“What is Wisdom?”

WHAT IS WISDOM

As I come to see how the facts in my life relate to each other , I begin to develop an understanding . Understanding , is perceiving relationships among facts that are important . As I develop an understanding , I become able to use my knowledge . In fact , as my understanding deepens , I can move toward wisdom . I do this to the degree that , in each situation where I am , I strive consciously to understand how life in that situation can be nourishing for me and for the other people there (Shah 1972

, 149-150

Continuing along the path of wisdom , at last a person begins to experience something that is greater than the knowledge , understanding and wisdom . At that stage , one experiences the sense of beauty and deep transpersonal love that through the ages has defied man 's attempts to define it . Most of us have known brief flickers of this state of consciousness . When I feel that way , I am centered in my world , and my life itself is statement of the art of living

When an obstacle blocks my path or threatens an enterprise I want to carry out . I do better to stop and assess the situation than to push blindly forward . Once I have a clear view of the forces at work , I may find a way around the obstacle . Sometimes when I pause to understand an obstacle , I realize that what I 'd planned to do does not fit the situation . It may not be right for me or for other people who are affected , or may conflict with more powerful forces that are at work . In any case , I can withdraw from that project and do something else . Living through difficult situations is an important way to learn , if I use my eyes and ears , my reason and my imagination , and stay in touch with my heart and my intuition

Out of such learning can grow strength and wisdom . Out of this strength and wisdom comes the power to move past obstacles that would once have stopped me easily . Indeed , there is much wisdom in the old Zen saying When an ordinary man attains knowledge , he is a sage when a sage attains understanding , he is an ordinary man (Miura and Sasaki , 121

REFERENCES

Miura , I . And Sasaki , R . The Zen Koan : Its History and Use in Rinzai Zen . New York : Harcourt , Brace and World , 1965 . Retrieved Jan . 8 , 2007 at

HYPERLINK "http /www .cise .ufl .edu ddd /zen .html http /www .cise .ufl .edu ddd /zen .html

Shah , I (1972 . Caravan of Dreams . Baltimore , Penguin...