"There are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. Which four?
One with little learning who is not accomplished by that learning,
One with little learning who is accomplished by that learning,
One with much learning who is not accomplished by that learning,
One with much learning who is accomplished by that learning.
And how, bhikkhus, is a person with little learning not accomplished by that learning? Here, bhikkhus, some person has little learning — of discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, sayings, birth stories, marvelous accounts, and analytical texts. He, not understanding the meaning of that little learning, not understanding the dhamma, does not practice according to the dhamma. Thus, bhikkhus, a person with little learning is not accomplished by that learning.
And how, bhikkhus, is a person with little learning accomplished by that learning? Here, bhikkhus, some person has little learning — of discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, sayings, birth stories, marvelous accounts, and analytical texts. He, understanding the meaning of that little learning, understanding the dhamma, practices according to the dhamma. Thus, bhikkhus, a person with little learning is accomplished by that learning.
And how, bhikkhus, is a person with much learning not accomplished by that learning? Here, bhikkhus, some person has much learning — of discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, sayings, birth stories, marvelous accounts, and analytical texts. He, not understanding the meaning of that much learning, not understanding the dhamma, does not practice according to the dhamma. Thus, bhikkhus, a person with much learning is not accomplished by that learning.
And how, bhikkhus, is a person with much learning accomplished by that learning? Here, bhikkhus, some person has much learning — of discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, sayings, birth stories, marvelous accounts, and analytical texts. He, understanding the meaning of that much learning, understanding the dhamma, practices according to the dhamma. Thus, bhikkhus, a person with much learning is accomplished by that learning.
These, bhikkhus, are the four types of persons existing in the world.
If one has little learning
and is not composed in moral conduct,
He is criticized for both —
his virtue and his learning.
If one has little learning
but is well-composed in moral conduct,
He is praised for his virtue,
and his learning flourishes.
If one has much learning
but is not composed in moral conduct,
He is criticized for his virtue,
and his learning does not flourish.
If one has much learning
and is well-composed in moral conduct,
He is praised for both —
his virtue and his learning.
A well-learned one who knows the dhamma by heart,
A wise disciple of the Buddha,
Like a golden ornament,
who could criticize him?
The deities praise him,
and he is praised even by Brahmā (God)."
Related Teachings:
Eight states to observe for to verify if one has understood the true dhamma (AN 8.53) - A teaching by the Buddha on investing and independently verifying true dhamma from counterfeit dhamma.
Be an island unto yourself, with no other refuge (SN 47.13) - On the passing away of Sāriputta, the Buddha advises Ānanda to be an island unto himself, with no other refuge, with the Dhamma as his island, with the Dhamma as his refuge, not dependent on another as a refuge.