Knowledge and Understanding

When you hear from a person or a book that bees can sting, this is knowledge. When you see someone get stung, or you yourself are stung and experience first hand that stings are indeed painful, that is understanding.

When you hear from a person or book that unless you learn to swim you might drown, this is knowledge. When you fall into the water and begin to struggle and swallow water and fight for air, this is understanding.

When you hear that it is better to eat than not eat. This is knowledge. When you experience an empty belly and hunger pangs, this is undertstanding.

When you are told that it is better to not misuse your partner for your own pleasure, this is knowledge. When you suffer hell in your relationship for treating your partner selfishly or improperly, this is understanding.

When you are told that alcohol or drugs can ruin your life or even kill you, this is knowledge. When you lose your family, health and vitality because of these, this is understanding.

When you hear that fire can burn if you put your hand into it, this is knowledge. When you see that you neighbor burned badly and died in a fire, this is understanding.

When you hear that meditation can become the way to freedom and peace of mind, this is knoweldge. When you practice the meditation, and experience the accumulation of freedom and peace of mind, this is understanding.

Knowledge comes from outside yourself. Understanding comes from within. Knowledge is just information, however lofty it may be, Understanding is knowledge experienced first hand.

Anyone can learn to build a bridge from a book found at the library, or even learn the techniques for heart repair surgury. Understanding is having built the bridge or repaired a heart.

Knowledge is a carbon copy of another's understanding. Understanding is original to the person experiencing it. Knowledge is dry, dead words with no life behind them. They are nothing but history, an ancient vessel of anothers undertanding left behind empty and hollow. Undertsanding is the content of the vessel experienced as if you were the very first person to discover it.