Chapter 16 Chapter Fourteen Learning and Wisdom

There is a clear difference between learning and wisdom.Learning is the accumulation of knowledge, a raw material that nourishes life, while wisdom is the melting pot for edifying this raw material.Knowledge is like iron, and wisdom is the electric fire that links steel.Knowledge is accumulated over an inch, and often each has its own territory and governs alone.He can absorb the interests of life, but he himself is the instrument of life.Wisdom is a kind of perspective, a kind of introspection, and a kind of long-term vision; it is a kind of radioactivity contained in life; it comes from the depths of life, and at the same time, it can illuminate the future of life.

Some people think that learning is wisdom, but in fact, when have learned people ever had wisdom?There are many knowledgeable people in the world, but they don’t learn from the past, and they don’t learn from the present.This kind of person is called a learned fool (a learned fool) in the West, and he can be called a two-legged bookcase or Mr. Dong Hen in China.Conversely, wise people do not necessarily have good knowledge.There is a kind of person who doesn't read much, but he is very knowledgeable about human relations and affairs, relying on experience, using his experience, official knowledge stops but God wants to do it, according to the law of heaven, criticizes the big but guides the big breakthrough.Can you say that such a person has no wisdom?

Learning cannot be separated from wisdom: learning without wisdom is dead learning.There are many people who are engaged in research work and have collected a lot of materials, but they often spend a lot of time, can't find the center of the problem, and can't get any results. Even if there are results, they are irrelevant. This is because they have no wisdom.This is not the case for a wise person. Even if he studies a very small problem, he can find the core and find the core. Although the problem is small, the scope of its reflection is often very large.For example, Mendel studied the mating of beans and realized the laws of heredity, which laid the foundation of genetics and eugenics.Let's talk about Darwin, the founder of the theory of evolution.Before Darwin, was there no learned biologist who saw mussel shells by the sea, fossils in the mountains, humanoid apes, and races of primitive peoples?Why can't we invent the law of natural selection and survival of the fittest?After Darwin invented it, Huxley sighed and said: This truth should be known to all fools, why didn't I know it before?So he fought to be Darwin's bulldog (bulldog) and opened his eyes for him.The contemporary physicist Einstein was called the first person after Newton.His theory of relativity is a rare achievement in science.But he himself said to people: My invention is actually very simple, it's just that you don't see it!He can see what others can't, which is his wisdom.

The world not only lacks wise people, but also lacks wise books.We can divide books into two categories: those with wisdom and those without wisdom.Every word and every sentence of a wise book is as crystal clear as pearls and jade; the sharpness of an axe can inspire people's hearts and open up people's thoughts, and sometimes it can be extended into a thesis or a special book?This is the so-called "brilliant book" in English).Books without wisdom often have materials piled up like an anthill. Although there are many discussions, there are no insights.Even if you can get reports from him, but you can't get inspiration from him, the author is rich but few, and the readers are useless.This is what is called a "dull book" in English.However, there are so many books of this kind that the reader has to choose carefully if he does not waste his time.It should be known that writing books requires wisdom, and reading also requires wisdom.Reading well is the manifestation of wisdom.It is not an easy task to penetrate into the inside and suddenly penetrate.If it is read like a satirical lecture, what is the use even if you read five carts?

Learning cannot be separated from wisdom, and wisdom cannot be separated from learning.A man of knowledge does not necessarily have wisdom, just as a man of wisdom does not necessarily have deep knowledge, but wisdom must be based on knowledge to be reliable.Dai Dongyuan said: If one takes nature as the basis and abandons learning, the perception of the heart will stop, it will not become more and more, and there will be many mistakes. If you don't seek or think, you will be proud of yourself all your life. It is because the sages hate their way and harm the way. , it is for this reason.Unlearned wisdom is only fleeting, fleeting.Like soap bubbles, although they can be colorful, they burst at the touch of a button.Only the wisdom generated from learning is not a floating light, but a searchlight, which can penetrate the clouds and illuminate the blue sky.Only the wisdom cultivated from learning is not disillusioned soap bubbles; it will always be like pearl-like springs, continuously gushing from the bottom of the water in strings.Only this kind of rooted wisdom is the most reliable, the most refined, and the most precious.

If learning is like building materials, then wisdom is the ingenuity of the architect.Wood, stone, or even concrete and steel frames can never be a house; even if you know the mechanics of materials and structural principles, you can only create a house for ordinary applications, but you can never create a majestic and magnificent Roman St. Peter's (St.Peter's) or Notre Dame Church in Paris.This kind of peerless art work depends on the artist's ingenuity.But the more handy the material, the more ingenuity can be exerted; the more advanced the principle of structure, the more the artist can innovate.The influence of materials and technology on style can be proved by the entire history of art, especially the history of architecture.Therefore, knowledge and wisdom are complementary and indispensable.We not only need knowledge, but also wisdom. We need to use wisdom to cover knowledge, see through knowledge, and use knowledge.

