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Tag Archive for: virtue

Diamond Sutra – Bodhisattvas do not receive reward for their merits

02/02/2014
02/02/2014

There is virtue in practicing charity, which follows the law of karma (law of attraction);

Ordinary people claims the virtue  as theirs, which reinforces and continues the “self” and its way of life;  Bodhisattva dedicates the virtue for the well-being, fulfillment, growth, transcendence, and liberation of themselves and all beings.

* * *

不受不贪分第二十八

NO GREED AND NOTHING ACQUIRED, TWENTY EIGHT

须菩提!若菩萨以满恒河沙等世界七宝,持用布施;若复有人知一切法无我,得成于忍,此菩萨胜前菩萨所得功德。何以故?
须菩提!以诸菩萨不受福德故。
“Subhuti, if (on the one hand) a Bodhisattva gave in his practice of dana, all the seven treasures in quantities sufficient to fill worlds as many as sand-grains in the Ganges, and (on the other hand) another man comprehended that all dharmas were egoless and thereby achieved perfection of patience (ksanti), the latter’s merit would surpass that of the former. “Why?

“Because, Subhuti, all Bodhisattvas do not receive reward for their merits.”

须菩提白佛言:世尊!云何菩萨不受福德?
Subhuti asked the Buddha: “World Honored One, why do Bodhisattvas not receive reward for their merits?”

须菩提!菩萨所作福德,不应贪著,是故说不受福德。
“Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should have no longing and no attachment when they practise meritorious virtues; therefore, they do not receive a reward.

0 Comments/in Buddhist, Chinese Philosophy, Online Class /by Derek
  • virtue not alone

Confucius Analects – Virtue attracts alike

05/28/2013
05/28/2013

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 time, i heard of a practice of charity that one gives away the first money drawn out from the wallet, no matter the value of the note.  I decided to give a try on this.

That evening, when i was approaching the San Francisco Symphony Hall, a young homeless person appeared on the street, asking me for changes.  I opened my wallet, thinking of the exercise, and put a note. I looked at the note, it was a $10 dollar note.  Hesitated for about a second, i handed it over to him.  He was surprised, and grateful.  When i departed, my heart was filled with love and warmth.   At that moment, i was already contented with the result.  But that was only the beginning.  When i arrived the entrance of the symphony hall, a middle-age lady sensed that i was looking for ticket, approached me and gave me a complimentary ticket!  Not only that, when i get inside the concert hall, i was told that the seat is on the first row.  I watched the piano soloist perform right in front of me that evening.  I was ecstatic!

Indeed it is true.  When we give, it comes back to us ten folded and hundred folded. Confucius was right, those virtuous are not alone!

0 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Confucianism, Online Class, Spiritual Cultivation /by Derek
  • Dao De Jing 55 – Those rich in virtue are like baby

Dao De Jing 55 – Those rich in virtue are like baby

06/19/2012
06/19/2012

Those well established in Virtue, are like babies.

Bees and snakes won’t bite, fierce animals won’t claw, and large birds won’t hunt.

-> when the body and mind are purified into peace and non-self, negativity are melt into divine love and peace.

(Their) bones and ligaments are soft but when they hold their fists are tight.

They don’t have sexual desire but their sexual organs often harden, as their bodily essence remains full.

-> When the spirit (what underneath-beyond the mind) is at peace, mind is clear and body is healthy.

They cry all day but their voices won’t soar, as they stay harmonized at all time.

-> watch baby cry, they cry with their whole body, not over push nor suppress.  When they get tired, they rest and go to sleep.

* * *

Those who know harmony is normal, those who know normal is bright.

-> Do we value harmony? The Chinese does. Harmony in our body, in our self, with others, in the world.  When we value harmony and see it as normal, we are wise.

Those who have excess desire brings hazard, those who let their desires to use their energy is to show off.

-> note the word “excess”, Laozi does negate desire as a human condition, just not indulge in them.  When we indulge in them, we are enslaved and not free.

Things when get too strong will get old, are against the Dao, and will soon disappear.

-> cycle of life, inevitability of change.. When we try to hold on to something temporary, we are not flowing with the Dao and bringing to ourselves sufferings.

* * *

Chapter 55 Discussion:

This Chapter Laozi describes the tangible benefits of living in the Dao: One’s body is healthy, energy is abundant, in harmony in oneself and with the world, and is filled with and protected by love and peace.  Why?  Because harmony is what all originally is, is normal.  We just failed to see it when we are entangled in our self and its various desires.  When we let go of our attachments (including aversions) of and to our self, we become more free, and more able to see harmony in the world.

