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Wisdom is, and starts with, the humility to accept the fact that you don't have all the right answer

hermitwinhermitwin Veteran
edited March 2011 in Arts & Writings
Wisdom is, and starts with, the humility to accept the fact that you don't have all the right answers, and the courage to learn to ask the right questions.
~ Anon

Comments

  • Thanks geoff.
  • yes and the fact that there is no question and answer.

    surrendering to not knowing is surrendering to what is. thus like faith or intuition it cuts off thinking and makes you aware of whats in front of you.

    the secret is that there is no secret. open your eyes, look around you.

    if all else fails, drink some water.
  • "Data is not information, information is not knowledge, knowledge is not understanding, understanding is not wisdom."

    ~ Clifford Stoll
  • Wisdom is the ability to live happily & contributing to the happiness of others.
    Hermitwin.
  • Hey Hermitwin!

    Nice quotes :)

    Here's a couple more vaguely similar -

    "The quest for certainty blocks the search for meaning. Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers."

    ~ Erich Fromm

    "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."

    ~ Voltaire

    "Maturity of mind is the capacity to endure uncertainty."

    ~ John Finley

    "Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life. Don't let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity."

    ~ R. I. Fitzhenry

    Cheers
  • edited March 2011
    From the viewonbuddhism site -

    "Wisdom by itself is like an empty gold vessel, it needs to be filled with compassion. Wisdom and compassion are the two sides of the same coin, one representing personal and the other transpersonal consciousness and both equally indispensable for the attainment of enlightenment."

    ~ Madmilla Moacanin

    "Wrong views and wrong convictions can be the most devastating of all our delusions. Surely Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot must have been convinced that they were right too? And yet each and every one of us has that same dangerous tendency as they had: to form convictions, believe them without question, and act on them, so bringing down suffering not only on ourselves but on all those around us.

    On the other hand, the heart of Buddha’s teaching is to see “the actual state of things, as they are,” and this is called the true View. It is a view that is all-embracing, as the role of spiritual teachings is precisely to give us a complete perspective on the nature of mind and reality."

    ~ Sogyal Rinpoche

    "Anyone who isn't confused, really doesn't understand the situation."

    ~ Edward R. Murrow

    "The value of compassion cannot be over-emphasized. Anyone can criticize. It takes a true believer to be compassionate. No greater burden can be borne by an individual than to know no one cares or understands."

    ~ Arthur H. Stainback

    "When we come into contact with the other person, our thoughts and actions should express our mind of compassion, even if that person says and does things that are not easy to accept. We practice in this way until we see clearly that our love is not contingent upon the other person being lovable."

    ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

    Have a good one!

    :)
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    Very nice quotes, thank you!
  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    Agreed!
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    We already have a wonderful quotations thread, guys..... please continue with that one. :)
  • Okay ...

    :)
  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited March 2011
    Wisdom is, and starts with, the humility to accept the fact that you don't have all the right answers, and the courage to learn to ask the right questions.
    ~ Anon
    To me, this quote is rather contradictory because it implies one is still looking for answers or true knowledge

    For me, the word "wisdom" is not required in this quote because "wisdom" is not "humility". "Humility" is a form of "ego" & ignorance

    Imo, the quote should simply state: "humility is to accept the fact that you don't have all the right answers and the courage to learn to ask the right questions"

    kind regards

    :)


  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited March 2011
    "Wisdom by itself is like an empty gold vessel, it needs to be filled with compassion. Wisdom and compassion are the two sides of the same coin, one representing personal and the other transpersonal consciousness and both equally indispensable for the attainment of enlightenment."

    ~ Madmilla Moacanin
    I do not agree. There is no wisdom without compassion. A mind that is literally 'empty' is not wisdom. It is simply 'spacing out'.

    When the mind has wisdom or true knowledge, it will have compassion.

    There is no "empty vessel" that needs to be filled

    :)
  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited March 2011
    "Wrong views and wrong convictions can be the most devastating of all our delusions. Surely Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot must have been convinced that they were right too? And yet each and every one of us has that same dangerous tendency as they had: to form convictions, believe them without question, and act on them, so bringing down suffering not only on ourselves but on all those around us.

    On the other hand, the heart of Buddha’s teaching is to see “the actual state of things, as they are,” and this is called the true View. It is a view that is all-embracing, as the role of spiritual teachings is precisely to give us a complete perspective on the nature of mind and reality."

    ~ Sogyal Rinpoche
    I disagree here

    There is "right view"

    For example, to simply watch or observe Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot and reflect: "this is the actual state of things, as they are,” is not wisdom

    It is just mindless concentration

    The Buddha taught anyone who declares he taught there is no right & wrong view, is to be censured

    Wisdom is something that has equinimity & appropriate responsiveness when perceiving 'good' & 'evil'

    Wisdom is not the state of never perceiving 'good' & 'evil'

    :)
    If any priest or contemplative might think that this Great Forty Dhamma discourse should be censured & rejected, there are ten legitimate implications of his statement that would form grounds for censuring him here & now.

    If he censures right view, then he would honor any priests and contemplatives who are of wrong view; he would praise them. If he censures right resolve... right speech... right action... right livelihood... right effort... right mindfulness... right concentration... right knowledge... If he censures right release, then he would honor any priests and contemplatives who are of wrong release; he would praise them.

    Maha-cattarisaka Sutta: The Great Forty


  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited March 2011
    "When we come into contact with the other person, our thoughts and actions should express our mind of compassion, even if that person says and does things that are not easy to accept. We practice in this way until we see clearly that our love is not contingent upon the other person being lovable."

    ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
    To me, the above is learning equinimity & univeral non-hatred.

    However, it is simply a 'Hinayana' practice. Whilst it may not impinge upon the other, it primarily benefits oneself.

    For example, if one where to eventually assist the other, this would require wisdom.

    :)

  • "Anyone who isn't confused, really doesn't understand the situation."

    ~ Edward R. Murrow
    Non-sense. The Buddha understood both ultimate reality & the causal mundane reality with perfect understanding or insight

    :)

  • DD, most of these people a mere mortals not Boddisatta like us.
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