How should knowledge be sought?How can wisdom be enriched?How should we cover, see through, and use knowledge with wisdom?This is a question of the way of thinking.Thought is not fantasy, not fantasy, but a disciplined discipline of conscious training.Of course, thoughts cannot be taught by others; people without thoughts cannot be forced to have thoughts, just as the century-old saying proves: You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot teach a horse to drink water (You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink).Yet ideas can be inspired.The greatest function of education is to inspire people's thinking.The so-called not being angry, not enlightening, not being angry, not expressing, is to admit that thoughts have the possibility of enlightenment.How should ideas be inspired?Of course, there must be a method of training the mind.Now I will first put forward the instructions of the two great philosophers in China and the West on training the mind.

Confucius in China taught learning and once mentioned four precepts: no intention, no need, no solidity, and no self.No matter how the scribes interpret it, we can get a new understanding from the perspective of modern thinking methods.Wuyi can be interpreted as not doing everything with intention.It is unacceptable to make an inference without a basis.This is prejudice (prejudice), and prejudice is incompatible with the spirit of scientific inquiry.It doesn't have to be dogmatic.Arbitrary is the opposite of open-mindedness, often based on incomplete knowledge and inconsistent opinions.Wugu means not being obstinate, sticking to one another, refusing, refusing new things and new assumptions.Falling into a cage and not extricating oneself, getting into the horns of a dead end and not extricating oneself.But I cannot be self-centered and self-centered (ego︱centric predicament).Arrogant self-importance is the so-called ego.This kind of veiled view cannot be allowed logically, nor can it be tolerated epistemologically.It is necessary to get rid of the above-mentioned veils, so that you can be clear and bright, and see everything.This must be the case in order to promote wisdom.This must be the case in order to serve all things and not be enslaved by all things.This should be the case for learning and seeking knowledge, and it should be the same for life cultivation.

In his book "The Advancement of Learning", Francis Bacon, a great modern Western thinker, discusses the reasons for thinking errors, which can be said to be extremely incisive.Condillac once said: No one in the world understands the causes of errors in thinking than Bacon.Bacon believed that the errors of human thought were due to four kinds of idols.This kind of idol is called attachment in Buddhism, and we call it concealment.The first is the idols of the tribe (id ols of the tribe), which can be called the cover of perception.That is to say, for a problem, first decide according to your own opinion, then seek experience, and then knead the experience group to match your own meaning.This is tantamount to holding a wax figure in your hand and asking him for directions.This is the most common mistake most people make.Nowadays, when some college students write papers, they often come to conclusions first, and then look for materials, just like the medicine drawers in a pharmacy are laid out neatly, and then the medicinal materials are stuffed in separately, and the work is over.He does not seek the truth step by step from the material, but matches his so-called truth with the material.This kind of work is in vain.The second is the idol of the cave (idolS of the cave), which can be called the cover of the self.This has something to do with personality.Each person often forms a so-called hole or nest in his consciousness because of his closeness to otherness.This kind of hole or nest often bends or blocks the natural light, so a person is like wearing colored glasses: if you wear blue glasses, you say everything is blue; if you wear black glasses, you say everything is black.The result is right and wrong, black and white.Once a person's mind falls into this kind of hole, it is not easy to climb out.The third is the idols of the market, which can be called the mask of language.It is born out of human contact.When people are in contact with each other, they have to use language to exchange meanings, but the words and sentences used in the language are often based on what the masses understand, so the meaning of the words is often uncertain or incomplete, and the truth is obliterated.Many mistakes in human thinking come from this.The most important purpose of logic.It is to determine the meaning of each word, so that it has a certain content, so as not to lose the slightest bit, and make it a thousand miles away.Most of the words spoken by political demagogues are very beautiful and pleasant, but after careful analysis, how many words are certain and reliable?Zhuangzi said: Words are hidden in splendor. In fact, this language is like a fig tree, which hides the shame of its lack of flowers with its leaves.The fourth is the idols of the theater (idols of the theater), which can be called the cover of academic tradition.Some of the errors in human thinking are due to traditional beliefs or false proofs of facts.The philosophical systems of various schools in ancient and modern times are often nothing more than dramas on the stage, which are compiled by each individual based on their subjective imagination.If someone falls into the trap and believes deeply, it is easy to cling to prejudice and dismiss others.The disputes between Chinese schools in the past, such as the so-called lawsuits about the similarities and differences between Zhu and Lu, all committed this problem unconsciously.

