อนุทิน 119895

Buddha Vacana (January 20, 2556) 

These ten things nourish the ten things that are desirable, liked, charming and hard to win in the world.  What ten?  
   Energy and exertion nourish wealth.  
   Finery and adornment nourish beauty.  
   Doing things at the proper time nourishes health.
   Friendship with the righteous nourishes virtue.
   Restraint of the senses nourishes the holy life.  
   Not quarrelling nourishes friendship.  
   Repetition nourishes great knowledge.  
   Listening carefully and asking questions nourishes wisdom.  
   Study and examination nourishes the Dhamma.  
   And living rightly nourishes rebirth in the heaven realm.

-- A.V,136
<Note. This list of 10 desirables (wealth, beauty, health, virtue, holy life, friendship, knowledge, wisdom, dhamma and heaven) is much the same for people of all races and cultures - today. The list gives a straight forward recipe to get what we want. >

[ป.]

Thank you for the interesting recipe. 
May I have a question. In your point of view, can we gain knowledge without repetition ?
Nowaday, we can access information almost anywhere anytime.

[Dr. Ple]

Knowledge and Wisdom ..... ใครก็ปารถนา อยากได้ นะคะ

[sr]

Hi Dr Patma,

(May I complement your English? You have mastered it now.)

1) Buddha Vacana is a translation from Paali into English. This Buddha Vacana is from the book of Anguttara volume 4 verse 136 of the (Pali Text Society - PTS (UK)) Tipitaka. So it is a 2500+ years old recipe. ;-)

2) Sometimes we learn from 'insight' -- what we may call 'then a penny drops' (ปิ๊ง?). But most times we learn by repeating (doing, reflecting, investigating, meditating and dwelling) on the subject (point in focus). I think it is not wise to hope for sudden insight in our learning, but to focus on and repeat thinking, practicing/exercising, and assessing/reviewing what we learn until we give up or know enough.

Logical and informational learning are often 'end of long accumulated data collection' (by us and some others -- sometimes after long subconscious collection of fragments of facts -- the jigsaw puzzle pieces fall into place). Internet may give data and facts but not knowledge. Knowledge should be learned not read, remembered and believed. (We should learn กาลามะสูตร). Having data easily accessible may help us learn quicker but not any easier. We can only learn as fast as our brain can fit pieces of data into a model we have (long repeatedly developed).

Some physical learning like surgery or playing tennis, we can't do by logical learning (thinking) alone, we need to repeat physical learning until our "physical nerves, muscles, motor controls,..." can physically perform freely and subconsciously. 

I think we also have another kind of learning -- a "mental" learning where we learn (to improve)  our learning capacity (parts, processes and relations) -- to become a better learner. I think (and do a lot of repeating) mental learning need a lot of practicing. ;-) 

[sr]

Hi and thanks Dr Ple,

Well the Buddha says if we want knowledge we should learn and learn and learn...

And if we want wisdom we should listen carefully and ask questions to clarify our view.

Most people want knowledge and want to get it by "buying" (from a shop). They get a book but they don't get the content. A lot of people want wisdom for a present or a gift to be given to them because they sing and dance and look pretty. The Buddha says wisdom comes to those 'all ears' and those who know how to think and ask questions -- so they learn well--!

I wish I can give you knowledge and wisdom. But I cannot, no matter how hard I wish.

So I'll sit on a fence and watch ;-)

[sr]

Ooops, I typed "(May I complement your English? You have mastered it now.)". It is obvious I have not mastered spelling yet ;-). I should have typed "(May I compliment your English? You have mastered it now.)".

complement คอม "พลี เม๊นทึ = make complete/full

compliment คอม "พลิ เม๊นทึ = praise/give respect

;-)