Monogatari:
Benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and faith are the beliefs of Chinese.
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Some people say that Chinese have no faith.
But what is faith? It is nothing more than a philosophy that guides us to behave as human beings and settle down. Just like the Confucian culture that has lasted for thousands of years in China, it has long been engraved in the bones of Chinese and influenced generations of people.
In particular, the five permanences of Confucianism, "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith," remind us how to get along with others and be at home with the world. The three provinces and my body have also become the highest expectation of the Chinese people for themselves.
Constant, meaning guideline. The theory of the Five Constants, which originated from Confucius in the Spring and Autumn Period, was originally only "benevolence, righteousness, and etiquette." Later, Mencius added "wisdom", and in the Western Han Dynasty, Dong Zhongshu put forward the theory of "benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, wisdom, and faith" in the Spring and Autumn Flourishing Dew, which gradually became the principle in the hearts of Chinese, just like faith.
The five confucian constants, in the long years, are like the stars in the sky, guiding countless ancestors, with a degree of progress and retreat, and a way forward.
Today, in this rapidly changing era, it is even more necessary to have a bright light in the heart.
After reading the five constants, perhaps we will know how to live this life well.
Benevolence is the core of the five permanents and its spiritual foundation. Zhu Xi once said: "A hundred acts and thousands of good deeds are always in the five constants, and the five constants are always in benevolence." ”
What is Ren? In the "Explanation of Words", it is said, "Kiss also". Benevolence means to be friendly to people and to be close.
Mencius once said, "The heart of compassion, the end of benevolence." Compassion for others, that ability to empathize, is the beginning of benevolence.
It is said that the Song Dynasty Emperor Zhao Zhen once ate in the palace, suddenly ate sand, felt a toothache, and quickly vomited out. But he did not forget to tell the palace maid: "Don't say that I have eaten sand." ”
Even if he is affected, in the face of the faults of the next person, his first reaction is not to blame others, but to understand the difficulties of others, which is his benevolence. Therefore, after his death, he was given the title of Emperor Renzong.
Benevolence is the highest and most universal moral standard. Perhaps, some people will say that this is not a little difficult?
Actually, it's not that complicated. Benevolent, lover also. But in life, don't just think about yourself, think more empathy.
"The heart of shame (wù), the end of righteousness." Righteousness is the disposition and explicit label of the five constants.
The Zhou Yi has clouds: "The way of establishing heaven, known as yin and yang; the way of standing on the ground, known as soft and rigid; the way of establishing people, known as benevolence and righteousness." In the Confucian view, benevolence and righteousness are inseparable.
Mencius referred to "benevolence" as not bullying the weak, and is a derivative of "benevolence". "Righteousness" is an emotional fluctuation made on the basis of benevolence, and it is issued in accordance with justice. Righteousness also expresses an attitude of justice, which corresponds to the way of righteousness, not ignoring the rules, but making intransigences out of social responsibility, and restoring the awe-inspiring axioms.
Guan Gong and Liu Bei were separated from Xia Pi and trapped in Cao Ying. After learning of Liu Bei's death, he protected his sister-in-law, passed five levels and beheaded six generals, embarked on the road of finding his brother, and finally reunited in the ancient city. It is the embodiment of "righteousness".
The human characters come out, and with a little more, it is "righteousness." When others are in difficulty, it is righteous to help each other. In the face of interests, adhering to the friendship between people is for "righteousness". No matter how great the difficulties, it is also "perseverance, gold and stone can be skeletonized", which is also "righteousness".
The "righteousness" in the five permanents is the backbone of a person. Righteous people can stand firm in this rapidly changing world, as if they have a sword in their hearts.
"Ritual" is the order of the five constants that follows the heavens. In the Sayings, it is said: "Etiquette, fulfillment, so the gods of things are blessed." "It means the fulfillment of worship activities.
Confucius said, "Self-denial is benevolence." "If benevolence is the inner spirit, the ritual is the outward manifestation, which is like the Dharma, reminding us of what to do and what not to do. It is also the benevolent heart that produces the rules of generosity that can support the stability and prosperity of society.
During the Warring States period, the famous general Lian Po of the Zhao State disobeyed the chancellor Lin Xiangru and always wanted to humiliate him. Lin Xiangru learned that he always avoided it, and even took a detour.
His subordinates were puzzled, and he explained that the reason why the Qin state did not dare to invade Zhao was because of himself and General Lian, how could he fight with two tigers and others sit on the fishing? Therefore, to make it incorruptible is for the sake of the country.
Lian quite heard it, was greatly moved, and bore the sin of Jingjing, and spread it as a good story.
