Tao Te Ching, 46

There is no calamity greater than lavish desires.

There is no greater guilt than discontentment.

And there is no greater disaster than greed. (Tao Te Ching, 46)

Today, I would try to interpret this cannon from the topic "Harmfulness of Knowledge and Desire".

Throughout the cannon, it can be drawn out that negativity will bring chaos in one mans life. This is to say that when a man lives in a life full of bad thinking and bad quality, the result that he will get will also be bad. The saying "Do not do unto others what you do not want them to do unto you" supports this cannon in the sense that if someone has done something wrong to others, then it will be the same thing that will be done unto him. If someone wanted to be treated kindly, then it will also be the same way he treats the other people. It is like a reward and punishment scheme wherein one is rewarded for everything good he has done and punished if its the other way.

From "Doing what you expected or wanted", the cannon is also saying that negativity brings in so much from what the person had done. Whatever bad thing he planted, he will reap off something even bigger that is why it is stated "...there is no greater disaster than greed". Greed is a negative principle that one has to avoid for a man who lives in greed is someone who prioritizes worldly things than virtues. In Confucian Philosophy, virtues are more important than other worldly things and living in greed, which is worldly, is not a good kind of living. Given that greed is a negative attitude, its product will also be negative. The saying "Give and you will get a hundredfold return" only proves that whatever is sown, its product will be much more. Since negativity is the seed planted, then it is expected that something negative will also be sought and like a tree that bears many fruits, the act or thinking will also bear a lot of negativity.

In conclusion, the cannon is saying that negativity brings chaos in one mans life. If he is living in it, then it will also be the same thing that goes back to him and it will be even greater. No man wanted all bad things to happen unto him and so the above mentioned negatives are the greatest chaos that would happen in him.

Tao Te Ching, 38

Only when Tao is lost does the doctrine of virtue arise.

Only when virtue is lost does the doctrine of humanity arise.

Only when humanity is lost does the doctrine of righteousness arise.

Only when righteousness is lost does the doctrine of propriety arise.

Now, propriety is superficial expression of loyalty and faithfulness, and the beginning of disorder. (Tao Te Ching, 38)

Today, I will try to interpret this canon from The Tao Te Ching.

After reading the canon, one can easily see that a person only realizes that right things or right virtues only comes when he has lost them. In this teaching, it is said that when one had lost the Tao or the Way, the doctrine of virtue arise. It means that when one has lost the Way, he then realizes about the virtues he had and the same thing goes to the other teachings mentioned above.When one has realized this, then he should also know that this is a test for him. This is to test him of how far he had gone in following the way.The test is meant for him to measure his loyalty and faithfulness on following the Way. Since there is this "confused mind" of either following the Way or not, disorder comes in a way that he is making new things that he was not used to. This disorder may be with in the self, knowing what he really wants, and with others, how he handle peers.

The canon is telling the man that following the Way is not an easy task. He has to face challenges that would measure his loyalty to the path he has been taking. When he lets the challenges affect him, he will be confused on the path he took and might eventually lost it. When he changes himself, that change would be good for a number of days because he will eventually realize who and what he really is. In trying to change his self, disorder starts to arise and will only be gone if he finds his real self. It is only when he finds his real self that he starts to realize the virtues and see that what made him confuse was only a challenge to test his loyalty.

Achieving Social Harmony

Social harmony is one of the goals of Confucius. It is the unity between all the people of a certain state or community. In achieving this social harmony, Confucius laid down the steps in educating the self towards the goal. 

First, achieving social harmony can be a big responsibility and so Confucius says that each person must first attain harmony in a small group. This small group, moreover, is identified by Confucius as the family. The family is the basic community in which one can attain social harmony. It is in the family that the person creates and develops the right kind of virtues needed for him to carry a big responsibility sooner. It is in the family that a person learns how to act properly in accordance to the virtues. To be a good person outside of the family can be attained if the person learns and shows how to be good within the family. To be a good family man can be an indication that the person has really created and developed in him the virtues that a good states man must have.

