DAY 255

A Little Knowledge Made Me Proud, More Learning Showed Me My Folly

Subhashita (Traditional Sanskrit Maxims)

기원후 5세기경(바르트리하리 니티샤타카)

ORIGINAL

यदा किंचिज्ज्ञोऽहं द्विप इव मदान्धः समभवं तदा सर्वज्ञोऽस्मीत्यभवदवलिप्तं मम मनः । यदा किंचित्किंचिद्बुधजनसकाशादवगतं तदा मूर्खोऽस्मीति ज्वर इव मदो मे व्यपगतः ॥ (yadā kiṃcijjño'haṃ dvipa iva madāndhaḥ samabhavaṃ tadā sarvajño'smītyabhavad avaliptaṃ mama manaḥ, yadā kiṃcit kiṃcid budhajanasakāśād avagataṃ tadā mūrkho'smīti jvara iva mado me vyapagataḥ)

📜 THE VERSE

When I knew a little, I was blind with pride like an intoxicated elephant, my mind swollen with 'I know everything.' But as I learned a little more from the wise, that pride left me like a fever breaking, and I realized: I was the fool.

❓ TODAY'S QUESTION

In the field where I feel most confident right now, am I actually only halfway to understanding it?

📝Reflection

The most dangerous form of ignorance is knowing just a little. Complete ignorance keeps us humble, but half-knowledge tricks us into thinking we know it all. The poet confesses his own experience honestly — only after learning more did he realize he had been intoxicated all along. The next stage of learning always begins by breaking the pride we hold right now.

— ONGO · Curator

🌱Apply It Today

Pick one thing you assume you already fully understand, and seek out an expert's differing view on it.

📖 Source: Subhashita (Traditional Sanskrit Maxims). Sanskrit original with public-domain translations consulted; rendered independently by ONGO.
This verse is read as universal humanistic wisdom, not religion — no faith is promoted, and the reflection is 100% original ONGO content.