विद्या ददाति विनयं विनयाद् याति पात्रताम् ।
पात्रत्वाद् धनमाप्नोति धनाद् धर्मं ततः सुखम् ॥
Vidyā dadāti vinayaṃ, vinayād yāti pātratām;
pātratvād dhanam āpnoti, dhanād dharmaṃ tataḥ sukham.
“Knowledge gives humility; from humility comes worthiness; from worthiness comes prosperity; from prosperity comes righteousness and happiness.”
Hitopadesha V 6
There was a great scholar who was renowned for his learning. He had studied the Vedas, grammar, philosophy, logic, poetry and many other branches of knowledge. He could quote scriptures from memory and speak brilliantly about the deepest questions of life.
One day, the scholar needed to cross a wide river. He climbed into a small boat. The boatman began rowing. As they moved toward the other shore, the scholar looked at the boatman and asked: “Do you know philosophy?”
The boatman smiled. “No, sir. I am an uneducated man. I know only how to row this boat.”
The scholar shook his head sadly. “Then you have wasted half your life.”
A little later, the scholar asked: “Have you studied literature ?”
“No, sir.”
“Logic?”
“No, sir.”
“Mathematics?”
“No.”
The scholar sighed. “What a pity! You have spent your whole life rowing a boat and have learned none of these important subjects.”
The boatman remained silent and continued rowing.
Suddenly, dark clouds gathered. The wind became fierce. The calm river turned into churning waves and the little boat began rocking violently.
The boatman looked at the scholar. “Sir, do you know how to swim?”
The scholar’s face went pale. “No.”
The boatman replied: “Then, sir, your entire life is wasted – not merely a part of it.”
The boat was filling with water. The scholar’s vast knowledge of grammar, philosophy, logic and literature could not help him now. The boat capsized and the scholar drowned in the river.
This story teaches us two lessons.
First – being only scholarly is of not much use in this world and being proud of your so called academic achievements is even worse.
Second – the world requires all types of people. The boatman is as important as the scholar in the scheme of life. Hence it is said not to interfere in the natural order of life but to accept and adapt to life.
As the verse above says – knowledge is that which teaches or instills humility in us. This humility makes one worthy which in turn leads to prosperity, that further leads to Dharma (righteousness) and Sukham (happiness).
There is also an esoteric meaning to the above story
The boat → life
The river → the world / saṃsāra
The scholar → intellectual knowledge
The boatman → practical wisdom
Swimming → awareness or the ability to actually navigate life’s difficulties
You have this body and life to help you cross the Samsara. Awareness is what will help you not only live a fulfilling life but will also help you cross the Samsara.
Awareness – embrace it.