“No thief, however skillful, can rob one of knowledge, and that is why knowledge is the best and safest treasure to acquire.”

“Knowledge is as wings to man's life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth, and not those which begin with words and end with words.”

“To acquire knowledge, one must study;but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.”

“No power and no treasure can outweigh the extension of our knowledge.”

“These examples suggest what one needs to learn to control attention. In principle any skill or discipline one can master on one’s own will serve: meditation and prayer if one is so inclined; exercise, aerobics, martial arts for those who prefer concentrating on physical skills. Any specialization or expertise that one finds enjoyable and where one can improve one’s knowledge over time. The important thing, however, is the attitude toward these disciplines. If one prays in order to be holy, or exercises to develop strong pectoral muscles, or learns to be knowledgeable, then a great deal of the benefit is lost. The important thing is to enjoy the activity for its own sake, and to know that what matters is not the result, but the control one is acquiring over one’s attention.”

“We use other people's brains to navigate the world: to acquire skills and practices, and to access knowledge systems of long-dead strangers. We call this 'culture'.”