What is meant by the below quoter's message on the wise?

Question

As a single slab of rock
Won't budge in the wind,
So the wise are not moved
By praise,
By blame.

Like a deep lake,
Clear, unruffled, & calm;
So the wise become clear,
Calm,
On hearing words of the Dhamma.

-Dhammapada, 6, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Namaste

Blessings

Peace and Love

The First Noble Truth
-Buddhism

Answer 1

Wonderfully clever.
Yet the teaching of Buddha are impure.
I have visited the Buddhist temple.
Chanting rote prayers as a vehicle to happiness, enlightenment, health and wealth, is the same as any religion that has that approach.
True enlightenment comes from the deeper things of understanding. I have only found them in one place.

LIke trees planted by ever flowing rivers, so are those that seat themselves at the fountains of knowledge and truth.

Answer 2

The wise are those who have an understanding of the fundamental Teaching of the Dharma , some have an inate understanding without in depth training in its fine intricacies yet others have understanding without knowledge and yet others find understanding through training and an ascetic lifestyle. All are considered wise as they each follow their own Path.

As deeper understanding blooms, self realisation becomes more apparent. The First Noble Truth requires this for a full understanding of its meaning. In life there is suffering. As humans, we are the cause of our own suffering, and to understand this fully we must become aware of our clinging natures. To understand our natures is to become aware of the absolutely impermanent nature of our Aggregates or Parts. Once these Aggregates are fully understood we will become impervious to Praise in the same way as we become impervious to Blame. In the former because we will come to realise that Praise only serves our ego and doesn't serve the real Us, and in the case of the latter, Blame only serves our ego to shuffle it to someone else, so we accept blame for our faults fully. Knowing our ego is to know that it is not us, we are ego less in reality. This is the meaning of the first verse.

The second verse is more esoteric than the first but its meaning is quite clear. As in most interpretations of the Dharma's Teaching, it must be reduced from it's original "Language Style", its meaning is that to become calm of mind, we must realise the message of the Dharma, as in the First Noble Truth, that we are not who we think we are, the concept is known as "Not I", on understanding this the First Noble Truth can be fully understood, that is we are the cause of our own suffering.

The 2 verses together form the focus of the message, on hearing the message of the Dharma, we may become more aware of ourselves and become free from suffering.

Because the wise consciousness is not moved by praise and it does not shift blame, on hearing the true message of the Dharma the wise consciousness becomes clear and calm. This is the meaning of the verse.

Peace from a Buddhist.

Answer 3

Confidence comes with understanding. I am inclined to believe that until you know the ways of YAHOSHUA you are not wise.

Answer 4

That we (Christians) shall stand strong in our faith against Satan.