Traditional Wisdom

     SHIKSHA: LEARNING

     When children, O Brihaspati, giving names to objects, sent out Vak’s first and earliest utterances, all (knowledge) that was excellent and spotless, treasured within their hearts, was disclosed through (Vak’s) grace. (Rig Veda, 10.71.1)

     The student learns a fourth from his teacher, a fourth through his own intelligence, a fourth from is fellow pupils, and the remaining fourth in course of time (by experience).

     Wonderful indeed is this treasure of yours, O Bharati (goddess of learning)! It increases with expenditure and dwindles on hoarding!

     He that has not cultivated his intelligence but has merely heard of many things can scarcely understand the real import of the scriptures, like the spoon that has no perception of the taste of the soup it touches. (Mahabharata, ‘Sabha Parva’, 54.1)

     I have seen that the knowledge derived by reasoning is of quite a different kind from the knowledge derived through meditation; and quite different from this again is the Knowledge that dawns by His revelation. (Sri Ramakrishna)

     There is only one purpose in the whole of life - education. (Swami Vivekananda)