The Trap of ‘I Know It All’

This teaching (The Trap of ‘I Know It All‘) is relevant for people of all ages, all faiths, and all backgrounds, without any distinction. The topic we are exploring is the mindset of, ‘I am the one who knows everything.‘ We must talk about this, and I will explain it from the perspective of the spiritual life.

When we begin a spiritual life, we start by trusting ourselves. As a monk, the first person I trust is myself. But the very next person I trust, on a higher level, is the Buddha. Why? Because I have explored and gained certain spiritual abilities and understandings.

And if my level of understanding is this, I always contemplate: How deeply must the Supreme One, the Buddha, have understood this? What must his range of knowledge have been? How much did he comprehend through his own spiritual life, his infinite spiritual abilities, and his boundless vision of knowledge? This is how I orient my mind. I always see myself on a much lower level than the Buddha, who is at the very pinnacle of this universe, a being who knows all things.

You may have heard the phrase, ‘He knew everything.‘ This becomes deeply meaningful when I compare it to my own limited knowledge. I think, if I know this small amount about these things, by what hundred-thousand-fold must the Buddha know more? He taught us only what our minds could bear.

The Buddha once said, in the Simsapa forest, that what he taught was like the few leaves in his hand, while what he knew but did not teach was like all the leaves in the entire forest. That is how much the Buddha knew about this universe, these worlds, and the beings within them. Some of those untaught things are beyond human imagination.

The Natural Limits of Knowledge in a Boundless Universe

No matter how much science advances, it will only ever uncover a fraction of reality. Consider the technology we use today, from the device you are reading this on to the tools used to share this message. Have you ever stopped to think about this? Scientists are exploring the sky, the universe, the bottom of the ocean, and the nature of all beings. They are discovering more and more.

But imagine if a sudden catastrophe occurred. Wouldn’t all of this progress come to a halt? Just consider this for a moment. Your level of understanding will vary based on your life experiences and spiritual maturity, but this thought experiment can offer a profound realization.

Nature has placed limits on everything. No matter how powerful or intelligent world leaders or scientists may seem, a truly wise person, one who lives a spiritual life, knows this truth. If you see worldly experts as the ultimate authorities, I must tell you that nature and the universe have set a boundary for how far anyone can go.

It is our job to understand this limit. The universe has given a certain scope for humanity as a whole, and if we fail to recognize this boundary, nature will inevitably deliver its consequences. No one, no matter how technologically advanced, can ever challenge nature.

The Buddha understood this perfectly. Knowing this, he did not waste his time on fruitless endeavors. He fulfilled the purpose of his eons of striving by teaching the world what truly matters.

Breaking the Frame: Why ‘I Know It All’ Is a Barrier to Developing Wisdom

So why do we fall into the trap of thinking we know everything?

This is a state that everyone experiences. I used to be there myself, but I have moved past it. If we are serious about developing wisdom and expanding our minds, we must believe that there is always more to learn.

Imagine you only know the numbers from 1 to 100. You might think that these are all the numbers that exist in the world. But then, another person comes along and discovers 101, 102, 103, and so on. You might argue, ‘No, it’s not possible to go beyond 100, that’s the maximum!‘ But the other person insists that new numbers can be created, that more exists. See how your mind was leveled at the number 100? Their mind went beyond your limit. How did they get there?

This is what happens in our lives. We frame and box in everything we learn, whether it’s worldly knowledge or spiritual teachings. We create a limit and think, ‘This is it. This is the extent of it.‘ When we do this, we condition our minds to think only within that small frame.

This is why many people dismiss the Buddha’s teachings as exaggerations, they try to measure them from their own limited level.

Beyond Our Limits: Understanding the Inconceivable on the Spiritual Path

This limited thinking is applied to spiritual concepts as well. People try to grasp things like Iddhi (psychic powers), Kundalini energy, cosmic energy, and the meditative states known as Dhyāna from their current, limited standpoint. The Buddha also spoke of other realms, divine worlds, Brahma worlds, the world of Nagaks, and the four lower realms.

He taught that the workings of Kamma (the results of intentional action), the nature of the world, and the nature of beings are Acinteyya, imponderable or inconceivable. They are subjects that cannot be fully grasped by logical thought.

In the Aṅguttara Nikāya, the Buddha listed four such subjects that, if one tries too hard to figure them out, can lead to madness because the mind cannot bear the strain. Just as the mind has a limit to what it can handle before it succumbs to pressure and illness, these truths are vast.

The Buddha, however, had perfected his mind over countless lifetimes. He could bear the knowledge of all these imponderable subjects. This is part of what it means when we say, ‘He knew everything’, he had the mental capacity to hold it all.

We, on the other hand, cannot bear this all at once. Our minds must expand gradually. True developing wisdom happens when we grow without falling into extremes and without limiting ourselves. This is what allows our intelligence to increase and our wisdom to deepen.

Practical Steps for Developing Wisdom: The Art of Not-Knowing

So, if you have ever asked how to cultivate Paññā, or true wisdom, the path lies here. At no point should you confine your mind. If you do not understand this teaching the first time, read it a second time, a third, or even a fourth. As your capacity for wisdom grows, return to it again. You may discover a point you missed before. In doing so, you can make your journey a success.

Here is another crucial point for developing wisdom. As you progress, you will encounter new ideas and realizations. When they come to your mind, do not immediately grasp them as the absolute truth. But also, do not immediately reject them as false. Do not become extremist in your views. Instead, watch carefully how these things manifest in the environment, in the universe, in nature, and within yourself.

Observe how it happens. It is only when you stop clinging to ‘this is true‘ or ‘this is false‘ that the reality of it will emerge, allowing you to experience it practically for yourself.

With this teaching on the topic of ‘I know it all,‘ I hope I have given you a new level of understanding. For today, I feel this is more than enough to contemplate. Continue to reflect on these points in this way.

I am concluding this teaching for today. By the power and blessings of the Triple Gem, the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha may you all have the ability to align these matters with wisdom and to act with good mindfulness.

We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.

Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.

May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!