The second step is the extension of the first step. Social harmony can be acquired through the partnership of the government and the people. The government cannot bring in harmony in the state without the help of the people and vice versa. The two must must help each other. With this, Confucius is saying that the state is the extension of the family. What the person has created and developed in the family is broaden in the state. If the family man is to be a states man, he is to protect the welfare of the state. He is to take care of the health and relationship of the people just like what he has been doing as a family man. The virtues demanded of the family to a person is the same as in the state but it requires much in terms of value as it is also imposes a higher responsibility.

The third step in achieving social harmony concerns more on how the states man or the government official runs the state. Confucius said that the government official must run the state not by the use of law or force, as it only makes the state unstable and the people jealous which will eventually end up in chaos, but  a government which is run by virtues. Doing what is good and proper. The leader must set as a role model for the people to work. The leader must inspire people to also help in achieving social harmony.

The last step in achieving social harmony is creating a change in the state. This is to say that with the influence of the leader, the people, as a family, worked together and created a change or shift in the state. They made the social harmony achievable. 

All these steps contribute to the unity of the people which helps them be closer to the goal or ideal state for Confucius which is a state with social harmony. 

Synthesis Paper 1.D

What is Philosophy as demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy by Confucius in the way he lays out of the steps of self-cultivation?

The Philosophy as demonstrated by Confucius is something that deals with ethics or morality. Confucius is focusing on cultivating a person to be morally principled all throughout the persons life. If the person is with morality, he will then know what is good and bad, so he will be well guided in knowing what to do when certain situations confront him.

Morality is the quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct or a system of ideas that fall into those same categories (i). Meaning a person with morality is perceived to be a man who is good and this quality is what Confucius wanted to have in every person to be able to achieve unity within the society.

The unity in the society can only happen if the people are working together. The people cannot work together if they are against morality or goodness. If a person is against goodness, then he will not work with the group because he has a better agenda that is meant for the self. Goodness is not meant for the self only but also for the others. Therefore, morality has to develop in the self first. The development of the sense of goodness in a person can only happen if he is open to be good. He must first know what he aims to be and sticks his mind to be it. A man who aims to be ethical should develop the habit of being ethical. This is to say that he must form a habit of being good and stick to it. The habit of being good, however doesn't just apply to your actions but also to your thoughts.  The actions and thought must coincide with one another to practice being good both in actions and in though. The two must also be done even if no one is watching. The goodness that a person has doesn't apply to selected days but a person must be consistent upon the thinking and acting of goodness.

To be a man of morality needs constant acting and thinking of goodness. Confucius Philosophy deals with ethics or morality. It is what is perceived to be good. For me, Confucius wanted a person to be morally principled to be able to distinguish what is right and wrong. Then to be able to follow what is morally good. When one has chosen goodness, it will be easier for him to help in the society because his thinking is for the betterment of their state. When his thinking will be the same as the others then it would really bring unity to the people which will be a tool to achieve something greater.


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Source:
(i) http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/definition-of-morality-faq.htm

Analects 12:19

Chi K’ang Tzu asked Confucius about government, saying, “What do you think of killing the wicked and associating with the good?”  Confucius replied, “In your government what is the need of killing?  If you desire what is good, the people will be good.  The character of a ruler is like a wind and that of the people is like grass.  In whatever direction the wind blows, the grass always bends.”  [Analects 12:19]


Today, I will try to interpret the above analect which is part of "The Chun Tzu as Philosopher-King" in Achieving Social Harmony.

If a person is to be Chun Tzu or a noble man, even if he do not proclaim it, the people will know. His actions and words will be enough to testify his greatness. In relation to governing a state, Confucius says that, although implicitly, a leader must be a little or be like a noble man. He must be embody in him the values of a noble man. In this way, a leader could be effective in governing his people for the values speaks of goodness. When a person becomes a noble man, he is showing pure intentions. His actions will justify what he is saying. According to the above analect, if the leader is to be good, then it will influence his people to be good. The people will act in a good way since they saw that their leader was sincere in what he commands. They will see how dedicated he is in bringing the whole state to greatness. The good character of the leader will be reflected to his people and they will obey him. In the past blog, there I said that a leader, for Confucius, should not take in force to gain obedience and respect from the people as it would only bring the opposite. In here, it is stressed that violence is not the key to social harmony. Violence is not the right tool to discipline as it disruots social harmony and creates chaos. The non-violent act which is the act of goodness and pure intentions is more closer to bring social harmony as it promotes harmony in the self and the others. Whatever a person does will reflect on his actions and when the actions are of pure acts, then people would believe in him. If the person will continue standing up for his words, then he will gain obedience from them. In this way, social harmony is slowly achieved.

