The above quote looks like it is from Zen Buddhism. One of the main tenants of a major branch of Zen Buddhism is that scholarship and intellectual activity are dead ends, to be literally beaten out of the would-be student, frequently multiple times per day. Once the student is appropriately cowed, they are then sent begging around, where they hopefully meet a random normal person who will say something perfectly ordinary that makes the student understand the point of this treatment. Thus enlightened, the student becomes a master, thanks his original master, and sets about beating a new generation of students.

Yes, this is a caricature of one portion of Southern Buddhism. For a far fuller picture, read this but do not miss the various references to beatings delivered in various stories.

Still, is this is the path to wisdom that you wish to follow?