---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A scholar tries to learn something…"
description: "\"A scholar tries to learn something everyday; a student of Buddhism tries to unlearn something daily.\" — Alan Watts"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/alan-watts-587_buddhism_a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-every_1879368.jpg"
---

#  A scholar tries to learn something everyday; a student of…

![“A scholar tries to learn something everyday; a student of Buddhism tries to unlearn something daily.” quote by Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/alan-watts-587_buddhism_a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-every_1879368.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/alan-watts-587_buddhism_a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-every_1879368.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/alan-watts-587_buddhism_a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-every_1879368.jpg)

> “A scholar tries to learn something everyday; a student of Buddhism tries to unlearn something daily.”

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Learning involves acquiring knowledge, while spiritual practice involves letting go of preconceptions.

**In simple terms:** Study to learn; Buddhism to unlearn.

Key Takeaway

Balance learning and unlearning.

Themes

learning spirituality growth

Mood

contemplative calm

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- education
- meditation
- personal development

Key Concepts

philosophy mindfulness

Questions to Reflect On

- What beliefs have you let go of?
- How does unlearning shape your identity?

A Different Perspective

Unlearning can be unsettling and counterintuitive.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Buddhism Tries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism-tries-2644780/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday/) [Everyday Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday-student-2644781/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Learn everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-everyday/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Scholar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholar/) [Scholar Tries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholar-tries-2644778/) [Student Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student-buddhism-2644779/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Unlearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlearn/)

## Related quotes

> [“in mysterious ways.” The big change in Buddhism is that it tries to define that problem and, instead”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-francon/in-mysterious-ways-the-big-change-in-buddhism-is-that-it-tries-to/)

[Dominique Francon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-francon/)

> [I feel like the older I get the more I have to talk about, the more educated I am, the more I learn everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latto/i-feel-like-the-older-i-get-the-more-i-have-to-talk-about-the-more/)

[Latto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latto/)

> [“Live everyday as though it were your last day of life, and learn everyday as if it was your first day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ge-paulus/live-everyday-as-though-it-were-your-last-day-of-life-and-learn/)

[GE Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ge-paulus/)

> [I aint perfect but at least I'm trying to be, theres a difference I learn everyday there for I'm forever growing as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-aint-perfect-but-at-least-i-m-trying-to-be-theres-a-difference-i/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We all learn something everyday. Learning from the future, learning from the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-learn-something-everyday-learning-from-the-future-learning/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“You must grow and you must learn something about yourself everyday, you must make your commitment to making yourself better for the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-v-songer/you-must-grow-and-you-must-learn-something-about-yourself-everyday/)

[Austin V. Songer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-v-songer/)

> [“I learn everyday what it means to love myself, and I'm constantly figuring out what makes me feel empowered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-williams/i-learn-everyday-what-it-means-to-love-myself-and-i-m-constantly/)

[Hayley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-williams/)

> [You may love somebody, but most of y'all sad because that person doin you wrong and you ain't strong enough to let go. Learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam/you-may-love-somebody-but-most-of-y-all-sad-because-that-person-doin/)

[Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam/)

> [Everyday we look at ourselves and think this is who I am Everyday you think something positive and negative Everyday we love someone, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/true-self/everyday-we-look-at-ourselves-and-think-this-is-who-i-am-everyday-you/)

[True Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/true-self/)

> [“They say education has no end. If you still disagree with this, here is a better way to take it in; "Education has an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/they-say-education-has-no-end-if-you-still-disagree-with-this-here-is/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [“The end is a mystery, therefore think and act well now! Be robust, be focused and run the race with tenacity! When you fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/the-end-is-a-mystery-therefore-think-and-act-well-now-be-robust-be/)

[Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/)

> [I learn everyday because I can't learn everything in one day. Life is full of lessons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/i-learn-everyday-because-i-can-t-learn-everything-in-one-day-life-is/)

[Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/)

> [Everyday we spend has a purpose and teaches us something new.If we learn that Something Everyday,we could make our life Worthy and Great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinaykumar/everyday-we-spend-has-a-purpose-and-teaches-us-something-new-if-we/)

[VinayKumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinaykumar/)

> [Live every day like it is your last and learn everyday like you will live forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/live-every-day-like-it-is-your-last-and-learn-everyday-like-you-will/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Any change of government which has to be introduced should be one which men, starting from their existing constitutions, will be both willing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/any-change-of-government-which-has-to-be-introduced-should-be-one/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

