Bodhicitta

In Praise of Virtue

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Here are my three treasures. Guard and keep them!

The first is pity; the second, frugality; the third, refusal to be ‘foremost of all things under heaven.’


 

 

Tao Te Ching,  LXVII

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Whatever is right springs from one of four sources. It consists either in the perception and skilful treatment of the truth; or in maintaining good fellowship with men, giving to every one his due, and keeping faith in contracts and promises; or in the greatness and strength of a lofty and unconquered mind; or in the order and measure that constitute moderation and temperance.

 

Cicero, On Duties

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8 hours ago, cold said:

Bravo and thanks for a great thread!

 

Thanks, others may chime in too.

Edited by Bodhicitta

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 A man should be of good cheer about his soul…if he has earnestly pursued the pleasure of learning, and adorned his soul with the adornment of temperance, and justice, and courage, and freedom, and truth.

 

 

Plato, Phaedo,  114

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The Master said, It is Goodness that gives to a neighbourhood its beauty. One who is free to choose, yet does not prefer to dwell among the Good—how can he be accorded the name of wise?

 

Confucius, Analects,  IV, 1

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Human nature is disposed to goodness, just as water flows downwards. There is no water but flows down, and no men but show this tendency to good.

 

Mencius,  VI (4th century BCE)

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9 minutes ago, Bodhicitta said:

 

Confucius, Analects,  IV, 1

I think an exception would be a life of service.

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5 minutes ago, Bodhicitta said:

 

Do not follow; exception to what?

One may choose to not dwell among "the Good" in willing to service those in need yet still be wise.  The distinction lies in recognizing the choice and understanding what has been chosen.  As a general rule, I think Confucius is correct, but I often think he lacked nuance.

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On June 20, 2017 at 0:57 PM, Brian said:

One may choose to not dwell among "the Good" in willing to service those in need yet still be wise.  The distinction lies in recognizing the choice and understanding what has been chosen.  As a general rule, I think Confucius is correct, but I often think he lacked nuance.

 

The assumption that 'dwelling' means hiding behind gates and walls to avoid contamination from the unwashed lacks 'nuance'. Dwelling can mean where one's mind dwells, not one's body.  Even literally, one can go out from the Goodly neighborhood to serve.  But not knowing ancient Chinese, I bow to those who do know.

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Against an angry man let him not in return show anger, let him bless when he is cursed.

 

Laws of Manu,  VI, 48

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2 minutes ago, Marblehead said:

Yeah, returning anger with a smile will really piss him off.

 

 

Funny, but so true!

:lol:

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3 hours ago, Marblehead said:

Yeah, returning anger with a smile will really piss him off.

 

 

Cute; but remaining impassive is what is meant, not smiling.  Blessing when cursed is done silently, not with words.

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To be innocent is to be not guilty; but to be virtuous is to overcome our evil feelings and intentions

 

 

William Penn

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Yeah, intentions are not all that hard to get rid of, but feeling?, I think that is very difficult. 

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On June 24, 2017 at 7:53 AM, Marblehead said:

Yeah, intentions are not all that hard to get rid of, but feeling?, I think that is very difficult. 

 

It may be just the opposite. A base feeling can be ignored or replaced with a contrary one.  But the motive or intent driving the feeling is deeper in the mind and will continue to be there suggesting and encouraging.

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 The true lover of knowledge must, from childhood up, be most of all a striver after truth in every form.

 

Plato, Republic,  6, 485

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It may be just the opposite. A base feeling can be ignored or replaced with a contrary one.  But the intent driving the feeling is deeper in the mind and will continue to be there suggesting and encouraging.

 

 

I never thought of it that way.  You may well be correct.

 

 

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There is some indication,  that through the mechanism of ones feelings,  we become notified of our attitudes .

Often  intents-motivations-attitudes  are also being influenced by our feelings.

Thus there appears to be an effort to reconcile the two sources. 

Which we become consciously aware of,  secondarily.  

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1 hour ago, Stosh said:

There is some indication,  that through the mechanism of ones feelings,  we become notified of our attitudes .

Often  intents-motivations-attitudes  are also being influenced by our feelings.

Thus there appears to be an effort to reconcile the two sources. 

Which we become consciously aware of,  secondarily.  

 

True, but there are motivations deeper than the conscious ones.  Vasanas & samskaras are deep-seated habits or tendencies from past lifetimes.  So when a conscious intention or attitude (good or bad) keeps reappearing, that suggests it is not superficial.

 

Buddha actually defined karma/action not as a physical, mental or verbal act, but as cetana, which means intention or will.

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The supreme aim of all religions is to teach men how to live; and the learning and the living are religion itself. The purification of the human heart, the building up of a blameless life, and the perfecting of the soul, these are the great underlying and enduring factors in all religions and creeds the world over. That which is vital in every religion is the striving after, and the practice of, Goodness; all things else are accretions, superfluities, illusions. Goodness — and by Goodness I mean sinlessness — is the beautiful and imperishable form of Religion, but creeds and religions are the perishable garments, woven of the threads of opinion, in which men clothe it. One after another religions come and go, but Religion, being Life itself, endures forever. Let men cease to quarrel over the garments and strive to perceive the universality and beauty of the indwelling form; thus will they become wedded to it, will become one with the supreme Goodness. Religion is Goodness; Goodness is Religion.

 

James Allen

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The virtue of a man ought to be measured not  by his extraordinary exertions, but  by his every-day conduct.

 

Pascal

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