​Wisdom and Kindness vol 1, no 7

Wisdom without kindness is not wise. Kindness without wisdom is not kind.

Wisdom is perception. Cleverness is figuring things out. But the wise person sees simply to the heart of a situation or person.

Love also starts with perception and adds acceptance. If we don’t see a person clearly, we may love an image we have of them, but not the real person. If we don’t accept them as they are, there is no real love. If we don’t see and accept ourselves as we truly are, we have no self-wisdom or self-love.

The Buddha taught two separate yet deeply integrated practices. One develops clear awareness which gives rise to insight and flowers in wisdom. The other develops love or kindness.

Kindness is taught by radiating kindness, compassion, joy, peace or other wholesome qualities to oneself and others. Wisdom is taught by learning to recognize and soften the inner tensions that distort clear seeing.
​
These two practices can be taught separately. But neither develops much depth without the other. When they are interwoven, both develop more deeply and quickly because on the deepest level they are the same.