Human Nature & Discernment · Relationships & Character
Relationships & Character · Human Nature & Discernment
14 reflections
《Human Nature and Sharing with the World》 From understanding human nature to aspiring to goodness, how can I pass my accumulation to more people?
Evil is in the flesh
Good intentions are in the soul
The heart and soul’s goodness cannot defeat the flesh’s evil
The two provoke each other
Only thinking and ideas that teach goodness are immortal
More experiences and participation
More transmission and sharing with the world
Though a hundred kalpas pass, deeds do not perish. When causes and conditions meet, one receives the karmic result oneself. Zengzi also said: “When a person loves goodness, though blessings have not arrived, calamity is already far away.”
“Heaven gives birth to all things through yang and completes them through yin. Birth is benevolence; completion is righteousness.” Goodness signifies benevolence; establishing signifies righteousness. Benevolence is essence, righteousness appearance. Begin with righteousness as the first stirring of intention, and return to benevolence as the guide to conduct. Cause and effect cycle, following the rule that without breaking there is no establishing, continually preserving, breaking, and establishing. Reach utmost emptiness, maintain profound stillness. All things arise together; I observe their return.
Life’s three immortalities are establishing virtue, achievement, and lasting words; to these I add ambition and action. Ambition is the starting point. Without it, setting out lacks righteousness and nothing can be accomplished. Without ambition comes no action, hence no virtue, achievement, or lasting words. Thus, at the level of my individual self, I aspire to become a planner, investing immense time and energy. Through experience in one business project after another, I bring upon myself every virtue a planner should possess, thereby establishing virtue. Through consulting, planning, and training that support business development, I establish achievement. Following universal values, I share all my consolidated experience and accumulation unreservedly with those who need it, continually producing content and spreading it through the internet, establishing lasting words. This entire process is ambition, action, virtue, achievement, and lasting words, summarized as “Begin by establishing.”
Benevolence is Heaven’s Way. Heaven creates all things: great goodness, kindness toward others, an altruistic heart, following the life values of revering heaven and loving people. One thought arises: myriad rivers and mountains, prosperity through countless ages; one thought ceases: seas become fields, loss through eternity. Good and evil differ by one thought. Good thoughts nourish a good heart, create good causes, enact good conditions, and produce good fruits. Initially, as a creed, use action to discipline nature and rules to govern the heart; ultimately rise to acting through goodness. The awakened awaken themselves, letting rules arise from the heart. This is summarized as “Return to goodness.”
“Begin by establishing, return to goodness”: eight Chinese characters for continual cultivation and contemplation within finite life. Practice lies in seeking, realization in knowing. Practice uses action to discipline nature; realization lets nature guide action. The awakened awaken themselves, letting rules arise from the heart; practitioners follow external discipline, using rules to govern the heart. Continually cultivate the individual self and realize the transcendent self, cycling repeatedly and improving the capacity for realization.
Brush away worldly splendor, illuminate the original heart: limpid purity, light filling the void.
This folder’s contents record insights arising from everyday matters, saved by category. Some came from exchanges and collisions of ideas with friends nearby, some from reflections summarized from books, and some from teachings by masters.
They concern the outside world, labels, genius, time, life goals, reality, regret, and so forth.
《Nobility》 Should a person’s nobility be judged by their outward lifestyle or their inner choices?
What is nobility?
Everyone will say playing the piano, playing ball, appreciating red wine, and so on.
These are actually all appearances.
True nobility lies in nobility of heart.
Nobility of heart means seeing helping others as the greatest joy.
The more a person helps, the nobler they are.
《How to Assess a Person》 When judging someone, do I look at words, results, or long-term companions?
Ordinary people assess people by listening to statements; good and bad are entirely in others’ mouths!
Experts assess results: if the person were not good, how could results be good?
The very finest experts assess the true form: how many energetic companions stand behind them!
《Walking with Wisdom》 After taking others’ perspectives, how can I care for them while also finding ease within myself?
What does walking with wisdom mean?
Some say it means handling things smoothly, following the middle way.
These are appearances; the core behind them is “taking another’s perspective.”
First see yourself as someone else: this is “selflessness”;
Then see someone else as yourself: this is “compassion”;
Then see others as others: this is “wisdom”;
Finally see yourself as yourself: this is “ease.”
Do not worry about others’ judgments, but take good care of the feelings of those around you!
《Deception》 After deception and disappointment, how can I still cherish those worth cherishing?
