Who are the Wise?

[greater than]

My buddies and I have been tossing around who we think the wise people of today are. I think Richard Dawkins is wise. Anyone else?

[Nichole]

I like this question, because it got me thinking, really, who do I consider truly wise. And then it made me also consider, when and if am I personally suited to evaluate wisdom. I have seen for myself, through my Yoga practice, that it takes a wisdom mostly available to me only while i'm in a sattvic state, to even recognize or evaluate wisdom. And always, it is the sattvic nature of the wisdom/truth, and my hearing and being near to it, that brings me too into a sattvic state. So, coming from my personal experience in seeking wisdom through others, those alive now, and those from the past, and also in my efforts to cultivate a relationship with my own wisdom, I have an initial list to share with you

1. Patanjali
2. Ramana Maharshi
3. Swami Prakashanandaji
4. Mukunda Stiles
5. Narada
6. Vashista
7. Joseph LePage
8. Michael Pollon
9. Barbara Kingsolver
10. Roshi Joan Halifax
11. Roger Pfister
12. Luke Miller
13. Bruce Tift
14. Ram Das
15. Pema Chodren
16. His Holiness, the 17th Karmapa
17. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
19. Aadil Palkhivala
20. Jesus
21. Buckminster Fuller
22. Mother Teresa


I see the people on this list being in their wisdom more often than most folks, though they are still human and flawed indeed, but still wise. And I cheated a bit, as some have left their bodies, but there you go, for now.

Interesting topic

[Brother Neil]

anyone who loves, anyone who laughs, anyone who helps others, anyone with compassion
my opinion
brother Neil

[Pandara]

Namaste Greater Than,

Personally I think that there is wisdom in everything/everyone, we are All One and in that we All inherently share the cosmic/universal wisdom that is there, however I do think that it is rather a question of how each individual choose to manifest that wisdom.

From this pov, I like the way my own teacher, Sri Durga Devi manifested this wisdom. I also appreciate the manifestion of wisdom by the following people/object/things: Sri Satya Sai Baba, Swami Sivananda, my mother, my dog Matilda and my garden at the moment. And 5 seconds ago Justwannabe (brother neil) with what drives him to yoga: his car! (http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f16...tice-4873.html)

[Hubert]

Wise are whom you are able to asess as wise, just as Nichole said with her explanation about sattwic qualities. So, this means wise are who are in your line of sight, and just surpass a little your own understanding. Much wiser people will always apper as mad, insane, utter fools, or the most prevalent case, invisible, non-existing. There is a hint to this in the Upanishads, where it's said that the advanced practitioner, aquiring siddhis, will hide them from his fellow men, and often pretend to be a fool, a beggar or someone out of society. Good to remember, and treat everyone with the same respect as a wise man; there are examples in the Bible too, of people who had angels as their guests, without knowing.

[Asuri]

The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
To receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness and justice, and equity;
To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Proverbs 1.1-4.

There is no better place to learn about wisdom than the book of Proverbs, in the old testament of the Christian Bible.

The wise are those who are able to discern wisdom. They are not necessarily famous authors or people who are otherwise well known. They could be your parent, or grandparent; an aunt, uncle, teacher, or friend. You might not recognize their wisdom, but that does not make them less wise. Fools also love and laugh.

[Hubert]

This I find wise.

And this I find true.

[Pawel]

I like Ken Wilber. Especially for his clarity and "integrative spirit"

[Max H]

Those who realize the depth, breadth and complexity of what they do not and can not know have always struck me as having wisdom.

[Boom_King]

I don't know what your definition of wise is... but Jean Dominique is one of my heroes. He was a journalist for Radio Haiti and spoke out against the government when they became oppressive to his people. He knew the danger, and was killed for his efforts. There is a wonderful documentary about his life called "the agronomist" which I implore everyone to watch.

[Seeker33]

"If you have love, you can correct people without saying anything to them because love is a supreme intelligence."
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by greater than

I think Richard Dawkins is wise.

I think Richard Dawkins is knowledgeable.
Wisdom and knowledge are different things.

An encyclopedia is full of knowledge, but contains very little wisdom.

I do not know that our simple and confined earthly minds and spirits can truly obtain wisdom. Some come closer than others, but I believe my answer would have to be "No one on this earth".

[Babananda]

OM,

A few thoughts in a broken English

Being wise indicates emboding wisdom. Right? And what is wisdom? Maybe it could be said to be the pinnacle of knowledge based on experience. And all knowledge comes from where? Ultimately from the same source as everything else, right? In order to have the experience of knowledge, of any kind, we need an instrument for it, which is the bodymind.

Right. So wisdom comes from a source which isn't physical as we can not touch or see it. It comes from somewhere else. But we can experience it in our stream of consciousness which is in the present moment. Yet we can not seize or crab it as then it would become a thought - an analysis. And this is exactly the key moment between a meditation and non-presence as the analysis always takes us away from meditation. (That is why the master said to watch the space between the thoughts and kicked out the student who got stuck in mental patterns). Right? A living conscious experience embodies wisdom and the depth of that wisdom is measured in the openness and fearlessnees of ones living being (in the physical, astral, causal bodies). Anyone who is fearless and happy constantly, some are, his/hers bodies and aura is wonderfully radiant.

So if we can be fearless and non-sense-less we are all living embodiments of wisdom. Right here, right now with invisible long white hairs and beards (even women)

Love,
-Babananda

[Tallhorseman]

I believe that wisdom BEGINS when you begin to question your own wisdom, as well as the wisdom of others.

I wonder if man is the most unwise of all earths creatures, knowing that we are the only species that struggle against the earth.

[DoestheDog?]

John Coltrane had a Mystic's Wisdom: "All Praise Be To God To Whom All Praise Is Due."

Bikram Choudhury has a profane sort of wisdom- "They think if they touch me, they'll be enlightened, which is bullshit. Nothing going to happen until you lock the knee, anyway. Cut out the bullshit. do the posture."

[CityMonk]

My Grandfather is wise) Sitting in his yard growing yellow tomatoes)