THE FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A TRULY LEARNED PERSON

THE FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A TRULY LEARNED PERSON : 

A mathematician or a scientist has a fund Of Knowledge. The paradoxical thing is that he has more theoretical knowledge about fear, about jealousy, than perhaps any other person in the world.

The upanishads do not consider such a person learned. They do not even consider his knowledge as true knowledge. They call it a bundle of information. Such a person is an ‘expert’. Whatever is known about fear is known by him. He knows about fear, but not fear itself. If he had really known fear, he would be free of it. An expert in religious scriptures knows everything about religion, but does not know religion.

Swimming Lessons

The difference is like this — that a person knows everything about swimming but does not know how to swim. Nor is it necessary for a person who knows swimming to know all about swimming.

The entire theoretical knowledge of a person will not be of any use to him if his boat is sinking and his life is in danger. At such a time, the person who knows nothing about swimming but who knows swimming itself will be able to swim and save his life.

This is why sages point out the fundamental characteristics of the truly learned person. They are the learned, the wise, who see all animate and inanimate objects in themselves and see themselves in all animate and inanimate objects. Such people become free of grief and attachment.

Two Sides Of The Coin

Why has the sage grouped these two — grief and attachment — together? They are grouped together because these two are one; they are unavoidable, concomitant parts of the same mental state.

Om Namah Shivay.