Bilingual version of Ch55: https://www.lisiming.net/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj55-79/

5 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Daoism, Online Class /by Derek
  • Dao De Jing 51 – Dao as source of manifestation, reason for its great virtue,

Dao De Jing 51 – Dao as source of manifestation, reason for its great virtue

06/05/2012
06/05/2012

Dao gives birth, De (virtue) nurtures, materials materialize, environment shapes.

-> The process of manifestion: 1) birth, 2) nurture, 3)form, 4)materiallze

Therefore things pay reverence to Dao and value De.

-> as they are the source and on-going reality of all things

The reason why Dao is reverenced, and Virtue is valued, is because they allow things to manifest and grow according to their own essence.

-> vs. we like to interfere and manipulate our creations with our agendas, bias, and attachments.

Therefore Dao gives birth, Virtue nurtures; grows it and raises it; matures it and ripens it; nurtures it and protects it.

-> Dao and De everlastingly give birth and nuture all things.  Together represents and ongoing creation and evolution of all.

(Dao) gives birth but does not own, acts but does not claim credit, grows but does not kill, this is the great virtue.

-> As the ongoing source and totality of all, the Dao does not own or manipulate anything.  Even life and death are seen as life in different forms (e.g. plants in different seasons).  No dying or killing is therefore possible, such is Daoist look of the world.

* * *

Chapter 51 discussion:

We like owning things, claiming credits and manipulating things.  When we do so, the self is engaged, and we align with the temporary and limited.

The Dao does not own things, does not claim credit, and do not manipulate things.  When we follow it, the self is transcended, and we align with the everlasting and unlimited.

Bilingual version of Ch51: https://www.lisiming.net/ddj34-52/

0 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Daoism, Online Class /by Derek

Dao De Jing 41 – Different man hear the Dao, descriptions of the Dao

05/15/2012
05/15/2012

Upper men hear the Dao, act on it diligently;

-> what happen upon Dao realization? One becomes a vehicle of it and serve diligently. (see last post how Dao runs in those humble)

Middle men hear the Dao, half believe in it;

-> one needs more observation, evidence, experiment, experience, or realization.

Lower men hear the Dao, laugh at it.

-> one says “you are telling me that my perception is not the reality? you must be crazy!”

If not being laughed at it doesn’t worth to be the Dao.

-> if Dao can be spoken, understood, reasoned, it is not the ultimate Dao.

* * *

Therefore there are sayings: obvious path looks obscure;

-> life goes on despite of the self is obvious, but not realized by the public;

Proceeding path looks like retreating;

-> when proceed with the Dao, the self is perceived as retreating.

Flat path looks unflat;

-> towards ultimate peace, one needs to go through bumps and pains in surrendering attachments of and to the self.

High virtue is like low valley; cleanest appears dirty; great virtue appears not sufficient;

vigorous virtue appears lazy; quality material appears hollow;

-> qualities of pure virtue

The most upright does not have corners; great vehicle appears in their late years;

-> corners imply a this cornering a that, when one is all, how can there be corners?

Great sound is difficult to hear; great phenomenon is beyond form; Dao is hidden with no name.  Dao gives, and allow for manifestation.

-> Qualities of Dao

* * *

Chapter 41 Discussion:

When the self is transcended, Dao takes care of one’s life; when self is being studied and practiced, sometime it dominates, while other times it is subdued; when the self is proclaimed authorship, teachings of non-self is laughed at as non-sense and radicule.

When one has not set the intention to the Dao or to ultimate reality, don’t share teachings of such to them, or you may be laughed at!  Keep the teachings to your self, live it, share it only when people ask for it.

Bilingual version of Ch41: https://www.lisiming.net/ddj34-52/

3 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Daoism, Online Class /by Derek
  • Dao De Jing- virtue - 上德不德

Dao De Jing 38 – High virtue does not necessarily appear virtuous

05/01/2012
05/01/2012

Dao De Jing Chapter 38 Discussion: Virtue

What do you think when hear about the term virtue?  kindness, lovingness, flower, incense, and music?  Yes, but not limited to them.  Laozi describes high virtue is like that of heaven and earth, that virtue supports all lives without anyone purposely acting, they just run according to the universal rhythm, and is always precise and perfect.   While man-made rules, manners, morality, and even kindness is beneficial to a large extent, they are subjected to the limitation of form and self.   Pure virtue, of the Dao, represents the essence of all virtues, beyond all limitation and bias, therefore is the highest form of virtue we can align to.

