Buddhist people throwing flour into the air, symbolising the Buddha's wisdom, during the Losar (Tibetan New Year), Bodhnath, Katmandu, Nepal

Portrait of an Indian Sadhu, Pashupatinath, Katmandu, Nepal

Portrait of an Indian Sadhu, Pashupatinath, Katmandu, Nepal

Portrait of an Indian Sadhu, Katmandu, Nepal

Giant Golden Buddha statue at Dambulla cave temple complex, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sri Lanka, Asia

Wisdom by Lee Lawrie, part of the artwork that decorates the facade of the Rockefeller Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States of America, North America

Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Mosaic of the Virgin and Child, interior of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Interior of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Mosaic of Jesus Christ, interior of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, at sunrise, Istanbul, Turkey

Interior of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

The Haghia Sophia (Aya Sofya) (Church of Holy Wisdom), a Byzantine monument dating from 532AD, UNESCO World Heritage Site, at sunset, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Portrait of an old woman from Uttarakhand (Uttaranchal), India, Asia

Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom) at sunrise, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Portrait of an Indian Sadhu, Pashupatinath, Katmandu, Nepal

The Haghia Sophia (Aya Sofya) (Church of Holy Wisdom), a Byzantine monument dating from 532AD, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sukhothai Province, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sukhothai Province, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sukhothai Province, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

The Haghia Sophia (Aya Sofya) (Church of Holy Wisdom), a Byzantine monument dating from 532AD, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Interior of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Mosaic of Christ, interior of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya Mosque) (The Church of Holy Wisdom), UNESCO World Heritage Site, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Stone Buddha rock carvings, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, Asia

Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C., United States of America, North America

Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C., United States of America, North America

Swayambhunath Stupa, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

An austral pygmy owl (Glaucidium nanum) sitting on a tree, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile, South America

A Magellanic horned owl (Bubo magellanicus) sitting on a tree, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile, South America

Portrait of a great grey owl (Strix nebulosa), captive, United Kingdom, Europe

Tawny owl (Strix aluco), captive, perched, United Kingdom, Europe

Long-eared owl (Asio otus), Muncaster, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Standing Buddha statue, Wat Chalong temple, Phuket, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Guayusa Upina Ceremony, Sinchi Warmi, Amazonia, Napo Province, Ecuador

Sinchi Warmi, Amazonia, Napo Province, Ecuador

Elderly woman praying with prayer beads in a garden, France

Thien Truc Buddhist pagoda, Life of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), preaching first sermon to monks in Deer Park in Varanasi, Bac Lieu, Vietnam

Pallas Athene fountain outside the Vienna Parliament depicting the goddess of wisdom holding a spear in her left hand and a small statue of the goddess Nike in her right, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Emir of Daura in the Fadar Daurama Emir's palace, Daura Emirate, Katsina state, Nigeria

Words (fate brings visitors to Kaiyuan) on a red wall in Kaiyuan Temple, first established 738AD, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, China

Buddhist monk performing daily duties in Chiangmai, Thailand

Tibetan Prayer Flag for Faith, peace, wisdom, compassion, and strength, Pema Osel Ling Monastery, Dakshinkali, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Guide for a visit of the Jami Lasem Mosque, Java island, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

African elephant eye (Loxodonta africana), Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa, Africa

Qing architecture, Huihai Si, Sea of Wisdom temple, the Summer Palace, Beijing, China, Asia

Gangchung Wangben, Naga man, headhunter, wearing horn earrings, Naga necklaces with brass heads and elephant tusk arm bands, Nagaland, India, Asia

Seated Buddha images, Wat Bovornives (Bowonniwet), Bangkok, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Portrait of a man holding Christian symbols, Gabriel and Raphael, Bieta Mercurios, Lalibela, Wollo region, Ethiopia, Africa

Statue of the Buddha above Kandy, Sri Lanka, Asia

Dazu rock carvings of Buddha of Wisdom, Buddha of Great Sunlight, Buddha of Mercy, Mount Baoding, China

British Little Owl, Charlton Park, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom

Mother elephant and calf in woodland in Moremi National Park, Botswana

Buddhist monks worshipping inside temple, Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Small child standing in the doorway of the bank in Paro, Bhutan

Statue of Confucius, Saigon Museum, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Elephants in Moremi National Park, Botswana

European Eagle Owl,Charlton Park, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom

Dazu rock carvings of Buddha of Wisdom, Buddha of Great Sunlight, Buddha of Mercy, Mount Baoding, China

Dazu rock carvings of Buddha of Wisdom and Buddha of Great Sunlight at Mount Baoding, Chongqing, China

European Eagle Owl, Charlton Park, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom

Wisdom Path near the Po Lin Monastery, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, China, Asia

Statue of Buddhist monk, Fo Guang Shan temple, Bussy St. George, Seine et Marne, France, Europe

Greek Orthodox icon depicting King Solomon, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece, Europe

Naga (Macham tribe) lady with face tattoos, done during childhood so that they are not attractive to men who might steal them from their village, Magyan Village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Portrait of a 90 year old Wakhi woman, Bakti Mo, Bulmit, Bojal, Pakistan, Asia

Torpu eppi. Every line in work-worn face tells a story. In mountains, is a sign of wisdom in of survival. Torpu eppi wears heirloom necklaces of coral, amber, turquoise, acquired on trading trips to tibet humla, north-west nepal

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

Tantric ritual impliments of, on right hand is (drilbubell on left is dorje, symbolizing male female principle, skillful means wisdom

Khorvirap monastery, Armenia, Asia

Saint Gayaneh church, Etchmiadzin, Armenia, Asia

A Buddhist stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

A Buddhist stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Head of Buddha statue, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Elderly man on Funafuti atoll, Tuvalu, Pacific

tawny owl (c): strix aluco watching from fork in tree dalk eith, scotland

Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) head, Spain

long-eared owl: asio otus, male at roost in scots pine, lothian, scotland (c)

Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera), Spain

snowy owl: nyctea scandiaca female against sky - captive a ngus, scotland

Hispanic boy playing piano

Hispanic grandfather and grandson posing for cell phone selfie

Chinese woman in library reading book and listening to headphones

Portrait of Mixed Race boy holding book in library

Caucasian girl writing in notebook at school

Chinese woman standing in library choosing book

Mixed Race boy and girl using computer in library

Indian male scientist looking at DNA film

Multi-ethnic girls looking at globe

Mixed race student writing notes at desk

Bored student sitting at desk in classroom

Paraplegic student working with classmate in science classroom

Student talking at desk in classroom

Mixed race scientist pipetting liquid into test tubes in laboratory

Mixed race scientist dropping leaf in test tube

Caucasian boy using laptop at desk

Close up of computer keyboard, files, cell phone and eyeglasses on office desk

Mixed race scientist using digital tablet in laboratory