To his own ruin the fool gains knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness.
To his own ruin the fool gains knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness.

Deep Commentary

People often live in self-contradiction; everyone desires happiness, yet their actions create the causes for suffering. It is like a student who wants to pass exams out of pride but spends all day playing instead of studying, or someone who wishes to be a great scholar but never reads a book. This is a common spiritual affliction: wanting one thing but doing another. The Buddha teaches that when a fool gains worldly knowledge or minor achievements, it often leads to their own ruin, destroying their happiness and innate wisdom because it feeds their ego instead of cultivation. True wisdom and happiness require diligent learning and genuine practice. Superficiality, like mindlessly reciting words without devotion, will not eliminate deep-rooted defilements like anger and laziness. Spiritual growth cannot be achieved by wishing for it while remaining idle. We must look inward, overcome our inner laziness, and sincerely dedicate ourselves to learning and practicing the Dharma, rather than blaming external factors for our lack of peace and wisdom.

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