--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The point is that whatever one is trying…" description: "\"The point is that whatever one is trying to learn, it is necessary to have firsthand experience, rather than learning from books or from teachers or by..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/chogyam-trungpa-1373_book_the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying_989894.png" --- # The point is that whatever one is trying to learn, it is… ![“The point is that whatever one is trying to learn, it is necessary to have firsthand experience, rather than learning from books or from teachers or by merely conforming to an already established pattern.” quote by Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/chogyam-trungpa-1373_book_the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying_989894.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/chogyam-trungpa-1373_book_the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying_989894.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/chogyam-trungpa-1373_book_the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying_989894.png) > “The point is that whatever one is trying to learn, it is necessary to have firsthand experience, rather than learning from books or from teachers or by merely conforming to an already established pattern.” [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True understanding comes from direct, personal experience rather than second‑hand instruction or blind conformity. **In simple terms:** Learn by doing, not just reading. Key Takeaway Seek personal experience. Themes learning experience authenticity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - skill acquisition - spiritual practice - creative work - leadership development Key Concepts mindfulness embodied knowledge Questions to Reflect On - How can you create safe, direct experiences for learning? - When is theory more appropriate than practice? A Different Perspective Hands‑on learning can be risky or resource‑intensive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Conform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conform/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Experience Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-learning-318930/) [Firsthand Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsthand-experience-1854366/) [Learn Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-necessary-1381927/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Necessary Firsthand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-firsthand-2019676/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-learn/) ## Related quotes > [One has to taste an experience for oneself and find out if the thing is genuine or helpful. Then, before discarding something, one has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/one-has-to-taste-an-experience-for-oneself-and-find-out-if-the-thing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [“one must learn that which is necessary, and not simply what one wants”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/one-must-learn-that-which-is-necessary-and-not-simply-what-one-wants/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is never too late to learn what is always necessary to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-never-too-late-to-learn-what-is-always-necessary-to-know/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [As one of the first employees at a small cellular phone start-up called Nextel, I gained firsthand experience in how a business grows from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-markell/as-one-of-the-first-employees-at-a-small-cellular-phone-start-up/) [Jack Markell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-markell/) > [If writers stuck to firsthand experience, novels would be pretty limited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stef-penney/if-writers-stuck-to-firsthand-experience-novels-would-be-pretty/) [Stef Penney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stef-penney/) > [“I was unprepared for the firsthand experience of mindfulness. The way that awareness … revealed a sense of well-being right there in the heat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-downey/i-was-unprepared-for-the-firsthand-experience-of-mindfulness-the-way/) [Dawn Downey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-downey/) > [I think experience and learning how to win are overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/i-think-experience-and-learning-how-to-win-are-overrated/) [Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/) > [Mistakes is part of experience, but not learning from it is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/mistakes-is-part-of-experience-but-not-learning-from-it-is-ignorance/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [“What cannot be learnt through education, training, and observation is learnt by experience;and learning through experience is the hardest and the best.For, experience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doctor-kesi/what-cannot-be-learnt-through-education-training-and-observation-is/) [Doctor Kesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doctor-kesi/) > [I just use every experience I go through as a learning experience so I can better myself and get in position on what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redman/i-just-use-every-experience-i-go-through-as-a-learning-experience-so/) [Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redman/) > [Develop wisdom in sales by reflecting on your experience, and learning everything you can from every call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/develop-wisdom-in-sales-by-reflecting-on-your-experience-and-learning/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [There is going to be a lot asked of me over the next few weeks but I am getting more experience now and learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-gerrard/there-is-going-to-be-a-lot-asked-of-me-over-the-next-few-weeks-but-i/) [Steven Gerrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-gerrard/) > [“You know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says, "You know that thing you just did?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/you-know-what-a-learning-experience-is-a-learning-experience-is-one/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“We know that words do not teach, that only life experience teaches, but the combination of life experience coupled with words that define and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/we-know-that-words-do-not-teach-that-only-life-experience-teaches-but/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Learning from experience and learning from education, both are important. Your education & values decide how you learn from your experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/learning-from-experience-and-learning-from-education-both-are/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) ## More by Chogyam Trungpa > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [When you drop your unnecessary things, you finally can swoop and fly in vast space. It is so blue, so bright, and so nice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/when-you-drop-your-unnecessary-things-you-finally-can-swoop-and-fly/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Anything that is created must sooner or later die. Enlightenment is permanent because we have not produced it; we have merely discovered it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/anything-that-is-created-must-sooner-or-later-die-enlightenment-is/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [“There is a saying in the Tibetan scriptures: “Knowledge must be burned, hammered, and beaten like pure gold. Then one can wear it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/there-is-a-saying-in-the-tibetan-scriptures-knowledge-must-be-burned/) [Chögyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [“Warriorship is a continual journey. To be a warrior is to learn to be genuine in every moment of your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/warriorship-is-a-continual-journey-to-be-a-warrior-is-to-learn-to-be/) [Chögyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [The courage to work with ourselves comes as basic trust in ourselves, as a sort of fundamental optimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/the-courage-to-work-with-ourselves-comes-as-basic-trust-in-ourselves/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Enlightenment is like witnessing the brilliant sun for the first time in the morning. It is like seeing the beautiful flowers that grow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/enlightenment-is-like-witnessing-the-brilliant-sun-for-the-first-time/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [ If you look into the mirror, you see that \[every part of you\] belongs there and you belong there, as you are. You begin… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/if-you-look-into-the-mirror-you-see-that-every-part-of-you-belongs/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [This whole world is mind's world, the product of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/this-whole-world-is-mind-s-world-the-product-of-the-mind/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [When one is able to overcome the romantic and emotional attitude, one discovers truth even in the kitchen sink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/when-one-is-able-to-overcome-the-romantic-and-emotional-attitude-one/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [One day passes and another day comes along, and everything happens the same. But basically, we are so afraid of the brilliance coming at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/one-day-passes-and-another-day-comes-along-and-everything-happens-the/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Real fearlessness is the product of tenderness. It comes from letting the world tickle your heart, your raw and beautiful heart. You are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/real-fearlessness-is-the-product-of-tenderness-it-comes-from-letting/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [We can deceive ourselves into thinking we are developing spirituality when instead we are strengthening our egocentricity through spiritual techniques.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-can-deceive-ourselves-into-thinking-we-are-developing-spirituality/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) [Explore all 248 Chogyam Trungpa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The point is that whatever one is trying to learn, it is necessary to have firsthand experience, rather than learning from books or from teachers or by merely conforming to an already established pattern.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chogyam Trungpa" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying-to-learn-it-is-necessary-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying-to-learn-it-is-necessary-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/chogyam-trungpa-1373_book_the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying_989894.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/chogyam-trungpa-1373_book_the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying_989894.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/chogyam-trungpa-1373_book_the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying_989894.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The point is that whatever one is trying to learn, it is necessary to have firsthand experience, rather than…” — Chogyam Trungpa", "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": "Chogyam Trungpa", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The point is that whatever one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying-to-learn-it-is-necessary-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/the-point-is-that-whatever-one-is-trying-to-learn-it-is-necessary-to/#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 } } ] } ```