Young friends, you are sitting there,
moving your hands, swinging your legs, shaking your heads,
wanting to move your heads to where your legs are, then again
wanting to move your legs to where the head is. That is being
upside-down. When you are moving around like that, your mind is
confused and muddled. Then you won't be able to memorize what
you have studied. You should sit upright with a clear head and
concentrate on the teacher's lecture. That way you'll be able to
absorb knowledge.
There is a very simple method of study
that involves three places and three faculties. The three places
for studying are: on the road, on the pillow and on the toilet.
When you're walking down the road, you can think to yourself:
"What did the teacher teach today? How is that word written?
What is the meaning of this sentence?" Walking along, you
contemplate what you have just learned at school. Back home,
every night before you fall asleep, you should also mentally
review what you have learned that day. At that moment, your mind
doesn't have too many random thoughts, so you should be able to
memorize things easily. When you go to the toilet, you shouldn't
waste time daydreaming, but should instead review your lessons.
The
three faculties you use in studying are: the eyes, the mouth, and the mind. You
use your eyes to read, your mouth to recite, and your mind to contemplate. You
cannot overlook any one of these three faculties. Analyze the principles you
have learned with a clear head, so you won't disappoint the teachers after all
the time and effort they have expended in teaching you. Remember to study hard,
contribute to society when you grow up, and benefit all of humanity.
