I love this idea of the "mature person." When something goes wrong it is your own fault and you must look inside yourself for the answer. This is as simple as taking responcibility for your own actions. Like the archer "when he misses the bull's-eye, he turns and seeks the reason for his failure in himself."
Also a matture person "accepts his situation and doesn't desire anything outside it." I love the fact that we should be thankful for what we are given and not be lusting for what we don't have. But I do have a question about this part. It also says "if he is among barbarians, he acts as a barbarian should act." This kind of seems like an excuse to do anything. I mean if your with hitler, does that mean that its ok for the mature person to join in and kill people too? But then it says that " he makes sure that his own conduct is correct and seeks nothing from others." Does that mean that being a barbarian is a correct conduct?
I love the idea that you should not "do to others what you wouldn't want done to you." I believe that this is truely part of the essential teaching that will lead you to obtain this "mature person." This classic rule can be applied to all living things and it truely leads to a person becoming "mature spiritually, emotionally, and ethically."
3 comments:
It looks like you enjoyed what Tzu-Ssu had to say. I definitely did and pretty much relate to what your saying. Good job on bringing up the whole barbarian thing. I completely agree. Sincerity is always the right direction. Have you thought about how the world would be if everyone lived by what Tzu says. Great job look forward to reading the next blog.
Interesting remarks you made about Tzu-Ssu. I also wondered about the "mature person" whose actions in life are according to the group he is with. One thing I am sure of is that Tzu-Ssu did not mean that we should round up all the Jews and put them into ovens just because we are Germans in World War II. Obviously, there were mature and brave people who did not share this ghastly and immature Hitler doctrine, such as Schindler who employed many Jews in his factory or the family who hid Anne Frank in their home.
While these acts are extraordinary, they clearly show that one's innate maturity and sense of values can prevail even in the worst of circumtances.
I like the remark about the bull's eye too. At the end of the day, no matter how much we can blame other people for our actions, they are still our own actions, and we need to take responsibility for them.
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