“What is bestowed by heaven is called human nature. The fulfillment of human nature is called the Tao. The cultivation of the Tao is called true learning.”
If we are all heaven gives us human nature and human nature is supposed to be so great, then why is there so much bad in the world? It seems so contradictory to tell people to just act with their true nature and they will find the way to God. I think that for a lot of people it can be hard to do the right thing at times. I guess it just seems like if something is natural to you and good then it shouldn’t be so hard for society to be in harmony. Yet as much as people tell us that we are inherently good, etc. we still have wars and say mean things at times. I think that people are inherently good, but at the same time why is it so hard to act good?
Nothing is more manifest than the hidden; nothing is more obvious than the unseen.”
It can be so difficult for me to read this kind of stuff. What on earth are they trying to say? That things are infinite and interconnected? I don’t know but whatever is being said is over my head. It can be such a headache to read this type of contradictory stuff.
“The mature person accepts his situation and doesn’t desire anything outside it…”
I can see from this quote where people get the attitude of religion brainwashing people. Here the author is telling people to be happy with their lot in life regardless of whether they are rich, poor, or a barbarian. It doesn’t even seem to encourage that they should try to better themselves. By saying that “if he is among barbarians, he acts as a barbarian should ” it suggests one should just sort of go with the flow and accept whatever life gives you. I think that one needs to appreciate life and all that one has been given, but I don’t know if the whole go with the flow attitude here is the best attitude to have.
2 comments:
""Nothing is more manifest than the hidden; nothing is more obvious than the unseen.”
It can be so difficult for me to read this kind of stuff. What on earth are they trying to say? That things are infinite and interconnected? I don’t know but whatever is being said is over my head. It can be such a headache to read this type of contradictory stuff."
I had the exact same feeling while reading most of these writings. The way everything contradicts everything else made it very hard for me to sort out what the real message is; hidden in all the text.
I think the over all message given is that one should stay in their social position, be happy, and not try to change that unless that person wants to lower their chance of being successful at learning the truth in life. It reminds me of a dictatorship. Everything is good until you question the authority. Then you damned to hell, or death. After all Confucianism is popular among many Chinese and is embed in politics. It gives the followers clear guidelines on how to govern people and shows how to treat them. Given the time frame perhaps the reason for the confusing message is so that only those with money, who are educated, can read it and then manage those who are poor and illiterate.
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