WISDOM ARISES WHEN ONE IS SELFLESS
Master Jun Hong Lu: To seek wisdom, one must do so from a state of selflessness and altruism. If you pray to Bodhisattva without any notion of self, self-interests or any distracting thoughts, you will gain wisdom. Think about it, those who always think about the well being of others, will have wisdom. Conversely, those who only have self-interests at heart will lose wisdom.
One’s greater self (大“我”) is lost when one is dominated by a lesser self (小“我”). This is because when you have a lesser self in mind, there will be no room for the greater self. Similarly, when you love others selflessly, you are awakened to your greater self and hence, your lesser self is eradicated.
A good doctor is one who only thinks about the well-being of sentient beings. On the flip side, if a person only thinks about saving himself, how is it possible for him to be able to help others?
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 8 Chapter 11