Experiencing deception is no more than this
Experiencing betrayal is no more than this
Experiencing infidelity is no more than this
Experiencing public judgment is no more than this
Only after suffering can we let go of suffering
Only after attachment can we let go of attachment
Only after concern can we be free of concern
Always keep a pure heart, striving to experience and mature in the mortal world;
Always keep a compassionate heart, striving among all beings to guide people’s growth;
Always keep a grateful heart, striving within heaven and earth to give back to living beings!
When we cherish someone, they must have moved us; when we give someone up, they must have disappointed us.
Only when down and out can we see clearly who pours cold water on us and who offers a heart full of concern. Those who accompany you cannot leave because warmth has created a mutual bond of loyalty; those who understand you do not leave because their care makes them irreplaceable.
Happy people are not actually those who obtained the best things in the world, but those who cherished the people already beside them.
《Showing Off》 Can my personal charm also support the growth of those nearby?
Blossoming that lifts those nearby is blossoming; blossoming that cannot lift them is showing off;
Personal charm that benefits those nearby brings “brothers lifting you up,”
Personal charm that cannot benefit them brings “the brothers’ common enemy”!
《A True Heart》 After being hurt, can I still treat those nearby sincerely?
Two good friends met Death.
Death said, “Only one of you can live. You
will play rock-paper-scissors; the loser dies.” In the end, one lost… The other held his dead friend and said, “Brother, we agreed both to play rock. Why, when I played scissors, did you play paper?”
However often you are hurt or shattered, always keep a pure heart. My love for you has nothing to do with whether you love me!
Abundance of body, mind, and soul needs no deliberate pursuit. Sincerely love those nearby well, and life is red flowers, green grass, and delighted conversation!
《Understand Human Nature, Choose with Measure》 After recognizing desire’s existence, how can I judge what to cultivate and restrain?
Human nature, beautiful or ugly, is reasonable.
Greed, anger, delusion, and the seven deadly sins all arise from desire. Desire exists objectively; what exists is reasonable.
Some things can be developed, others need restraint: this is being human.
What one believes should be developed or restrained constitutes one’s worldview, outlook on life, and values.
《Discerning People》 After relationships pass through concrete events, what have I seen clearly?
Until something happens, you do not know who is near or far.
Until you discern people, you do not know whose feelings are deep or shallow!
Until benefits run out, you do not know who stays or leaves.
Until you are poor, you do not know who is cold or warm!
Until you associate with people, you do not know who is good or bad
《Getting Along with Others》 To get along with someone, have I first understood their needs and difficulties?
To see through human nature, consider the other person’s needs, pain points, and interests. Once understood, you can handle things with ease. Think matters through, say what needs saying, and get along well with people.
《Perspectives on People》 When meeting different people, can I see each person’s strengths?
Seeing the strengths in every kind of person brings you to the level of leadership. The human heart has died, the Buddha’s heart arisen; penetrate human nature and command the whole;
Failing to see strengths in every kind of person brings you to the human level, controlled by external emotions and desires, entering entanglement, pain, and brokenness.
Transcend character judgments to penetrate human nature: no one under heaven cannot be employed;
Unable to transcend character judgments, you enter emotions: no one under heaven can be used by me.
Only seeing through the mortal world lets you bear all beings!
《Human Nature and Character》 Before passing judgment on someone, have I fully understood their needs and circumstances?
Do not lightly define someone’s character. There are no character problems, only understanding problems; no understanding problems, only communication problems. A person consists of one strength and a great pile of flaws. What you see is what they become.
When a boss defines character, they instantly enter the gate of death and cease growing
When a boss defines human nature, they instantly enter the realm of life and continually progress
Those who accomplish great undertakings encounter people who “betray” them along the way. You need not become entangled; simply draw lessons about human nature. Human nature has three needs
First, the need for money
Second, the need for a future
Third, the need for a spiritual world
1. Use distribution to meet people’s need for money
2. Use a great strategic vision and employee advancement to meet people’s need for a future. 3. Use a sense of the sacred to meet people’s need for a spiritual world
Standing in the same “position” makes you “one group”; without the same “position,” you are not “one group.” Those who accomplish great things must free themselves from “personal loyalty,” master “human nature,” grow a compassionate heart, and plead for all beings: if I do not shoulder this, who will? Wholeheartedly help subordinates succeed. However many betrayals, however many times you are shattered, keep this heart unchanged and carry on for twenty years, and you will surely accomplish a great undertaking under heaven.
《See the Whole Person》 When judging someone, what aspects should I consider together?
Look at motives, actions, results, and long-term relationships together when assessing a person.
《Understand Human Nature, Reduce Misjudgment》 How can understanding human nature help us reduce misjudgments and improve cooperation?
Understanding human nature means reducing misjudgment and building more suitable cooperation, not manipulating others.