2.)What factors serve as hindrances to attaining knowledge? Which one is the most difficult to handle? Why?

Question

What factors serve as hindrances to attaining knowledge? Which one is the most difficult to handle? Why?

Answer 1

The bigggest obstacle to obtaining knowledge would be arrogance. If you believe that you already know everything then you will never take the steps to learn anything and gain actual knowledge. Closed-minded people refuse to see the truth in front of them because they're convinced of their pre-conceived ideas.

Answer 2

In my opinion and in the briefest terms, the greatest general hindrance to attaining knowledge is your Self.

This is because:
Lack of sufficient self-desire and wisdom to attain knowledge. Your Self is always your own worst Enemy.

I say wisdom, because not all knowledge is valuable, practical, useful, or necessary for any given person's life or situation - but it takes wisdom to know the differences.

Poor teaching is also a factor, but if the student realizes that knowledge is poorly or inaccurately provided, the student can also seek alternative avenues to attain knowledge (knowing this is wisdom) - which is ultimately the studen'ts responsibility.

You can also reverse the Poor Teacher Problem. If a Great Teacher successfully imparts knowledge to a student, and the student receives it and applies it, who is more responsible? My answer is, the student - the teacher was a good opportunity, but ultimately the student made the decision, took the steps to learn, followed through, and never gave up. (All successful teachers know this, and this is why they almost never accept majority responsibility for their students' successes.) This is why your Self is also your greatest Friend.

Arrogance is a belief that the Self already has full or sufficient knowledge, and that there is no further value for gaining knowledge from certain other sources. The Self is actually hurting itself by doing this. So again, the major hindrance is still the Self - or more accurately, the Self's lack of wisdom.

Whether it is the fault of society, culture, poor education systems, family backgrounds, life experiences, or even psychological temperament, the lack of knowledge (or wisdom, which I feel is much more valuable) may not be the Self's fault, but it is now the Self's present responsibility to correct the situation.

This is exactly the same problem with world peace. The world may be as it is today due to no past fault of our own, but it is now our responsibility to establish that peace. Blaming outside sources and making other people responsible for solutions, will not change the situation. This, too, is a form of wisdom.

So I will slightly rephrase my position:

The major hindrance to true or valuable knowledge is the Self, and more specifically, the Self's lack of wisdom. And the reason why the Self lacks wisdom is due to the fact that we do not see that wisdom is a primary key to happiness (more so than knowledge), and wisdom is not highly valued in the majority of our world.

Answer 3

Teaching is the main hindrance to attain knowledge.

The most difficult thing to handle is "unity"

Have a glance at : http://wwf.edula.com