Analects 12:7

Tzu-kung asked about government.  Confucius said, “Sufficient food, sufficient armament, and sufficient confidence of the people.”  Tzu-kung said, “Forced to give up one of these, which would you abandon first?”  Confucius said, “I would abandon armament.”  Tzu-kung said, “Forced to give up one of the remaining two, which would you abandon first?”  Confucius said, “I would abandon food.  There have been deaths from time immemorial, but no state can exist without the confidence of the people.”  [Analects 12:7]

Today, I would try to interpret the above analect from the topic "Regulation by Virtue, no Law or Force" in Achieving Social Harmony.

From the title of the topic itself, "... no law or force" Confucius' way of governing is not through violence. He wanted for leaders to rule with the use of virtues, something that demands the people to obey him without the use of proper manners. He wanted to promote peace and order in a way that no one is being harassed in any way be it physically, mentally, emotionally, economically, etc. For Confucius, the way to good governance is through non-violent acts. Using of force to earn the approval of the people will give no good. This would only disrupt the social harmony.

In the above analect, Confucius points out that wealth and power is not the most important part in the government. It is the confidence of the people. The confidence of the people is the trust and respect for each other and for the leaders which results in an optimistic kind of view. This lets them be unified despite the battles they are facing. The lack of food and armament cannot fully bring the society or state down. Yes, it will bring chaos but the most important thing that should not be lost or lacking is the people. Through the battles, their would be deaths but it does not tore down everything. According to Confucius, a state cannot stand without its people because accomplishments in the state is best done if there are more people who will act upon it. "Two heads are better than one" according to the saying. Better results are sought if the people are working together. If there are no people acting, little achievements can be seen.

In a state, the confidence of the people is important to bring the state to its highest possible position. Without them, improvements can be so slow. The confidence of the people starts with the right treatment of the leader/s. The confidence of the people can only be gained when the leader is not imposing something through the use of force. Right manners, and rules of propriety must be observed. The positive connection between the people and the leader/s brings or strengthens the social harmony that Confucius was seeking. The two bodies of the state should be in agreement to have a unified body and ways of governing.

The Great Learning, Chapter 10

The Book of Odes says, “How much the people rejoice in their prince, a parent of the people!”  He likes what the people like and dislikes what the people dislike.  This is what is meant by being a parent of the people.  [The Great Learning, chap. 10]


Today, I decided to try to interpret the above excerpt from the book The Great Learning which is from the topic "The State as a Big Family" in Achieving Social Harmony.

The above analect is trying to say that a state must be like a family. That a person must treat everyone as someone whom he can rely on. Someone who will always be there when he needed someone. They should help and support each other to let each one grow in any ways. The father in this family is the prince since he is the head of the state. As a father, the prince will act as the head of the family. He is always there to provide the needs of his people. He makes sure that he will be able to please them and correct the necessary wrong doings. He fights for his family and makes sure that he treats everyone fairly to ensure the bond and tie that keeps them together. The line "he dislikes what the people dislike" means that he makes sure that he keeps all his people away from danger. He makes sure that they are always safe. Another thing is that this means that he listens to his people. He patiently talks to them and listen to their opinions. He does not make decisions all by himself. The people also get a part on the conversations concerning state matters.

"This is what is meant by being a parent of the people". The prince as the father does not act alone, he is with his children. All together, they settle things. The prince does not separate himself from his people, instead he lives with them to get closer to them, to keep the bond in the relationship, to make their state a more unified and solid state.