Thursday, January 12, 2012

Bring Order to the Commonwealth by Ordering the Soul

The illustrious ancients, when they wished to make clear and to propagate the highest virtues in the world, put their states in proper order. Before putting their states in proper order, they regulated their families. Before regulating their families, they cultivated their own selves. Before cultivating their own selves, they perfected their souls. Before perfecting their souls, they tried to be sincere in their thoughts. Before trying to be sincere in their thoughts, they extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such investigation of knowledge lay in the investigation of things, and in seeing them as they really were. When things were thus investigated, knowledge became complete. When knowledge was complete, their thoughts became sincere. When their thoughts were sincere, their souls became perfect. When their souls were perfect, their own selves became cultivated. When their selves were cultivated, their families became regulated. When their families were regulated, their states came to be put into proper order. When their states were in proper order, then the whole world became peaceful and happy. --Confucius
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3 comments:

  1. I have been thinking that a basic (very basic) book on "The Beauty of Honesty" might be in order. We have had stirring insights into Truth, Beauty and Goodness, but for right now; something very basic is needed. I have read theological accounts (St Thomas in the summa) of honesty and heard homilies (somewhat) on the subject from a more lofty point of view. I do see a need for something very basic. Something that expresses why white lies may not make you happy or how living an honest life frees one to be more than a base donkey. Honesty starts with seeing oneself for who one really is. Such a very honest thing to do and by far, one of the most difficult endeavors one will ever undertake. It is a seed worth planting I think.

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  2. Not that Confucius was a Buddhist, but this helps to explain the Mahayana concept that all sin is ignorance.

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  3. MaterMax, do it, please! Test-drive your chapters here on TIC. Meanwhile, no cynicism intended, do we need a small chapter on the beauty of dishonesty? I do not stop at the folly of telling one's spouse that she looks fat in that suit, a common instance where honesty is wholly counterproductive. When the Romans said that 'hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue,' they acknowledged the likelihood of sin but appreciated lip-service, at least, to real and eternal values. The all too common modern equivalent is admitting a sin as a "lifestyle decision," because, pop-psychologically, "that's just the way I am."

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