Category: Online Class
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Diamond Sutra – Meaning of Title – 金刚经 – 经名的意义
Diamond is the most precious material on earth. Besides of its scarcity, diamond is also the hardest material on earth. Therefore it is adopted as the name of this Buddhist text. The full name of this text is: “金刚般若波罗密经”. “金刚” means hard/impenetrable; “般若” means wisdom; “波罗密” means conducts leading to liberation; “经” means sutra/text. Together…
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Buddhist Diamond Sutra – starting next week – 佛家金刚经 – 下周开始
We finished our discussion on Confucius Analects last week. So far we have gone through the core teachings from Laozi’s Daodejing, and Confucius Analect. Starting next week, we will start our discussion on one of the core text in Buddhism – Diamond Sutra. Here is an overview of the text: If reality is beyond the…
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Confucius Analects – Men’s nature are alike – 孔子论语 – 性相近,习相远
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…
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Confucius Analects – Virtue attracts alike – 孔子论语 – 德不孤,必有邻
There is a Chinese saying: giving is more blessed than receiving (施比受更有福). Is it true? Confucius reported so. 4.6 Virtue attracts alike 子曰、德不孤、必有鄰。 The Master said, ‘Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practises it will have neighbors.’ * * * I would like to share a personal story of charity here. One…
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Confucius Analects – Surviving the Changing World – 孔子论语 – 隐士的文化
We live in a turbulent world. External events come and go, internal reactions rise and fall. While we could have a fairly stable way to, or expectation on how to live our lives, often time the reality falls short of our expectations. How did Confucius survived this changing world? * * * 8.4 Selecting place…
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Confucius Analects – Confucius teaches all – 孔子论语 – 有教无类
15.14 Teach all 子曰、有教、無類。 The Master said, ‘In teaching there should be no distinction of classes.’ * * * Confucius teaches all, Laozi transcends all, Buddha liberates all, Jesus loves all. Can you not see where they all coming from and converging back to? 15.14 有教、無類 子曰、有教、無類。 * * * 孔子教导所有,老子超越所有,佛释放所有耶稣爱所有,难道你看不出,他们都来自于和最终融合于哪?
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Confucius Analects – Rush and you won’t arrive – 孔子论语 – 欲速则不达,见小利则大事不成
13.2 Do things thoroughly, avoid the temptation of seeking quick and minute advantages 子夏為莒父宰、問政。子曰、無欲速、無見小利。欲速則不達、 見小利則大事不成。 Zixia, being governor of Chu-fu, asked about government. The Master said, ‘Do not be desirous to have things done quickly; do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small…
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Confucius Analects – Leadership by example – 孔子论语 – 以身作则的领导
13.1 Quality of leaders affect quality of leadership 子曰、其身正、不令而行、其身不正、雖令不從。 The Master said, ‘When a prince’s personal conduct is correct, his government is effective without the issuing of orders. If his personal conduct is not correct, he may issue orders, but they will not be followed.’ * * * There is a Chinese saying “When the…
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Confucius Analects – Fulfill your roles – 孔子论语 – 做好本份
12.5 How to govern 2 齊景公問政於孔子。 孔子對曰、君君、臣臣、 父父、子子。 The Duke Jing [Ching], of Qi {Chi], asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, ‘There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son.’ 8.5 Mind your own business 子曰、不在其位、不謀其政。 The Master said, ‘He who…
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Confucius Analects – Side tracks – 孔子论语 – 小道
19.1 Superior man avoids side tracks 子夏曰、雖小道、必有 可觀者焉、致遠恐泥、是以君子不為也。 Zixia said, ‘Even in inferior studies and employments there is something worth being looked at; but if it be attempted to carrythem out to what is remote, there is a danger of running into mud. Therefore, the superior man does not practise them.’ * * * What…
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Confucius Analects – balance learning of 6 virtues – 孔子论语 – 平衡的学习
