On Wisdom

“Information is what you find on the internet.  Knowledge is the synthesis of information.  Wisdom is the application of knowledge.”—J. Rufus Fears, Historian, Scholar, Teacher.

In the Eastern traditions, the idea that wisdom (or “prajna”) can be experienced through meditation on suffering has been with us since the Buddha sat under the Bohdi tree.  In the West, of course, it’s a bit more complicated.

 

Starting with Homer’s Iliad, we come to understand that we increase our wisdom through suffering.  We recall that Achilles’ intense rage and suffering over the loss of his dear friend Patroclus led Achilles to slay Hector at the gates of Troy.  When Hector’s father, Priam, goes to Achilles to claim his son’s body, Achilles’ rage turns to compassion as he sees in Priam the same suffering that he experienced with the loss of Patroclus.  Achilles gives the body of Hector to Priam and calls a truce so that the funeral rites may be performed for Hector.

From the Athenian tragedies of the 5th century BC, we come to understand that moral blindness (“ate”) was the negation of wisdom. Moral blindness led men and women to commit acts of hubris (or, outrageous arrogance) that led to ruin.  It was only at the cost of much suffering that men and women gained wisdom. In Greek tragedy, it was frequently those who were most sure of their wisdom who suffered a tragic fall. Pentheus in the Bacchae of Euripides is a fine example of someone who believed himself wise but, in fact, was fatally flawed. His refusal to recognize the power of a new god, Dionysos, led to Pentheus’ downfall and the destruction of those he loved.

The theme of human suffering as a path to wisdom is embodied in the book of Job (also written in about the 5th century BC). Job endures the loss of his family and all of his possessions.  He is then subject to horrible bodily afflictions.  Job, a righteous man, appeals directly to God to explain why he is suffering.  God does not give an explanation to Job.  He proclaims his own power as all that is needed. When Job bows his head to acknowledge God’s power; his life, family, and wealth are restored.

What can we learn from these ancient tales of wisdom and pass them along to our children?  Well, in the contemporary era, children are generally educated in a three-stage process:

First is the presentation of information—a collection of facts and data.

Second is the weaving of these facts and data into patterns of knowledge.

Third is the application of these patterns in one’s daily life, thereby approaching wisdom.

Teachers and parents can influence children and young adults in steps one and two.  Wisdom ultimately is an act of reflection and application. Children (and their parents) can come to wisdom only by contemplating and applying what they have learned.