--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you learn about the teaching and the…" description: "\"When you learn about the teaching and the practice of another tradition, you always have a chance to understand your own teaching and practice.\" — Thic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_about_when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-th_1593685.jpg" --- # When you learn about the teaching and the practice of… ![“When you learn about the teaching and the practice of another tradition, you always have a chance to understand your own teaching and practice.” quote by Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_about_when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-th_1593685.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_about_when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-th_1593685.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_about_when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-th_1593685.jpg) > “When you learn about the teaching and the practice of another tradition, you always have a chance to understand your own teaching and practice.” [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning another tradition reveals the assumptions of our own, fostering deeper self‑awareness and humility. **In simple terms:** Studying others clarifies our own beliefs. Key Takeaway Compare practices to grow insight. Themes mindfulness intercultural learning self‑reflection humility Mood calm inquisitive open‑minded Type educational philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - interfaith dialogue - curriculum design Key Concepts comparative religion psychology educational theory Questions to Reflect On - What biases emerge when we compare traditions? - How does this awareness change our own practice? A Different Perspective Self‑comparison can oversimplify complexities, leading to superficial conclusions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Learn Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-teaching-294381/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Practice Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice-tradition-1413237/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Teaching Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching-practice-4212287/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Tradition Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition-chance-6045665/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/) [Understand Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-teaching-593113/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [No practice or tradition trumps the human rights that belong to all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/no-practice-or-tradition-trumps-the-human-rights-that-belong-to-all/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Teaching a practice can also be a hindrance if it becomes one's identity. To be a spiritual teacher is a temporary function. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/teaching-a-practice-can-also-be-a-hindrance-if-it-becomes-one-s/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I am teaching you now about it, but how many of you will practice it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/i-am-teaching-you-now-about-it-but-how-many-of-you-will-practice-it/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [A teacher who cannot explain any abstract subject to a child does not himself thoroughly understand his subject; if he does not attempt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/a-teacher-who-cannot-explain-any-abstract-subject-to-a-child-does-not/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“If there’s someone who doesn’t understand what I’m teaching, I try to understand who they are.   A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/if-there-s-someone-who-doesn-t-understand-what-i-m-teaching-i-try-to/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [Looking back, I understand that I was teaching myself to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wesley/looking-back-i-understand-that-i-was-teaching-myself-to-write/) [Mary Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wesley/) > [You have to understand that teaching online is different, just like movies are different from the stage and TV is different from radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/you-have-to-understand-that-teaching-online-is-different-just-like/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [“Coaching is unlocking people’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whitmore/coaching-is-unlocking-people-s-potential-to-maximize-their-own/) [John Whitmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whitmore/) > [People learn the most when teaching others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/people-learn-the-most-when-teaching-others/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [There is a gap between the knowledge, skills, or state of mind of the learner and what he is to learn, which it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-q-hirst/there-is-a-gap-between-the-knowledge-skills-or-state-of-mind-of-the/) [Paul Q. Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-q-hirst/) > [Coaching is unlocking a person's potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-gallwey/coaching-is-unlocking-a-person-s-potential-to-maximize-their-own/) [Timothy Gallwey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-gallwey/) > [“thus educators learn about teaching subjects but not about the essential importance of connected relationships to the learning process of young human beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-neufeld/thus-educators-learn-about-teaching-subjects-but-not-about-the/) [Gordon Neufeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-neufeld/) > [I learn from teaching. Having to break things down and explain them makes me a better dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/i-learn-from-teaching-having-to-break-things-down-and-explain-them/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [One can only learn by teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/one-can-only-learn-by-teaching/) [John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/) > [We learn by teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/we-learn-by-teaching/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) ## More by Thich Nhat Hanh > [“For example, the sound of the telephone can make us irritated and anxious. That is the sound of the telephone which comes as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/for-example-the-sound-of-the-telephone-can-make-us-irritated-and/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Bhikkhus, the teaching is merely a vehicle to describe the truth. Don’t mistake it for the truth itself. A finger pointing at the moon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/bhikkhus-the-teaching-is-merely-a-vehicle-to-describe-the-truth-don-t/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“If we practice walking meditation, we walk just for walking, not to arrive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/if-we-practice-walking-meditation-we-walk-just-for-walking-not-to/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Control the senses, practice equanimity. Live by disciplinary rules. Associate with good friends who are not lazy and live purely. Be courteous and well-mannered,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/control-the-senses-practice-equanimity-live-by-disciplinary-rules/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“If you are lost in a forest at night, you can follow the North Star to find your way out. You follow the North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/if-you-are-lost-in-a-forest-at-night-you-can-follow-the-north-star-to/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“If you are a poet, you will clearly see a cloud floating on this sheet of paper. Thich Nhat Hanh”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/if-you-are-a-poet-you-will-clearly-see-a-cloud-floating-on-this-sheet/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Happiness can be attained by letting go, including letting go of your ideas about happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/happiness-can-be-attained-by-letting-go-including-letting-go-of-your/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“We have many kinds of energies in us, including the energies of anger, violence, and craving. But compassion is also a very strong energy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/we-have-many-kinds-of-energies-in-us-including-the-energies-of-anger/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Knowing how to handle suffering, you know at the same time how to produce happiness. And if you’re truly happy, we all profit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/knowing-how-to-handle-suffering-you-know-at-the-same-time-how-to/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“You have to realize that happiness is not something you find at the end of the road. You have to understand that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/you-have-to-realize-that-happiness-is-not-something-you-find-at-the/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Suppose you are in the desert, and you only have one glass of muddy water. You have to transform the muddy water into clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/suppose-you-are-in-the-desert-and-you-only-have-one-glass-of-muddy/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“When you speak, allow the insight of our collective humanity to speak through you. When you walk, don't walk for yourself alone; walk for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/when-you-speak-allow-the-insight-of-our-collective-humanity-to-speak/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Your body belongs to the earth. In modern life, people tend to think their bodies belong to them, that they can do anything they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/your-body-belongs-to-the-earth-in-modern-life-people-tend-to-think/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“A single wise word bringing peace to the listener is worth more than a thousand speeches of empty words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/a-single-wise-word-bringing-peace-to-the-listener-is-worth-more-than/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“There is no fire like lust, no vise like hatred, no trap like delusion, and no galloping river like craving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/there-is-no-fire-like-lust-no-vise-like-hatred-no-trap-like-delusion/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) [Explore all 373 Thich Nhat Hanh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you learn about the teaching and the practice of another tradition, you always have a chance to understand your own teaching and practice.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thich Nhat Hanh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-the-practice-of-another/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-the-practice-of-another/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_about_when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-th_1593685.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_about_when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-th_1593685.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_about_when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-th_1593685.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you learn about the teaching and the practice of another tradition, you always have a chance to…” — Thich Nhat Hanh", "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": "Thich Nhat Hanh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you learn about the teaching...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-the-practice-of-another/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/when-you-learn-about-the-teaching-and-the-practice-of-another/#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 } } ] } ```