Published Monday, 30 November 2020
Though one’s knowledge may be limited,
if understanding and conduct
rightly accord with the Way,
one is to be considered well-versed in Dhamma.Dhammapada v.259
Practising Dhamma is not merely a mental exercise; it involves the whole body-mind. To have accumulated a great deal of information about Dhamma does not necessarily mean one is skilled in Dhamma. The traditional story associated with the occasion when the Buddha first delivered this teaching involved a fully awakened monk who had only ever memorized one stanza. However, because this monk fully understood just those few lines of Dhamma, the Buddha praised him, at the same time pointing out that just because one has a lot to say about Dhamma does not mean one is ‘well-versed’.