You become what you give your attention to
-Epictetus
Do not seek to follow the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.
Those who are known for their wisdom today, they too had to seek it in the past
If you seek it, you will also find it.
There is a very wonderful story in this connection, which I know, and I would like to share it with you.
Once there was a boy who had finished his education. He had been learning all the knowledge that he was supposed to be learning. He had finally learned all that he was supposed to learn in order to live a successful life.. But still, he felt something was missing. He felt that there is something, which he had not acquired.
He realised that it was wisdom that was still left to acquire. He wondered day and night “how does one gain wisdom?”
In same town where he lived that was an old wise philosopher of great renown known for his super excellent wisdom. The boy decided to approach this old wise man to seek the answer to his question.
He approached the wise man and submissively inquired “O, venerable sir, I have a question that I think only you are fit to answer. Words from the mouths of the wise are gracious. My doubts can only be cleared by someone as wise as you.”
The wise man said, “What is it child that you wish to know. Please don’t hesitate to ask me.”
The boy said, “Sir, I have learnt everything that one needs to know in order to live a successful life. But I felt that something was still lacking. Upon pondering deeply, I realised that it was wisdom. My question, O, respectable Sir is- How does one gain Wisdom?”
The wise man was glad at the marvellous question that the boy asked. He was ready to impart all the methods that he knew which one can use to acquire wisdom.
The wise man replies to the boy, “Child, I am happy at the question you asked. I shall I now teach you all the methods by which you can gain wisdom. Please listen attentively.
Wisdom is the quality of knowing how to use knowledge, life experiences, understanding, intelligence, common sense and judgement.
The first method to gain wisdom is by Self Introspection.
Knowing yourself is the first step to acquiring wisdom. There is a source of strength in thyself, which will spring up if you look within.
Self-Introspection gives you the power to understand yourself as you are. It shows you the real image of your inner self. Once you know your inner self, you can enhance your own personality.
You must be aware of why you do the things that you do. Knowing yourself gives you a clear perception of your personality, strengths, weakness, thoughts, inspirations and beliefs.
There are millions who never do any self-analysis. Mentally they become products of the factory of their environment. They neither know what they are seeking nor do they ever realize complete happiness and satisfaction. By evading self- introspection, they become mechanical machines, conditioned by their own environment. True self-introspection is the pathway to ultimate progress.
The wise old philosopher pauses and asks the boy whether he understood all that he had explained. The boy gives an affirmative nod and the wise man continues with his discourse.
The wise old philosopher continues-
The second way to gain wisdom is through others.
Just like how you got knowledge from your school and now you are getting wisdom from me, similarly one can also gain wisdom from others.
Approaching someone who already knows that knowledge which you want to learn is the one of the easiest way of gaining wisdom. But you must be smart to assimilate the knowledge and transform it into wisdom. What you learn from others will not be transformed into wisdom if you don’t contemplate and act on it as you were supposed to do.
Everyone in life can teach you something. You just have to observe and pay close attention. Everyone you will meet will know something that you don’t. You can learn from the mistakes they made or from the way, they manage their lives if they are successful. Learning from the mistakes of others prevents you from committing those mistakes yourselves. Learning about their smart ways of organising their lives teaches you how you can improve your own live.
Learning from someone wiser than you gives you trustworthy guidance. There are certain things, which can not be known with the aid of self-introspection, in this case it is only feasible to consult someone wiser than yourself. Only when it is revealed by that wise seer can that wisdom be known.
The boy questions the wise old philosopher “O great master, you have taught me two very sure ways of gaining wisdom. But what is that way which is superior.
The wise old philosopher says-
There is a way which is one of the most excellent ways for gaining wisdom.
That way of gaining wisdom is through experience.
Experience is the teacher of all things.
Experience whether pleasant or unpleasant is a priceless treasure. From good experiences, you can learn to create those pleasant experiences again and from bad experiences, you learn a lesson that makes you more stronger.
Every experience of life is trying to teach you something that you need to know in order to move forward. Experience increases our wisdom. Experience is the hardest kind of teacher. It gives you the examination first and then the lesson. Few in the world can comprehend the teaching without words. Knowledge will reveal its worth when it is employed to discover wisdom through experience.
Your experience that something is missing that you haven’t learnt has bought you here. Good decisions come from experience. Experience brings with it a clarity of vision. Experience is expensive since it is a product of time but it is worthwhile.
Every experience no matter how bad holds within it some kind of blessing.
The wise old philosopher said “My child that is all I have to instruct you in the subject matter of gaining wisdom. Surely, there are other ways of gaining wisdom, but the three ways as mentioned by me, in my opinion are the most profound ways of acquiring wisdom.”
The wise philosopher continues, “Young man, I see you are already very wise. The most important wisdom of life is to have the eagerness to gain wisdom. The doorstep to the shrine of wisdom is the awareness of our own ignorance. Seekers of wisdom first need sound intelligence. To gain more wisdom, remind yourself what matters the most. Learning from your life and others lives also constitute to gaining of wisdom. It’s what in your mind that determines what’s going to be in your life.
My child, I am happy to tell you that you have used all the 3 methods on gaining wisdom that I have told you. Through self-introspection, you realized that you that you needed to seek something to fulfill yourself. Once you knew that, you inquired me and hence, I taught you the ways on gaining wisdom. Your experience as a hard working student has imbibed a sense of intellectual curiosity in you which is why you sought wisdom.
That is all that I have to tell you, my child.”
The young boy felt enlightened by the wise old philosopher’s words. He thanked the wise old philosopher and left from there much delighted.