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Knowing that doesn’t turn into living is not knowing at all || Acharya Prashant (2019)
Scriptures and Saints
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3 years ago
Gita
Knowledge
Truth
Godliness
Being
Routine
Transformation
Philosophy
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that knowledge and life must move in tandem, as one cannot outpace the other. If life is truly proceeding towards truth, knowledge will naturally follow, and if one gains real knowledge, life must follow that knowledge. He uses the analogy of walking to illustrate that knowledge and life are like two legs; if one leg moves, it drags the other along, but if one stubbornly refuses to move, the other cannot progress either. He emphasizes that the little bit of knowledge one gains must be allowed to change one's life to the extent possible before one becomes eligible for more knowledge. Using the analogy of a small bowl, Acharya Prashant describes gaining knowledge as putting water into the bowl and turning knowledge into life as sipping that water. If one keeps receiving water without sipping it, the water simply spills over and goes to waste. He asserts that the bowl of the human mind is small, requiring a continuous cycle of taking in knowledge and immediately applying it to life. He challenges the notion that one can accumulate vast knowledge without it benefiting them, stating that such individuals do not truly know. Real knowing is being; it is impossible to truly know something and not have it reflect in one's being. Acharya Prashant concludes by advising against the trap of seeking 'big knowledge' and instead suggests taking small insights and turning them into lived reality. He notes that if a person's routine, work, and relationships remain the same after gaining knowledge as they were before, then that knowledge is not real and has failed to impact them. Real knowledge must manifest as a change in one's routine, choices, and overall way of living in the world.