Saturday, January 13, 2007

1. Do not Neglect your Education


1.1 Importance of Education

Like the beauty of fertile land, men look fertile only through learning. People who had wasted their lives by not learning are like a barren land without produce. 406

The uneducated are like the animals. What distinguishes the human beings from animals is Knowledge. 410

1.2 Rise high through Education

One’s origin and birth is of no relevance to learning and acquiring knowledge. Even persons of high birth could stagnate and sink without knowledge. At the same time, even people of low birth can rise high and attain fame through knowledge. Knowledge helps people, irrespective of their social origins of birth. 409

Sometimes the position occupied by an uneducated could be high and look imposing. The terra cotta doll could have been painted bright, but it can never take the place of a live person. The position occupied by one is a least substitute for knowledge and wisdom. 407 & 404

Pursue knowledge. Study and learn what is worthy to learn. Obtain clarity in life and abide by the virtues that the education teaches you. 391

Deeper you dig the ground, the greater will be the availability of water. Same is with knowledge. The deeper you go into, the more you acquire. 396

1.3 Benefits of Knowledge

Whether arts or science, the letters and numbers that you learn remove your ignorance and open your eyes with which you can lead a life of meaning and fullness. 392

Knowledge gives eyes to the mind to see the truth. The learned alone possess the eyes and the vision. The ignorant cannot have any vision and their eyes are a simple sore. 393

The knowledge that the wise men acquire not only gives them pleasure, but delights the entire world. Every one benefits by knowledge both the giver and the listener. Pursue it with dedication and delight. 399

Knowledge is such a great wealth that one can lead a life of prosperity both in the present and the future. And that is the result of single minded devotion to learning. 398

People who possess wisdom possess all riches. Those who lack wisdom, even if they are rich are as good as poor. 430

Among all kinds of poverty, the most important is the poverty of wisdom in men. All other kinds of poverty can be banished effectively if only this poverty can be removed.
841

To men of great wisdom, even fools donate their wealth with pleasure. 842


Knowledge is the only wealth. It will never decay and it can never be stolen and it can never be lost. All other riches are no wealth at all. 400

1.4 Go in search of the Teachers

Those who are thirsty of knowledge would not hesitate to visit the houses of learned like the beggar. Their devotion and dedication to yearn for knowledge is a great experience. The ignorant are ignorant of this great experience. 395

It is a delight to be with the learned. It is the duty of the learned to delight the others. Look for their company and cherish their company. 394

1.5 Don’t be an I-Know-it-all-already person

More than being ignorant, there are many who do not listen to the wise counsel given to them, just because they pride themselves to know things already. Such shallow people cause more harm to themselves. 847

There are people who neither take efforts to acquire knowledge nor listen to the counsel of others. Such people would neither attend to their duties nor would attend to them when told. Such people are a clear pain and burden to others till their death. Don’t be one among them. 848

What is wisdom? Wisdom is when we stop believing that we know it all already. Fools generally believe they already possess wisdom. And once they believe they already possess it, they close the door for real wisdom to enter their minds. 844

Fools pretend to know what they do not know. It arouses the suspicion even on what they have good knowledge about. Where one believes that he knows it all already, makes others suspect their capabilities even in areas whey they are capable. 845

When a conceited fool thinks he knows it all already, one who tries to enlighten the fool befools himself. 849

Listen to the learned and acquire the balance of mind and wisdom. That alone can help you in your bloom and gloom. 425

1.6 Listen to the Learned and Acquire wisdom

Our stomach would feel the hunger only when our ears are kept unoccupied. Listening to great knowledge makes our stomach keep silent. 412

Open your ears to the words of wisdom. If you don’t listen to the learned, you are as good as deaf and at best you will hear only sounds. 418

Those who feed their ears with food [knowledge], would soon rise high in their lives and would join the Knowledgeable 413

Keep searching for the truth. Listen to the learned. Enlighten yourself. You will never speak foolishly even in a thoughtless mood. 417

During the course of your pursuit for knowledge, you hear many people talking to you many things. How do you distill them and find what is of true value? Only wisdom can help you do that. 423

What is important in listening to others is to discern who is talking the truth and whose message is to be believed. Wisdom alone helps you to comprehend it. 424

Wisdom helps you to avoid confrontations and to live in harmony with the world, despite the changes that are taking place around you. 426

In this world of cause and effect, only the learned can analyse and foresee and prepare for the future. The ignorant lack that ability and would have to take the future as it comes without any preparation. 427

Wisdom helps you to foresee evil. Wisdom helps you to guard yourself against evils. And wisdom helps you to avoid distress. 429

You may be protecting yourself against your enemies with all protective systems and armor. All that cannot protect you, if you do not possess the weapon of wisdom. Wisdom is more reliable than your other protection systems. 421

Well, you may have missed your education due to any circumstance. But now make it a point to listen to the learned and wise. And that would give you the next best education and would stand by you in times of your need. 414

1.7 Become a learned person and be respected

The learned are welcome everywhere. All lands and places are familiar to the learned . No country and no place is alien to them. It is unfortunate that the others waste their lives by neglecting this learning. 397

3 comments:

Bourbonbites said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Raji said...

Great work..!

--- Nishaanth M P said...

Hi, l0ve yur bl0g...
Is there any ways by which u can add the actual thirukural ( in tamil f0nts ) by the end 0f each explanati0ns?