Wisdom means an understanding/clarity of knowing/realisation of a situation that frees the heart/mind from the suffering in the unresolved problematic.
A person may claim “I understand my problem. I have meditated and reflected on it. I have explored it with my therapist but it hasn’t dissolved. It hasn’t gone away.”
Being Outdoors, Being in Nature. Photo taken in farmland near Reutlingden, southern Germany
In Dharma teachings, it means the problem still has the support of ignorance, of not knowing what you need to see and change. Wisdom confirms the end of a problem. Transcendent Wisdom (Prajna Paramita*) means a mind liberated completely from the spell of suffering, from the grip of problematic daily life.
If reliant upon a few ways in the list below, then we probably need to expand the number of ways we explore.
This list draws from first-hand experience. The Buddha also pointed to many of these ways to uncover wisdom.
Do you need to develop any of them in the list? What steps will you take to develop for wise living?
You could tick below some of the ways to develop. Application reveals wisdom.
Twenty One Ways to Realise Wisdom
1. Application of Vows/Commitments
2. Being Outdoors, Being in Nature
3. Discussion
4. Doubt in unwise views
5. Experiences, past and present
6. Heartfulness
7. Inquiry
8. Listening to Teachings
9. Meditation for calm, clarity and insight
10. Mindfulness/Remembering
11. One-to-One
12. Practices
13. Q&A
14. Questioning Authority
15. Reading Experience
16. Reflection/Writing/Drawing
17. Service
18. Sharing
19. Solitude
20. Teaching
21. The Arts
We may doubt our capacity to make changes in our life or doubt our capacity to offer others the benefits of our understanding.
Doubt is not the problem. Identification with the doubt is the problem.
*Para means Beyond. Mita means Arrived. Gone beyond and arrived at the end of problems in the past, present or future.