Wisdom and Compassion are the two main pillars of Zen, each part of the mix of being a whole person and living a wholesome life of caring for the world. Wisdom is intuitive and not intellectual. It is cultivated through meditation and practice.
Two favorite sayings of mine help me tune into Wisdom. Suzuki Roshi said that 'Wisdom is seeking Wisdom'. This wonderful nuance means it is never actually found completely, but that the activity of seeking a wise way to think, speak, and act is itself wisdom. When confronted with difficult circumstances I often ask myself 'What is a wise thing to do?. In the Metta Sutta of Loving Kindness there is a line that says 'Do nothing that the wise would reprove'. This keeps me in check! When my reactive habits arise or when I start to let anger, greed, or self importance run me, just being aware that there are wise beings from the past, present, and future looking over my shoulder helps me find my inner wisdom.
Living wisely means living without a prescription for action. We develop wisdom by opening to each circumstance, person, and moment with a curious and fresh mind that want to awaken kindness, friendship, and understanding.
Intuitive Wisdom
