Wisdom.
Knowledge. Intellect.

Nothing can be achieved without knowledge, and yet everything can be achieved through a pure heart. Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984).

The intellect says: "The six directions are limits: there is no way out."
Love says: "There is a way. I have travelled it thousands of times."

Rumi, The Intellect Says, quoted in: Helminski, Kabir (2000). The Rumi Collection. P.158.

Among punishment I am the rod of chastisement, and of those who seek victory, I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am wisdom. Gita 10:38

He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is beyond darkness of matter and is unmanifested. He is knowledge. He is the object of knowledge, and He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone's heart. Gita 13:18

Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for she will be found sitting at the gate. To fix one's thought on her is perfect understanding, and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought. Book of Wisdom, 6:12-16.

The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness. If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own will. Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, P.56.

And even as each one of you stands alone in God's knowledge, so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God and his understanding of the earth. Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, P.57.

What is word knowledge but a shadow of wordless knowledge? Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, P.87.

Wisdom is the greatest cleanser. Sri Yuktesvar, quoted after: Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.81.

Many people take wine to banish sad or unpleasant memories and worries, but that kind of forgetfulness robs man of his native soul wisdom - the very power by which he was meant to overcome his trials and to find lasting happiness. God, being Joy Itself, wants us to seek and to find, within our souls, His ever-new bliss. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.160.

He who is everywhere nonattached, neither joyously excited by encountering good nor disturbed by evil, has an established wisdom. Bhagavad-Gita, II:57.Quoted after: Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.170.

Protect yourself within the fortress of wisdom. There is no greater safety. Complete understanding will bring you to a point where nothing can hurt you. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.194.

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens. Proverbs 3:19. Quoted after: Miriam Bokser Caravella, The Holy Name. P.114.

The Lord made me [wisdom] as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old. (...) When He established the heavens, I was there; (...) For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of the Lord. But he that misseth me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death. Proverbs 8:22-36. Quoted after: Miriam Bokser Caravella, The Holy Name. P.115.

One may gather great wisdom by cultivating the consciousness that this world and everything in it is only a dream. First of all, do not take your earth experiences too seriously. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.239.

(...)
This love, moreover, is the fruit of knowledge;
no fool will ever sit on the throne of love.
When did a lack of knowledge
ever give birth to this love?
No, ignorance only falls in love
with what is lifeless.
(...)
A lack of knowledge cannot discern;
it mistakes a flash of lightning for the sun.

Rumi, Mathnawi II, 1542-1552, quoted in: Helminski, Kabir (2000). The Rumi Collection. P.45.

All the wise have said the same:
the one who knows God
is God's mercy to His creatures ...

Rumi, Mathnawi I, 716, quoted in: Helminski, Kabir (2000). The Rumi Collection. P.126.

Sorry, no intellectuals admitted here...
    but a lover? Ah, a hundred salaams!
Intellect deliberates, Intellect reflects-
    and meanwhile Love evaporates into the stratosphere. (...)

Rumi, Ghazal, quoted in: Helminski, Kabir (2000). The Rumi Collection. P.156.

This is for her (Julian of Norwich - P.R.), the heart of theology: not solving the contradiction, but remaining in the midst of it, in peace, knowing that it is fully solved, but that the solution is secret, and will never be guessed until it is revealed. To have a "wise heart," it seems to me, is to live centered on this dynamism and this secret hope. (...) Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, P.212.

In Buddhism, wisdom (...) is acquired not through exercising one's intellectual powers but rather through cultivating truth from one's experiences. It's a matter of developing insight, not gaining knowledge of facts and skills. (...) Jack Maguire. (2001). Essential Buddhism. P.92.

(Tibetan medical system) holds that the root causes of disease are Ignorance, Desire or Hatred. (...) As regards treatment, the first line of approach concerns behavior and diet. Medicine forms the second line; acupuncture and moxibustion (a specific heat treatment) the third; surgery the fourth. (...) Freedom in Exile. The Autobiography of Dalai Lama. P.218.

Ignorance makes us reject what is beneficial; (...). St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.113.

I have seen unlearned men who were truly humble, and they became wiser than the wise. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.115.

The intellect is made blind by these three passions: avarice, self-esteem and sensual pleasure. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.117.

If you love true knowledge, devote yourself to the ascetic life; for mere theoretical knowledge puffs a man up (cf. 1 Cor 8:1). St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.125.

Even though knowledge is true, it is still not firmly established if unaccompanied by works. For everything is established by being put into practice. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.126.

The intellect does many good and bad things without the body, whereas the body can do neither good nor evil without the intellect. This is because the law of freedom applies to what happens before we act. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.126.

The intellect changes from one to another of three noetic states: that according to nature, above nature, and contrary to nature. When it enters the state according to nature, it finds that it is itself the cause of evil thoughts, and confess its sins to God, clearly understanding the causes of the passions. When it is in the state contrary to nature, it forgets God's justice and fights with men, believing itself unjustly treated. But when it raises to the state above nature, it finds the fruits of the Holy Spirit; love, joy, peace and other fruits of which the Apostle speaks (cf. Gal. 5:22); (...) St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.132.

Each man's knowledge is genuine to the extent that it is confirmed by gentleness, humility and love. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.133.

He who is gentle in God's sight is wiser than the wise; and he who is humble in heart is stronger than the strong. For they bear the yoke of Christ with spiritual knowledge. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.134.

Knowledge of created beings is one thing, and knowledge of the divine truth is another. The second surpasses the first just as the sun outshines the moon. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.137.

Lacking real knowledge, we still trust solely in the apparent righteousness of our way of life, and so lead ourselves astray, trying to please men, pursuing the glory, honour and praise which they offer. But the Judge who cannot be deceived will certainly come, and 'will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and reveal the purposes of hearts' (1Cor 4:5). He neither respects the wealthy nor pities the poor, but strips away the outward appearance and reveals the truth hidden within. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.150.

The light of true knowledge is the power to discriminate without error between good and evil. Then the path of righteousness leads the intellect upward towards the Sun of Righteousness and brings it into the boundless illumination of spiritual knowledge, so that henceforth it will grow more and more confident in its quest for love. St. Diadochos of Photiki (circa 400-486 CE), quoted in Philokalia, Vol. I., P.254.

The wisdom of a learned man is the fruit of leisure; he must starve himself of doing if he is to come by it. Sirach 38:24. Quoted in: Pennington, Basil. (1978). O Holy Mountain! Journal of a Retreat on Mount Athos. P.261.

(…) The universe works by itself – that I know. What else do I need to know? Sri Maharaj Nisargadatta. (2005). I am That. P.34.

 

Pragna – “the un-selfconscious knowledge of life itself.” Sri Maharaj Nisargadatta. (2005). I am That. P.37.

 

To earn a livelihood some specialized knowledge is needed. General knowledge develops the mind, no doubt. But if you are going to spend your life in amassing knowledge, you build a wall around yourself. To go beyond the mind, a well-furnished mind is not needed. Sri Maharaj Nisargadatta. (2005). I am That. P.50.

 

(…) Higher knowledge, knowledge of Reality, is inherent in man’s true nature. Sri Maharaj Nisargadatta. (2005). I am That.  P.77.


Last updated: 2013/06/03

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