According to the instructions of these two philosophers, we can know that in order to train the mind, we must pay attention to the following points: The first is unmasking.Unmasking is the first prerequisite to training the mind.One must be able to get rid of the concealment, and only then can one see through everything, realize one's enlightenment, and reach the highest state of wisdom.It is necessary to get rid of Confucius' so-called meaning will strengthen the self, and Bacon's so-called four idols, and only then can we have a broad-minded and open-minded mind to accept all truths.Otherwise, the shadows are in the heart, the obstacles are in the eyes, and the truth is farther away if you desire the truth.Xunzi has a chapter on unmasking, and he talks about it very happily.He said: Mozi is covered in practicality but does not know the text; Songzi is covered in desire and does not know what to get; Shenzi is covered in the law and does not know the virtuous; Shenzi is covered in persistence and does not know knowledge; Huizi is covered in speech and does not know the truth; Zhuangzi is covered in the sky But I don't know people.These few tools are all corners of the Tao.The body of the husband and the Tao is constant and changing, and one corner is not enough to mention it.However, those who are false say that it is not as if the number of sons covers a corner of what you already have, and it harms the way you will receive.We must know that what wisdom illuminates is not just a corner of the Tao!

The second is analysis.Analysis can be divided into two parts: one is the analysis of things.All phenomena in the universe are intricately intertwined and extremely complicated, and it is impossible to study them all, which is not allowed by the facts.Therefore, biologists only select a part of living phenomena to study.Geologists study only a portion of inanimate phenomena.This is the way to analyze by category.The second is the analysis of concepts.For example, if you want to discuss the meaning of language and characters, you must first figure out the meaning.Otherwise, there will be many misunderstandings, many incidents, and many disputes.Among the philosophical debates, there are many disputes over the meaning of words.Once upon a time, Mr. Huang Yuansheng wrote an article called Generalization as the Public Enemy of the People.This general word is the biggest root of disease in the Chinese people's thinking, and I don't know how many things have missed us.If we want our citizens to have a clear mind, we must first scratch and polish the concepts contained in many languages. The third is synthesis.Synthesis is to organize the results of the analysis into a complete system.The biggest purpose of synthesis is to seek the economy of thought.A scientific formula must be able to control complexity with simplicity, that is, to explain and drive many complicated phenomena with the simplest formula.People without a comprehensive mind often feel that everything in the universe is either unrelated or a mess; while for those with a comprehensive mind, they feel that everything is connected, and they can find a neat clue from it. beautiful system. The fourth is far-sightedness.When talking about art, we should pay attention to the long-term perspective, why not when talking about science?People who are engaged in scientific work are most likely to be confined to a narrow scope because of their research expertise, and forget the big ones and the distant ones.The definition of an expert is a person who knows the most things within the smallest scope.Therefore, it is possible to miss major events by relying solely on experts to seek the country.In his Japanese book, Mr. Jiang Baili described the situation that Japan sees the trees but does not see the forest. There is a passage that is the most thought-provoking.He said: The Japanese are very good at studying foreign situations and have a lot of secret knowledge, which is even richer than the foreigners themselves.But precisely because it is too detailed, the big and ordinary things are forgotten.For example, the Japanese studied India in more detail than any other countryman. He envied the British for acquiring India, but he forgot that the British ruled India, which took three hundred years to complete when no one was paying attention.But the Japanese want to complete their achievements within 30 years under the great powers.The Japanese also studied Chinese personalities.He remembered their biographies and actions with great interest, but he forgot the unity of Chinese geography and the universality of writing, and wanted to use force to change the power of 5,000 years of history and divide China.He also envied the emerging Italy and Germany, talked about rule, but kept about fascism, but he forgot that he could not produce a leader.I wrote down this passage tirelessly, because he not only taught the Japanese a severe lesson, but also has something for us to think about.Our ideal scientists and thinkers should not get into the horns, but stand on the watchtower! The above four points are worthy of the deep attention of every person who studies social or natural science.Huang Lizhou said: There is no quick-seeing wisdom. Wisdom can only be achieved through hard work. We must work hard to learn, and we must work hard to seek wisdom!Gao Pian, a man of the Tang Dynasty, wrote in a poem: For forty years of refining mercury and burning lead, he is still in front of the medicine furnace;This is a very philosophical poem. The earliest definition of philosophy is the love of wisdom, that is, the pursuit of wisdom (pursuit of wisdom).He looks at the universe and human life as a whole, not at parts; he looks at history as a whole, not at fragments.A temporary advantage can lead to a permanent loss.Militaristic careerists can cause victories in countless battlefields, but the final result is the defeat of the entire battle.This is the result of lack of wisdom. In today's world, learning has progressed and specialized knowledge has been enriched, but there are still such great tragedies of grief, cruelty, darkness, and destruction that are being staged. This is precisely because of the lack of human wisdom. reason!Those who want to save mankind from unprecedented catastrophe, in this world full of shadows, only by using the sword of wisdom can they cut off the evil obstacles of narrowness, selfishness, arrogance, hatred and poison, and obtain long-term peace.The old Hebrew saying is good: happy is he who can find wisdom, and he who can gain understanding. ("Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getth understanding."︱"Proverbs")