問36：尊者，真是這樣嗎，有學問的人他們的知識會形成禪修進步的障礙？

Q36: Venerable Sir, is it true that for learned persons, their knowledge forms an obstacle to the progress in their practice?

問36：尊者，真是這樣嗎，有學問的人他們的知識會形成禪修進步的障礙？

No, it』s not suitable to say so. It is impossible that one』s knowledge is an obstacle to the practice. As you may know, a highly learned monk called Potthila became an Arahat sooner rather than later by practicing under the guidance of a young novice. In view of this, it is clear that one』s education or knowledge cannot be an obstruction to the progress in the practice. As a matter of fact, the real obstacles are pride in one』s education or knowledge, little or no faith in the practice, skeptical doubt, failure to follow strictly the guidance of the teacher, lack of heroic effort, and so on. Such are real obstacles to the development of concentration and insight knowledge.

不，這樣說不合適，一個人的知識不可能是禪修的障礙。你知道，一個叫帕提拉(Patthila)的極有學問的比庫，在一個年輕沙彌的指導下修行，他更快地成了阿羅漢而不是相反。就此而言非常清楚，一個人所受的教育或其學識不可能是修行進步的障礙。實際上，真正的障礙是以學歷或學識為驕傲，缺少對修行的信心或沒有信心，疑，沒有嚴格遵循老師的教導，缺乏英勇的努力，等等。這些是培養定力和觀智的真正障礙。