There are two kinds of wisdom – worldly wisdom and transcendental wisdom.
Worldly wisdom is further divided into two types: The first is the erudite and expressive type, who surpass others merely through extensive knowledge and understanding. The second involves discerning good from bad and right from wrong, acting when one ought to act and desisting when one ought to desist.
Possessing only the first is termed “reckless wisdom,” which leads to a fall into the three lower realms of existence; possessing both types of worldly wisdom, one is wiser and upright, resulting in rebirth among humans or heavenly beings. Why is this so? Because when one’s virtues exceed one’s skills, one becomes a noble character; otherwise, one is just little man.
Transcendental wisdom is also of two kinds: The first is the ability to distinguish the Tathagata’s true teachings (such as the Four Noble Truths and Six Paramitas) and practice them accordingly. The second is the shattering of ignorance through the complete realization of one’s fundamental mind.
Possessing only the first type, one remains a work in gradual progress. Only through possessing both types of transcendental wisdom, one realizes the foremost level of wisdom, known as Sudden Transcendence. Why is this so? If one grasps the root, the branches will naturally follow. But if what you get is only the secondary to begin with, you don’t necessarily get the fundamental.
Nowadays people who, having merely glimpsed the initial aspect of worldly wisdom, claim to have attained complete enlightenment – how utterly deluded and mistaken!
by Grand Master Lian Chi (蓮池大師), the Eighth Patriarch of Pure Land Buddhism
世智當悟 – 錄自明末蓮池大師《竹窗隨筆》(初筆)
智有二: 有世間智，有出世間智。世智又二: 一者博學宏辭，長技遠略，但以多知多解而勝乎人者是也。二者明善惡、別邪正，行其所當行而止其所當止者是也。僅得其初，是謂狂智，當墮三塗。兼得其後，是謂正智，報在人天。何以故? 德勝才謂之君子，才勝德謂之小人也。出世間智亦二: 一者善能分別如來正法，四諦、六度等，依而奉行者是也。二者破無明惑，如實了了見自本心者是也。僅得其初，是出世間智也，名為漸入。兼得其後，是出世間上上智也，乃名頓超。何以故? 但得本，不愁末。得末者，未必得本也。今有乍得世智初分，便謂大徹大悟者，何謬昧之甚!
Buddha Mind 