It is precisely because of Lin Xiang's courtesy that we have mutual understanding and open-mindedness, and we have stabilized the national society with great righteousness. Just like a tree shaking another tree, it is imperceptible, it is the invisible power of etiquette.
Liturgists, show people to qu also. Be courteous, be measured, do things without being humble, and express themselves in the appropriate range. Well-founded, humble and courteous.
"Wisdom" is the speculative synthesis of the five constants and the wisdom of the dao.
Wisdom, the upper half of which is "knowledge", refers to knowledge, and also has the meaning of "targeted". The second half is "day", which refers to the sun, which means that living knowledge is wisdom, and there is the meaning of a gentleman's words.
At that time, Confucius was in the countryside, did not like to talk, and gave people a feeling of gentleness and humility. However, when it came to the worship of the temple and the discussion of the government, he was able to answer the question like a stream, quite insightful.
This is his wisdom: "You may speak with words and not with them, and you will lose people; you cannot speak with words and words, and you will not lose words." He who knows does not lose his word, nor does he lose his word. "But not speaking to others is a loss, and not speaking to others is a gaffe." The true wise man does not lose man or his word.
Wisdom is not only to understand the way of heaven and earth, to understand the laws of all things, but also to understand the principles of the world. It allows us to distinguish between good and evil, otherwise righteousness and propriety cannot be fulfilled.
In life, the best judgment must be made by the wisdom of the Dao, not the cleverness of a momentary interest. But the acquisition of wisdom is never an overnight thing, only to practice kung fu day by day and to improve in a complicated world. Set the strengths of each family, gradually reveal the essence of the essence.
"Faith" is the philosophy and implementation standard of the five permanents.
Believers, people speak. The Analects say, "Faith is close to righteousness, and words can be repeated." This means that trustworthiness is moral.
Confucius had "a gentleman's chastity without forgiveness", and "chastity" is the right way of faith, the great faith in heaven and earth. "Forgiveness" refers to believing for the sake of faith, regardless of right from wrong, and is a small letter without principles.
In the Spring and Autumn Period, Bai Lixi, the "first minister of the Qin Kingdom", bid farewell to his wife and children when he was young, and fled all the way to the Qin Kingdom. However, when he returned to pick up his wife and children, there was no one at home. Soldiers are in chaos, and there is no way to find them.
Many years later, at the banquet of the Xiang mansion, an old woman sang a song, and the sentence was the scene of the parting of that year. He fixed his eyes on it, why not his wife Du Shi? Once Fanghua zhengmao, now both of them have two sideburns, forty years have passed, they have never given up on each other, they have kept their original promise: no matter honor or disgrace, there is no second heart.
Faith is a promise you give to others, and the essence is the belief that you have to adhere to.
"Man has no faith." In this era, it is rare to uphold the faith and adhere to the credit. Especially in the face of temptation, how to keep the inner "faith". Be down-to-earth, believe in the fruits of your hard work, and there will be a trustworthy account in life.
The Five Constants of Confucianism, "benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, wisdom, and faith", have built up a value system of Chinese.
However, even if the five permanents can be practiced, they still need to follow certain strategies. A gentleman is chaste but not forgiving, and he needs to use great wisdom to reconcile these virtues and norms, and he must not blindly follow the rules and stick to the rules.
This requires the middle way.
Many people today think that moderation is mediocrity and lack of opinion. In fact, that is a big misunderstanding.
"Medium" is appropriate and appropriate. "Mediocrity" is a need, a demand. "Moderation" is "proper need." The truly moderate person is neither humble nor extravagant, and "he" is the same as the light and the dust, thick and thin.
The five perpetualities of Confucianism, "benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, wisdom, and faith", are structured by moderation and harmony, and they are each other's appearances, each with its own advantages, allowing us to achieve a beautiful and delicate dynamic balance in the repetition of life, which is the fundamental principle of rationalization of interpersonal relations in contemporary society.
If you understand the five constants, you may understand life. Because of the wisdom it contains, it is broad and profound, and it is worth constantly pondering and tasting in this life, and always have new feelings.
Wu Chang is the leader of Chinese culture condensed, the supreme spirit of the Confucian system, the realm of enjoying the natural Taoist system, expressing the humanistic idea of the unity of heaven and man, "Zhuangzi" has a record, Zhongni said: "There are people, heaven also; there is heaven, also heaven also." ”
Whether it is the metaphysical society of emotion and wisdom, or the natural system formed by all things, it adheres to the philosophical speculation of interconnection to achieve natural harmony. Life in nature, inheriting the qi of the world, in the continuous development, in the soul, the birth of the five constants.