Vast in its scope, ranging from matters that are virtually questions of etiquette to ultimate matters such as human nature and the nature of ultimate reality, the source of sagely teaching is reflection upon existence from a particular perspective. To put that negatively, its source is not revealed esoteric truths from another world or deductions logically derived from an authoritative tradition (even though the tradition may affect the sage’s reflection). The authority of the teaching depends upon its own perspicacity rather than upon some external authority.
