You may have read countless books in your lifetime, yet most of the knowledge they contained has faded from your memory. Sometimes, we wonder—what is the true benefit of reading so many books if one cannot recall their details?
One day, a curious student posed the same question to his wise professor.
Days later, the professor invited the student for a walk by the river. There, he handed the student an old pot riddled with holes. “Let’s fetch some water from the river using this pot,” he instructed.
The student hesitated. He could already see the futility of the task. Nonetheless, respecting his professor’s wisdom, he obeyed. He dipped the pot into the river, lifted it carefully, and took a few steps. But, as expected, the water leaked out completely before he could reach the professor.
He tried again, running faster this time. Still, the result was the same. No matter how hard he tried, he could not carry the water. Frustrated, he finally turned to his professor and said, “I have failed. This task is impossible.”
The professor smiled gently and pointed at the pot. “Look at it closely,” he said.
The student glanced down, puzzled. Then he noticed something—although the pot was still full of holes, it was no longer dirty. The countless attempts to carry water had washed away the dirt that had once clung to it. Now, it gleamed as if it were brand new.
The professor spoke again, his voice filled with warmth. “This is exactly what happens when you read books. Your mind is like this pot, and the knowledge in books is like the water. No, you may not retain every detail, but that is not the point. Each time you read, ideas, emotions, wisdom, and truths flow through your mind, cleansing it—just as the water cleansed the pot.
Books do not merely fill you with facts. They refine your thoughts, shape your soul, and transform you, little by little, into a wiser, more enlightened person. You do not have to remember every word to be changed by them. Every book you read leaves an imprint on your being, just as every drop of water purified this pot.
And that, my dear student, is the true purpose of reading.”
