"Being watchful over oneself while alone is to have a mind which is watchful over its own knowing. It is the same whether one is with others or by oneself. Even when one is with others, ones private thoughts are not known by others. When pursuing the solitary knowledge of ones mind, there are no external restrictions. Having no depraved thoughts, allowing no self-deception, making the will sincere - this is the meaning of being watchful over oneself while alone. When a thought arises in ones mind, one spontaneously knows if it is good or evil-this is knowing. Knowing is the spiritual intelligence of the mind. It is originally without good or evil. Thus it illumines good and evil. It is like the mouth not having the five flavors, yet being able to distinguish them; or like the ear not having the five sounds and yet able to distinguish them. To take solitary knowledge as ones ruler and to watch over it - this is the meaning of honoring the virtuous nature."
Spiritual intelligence (SI) is a term used by some philosophers, psychologists, and developmental theorists to indicate spiritual parallels with intelligence quotient (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EI).
"While a man of superior spiritual intelligence might penetrate quickly into the nature of mind-and- heart-in-itself... the less talented must learn how to do good and avoid evil in thought and intention, until his mind-and-heart-in-itself becomes clear and manifest."
"In the absence of any proof that man ever did arrive at the conviction of one supreme spiritual intelligence from the book of Nature," continues the Atheist, "tis vain for you to attempt to demonstrate than man can, by the use of his reason, or by all the suggestions of the book of Nature, possess himself of any one of the ideas which are essential to your creed. That he has never done it, is the best proof that he never can do it..." The Christian philosopher, listening to this triumphant Atheist, at this crisis most serenely interposes his dilemma — "You affirm," Mr. Atheist, says the Christian, "that the idea or the name of a supreme spiritual intelligence, called God, did not enter the human mind by supernatural revelation, and that it could not enter the human mind by reason: but the idea and the name are now in the human mind, entertained by millions of the wisest and the best men in the world. idea which it represents, first took possession of the human understanding?"
"Widow, I have been a meer Stranger for these Parts that you live in, nor did I ever know the Husband of you, and Father of them, but I truly know by certain spiritual Intelligence, that he is in Purgatory."
"According to the Taoists and Buddhists, as far as the individual self is concerned, it may be divided into a physical body and a spiritual intelligence, the latter being primary. Extending this idea upward, they regard this spiritual intelligence as the primary factor in Heaven and Earth, from which they go on to seek for whatever lacks shape and form, regarding it as genuine existence, whereas whatever possesses shape and form they look upon as illusory. As for the Sung Confucianists, they regard the physical body and spiritual intelligence as equally personal and private whereas Principle, for them, is derived from Heaven."
"If a spiritual intelligence discovers itself only to us by the economy of the material universe, then mans spiritual part is concerned only with the safety and happiness of his body. The truth of this is verified by observation ; for the most enlarged and successful exertions of his intelligence have been for the benefit of our duration here: All his fine talents are bemisted whenever he launches into the spiritual world, and he can do nothing but toss over incoherent material imagery which he knows not to apply how, where, or to what. When he can discover a Supreme Mind engaged in spiritual exercises, or in any thing above the care of the universe, then let him also turn his attention to spiritual life and exercises, over and above the attention due to his present existence."
"I often hear the women set out this intelligence as entirely spiritual, and disdain to put the interest of the senses they have into consideration; everything there serves; but I can say that I have often seen that we have excused the weakness of their understandings in favour of their outward beauty, but have never seen that in favour of a mind, how mature and well-disposed soever, any one would lend a hand to a body that was never so little decayed. Why does not some one of them take it into her head to make that noble Socratical bargain between body and soul, purchasing a philosophical and spiritual intelligence and generation at the price of her thighs, which is the highest price she can get for them ? Plato ordains in his Laws that he who has performed any signal and advantageous exploit in war may not be refused during the whole expedition, whatever his age or deformity may be, a kiss or any other amorous favour from any woman whatever..."