NEW MOON with Ajahn Munindo

NEW MOON - Thursday 3rd February 2011

Those who speak much
are not necessarily possessed of wisdom.
The wise can be seen to be at peace with life and free from all enmity and fear.

Dhammapada verse 258

The Buddha often spoke about 'the wise' and the benefits of associating with the wise. But how can we be sure someone is wise? One way is to observe how free they are from ill-will. And we can know that by listening to them with our hearts. The same is true for fear.
Does this person generate peace or contention? If we listen only with our heads we might be over impressed by clever speech. But if we let go of trying to know for sure and quietly trust in mindful attention, our own inner wisdom can guide us.