## More by Alan Watts

> [“The self-conscious feedback mechanism of the cortex allows us the hallucination that we are two souls in one body -a rational soul and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-self-conscious-feedback-mechanism-of-the-cortex-allows-us-the/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [The more we try to catch hold of the present moment the more elusive it becomes. It is like trying to clutch water in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-more-we-try-to-catch-hold-of-the-present-moment-the-more-elusive/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [The Universe is the game of the self, which plays hide and seek forever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-universe-is-the-game-of-the-self-which-plays-hide-and-seek/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [If my happiness at this moment consists largely in reviewing happy memories and expectations, I am but dimly aware of this present. I shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/if-my-happiness-at-this-moment-consists-largely-in-reviewing-happy/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [...mysticism and empiricism go together in opposition to scholasticism...they base themselves on the non-linear world of experience rather than the linear world of letters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/mysticism-and-empiricism-go-together-in-opposition-to-scholasticism/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [The hallucination of being a separate ego will not stand up to biological tests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-hallucination-of-being-a-separate-ego-will-not-stand-up-to/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/although-profoundly-inconsequential-the-zen-experience-has/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [Everything is perpetually becoming new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/everything-is-perpetually-becoming-new/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [The psychotherapist ... tries to help the individual to be himself and to go it alone without giving unnecessary offense to his community, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-psychotherapist-tries-to-help-the-individual-to-be-himself-and-to/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [“As you make more and more powerful microscopic instruments, the universe has to get smaller and smaller in order to escape the investigation. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/as-you-make-more-and-more-powerful-microscopic-instruments-the/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [We are at the moment looking at space as something to be entered by the tremendous thrust of a rocket because that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/we-are-at-the-moment-looking-at-space-as-something-to-be-entered-by/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [A philosopher is a sort of intellectual yokel who gawks at things that sensible people take for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/a-philosopher-is-a-sort-of-intellectual-yokel-who-gawks-at-things/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [The best way to convince someone is by making him realize that what you speak came from his own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-best-way-to-convince-someone-is-by-making-him-realize-that-what/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [The myths underlying our culture and underlying our common sense have not taught us to feel identical with the universe, but only parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-myths-underlying-our-culture-and-underlying-our-common-sense-have/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [To feel that life is meaningless unless “I” can be permanent is like having fallen desperately in love with an inch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/to-feel-that-life-is-meaningless-unless-i-can-be-permanent-is-like/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

[Explore all 460 Alan Watts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

## More Buddhism quotes

> [There are places that are very draining. There are places where there is another dimensional crossover but to a dimension that is not powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-places-that-are-very-draining-there-are-places-where-there/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/)

[Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/)

> [The very best players, when they are practicing, put everything they've got into it. But then they leave it for a while. And it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-very-best-players-when-they-are-practicing-put-everything-they-ve/)

[Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/)

> [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/)

[Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/)

> [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/)

[Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/)

> [My mom and my aunties are really devout Christians. My mom married a Muslim when I was 12, so I got teachings from both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tech-n9ne/my-mom-and-my-aunties-are-really-devout-christians-my-mom-married-a/)

[Tech N9ne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tech-n9ne/)

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“The extraction of discrete parts of Chöd teachings from their broader philosophical contexts is symptomatic of how Chöd has been incorporated into and transmitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sorensen/the-extraction-of-discrete-parts-of-ch-d-teachings-from-their-broader/)

[Michelle Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sorensen/)

> [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“That's all there is, enlightenment on the end of a cock. It doesn't get any more Zen than that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden-wilkes/that-s-all-there-is-enlightenment-on-the-end-of-a-cock-it-doesn-t-get/)

[Jaden Wilkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden-wilkes/)

> [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/)

[Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/)

[Browse all 6,100 Buddhism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A scholar tries to learn something everyday; a student of Buddhism tries to unlearn something daily.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alan Watts"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-everyday-a-student-of-buddhism/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Buddhism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-everyday-a-student-of-buddhism/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/alan-watts-587_buddhism_a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-every_1879368.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/alan-watts-587_buddhism_a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-every_1879368.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/alan-watts-587_buddhism_a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-every_1879368.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A scholar tries to learn something everyday; a student of Buddhism tries to unlearn something daily.” — Alan Watts",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Alan Watts",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A scholar tries to learn something...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-everyday-a-student-of-buddhism/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/a-scholar-tries-to-learn-something-everyday-a-student-of-buddhism/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
