Are we alike? Are we different? Despite of our racial, cultural differences, we are all human. Confucius said the same. He said that we are all alike at the source, yet our habits, believes and choices make us apart.
17.1 Men’s nature are alike
子曰、性相近也、習相遠也。
The Master said, ‘By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.’
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Great founders of major religions all reported that we come from the same source. It is in this ultimate source that we are all born and close to each others. Yet, through our evolution, habits, believes, and choices, we spin off from the source and declare ourselves to be different.
Ordinary people establish their identity via separation, whereas spiritual aspirants establish their identity through unity. By study, practice and mastery, we transcend our habitual identification with the separate, align with the source, and unit with the whole.我們相似嗎？我們不一樣嗎？尽管我们有种族和文化的差异，但是我们都是人。孔子也说一样。他说，我们本性非常近，但我们的习惯，信仰和选择，使我们之间的距离越来越远。
17.1 性相近，習相遠
子曰，性相近也，習相遠也。
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主流宗教的创始人，都说我们来自一个源头。正是在这个最终的源头，让我们的本性相近。然而，通过我们的进化，生活习惯，信仰和选择，我们渐渐的从源头中脱离出来，并认为自己是与众不同的。
普通的人通过分离去建立自己的身份，心灵的学生通过精神的统一去建立自己的身份。透通学习，实践和掌握，我们便渐渐能超越我们平常的对立的习性，回归源头，与天地为一。
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