The meaning of studying

My name is Kameyama Junshi.
Why study? I will answer again based on my previous answers on hasunoha.
I was struggling with similar questions when I was in middle school and high school. My answer at that time was vaguely for my own growth. Meanwhile, my high school teacher at Rinsha (Ethical Society) (although my teacher was a Christian) said, “Studying is for people. I don't know which of what you guys are learning right now and when it will be useful for others. That's why I'm studying in order to learn a lot now and become a useful person in the future. The idea that you're studying for yourself is an arrogant idea.” I was saying that. At the time, I thought, “Isn't studying something I do for my own growth?” I thought that teacher's statement was extremely difficult to understand.
Nearly 20 years have passed since then, and through the death of Nakamura Hajime, who was a world-famous Buddhist scholar, I felt like I understood the meaning of my teacher's words at the time. Mr. Nakamura was a person who devoted himself to academics until just before his death. I thought it wasn't for myself anymore, and that it wasn't a task to create a human heritage that should be passed on to future generations. When Nakamura passed away, I had already graduated from college and had my current job (usually a high school teacher). At that time, I was, after all, “I study for myself.” I only said that to my students, but my mind changed through the death of Mr. Nakamura.
There is “self-interest, immediate altruism, etc.” in Buddhist teachings. Benefiting yourself must lead to benefiting others.
The purpose of studying is not to seek only one's own growth, but I think there is a purpose for studying where there is a feeling that one's own learning will always make others happy in the future. Therefore, have the feeling that there will always be people who need your learning. I think that's the first step in trying to study.
These are my answers.

The Minister of Education during the Koizumi administration said something like this.
“Certainly, now we are in an age where difficult calculations can be made with calculators and Excel. But when you hit the calculator and press 0 one or two extra times to calculate, huh? that's strange, isn't it? There's no such thing, is there? I think so. That feeling is true academic ability. We have to develop that sense.” Oh, I see, I thought. Certainly, you won't be able to acquire that kind of feeling without training.

This is a story about when I was in my first year at the ascetic dojo. One day, I was in charge of serving porridge in the morning, but I carried it from the kitchen on the serving table, opened the lid, and was frightened. There is... little rice for porridge... strangely a lot of hot water... the ascetic monk in charge of cooking made a mistake with the amount of rice.

Mr. A, who was next to me, gets angry.
“It's just porridge in the morning, and even though you can only eat simple meals with one soup and three dishes day and night, you can't eat porridge either! Fuzakena!”
As your mind and body get used to the ascetic lifestyle over time, you can get by with it, but it's a diet where adult boys who have just gone up the mountain get hungry right after eating. What's more, the only element of happiness is eating. Both I and Mr. B, who was nearby, felt depressed.

I tweeted. “If you don't have rice, eat porridge; if you don't have porridge, eat heavy water...” There is an old Zen episode where you should practice with that kind of feeling even when you are poor.

Hearing that, B-kun was taken aback and said, “Right! This is ascetic practice! This is fine!” I shouted. However, Mr. A quickly threw up saying, “If you don't have rice, you can't even make porridge.” Mr. B was studying this word, and Mr. A probably didn't know it. The difference in knowledge of just one word becomes a difference in sensitivity as an ascetic monk, and it makes a steady difference in subsequent ascetic practices.

This is the same for every subject. At first, differences that can only be seen as differences in test scores eventually orient each and every one of our daily lives. That's why it's important.

However, I think modern people make too much distinction between studying and what is not studying. There is the term chicken meow dog stealing, but in reality, I think the sensibility of being able to find value in anything cool is the result of my studies, but I don't have any character count left, and I'll talk about that another time...

Also, what made me fall in love with studying was “I was able to develop a field of expertise.” Eventually, that made me realize the significance of liberal arts subjects.

Adults “Study”
Child: “Why do I have to study?”
Adults “I can get into a good high school”
Kid “What should I do if I get into a good high school?”
Adults “I can go to a good university”
Kid “What should I do if I get into a good university?”
Adults “You can get a good job”
Child “What would be good if I could get a good job?”
Adults “You'll get a good income”

After all, to put it simply, there are so many perceptions that the meaning of children studying is to earn a good income.
That's not a bad thing at all, but it doesn't really mean studying, and it's a logic that doesn't apply at all to people who don't want an income.
Instead, studying itself is something that is a joy in itself.
Since you learn something you don't know, your insight expands, you can look at things in a new way, and ideas you've never thought about until now are born.
I think there are many people who finally understood the fun when they became adults.
Instead of studying to achieve a goal, I think we should teach them that studying itself is fun.

In Buddhism, it is important to learn from the wisdom of the Buddha.
The Buddha will tell me something I don't know.
Many strange things are explained in sutras.
It's a lot of fun to learn about it, and it's a joy.

Well, to be honest...
I'm dealing with children, so “kids should shut up and study!!!” I think that adult attitude is also important.

Nice to meet you
I'll tell you what I felt

Do you think it means studying

I think every reason to study is good
It's not even about coercing you
If you think it's important to do what you want to do and study within it
Isn't it motivating to do it

By the way, I want to know what I don't know
I'm still studying
It's not compulsory
I'm doing it because I want to

Have you told your son how you feel
Why do you think studying is necessary
How about sharing your voice from your experiences up until now?
If you still don't study, that's my son's choice
After that, I think we have no choice but to watch over them as parents

I would be happy if you could use it as a reference

Gassho