High virtue does not appear virtuous, therefore is virtuous; Low virtue attached to virtue, therefore is not virtuous.

-> Heaven and earth do not talk about justice, they are merely just.  Human talks and defines virtue, and therefore is limited to forms and collective bias and limits.

High virtue acts but does not perceive himself acting; Low virtue acts and perceives himself acting.

-> The universe is just what is, without the need for acting and taking credit.  The self perceives himself acting and therefore is unnatural to the natural universe..

* * *

High benevolence acts but does not perceive himself acting;

High courteous acts and perceive himself acting.

High manner acts and if not responded, force others to follow.

-> 3 levels of virtue, from natural, to acting, to forcing.

* * *

Therefore when one departs from the Dao he become virtuous,

-> When Dao is not aligned, there arise the differentiation of good and bad, and the limitation of the concept of virtue.

when he departs from virtue he become benevolence,

-> When virtue is not aligned, there is a need to call for kindness/benevolence.

when he departs from benevolence he become righteous,

-> When people are not kind, we need to teach them what is right and what is wrong.

when he departs from righteousness he become courteous.

-> When people don’t know what is right and what is wrong, we need to create rules and manners to guide people.

Courtesy therefore, represents lack of real trustworthy qualities within, and is the beginning of chaos.

-> When we fixated ourselves to rules and manners without the underlying intention, the essence is lost.

Those who claim to know, departs from the inside and stays with the surface, is the beginning of stupidity.

-> Those who claims to know the outsides (rules, manners, righteousness) and disconnected from the inside, are therefore superficial.

* * *

Therefore real man stays with the thick (virtue), and stays away from the thin (virtue);

he stays with the essence, and stays away from the form.

He therefore lets go of the form and stays with the essence (of the Dao).

-> Real man see through the outer manifestation of virtue, and align with the essence, which is an inherent quality of the Dao.

* * *

Bilingual version of Ch38: https://www.lisiming.net/ddj34-52/

3 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Daoism, Online Class /by Derek
  • pure virtue is like water

Dao De Jing 8 – Dao is like water

01/24/2012
01/24/2012

The highest virtue is like that of water.

Water benefits everything and does not fight, it positions itself at place everyone dislike, and therefore is close to the Dao.

-> As we already discussed, the Dao is everywhere, impartial, and limitless.  It represents the source and context of all, and therefore allows for and benefits all thing.  Look at water, it consists of 70% of our physical body and exists in different forms in every parts of the planet. There is no fighting in water (it does not struggle), it merely is what it is.

It is excellent at: positioning itself, rooting its mind, giving out benevolence, maintaining its integrity, governing things, manifesting its abilities, and moving at the appropriate time.

-> Here Laozi describes what water is like, and what happens when one align with the Dao: One finds the right place to abode, knows ones root (of the mind), gives out right benevolence,  accomplishes what one said, manages affairs properly, manifests one’s ability perfectly, and moves at the right time.

It does not fight with/for anything, and therefore draw no grudge.

-> As one flows with the natural rhythm of the universe, of the Dao, there is peace within; no matter what the external conditions are, even in mist of wars and conficts, there is peace. Such is the teaching of the Sutra of Everlasting Peace – Qingjingjing.

* * *

Chapter 8 Discussion:

Virtue is the common value advocated by all religions and spiritual disciplines. What is the purest Virtue that we can seek and become? Instead of religious and moralistic right and wrong, Laozi describes the highest Virtue is like that of water. Seek the virtue that embraces and allows for all, even to the lowest, darkness, and beyond all men-defined preferences. When we align ourselves with this natural rhythm of the universe, we flow perfectly in the world, and is at peace no matter what happens in the phenomenal world.

DDJ Chapter 8 bilingual text: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj1-8/

7 Comments/in Chinese Philosophy, Daoism, Online Class, Spiritual Cultivation /by Derek

Confucius – Founder of Confucianism

12/01/2011
12/01/2011

Confucius Analects is a collection of dialogues between Confucius and his students. It is the core scripture of confucianism, which hugely affect the Chinese civilization for thousands of years and up to the present. In this core scripture, Confucius and his students discussed the importance of Virtue (Kindness, benevolence), Propriety (commonly accepted standards in society) in establishing one’s life, as well as shaping a harmonious society. Below are excerpts that outline teachings relevant to personal development and on wisdom living in the world. They provide invaluable insights on how to position oneself in the world, and how to interact with others, and how to live one life in fulfilling one’s mission and responsibility. These teachings lay important foundation for personal development as well as for spiritual cultivation.

https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/confucius/

0 Comments/in Confucianism /by Derek

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