-- 作者： jennifer -- 發表時間： 2005/08/11 11:30pm From the book: Good Question Good Answer by Ven. S. Dhammika Question: So what, according to Buddhism, is Wisdom? Answer: The highest wisdom is seeing that in reality all phenomena are incomplete, impermanent, and not self.  This understanding is totally freeing and leads to the great security and happiness which is called Nirvana.  However, the Buddha doesn't speak too much about this level of wisdom.  It is not wisdom if we simply believe what we are told.  True wisdom is to directly see and understand for ourselves.  At this level then, wisdom is to keep an open mind rather than being closed-minded, listening to other points of view rather than being bigoted; to carefully examine facts that contradict our beliefs, rather than burying our heads in the sand; to be objective rather than prejudiced and partisan; to take time about forming our opinions and beliefs rather than just accepting the first or most emotional thing that is offered to us; and to always be ready to change our beliefs when facts that contradict them are presented to us.  A person who does this is certainly wise and is certain to eventually arrive at true understanding.  The path of just believing what you are told is easy.  The Buddhist path requires courage, patience, flexibility and intelligence. -- 作者： Herman -- 發表時間： 2005/08/14 05:00am Wisdom is give and give up. Wisdom is let it be. Wisdom is true love. Wisdom is not to believe you are wise. Wisdom is not to believe you are king of the world. Wisdom is not to believe you are king of yourself. -- 作者： jennifer -- 發表時間： 2005/08/14 11:11pm [quote][b]下面引用由[u]Herman[/u]在 [i]2005/08/14 05:00pm[/i] 發表的內容：[/b] Wisdom is give and give up. Wisdom is let it be. Wisdom is true love. Wisdom is not to believe you are wise. ... [/quote] Can you kindly explain the meaning of  "wisdom is give and give up"?  Many thanks. -- 作者： DemonEyesKyo -- 發表時間： 2005/08/15 05:04pm [i]Wisdom is give and give up.[/i] Almost every wise saying has an opposite one, no less wise, to balance it. [i]Wisdom is not to believe you are wise.[/i] Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it. [i]Wisdom is not to believe you are king of the world.[/i] [i]Wisdom is not to believe you are king of yourself.[/i] When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. -Mark Twain Alternative ways of interpreting Herman's post, although unsure if it's similar to the meaning originally intended. -- 作者： rainbow -- 發表時間： 2005/08/15 05:47pm <pre> >>>>  "Wisdom is Give (付出 to grant or bestow ) and Give Up (放棄 to yield control or possession of ). "<<<< I think one may interpret the above statement as, A wise person knows (or Wisdom is knowing)  when to give (付出) and when to give up (放棄 surrender). The word [b] "Give" [/b] has a positive connotation, the word [b]"Give Up" [/b] in general has a negative connotation (i.e. conceding defeat, the army give up (surrender),  or,  the dying patient gave up hope). However, I am not sure the word "give up (放棄)" is relevant to Buddhism teaching because I am not familiar with Buddhism. </pre> -- 作者： rainbow -- 發表時間： 2005/08/15 09:42pm 我有另一看法, 純粹以英語論, 因為我不熟悉佛教, 我不能夠論佛教 "Wisdom" 的意思, "Give Up [ 放棄 ] "    相反的意思   could be   "Unyielding [ 不屈服 ] ".   -- 作者： jennifer -- 發表時間： 2005/08/16 02:37am [這篇文章最後由jennifer在 2005/08/16 02:49am 第 2 次編輯] [quote][b]下面引用由[u]DemonEyesKyo[/u]在 [i]2005/08/16 05:04am[/i] 發表的內容：[/b] Wisdom is give and give up. Almost every wise saying has an opposite one, no less wise, to balance it. Wisdom is not to believe you are wise. Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt tho ... [/quote] Thank you very much for your interpretation.  :em06: To me, true wisdom is to know when to give and give up.   The most difficult part is to know the difference. -- 作者： jennifer -- 發表時間： 2005/08/16 02:43am [quote][b]下面引用由[u]rainbow[/u]在 [i]2005/08/15 05:47pm[/i] 發表的內容：[/b] <pre> >>>>  "Wisdom is Give (付出 to grant or bestow ) and Give Up (放棄 to yield control or possession of ). "<<<< I think one may interpret the above stat ... [/quote] Hi Rainbow! Thank you very much for your interpretation.   :em06: I am not familiar familiar with Buddhism either.  That's why I am reading this introductory book.  This book is easy to understand for a beginner like myself and it is very meaningful.  So I decided to type some passages and share.