
Knowledge comes but wisdom lingers...
Some time ago, one of my friends abroad gifted me a book. While I was
scanning through the pages, I came across a wonderful phrase of the
author. "If you desire happiness, then seek out knowledge and
enlightenment, and you will find that anxiety, depression and grief will
leave you". I just stopped my gaze at that page and pondered what that
meant.
How good it is if people can get rid of anxiety, depression and grief
in such an easy method. Nowadays lot of people suffer from such
sicknesses and perhaps spend lot of money and time for remedial
measures. As I read through the pages I happened to read many mind
boggling facts. I would like to extract them for your education and
knowledge.
"Happiness and high - spiritedness come when the person is empowered
with knowledge. Because through knowledge, one may fulfil his goals and
discover what was previously hidden from him. The soul, by its very
nature, longs for the acquisition of new knowledge to stimulate it and
the mind".
"Ignorance is boredom and grief, because the ignorant person leads a
life that never offers anything new or mind provoking. Yesterday is like
today which in turn is like tomorrow".
Knowledge comes in many forms and you should have the knowledge of
many things. One of the important things is the knowledge of yourself.
"Know thyself", Socrates said that many centuries ago. Thoreau said "To
know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not
know, that is true knowledge".
Disraeli also held the similar view, "To be conscious that you're
ignorant is a great step to knowledge" How many of you all know
yourself? In fact as I feel, before you get to know any thing, you
should be able to know yourself. Knowing one's own self is a bit
difficult task.
We're never bothered to know ourselves, instead trying to know
others. In Bhagawath Geetha, they teach how to realise oneself and then
to attain the wisdom. Through that wisdom a human can realise the
universe and its creations.
How to acquire knowledge
There're many ways to acquire knowledge. It's not only by reading a
book, newspaper or a magazine. At present, the technology is very
advanced and you can browse the internet to get any information of any
scope you desire. You can also talk to people.
That's a good source of knowledge. Some people are like walking
encyclopedias. They have vast spectrum of knowledge. For people, from
birth to present, with time, acquisition of knowledge has geared up
specially.
When you meet such an erudite person, never miss that opportunity to
talk to him or her. They may tell you lots of things that you don't
know. "Our knowledge is the amassed thought and experience of
innumerable minds" - Emerson.
People are different in knowledge. They may be expert in variety of
fields. When you talk to a person who is an expert on a particular
field, you will gain more knowledge.
A book is definitely a very good source of knowledge. One scholar
said that a book is like a very good friend of a person. "The book is a
companion that doesn't praise you and doesn't entice you to evil. It's a
friend that doesn't bore you and the neighbour that causes you no harm.
When you're pouring through the pages of a book, your senses are
stimulated and intellect sharpens. Through reading biographies of
others, you gain an appreciation of common people while learning the
ways of the wise and noble people".
I can point out some benefits of reading in order to acquire
knowledge.
1. Reading helps to get rid of grief. When you read you will forget
your worries. It will relax your mind and distance from distraction.
2. Habitual reading will help you to keep yourself away from
isolation and inactivity and other acts that have no impact.
3. It will prevent you from day dreaming.
4. When you read very often, you can develop your eloquence and
clarity in speech. And you will gain the mastery over many words and
learn the different constructions of sentences.
5. Reading increases memory and understanding.
6. You will benefit from the experience of others; the wisdom of the
wise and the elegance of scholars.
As for some people, gathering knowledge is a hobby. They like to
learn more and more. They're never tired of gathering knowledge. Some
people do not pay attention to any thing other than seeking knowledge.
They're in a thirst for knowledge. A learned person knows the value of
knowledge, what great things he could do with knowledge.
Seeking knowledge for some learned people are as sweet as their
favourite dishes. I'll put it in the words of a scholar
"The sleepless nights I spend in learning sciences, are more beloved
to me than the company or caresses of the enchanting woman
My rapturous exhilaration when understanding a difficult concept, is
more delicious to me than the most exotic drink.
More delightful to me than the sound of a woman's hand on the drum,
are my hands on my papers in order to remove dust.
O' he who tries to attain my level by wishful thinking, how much
difference there is between the one who finds the pain of climbing to be
too much and between the one who climbs and reaches the summit.
I do toil through the night, while you sleep through it, yet you hope
to surpass me?".
The knowledge comes in two forms. One is the theoretical knowledge
you gain from reading and learning, and the other is the practical
knowledge. Practical knowledge is also very important, without which you
find it difficult to progress.
"Knowledge itself is power" - Francis Bacon |