My father has managed to drive it through my thick skull this fundamental idea of always being in the learning mode and never to think, "I know". He emphasizes that the moment the thought that 'I know' comes in, learning stops and decay starts. What a profound piece of learning it is - that learning happens only when you realize your ignorance, not superficially but sincerely feeling in the depth of your heart that you know very little. Actually the feeling itself is liberating.
One day a friend of Socrates, named Chairephon, made a journey to the Delphic Oracle - one of the most sacred temples in all of Greece, at that time. The Oracle was posted this question by him, "Who is the wisest of all mortals?". The Oracle went into a trance and speaking for the god Apollo, proclaimed, "No one is wiser than Socrates". Now this should be seen with the idea that Socrates was going around all over to seek a person who was wiser than himself - a genuine and sincere effort. This was because, in his pursuit, he saw that there was no shortage of people who claimed that they were wise. But none could stand the questioning and prove their wisdom. So Socrates thought to himself, "I am wiser than they in this small respect: that I know that I do not know, whereas they think they know something when they really don't.". This is called Socratic Wisdom - the awareness of one's own ignorance, the reason why the Oracle said that he was the wisest.
Rajaji translates Kenopanishad II1,3 thus: "He who thinks that he knows really thereby proves himself ignorant. He who realizes that he cannot know Him has best understood Him. Those who seek to know Him, as they can grasp things of ordinary knowledge, can never achieve their object. Those who realize the limitation of the human mind in respect of the knowledge of the Supreme Spirit and, therefore, frankly confess ignorance, really approach a true understanding of it." And while he explains Kathopanishad says that the illusion arises not so much from ignorance as from attachments. Enlightenment comes with detachment, not with learning.
If happiness is your pursuit, learning cannot take you there, for learning is the product of intellect and has nothing to do with awakening which is the root of happiness.
This thought stream occurred, thanks to Prof. Mithileshwar Jha, who in his first class today said, "Am a student of Marketing - and I would remain so till I die or retire from my profession whichever happens later. Have this attitude that you are a student always - otherwise you will only create problems, not solve them or learn from them. The moment you think you are an expert, your learning stops and you will only be a source of trouble."
References:
1. Upanishads - C.Rajagopalachari
2. Plato - Robert Cavalier
