Philosophical Sayings About Worldly Matter (XXIV)

Intellectual and material resources work in opposite ways. Intellectual resources are limitless; the more they are tapped, the broader they grow in scope. Impermanent in nature and limited in quantity, material resources last but a short time, and the more they are consumed the sooner they are exhausted. The truth is that the former is non-quantifiable and thus infinite and everlasting while the latter is quantifiable and therefore diminishing and exhaustible.

(This is a translation of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu’s philosophical sayings about worldly matters originally written in Chinese.)

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Below is not an official translation, just for reference.

If comparing intellectual resources to a warehouse, then it is exactly the opposite of the warehouse that stores materials. The warehouse of intelligence belongs to the transformation of immeasurable from inaction. That is, the theorem of inaction is transformed into an immeasurable state, and the effect is that the more you use it, the more it is. That is to say, a person's intelligence increases as you use it and the wiser you become. The more you exercise, the faster your reaction power will be. The more improvement you make, the more intelligent you will become, and it will never be exhausted.

Storage of materials in a warehouse belongs to impermanence. It is in the void of formation, dwelling, and decay and constantly disappearing. If you use warehouse goods, it will decrease by being gradually used. Therefore, inaction belongs to the great. The great is immeasurable, and the impermanence belongs to the small. The small is disappearing or even completely gone.