So, how do we know if someone is wise or otherwise? It is a simple question with a complex answer. Wisdom is not ingrained – people are seldom born wise. For wisdom to dwell in an individual, (s)he must nurture specific qualities, besides accumulating knowledge and insights over the years. There are a few characteristics which could help us in determining whether a person is truly wise:
- RECLUSIVE: Wise people are often reclusive. Not because they hate people, but because they know how to be at peace with themselves. They don’t pursue anything unless essential, they speak only when it is necessary and important.
- HUMBLE: Wise people seldom brag about themselves or their accomplishments. They seldom answer a question until it is asked. They, also, answer briefly.
- LISTENING: The wise have a great quality of listening and observing.
- NONCONFORMISTS: They don’t have respect for any status quo although they may not seek a confrontational route – not until they have the means and measure to disrupt it. They realize the fact, that change is the only constant. Not to adapt would mean to perish.
- OPEN MINDED: Wise listen to everyone but decide for themselves and do whatever they think to be the best. They have their own way of understanding. They don’t buy into anything with haste, but can often be found listening to what others are offering. They could read all the newspapers in the world, but their opinion is formed by their own instincts and intuition.
- SOLVING: Wise don’t crib about that which has happened or that which is to happen. They focus exclusively on the present moment, to find a solution to the problem that may be on the horizon. They live by the moment. They truly are the ones who know “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery… but today is a gift – that’s why we call it a present.”
- UNGREEDY: Wise understand the difference between Need and Greed. They know that only they – themselves – can assess what is needed for them and therefore address only to their need. They seldom compare with the needs of others or comment on what constitutes need or greed for others.
- GENEROUS: Wise are generous, true, but only to those who they think are deserving. Their assessment of ‘deserving’ is based on their understanding, knowledge, retrospection, and experience – which being as per dharma, could often be significantly different from that of a layman.
- RETROSPECTIVE: Wise often take time to reflect on their own actions and thoughts. Through this reflective attitude of theirs, they often have grown not just in terms of information, knowledge, and skills, but also wisdom.
CONTENTFUL: No person can be considered to be wise without a sense of contentment. If a person is found cribbing – (s)he’s far from wise. That is not to mean that wise don’t have problems. Problems, one must understand, are a matter of perception. Problem is a situation at first. If a situation is not conducive, we call it a problem. But as we’ve seen, it is often in an unconducive situation that better things have come from. Wise understand this and seek a way out, rather than cribbing about the problem.
