Editing Wisdom (section)

====In Buddhist philosophy====
{{main|Buddhist philosophy}}

[[File:Shakyamuni-Thangka.jpg|thumb|Shakyamuni Buddha flanked by Chenrezig and Manjushri]]
In Buddhist philosophy, wisdom (''[[Prajñā (Buddhism)|prajñā]]'', प्रज्ञा) is one of the threefold training principles (along with ethics and meditation). It involves seeing reality as it truly is, free from delusions. In [[Mahayana Buddhism]], wisdom is often personified by the Bodhisattva [[Manjushri]], who wields a sword to cut through ignorance. [[Zen]] traditions emphasize ''[[satori]]'' (悟り), a sudden flash of wisdom or enlightenment. In [[Theravāda Buddhism]], wisdom is developed through [[vipassanā]] (insight meditation), leading to the realization of [[impermanence]] (''anicca''), suffering (''[[duḥkha]]''), and non-self (''[[anattā]]''). Buddhist religious traditions provide comprehensive guidance on how to develop wisdom.<ref name="Karunamuni-2019">{{cite journal|last1=Karunamuni|first1=N.|last2=Weerasekera|first2=R.|title=Theoretical Foundations to Guide Mindfulness Meditation: A Path to Wisdom|journal=Current Psychology|volume=38|issue=3|pages=627–646|doi=10.1007/s12144-017-9631-7|url=http://mindrxiv.org/mfs63/|year=2019|s2cid=149024504}}</ref><ref name="Bhikkhu Bodhi">{{cite web|url=https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html|title=The Noble Eightfold Path|access-date=16 March 2009|publisher=Access to Insight|first=Bhikkhu|last=Bodhi}}</ref>

The term {{transliteration|sa|[[Prajñā (Buddhism)|Prajñā]]}} was translated [[Chinese Buddhism|into Chinese]] as
{{lang|zh|智慧}} (pinyin {{transliteration|zh|zhìhuì}}, characters [[:wikt:智|智]] "knowledge" and [[:wikt:慧|慧]] "bright, intelligent"). In Chinese Buddhism, the idea of wisdom is closely linked to its Indian equivalent as it appears for instance in certain conceptual continuities that exist between [[Asanga]], [[Vasubandhu]] and [[Xuanzang]].{{Explain|reason=what are these continuities, how do they illustrate the linkage?|date=August 2023}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jannel |first1=Romaric |title=Xuanzang and the Three Types of Wisdom: Learning, Reasoning, and Cultivating in Yogācāra Thought |journal=Religions |date=May 2022 |volume=13 |issue=6 |page=486 |doi=10.3390/rel13060486 |doi-access=free |url=https://philpapers.org/archive/JANXAT.pdf }}</ref>

Developing wisdom is of central importance in [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] traditions, where the ultimate aim is often presented as "seeing things as they are" or as gaining a "penetrative understanding of all phenomena", which in turn is described as ultimately leading to the "complete freedom from suffering".<ref name="Karunamuni-2019" /><ref name="Bhikkhu Bodhi" /> In Buddhism, developing wisdom is accomplished through an understanding of what are known as the [[Four Noble Truths]] and by following the [[Noble Eightfold Path]].<ref name="Karunamuni-2019" /><ref name="Bhikkhu Bodhi" /> This path lists [[mindfulness]] as one of eight required components for cultivating wisdom.<ref name="Karunamuni-2019" />

Buddhist scriptures teach that wise people conduct themselves well.<ref>''[[Anguttara Nikaya|AN]]'' 3:2</ref> A wise person does actions that are unpleasant to do but give good results, and does not do actions that are pleasant to do but give bad results.<ref>''AN'' 4:115</ref> Wisdom is the [[antidote]] to the [[Kleshas (Buddhism)|poison]] of [[ignorance]]. The [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] has much to say on the subject of wisdom including:

* He who arbitrates a case by force does not thereby become just (established in [[Dhamma]]). But the wise man is he who carefully discriminates between right and wrong.<ref>''[[Dhammapada]]'' v. 256</ref>
* He who leads others by nonviolence, righteously and equitably, is indeed a guardian of justice, wise and righteous.<ref>''Dhammapada'' v. 257</ref>
* One is not wise merely because he talks much. But he who is calm, free from hatred and fear, is verily called a wise man.<ref>''Dhammapada'' v. 258</ref>
* By quietude alone one does not become a [[Wise old man|sage]] ({{transliteration|sa|muni}}) if he is foolish and ignorant. But he who, as if holding a pair of scales, takes the good and shuns the evil, is a wise man; he is indeed a {{transliteration|sa|muni}} by that very reason. He who understands both good and evil as they really are, is called a true sage.<ref>''Dhammapada'' v. 268–269</ref>

To recover the original supreme wisdom of self-nature ([[Buddha-nature]] or [[Tathāgata|Tathagata]]) concealed by the self-imposed three dusty poisons (the [[Kleshas (Buddhism)|kleshas]]: greed, anger, ignorance), Buddha taught to his students the threefold training by turning greed into generosity and discipline, anger into kindness and meditation, ignorance into wisdom.{{cn|date=February 2025}}