When introduced to the teachings of Buddhist wisdom, one may mistake the nature of this information for a belief system. This is why I begin the Scroll of Wisdom on my website with the Buddha’s teaching: “Do not listen to what anybody says, including me, if it does not agree with your own common sense.” Buddhist wisdom is not something that should simply be accepted because it was taught by the Buddha or by anyone else. Its teachings are meant to be examined, understood, and put into practice.
For example, upon learning the teaching, “If we just abandon hate, then we can enjoy being hate free,” one may wonder how they could actually become free from hatred or misunderstand what it means to apply this teaching. To practice it, one must begin by removing hatred whenever they become aware that they are experiencing it. This can begin with a conscious decision not to adopt or continue the emotion. It can also involve practices such as meditation, in which one observes the emotion without acting upon it and allows it to pass.
With enough practice, this process becomes easier. Eventually, it can become an instinctive response. Practicing the teachings of Buddhist wisdom is much like learning how to drive: at first, the process requires conscious attention, but with enough practice, it becomes second nature. The teachings can similarly become habitual ways of responding to the events of life. Through this practice, one can develop beneficial qualities of character and experience psychological and emotional benefits.
I would also like to point out that the reason the Buddha is sometimes depicted as laughing can be understood through the teaching, “If we just abandon hate, then we can enjoy being hate free.” Some explanations of Buddhist teachings describe people as being foolish because they are unaware of the nature of their own minds. From this perspective, becoming “enlightened” involves becoming aware of oneself and developing an understanding of Buddhist wisdom through both knowledge and practice.
Hatred is an unhealthy mental state that can be gradually released through practice. The laughter attributed to the Buddha can therefore be understood as arising from the realization that much of our suffering comes from not recognizing that the mind can be trained and transformed. What may initially seem impossible can become natural through practice. The mind is not necessarily fixed in the way it responds to life; through awareness and practice, its habitual responses can change.
© 2026 Hazon, Nir
