke of the lady at a presidential inauguration saying "you see that guy taking the oath of office to be president?" his sister is a doctor."

Ha!

High educational standards may be a cultural artifact, and not necessarily a product of genetics.

It is the same kind of rigour I see within the Asian population in British Columbia ... ie. a high level set for the standard of achievement - leading many westerners to believe that Asian people are simply, inherently “smarter” than the “rest of us”.

[Akashad]

because everyday he reads books and his stuffs and he also reads many things out of conceit to be smart

Yeah I noticed intelligence is tied to conceit.At least a lot of people I meet including me seem full of ourselves when we're the only person answering the questions in class.i get sick of hearing my own voice.
A LOT of people get conceited about intelligence.ita unbearable!!

[Akashad]

We don't know what kamma - if any - has caused present circumstances, but a partial answer might be here:

Note that the sutta specifies wisdom, rather than intelligence. Einstein was especially intelligent, but didn't seem to be particularly wise in personal matters. The sutta is silent on the type of intelligence which involves Einsteinian abilities.

This is what I mean,some translations use the word "intelligence" and others use "wise" like damnit that's not the same!!

[Laurens]

I don't think it's a worthwhile thing to speculate on.

Intelligence itself is an abstraction and doesn't really represent the reality of being a human. I've met a lot of people who aren't very intelligent by most standards of measurement but are very streetwise. I've also met a lot of intelligent people who are profoundly stupid in certain ways.

[lostitude]

As for the causes ... seriously? Look to genetics.

It’s definitely not the only factor. I have noticed that people who have had a harsh childhood, who had to think on their feet for survival, tend to be smarter than average. I remember most kids/teens at school who were top of their class also happened to clearly suffer from anxiety/psychological distress, or were the older sibling with careless parents, and I wonder if this constant anxiety is not prone to "force" you to be smart about everything all the time.