17.3 Importance in learning the 6 virtues (benevolence, wisdom, sincerity, straightforwardness, courage, firmness) 好仁不好學、其蔽也愚、好智不好學、其蔽也蕩、好信不好學、其蔽也賊、好直不好學、其蔽也絞、好勇不好學、其蔽也亂、好 剛不好學、其蔽也狂。 ‘There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning;– the beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning;– the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind. There…
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Confucius Analects – Cautions in 3 Stages of Life, facing desire – 孔子论语 – 人生三阶段留意事项,面对欲望
16.3 Three caution in three stages in life 孔子曰、君子有三戒、少之時、血氣未定、戒之 在色、及其壯也、血氣方剛、戒之在鬥、及其老也、血氣既衰、戒之在得。 Confucius said, ‘There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth, when the physical powers are not yet settled, he guards against lust. When he is strong and the physical powers are full of vigor, he guards against quarrelsomeness. When he is…
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Confucius Analects – Different Types of Enjoyment – 孔子論語 – 不同種類的快樂
16.2 On enjoyment 孔子曰、益者三樂、損者三樂、樂節禮樂、 樂道人之善、樂多賢友、益矣。樂驕樂、樂佚遊、樂宴樂、損矣。 Confucius said, ‘There are three things men find enjoyment in which are advantageous, and three things they find enjoyment in which are injurious. To find enjoyment in the discriminating study of ceremonies and music; to find enjoyment in speaking of the goodness of others; to find enjoyment in having many…
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Confucius Analects – Choosing Friends – 孔子论语 – 擇友
16.1 On friendships 孔子曰、益者三友、損者三友、友直、友諒、友多聞、益矣、友 便辟、友善柔、友便佞、損矣。 Confucius said, ‘There are three friendships which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Friendship with the upright; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the man of much observation:– these are advantageous. Friendship with the man of specious airs; friendship with the insinuatingly soft; and friendship with the glib-tongued:–…
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Confucius Analects – Filial Piety – 孔子论语 – 论孝
Filial piety is one of the core virtues Confucianism advocates. It calls for kindness and respect towards our parents. Not only should one be filial towards one’s parents, one should be filial to all ancestors of the family and the race at large. Why? Vertically, we inherit the collective of what our ancestors have become;…
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Confucius Analects – Wisdom and Awareness – 孔子论语 – 智慧,觉力
14.4 The wise stays in the present, is aware and alert 子曰、不逆詐、不億不信、抑亦先覺者、是賢乎。 The Master said, ‘He who does not anticipate attempts to deceive him, nor think beforehand of his not being believed, and yet apprehends these things readily (when they occur);– is wise.’ * * * Some people think that to be honest and to…
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Confucius Analects – Knowing and Not-Knowing – 孔子论语 – 知是知,不知是不知
2.11 Knowing and not-knowing 子曰、由、誨女知之乎、知之為知之、不知為不知、是知也。 The Master said, ‘You [Yu], shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it;– this is knowledge.’ * * * What do we know? At…
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Confucius Analects – Handling Mistakes – 孔子论语 – 如何面对和改正错误
15.11 Learn from mistakes 子曰、過而不改、是謂過矣。 The Master said, ‘To have faults and not to reform them,– this, indeed, should be pronounced having faults.’ 19.4 Superior man commits mistakes, he learns and changes through them 子貢曰、君子之過也、如日月之食焉、過也、人皆見之、更也、 人皆仰之。 Zigongsaid, ‘The faults of the superior man are like the eclipses of the sun and moon. He has his…
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Confucius Analects – Confucius dislikes hypocrisy – 孔子论语 – 孔子不喜欢伪君子
5.6 Confucius dislikes hypocrisy 子曰、巧言令色、足恭、左丘明恥之、丘亦恥之、匿怨而友其人、 左丘明恥之、丘亦恥之。 The Master said, ‘Fine words, an insinuating appearance, and excessive respect;– Zuo Qiuming [Tso Ch’iu-ming] was ashamed of them. I also am ashamed of them. To conceal resentment against a person, and appear friendly with him;– Zuo Qiuming was ashamed of such conduct. I also am ashamed of it.’…
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Confucius Analects – Food and Sleep – 孔子论语 – 吃饭睡觉
10.2 Confucius eating habits 食饐而餲、魚餒而肉敗、 不食、色惡不食、臭惡不食、失飪不食、不時不食。不多食。 He did not eat rice which had been injured by heat or damp and turned sour, nor fish or flesh which was gone. He did not eat what was discoloured, or what was of a bad flavour, nor anything which was ill-cooked, or was not in season. He did…