Wen | Yan Xiao'er to write a philosophical text
When we act in an "impulsive" or "irrational" situation, our "friends" around us may say "think twice" to us. However, the "three thoughts" in Confucian thought are not just to make people not anxious, and the connotation of "three thoughts for gentlemen" emphasized by Confucian Xunzi is worth further exploration.
We know that "three thoughts" is to warn us to be cautious in doing things, when the word "gentleman" is added before "three thoughts", its meaning is far more than the simple connotation of "more reflection, more planning, more consideration, and no impulse", which actually contains the Confucian sages' advice on a person's self-cultivation at different times, which is a kind of wisdom in dealing with the world. This kind of wisdom in the world is simply to have foresight when you are young, to be comprehensive in old age, and to know how to give alms when you are rich.
Below, we will start from the Confucian Xunzi's discussion of "three thoughts" to talk specifically about "gentlemen's three thoughts".
1. Xun Zi's "Gentleman has to think twice"
Speaking of Confucianism, everyone's first reaction may be Confucius, Mencius, although the Confucian Xunzi is not as famous as Confucius and Mengzi, but as an old gentleman of the Jixia Xuegong, he is indeed a talent, and his ideological views have also benefited future generations endlessly, of which "gentlemen have three thoughts" is very thought-provoking.
About "Gentlemen have to think twice", in "Xunzi. There is a relatively comprehensive record in the Dhamma, which says:
Confucius said: "A gentleman has three thoughts and must not think: less and not to learn, long and incompetent; old and not to teach, dead without thinking; there is no giving, and there is no poverty and nothingness." It is therefore the gentleman who thinks less and thinks about the long, then learns; if the old thinks of death, he teaches; if he thinks of the poor, he gives also. ”
Xun Zi is here to borrow confucius to tell the world that a gentleman has three things that must be considered: the first thing is to consider the future development when he is young, so young people must study well; the second thing is that when people are old, they must pay attention to the impact of their words and deeds on future generations and educate the next generation; the third thing is that when they are rich, they must know how to give alms and be willing to help the poor.
From this, we can know that although Xunzi's "gentleman's three thoughts" here are few words, they almost run through people's lives.
First of all, everyone has a young time, there is a time when their life is at the end, when they are young, we must focus on future development, and when we run out of oil, we must know how to use the "afterglow" to show the way back for future generations.
Secondly, people's lives are either rich or scarce, if each of us knows how to give alms when we are rich, at this time, the poor people may be able to get out of the predicament faster, and then help more people, under the transmission of goodwill, when we need help, we may be able to get the help of others. This is actually a "goodwill closed loop".
2, Xunzi's "three thoughts", you are expensive in the "gentleman"
In fact, the valuable point of Xunzi's "three thoughts" here lies in the word "gentleman". Xunzi's "gentleman has three thoughts" here, and the "three thoughts" here belong to "must not think", which is actually the character that Xunzi must have when talking about "gentlemen".
Friends who have some understanding of Confucianism should know that "gentleman" is almost the ideal personality of Confucianism, and countless literati and scholars, including Confucius himself, have pursued the "gentleman's way" all their lives and look forward to achieving their own "gentleman's character".
Confucius once summed up the virtue of a gentleman with a high degree of condensation of "benevolence", and Mencius also showed the characteristics of the virtue of a gentleman from many aspects, here, Xunzi is a pun on the phrase "three thoughts", on the one hand, he shows the characteristics of the virtue of a gentleman, on the other hand, he uses the "virtue of a gentleman" as a banner to warn the world that the focus of cultivation and cultivation at different stages of life should be changed, and when it is appropriate, it is appropriate to act in order to seek benevolence and benevolence, and to become an adult.
3. Xun Zi's "Gentleman's Three Thoughts" gives us inspiration
Next, let's take a look at the inspiration that Xunzi's "Gentleman's Three Thoughts" bring to us today.
First of all, we must have a clear positioning of ourselves. When we should "aspire to learn", when we should pay attention to cultivating future generations, and when we can help or even help others, all of which require us to have an objective and sober positioning of ourselves. If the positioning is not clear, either "young and old", or "swollen face and fat", light is "top-heavy", heavy is "laughing generously". Many times, "judgment" is indeed an ability to determine the watershed between man and man.
Second, young people should cultivate their own planning skills and have a long-term vision. Youth is the age of accumulation, and the gentleman in Xunzi's eyes will definitely think about the path he wants to take when he is young, and understand what kind of ability he needs to cultivate and what he needs to learn. Sometimes, the "strength" that makes us "ignore the starting line" gap lies in the rational and long-term planning and thinking when we are young.
Finally, it is a duty for the elderly to set a good example for the younger generations, and it is also the wisdom of adults to become themselves. The elderly mean the accumulation of life experience and life wisdom, experience can not be inherited, but wisdom can continue, and to let young people continue their wisdom, then the prestige and influence of the elderly under the "personal brand" is very important. In other words, the elders pay attention to setting an example for the young, first, to benefit future generations and pass on wisdom, and second, when the young people who are well influenced by themselves can also get the "joy of the world" when the crow feeds back. You can think about whether this is the case.
Yan Xiao'er said all this, hoping to bring some inspiration to you, if you are touched, you can share the article to the people you cherish, pass on the wisdom of the sages.
[This article is Yan Xiao'er's original and exclusive release of zhewen, any infringement such as porting, plagiarism, etc., which must be investigated if found]