Even much accurate theory
that is yet to be practised
is yet to be practical.
There was a Professor taking a sea voyage in a little boat and one night he goes up to the old sailor and says, “Hey old man, what do you know about oceanography?” The old sailor didn’t even know what the word meant. The Professor said, “You’ve wasted a quarter of your life! Here you are, sailing on the sea, and you don’t even know any oceanography.”
The next night the Professor goes up to the old man and says, ““Hey old man, what do you know about meteorology?” Again, the old sailor had never heard of the word. “The science of the weather.” “Ah, I don’t know anything about that.” “Oh, you’ve wasted half your life!”
The next night the Professor goes up to the old man, “What do you know about astronomy?” “Nothing.” “Here you are, out on the sea, and you need the stars to navigate and you don’t know anything about astronomy. You’ve wasted three-quarters of your life.”
The next night the old sailor comes rushing up to the Professor and says, “Professor, what do you know about swimology?” The Professor says, “Oh nothing, I‘ve never learnt to swim.” “Ah, too bad, the boat is sinking. You’ve wasted all your life!” It’s the swimology which is important. [Note: Practice of the Dharma for liberation is more important than learning all theories of non-Dharma for knowledge.]
The Experience Of Insight
Joseph Goldstein
