The 38 Ways to Happiness :- Artfulness in Knowledge (3)

The 38 Ways to Happiness. The third group of blessings. Blessing Seven :- Artfulness in Knowledge https://dmc.tv/a9932

Dhamma Articles > Buddhist Teaching
[ Jan 25^th, 2011 ] - [ read : 18268 ]

Blessing Seven:
Artfulness in Knowledge

C. THE NATURE OF THE STUDENT
C.1 Sense of Responsibility for own Human Dignity
In order for a student to protect their own sense of human dignity, they must refrain from the Four Defilements of Action:
1.    taking the lives or being cruel to people or animals;
2.    stealing;
3.    committing adultery or have sexual intercourse outside marriage;
4.    telling lies.

Also concerning a person’s responsibility to their own sense of human dignity, a person should:

● avoid sentimentality about learning: those who are not strong-minded in their pursuit of learning will not manage to succeed in becoming learned;

● avoid obsession with appearances: if you want to try to be a learned person in the future — you should model yourself on the stereotype of academics or monastics who emphasise only two things about their dress — modesty and cleanliness.

● avoid childishness: those who play around, never take responsibility for anything and never taking anything seriously, will never succeed in becoming learned.

C.2 Sense of Responsibility for others’ Human Dignity
Bias gives us negative attitudes which may reduce our chances of success in study. If we are able to overcome these items of unfairness in the mind from the outset then the mind will be a much more fertile receptacle for knowledge:

1. Learning based on Desire [chandāgati]: Desire doesn’t need to be so strong that you are a Casanova. Such a person would have no chance of being a good student anyway. However, to a lesser degree even someone who is excessively fussy about what they do and what they wear would be unlikely to succeed in their studies. Those who study simply because they would like to become famous will find it hard to succeed in study. If you see possessions as an end in themselves then we will have no incentive to study.

2. Learning based on Hatred [dosāgati]: If you want to study successfully then you mustn’t be someone who loses their temper easily. You must be able to accept criticism without being scared of appearing foolish. Some people are angry only for an instant and then they recover quickly. Others are angry and it takes them a long time to get over it. They find it hard to forgive. Even later on, although they can’t remember why they were angry with someone, they still feel angry with that person. They forget their respect for others. They think that they are superior to everyone else. Thus they can never learn anything from anyone else. By meditating, such people can train themselves to be less impatient. If they also keep a baseline of morality such as avoiding killing animals and insulting then they will find it much easier to acquire wisdom.

3. Learning based on Ignorance [mohāgati]: If you are still acting on your own ignorance instead of giving things careful consideration before you do them, then you will find it hard acquire new knowledge. If your old ways of looking at the world are faulty then you need to let go of them before you can expect to acquire new ones.

4. Learning based on Fear [bhayāgati]: Some people lack confidence in themselves and their own knowledge. They are always afraid of the criticism of others. If you are afraid of taking decisions yourself, then you will be destined to always be led by other people instead of standing on your own feet. You will have no creative or original thinking of your own. If even you don’t trust your own knowledge then how can you expect to make anyone else confident.

C.3 Sense of Responsibility for Economic Fairness
In order for a student to protect society’s sense of human dignity, they must refrain from the Six Roads to Ruin:

1.    Drinking alcohol;
2.    Roaming the streets at unseemly hours;
3.    Frequenting shows;
4.    Gambling;
5.    Association with bad company;
6.    Laziness to work for a living.

Furthermore a person who is obsessed with personal financial gain will find it hard to make progress in their studies. A person should not “worship money”. Those who see that material rewards are more valuable than wisdom will never go very far in acquiring wisdom. We don’t overlook the importance of wealth — but on the way that it is best to apply one’s wealth — that will be the subject of Blessing Fifteen.