The importance of study in Buddhism

The latest BuddhistGeeks.com podcast was a great show!

I was sooooo happy to hear people talking about the importance of studying Buddhist fundamentals.

Although it is very important to practice meditation, as meditation is the tool used to integrate what one has learned into ones continuum and therefore your daily life. In reality, without study, how can you meditate properly! It can end up being just a new-age reification of the ego. Which is better than no meditation at all of course. But, if someone is serious about the Buddhist path, study is an integral part of that process of transformation.

Throughout Buddhist history study has been an important part of the path. There have been many monasteries such as Nalanda in India where great beings like Nargajuna, Candrakirti, Shantideva, Aryadeva lived and of course the great monasteries of Tibet. If the Pandits of ancient India and the Tibetan lama’s had to study, why do we think we don’t? We can just go straight to practicing Mahamudra or Vajrayana!

In Tibet there is a say…meditation without study is like climbing a mountain with no hands.
Perhaps a modern western equivalent might be…one cannot receive a PHD without first going through grade-school. 

Thanks for the podcast guys keep em coming :)