Dear readers,

After 26 months of discussion and exploration, we have finally completed our online discussion on the core teachings of the three great classics in Chinese Civilization.  

With the focus on personal and spiritual cultivation, we first learnt about the transcendental reality and the way towards it from Laozi’s Daodejing.  After understanding our self, and going beyond it, we then learnt the importance of fulfilling our personal, family and social responsibility in the world through practical advises from Confucius’s Analects.  Finally, after mastering the world and the reality beyond it,  we learnt from the Buddhist Diamond Sutra that all teachings and phenomena, no matter how extraordinary and spectacular, are temporary like dreams and bubble and therefore are not to be attached.

If we can gain a throughout understanding of these three classics, and integrate them into our daily life, then a solid foundation is laid on the roadway of personal and spiritual cultivation.  Hopefully these discussions could serve as an opening door and overall guidance for further studies and practice.

This concludes this series of our online classes.  As Laozi said, “excessive speeches exhaust our reason, it’s better to stay centered.” The foundation understanding of cultivation has been laid and it is time for practice and integration into our life.  If you have further question on the topics mentioned, you may contact me for advice or further discussion.  Thank you for your interest and support all along.

Best wishes to you in your life, studies, and practices.    

Regards,

Li Siming

March 2014

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 is the love of being sincere without the love of learning;– the beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard of consequences. There is the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning;– the beclouding here leads to rudeness. There is the love of boldness without the love of learning;– the beclouding here leads to insubordination. There is the love of firmness without the love of learning;– the beclouding here leads to extravagant conduct.’

* * *

Be kind without learning, leads to stupidity;

Be intelligent without learning, leads to recklessness;

Be trusting without learning, attract thieves;

Be straightforward without learning, leads to rudeness;

Be courageous without learning, leads to chaos;

Be firm without learning, leads to wildness.

While proper cultivation of these 6 qualities uplifts one’s life and others, cultivation without balanced learning could harm oneself and others.  Learning therefore, should be pursued in balanced and all-rounded manner, and be seen as a lifelong endeavor to avoid falling into these traps.