2.12 Careful speech and action
子曰、多聞闕疑、慎言其餘、則寡尤、多見闕殆、慎行其餘、則寡悔。
The Master said, ‘Hear much and put aside the points of which you stand in doubt, while you speak cautiously at the same time of the others:– then you will afford few occasions for blame. See much and put aside the things which seem perilous, while you are cautious at the same time in carrying the others into practice:– then you will have few occasions for repentance.
5.3 Think twice before acting
季文子三思而後行。子聞之曰、再、斯可矣。
Ji Wen [Chi Wan] thought thrice, and then acted. When the Master was informed of it, he said, ‘Twice may do.’
* * *
In this information world, we hear and see alot everyday. Market studies found that, in a single trip, on average we receive 1000+ messages through various forms of media, such as from newspapers, mails, television, radio, musics, movies, and various forms of commercial advertisements. Apart from the above, we also interact with family members, schoolmates, colleagues, business partners, friends, and other people in our life: conscious and unconscious, feelings thinkings and actions. How do we process all these information? How should we, with our limited minds, differentiate, filter, and contextualize them?
Laozi recommends bypassing the self-centered mind all together, and listen, so we can be at one with the universal wisdom and flow with it for understanding and contextualization. Confucius, speaking from a personal perspective, recommends caution. When we are not sure of something, whether from hearing or seeing, we accept those that we are sure, and put aside those we are not sure until it becomes clear. Therefore, Confucius recommend to think twice before speaking and acting. When we are cautious, then we are less prone to blame and repent (for acting on questionable message/information).
2.12 慎言慎行
子曰、多聞闕疑、慎言其餘、則寡尤、多見闕殆、慎行其餘、則寡悔。
5.3 三思而後行
季文子三思而後行。子聞之曰、再、斯可矣。
* * *
在这个信息爆棚的世界中，我们在日常生活中每天都会听到和看到很多。市场研究发现，在一个简单的行程，我们就会通过各种形式的媒体，如报纸，邮件，电视，广播，音乐，电影，以及各种商业广告等，接收到1000多个的信息。 除上述以外，我们和家人，同学，同事，商业伙伴，朋友，和其他人的接触中，也会有意和无意的进行思想，感情，和行动上的交流。 我们应如何处理这些信息呢？ 我们如何用有限的信息和聪明才智去分类，筛选，和理解它们呢？
老子建议，接受自我的无知和跟随道的指引。 孔子，从个人的角度来说，建议谨慎。 当我们不知道的东西，无论是从听到或看到的，我们接受我们所肯定的，和保留那些我们所不能肯定的。 因此，孔子提出我们在说话和行动之前，要再思而后行。如果我们能时刻保持谨慎，就能减小鲁莽言行所带来的责备和后悔。
Leave a Reply