How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Knowledge is a house that must be built from the ground up," said the instructor. "We know how to make the roof. The information is useless if we don't understand the foundations on which it is to be placed." (2.4)
We love the idea of knowledge being like a house. There are many rooms, after all. Tendai's teacher tells them this as a way of motivating them to learn even the most basic information. It's not just about learning what you want or think is important; first you have to build a foundation before adding in the crown molding.
Quote #2
"Believe me, I've tried it. He thinks too much. Thinking has its place, but not during battle." (2.20)
Who knew thinking was a bad thing? The martial arts instructor tells the General that it's not going to get Tendai anywhere when it comes to battle. Of course General Matsika and Tendai are really disappointed at this—Tendai is supposed to be a tough-as-nails warrior, not some scholar. It's almost as though thinking isn't valued all that much. So what do you make of the fact that Tendai's mom is a brainiac?
Quote #3
Grumbling, she applied herself to memorizing the anatomy of a frog. Kuda practiced his writing. Tendai studied algebra, a subject he found soothing. You always knew when you had the right answer in math. (3.74)
That is one great thing about math: 2+2 = 4 every single time. Tendai likes the predictability and certainty of math. This is one of the differences between knowledge and wisdom. Tendai might have math knowledge all over the place, but he still lacks the wisdom to feel comfortable in other, more open-ended subjects.