Words of Wisdom

智者察同，愚者察異 - 黃帝內經素問

The wise focuses (observes and perceives) on what is the same, whereas the unwise on what is different. – Su Wen (Fundamental Question)

Comments:

What is the same is universal truth beyond names and ideas. The awakened sees the truth regardless of appearances. Gender, color, ethnicity, etc. are the appearance, the truth is one human being. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, etc. are the appearance, the truth is the spiritual teaching inherent in all those traditions. Western medicine, Naturopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Chiropractic, etc. are the appearance, the truth is the principle of the body and healing inherent in all medical traditions. When we begin to perceive the same, rather than focusing on the differences, then, tolerance, understanding, appreciation, and compassion will fill in our minds and society.

天下何思何慮, 天下同歸而殊塗, 一致而百慮 - 易經, 繫辭下

What thoughts, what perspectives does the Universe hold? The Universe [lets all] arrive at what is the same (the truth) but the roads [to it were made] different. [It allows all to] reach to the one but [there are] hundreds of perspectives. – Yi Jing (Classic of Changes)

見賢思齊焉, 見不賢而內自省也. - 論語

When you see the virtuous, think like them. When you see the unvirtuous, look inward and reflect upon yourself. - Analects

三人行, 必有我師焉. 擇其善者而從之, 其不善者而改之. - 論語

If there are three people going together, there must have my teacher. Select one who is good and follow that good quality of the person. Select one who is not good and rectify the very quality within you. - Analects

Comments:

Above two statements teach us a practical way to cultivate virtue. Confucius advises us that we can learn from whomever we come in contact under any circumstances as long as we open our minds and focus on improving ourselves, rather than judging others faults. Other sage teaches the same point with different words. “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3)”

不患人之不己知, 患不知人也. - 論語

Do not worry about others not knowing (recognizing and appreciating) you. Worry about you not knowing (recognizing and appreciating) them. - Analects

夫仁者, 己欲立而立人, 己欲達而達人. - 論語

Ones who are benevolent, although desire to be established themselves, seek to help others be established. When they themselves desire to achieve, they seek to help others achieve. - Analects

Comments:

To worry and be anxious about others not recognizing/appreciating you is like a self made prison-hole in our relationship with others. The latter of this Confucius’ teaching is rather a remedy to our tendency to fall into the former. Then, why is it important? Because it is a practical and ever-lasting way of attaining peace and happiness. Why is it so? Because we are all one. Recognizing others is recognizing self, helping others is helping self. Other enlightened sage teaches the same truth:

“Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all” - Mark 9:35

君子求諸己, 小人求諸人. - 論語

Noble persons search it from themselves, whereas ordinary persons search it from others. - Analects

Comments:

In this phrase, “it” can represent a responsibility or blame when situation falls into not a desired state. “It” can also represent help, solution, learning, or understanding in a constructive sense. Determining to take a full responsibility not only for one’s thoughts, choices, actions, and their consequences, but also for situations and circumstances is the beginning of becoming the true owner of one’s destiny. And that’s the beginning of changing the course of one’s destiny for the better.

子貢問曰: 有一言而可以終身行之者乎? 子曰: 其恕乎! 己所不欲, 勿施於人. - 論語

Zi gong asks “Is there one word that we need to practice on until the end of life? Confucius says, “Like-heartedness it is! That which you do not desire, do not impose on others.” - Analects

Comments:

The character 恕 (like-heartedness) is a combination of heart (心) and like/alike (如), hence the translation. Some sources translate it as reciprocity. From the context, it carries such broad nuances of reciprocity, empathy, compassion and love. This teaching has basically the same message as the Golden Rule, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you.” in the New Testament. This is another testimony of the fact that “the truth is ever the same, though sages speak in various ways.”

On truth:

知之爲知之, 不知爲不知, 是知也. - 論語

If you know, say that you know. If you don’t know, say that you don’t know. That is the [true] knowing. - Analects

知不知上、不知知病。夫唯病病、是以不病。聖人不病、以其病病、是以不病。 - 道德經

Knowing that you don't know is superior. Not knowing, yet thinking you know is a disease. Only when you realize a disease as disease, then you are not falling into it. Sages do not get such disease because they recognize it as disease. Therefore, they do not fall into such disease. - Dao De Jing

Buddha’s discourse on truth:

“There are these five things that can turn out in two ways in the here-&-now. Which five? Conviction, liking, unbroken tradition, reasoning by analogy, & an agreement through pondering views. These are the five things that can turn out in two ways in the here-&-now.

Some things are firmly held in conviction and yet vain, empty, & false. Some things are not firmly held in conviction, and yet they are genuine, factual, & unmistaken.

Some things are well-liked…

Some things are truly an unbroken tradition…

Some things are well-reasoned…

Some things are well-pondered and yet vain, empty, & false. Some things are not well-pondered, and yet they are genuine, factual, & unmistaken.

In these cases it isn’t proper for an observant person who safeguards the truth to come to a definite conclusion, ‘Only this is true; anything else is worthless.”

“But to what extent, Master Gotama, is there the safeguarding of the truth? To what extent does one safeguard the truth? We ask Master Gotama about the safeguarding of the truth.”

“If a person has conviction, his statement, ‘This is my conviction,’ safeguards the truth. But he doesn’t yet come to the definite conclusion that ‘Only this is true; anything else is worthless.’ To this extent, Bhāradvāja, there is the safeguarding of the truth. To this extent one safeguards the truth. I describe this as the safeguarding of the truth. Yet it is not yet an awakening to the truth.

If a person likes something…

If a person holds an unbroken tradition…

If a person has something reasoned through analogy…

If a person has something he agrees to, having pondered views, his statement, ‘This is what I agree to, having pondered views,’ safeguards the truth. But he doesn’t yet come to the definite conclusion that ‘Only this is true; anything else is worthless.’ To this extent, Bhāradvāja, there is the safeguarding of the truth. To this extent one safeguards the truth. I describe this as the safeguarding of the truth. Yet it is not yet an awakening to the truth.”

- Majjhima Nikaya, 95 (excerpts), translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Jesus teaching on truth:

Truth will set you free. - John 8:32, New Testament

子曰吾嘗終日不食, 終夜不寢, 以思, 無益, 不如學也. - 論語

Confucius says, I used to think it over all day without eating and all night without sleeping. It was of no use, no better than learning. - Analects

思之思之，又重思之。思之而不通，鬼神將通之， - 管子

Think it! think it! Again, think it over and over. Even if you have thought it over and over and you have not attained, then, ghost-sprit will eventually help you break it through. - Guan Zi

Comments:

Above two masters display seeming contradictory opinions on 思 (think, contemplate) to each other’s. However, I equally value both statements. This is because the use of the word 思 in two statements are used in different contexts. Confucius used the thinking 思 in contrast to the learning 學, to caution his disciples thinking 思 without learning 學 because it can easily become unguided speculation or unbridled abstract ideas that can lead one to deviation from facts and reality insidiously. As another statement in Analects says, “學而不思則罔, 思而不學則殆. Learning without thinking, one can be lost. Thinking without learning, it leads to the danger.” Likewise, Buddha teaches the similar point with a parable of a wounded man by an arrow (see Majjhima Nikaya 63).

On the other hand, Guan Zi used the word 思 in a sense of concentration. In the above statement he is advocating the power of unwavering focus and emphasizing the benefit of strong will and perseverance in pursuing whatever one engages in.

Jesus’ teachings on power of will, concentration, and faith:

All things are possible for the one who believes. - Mark 9:23
If you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and throw into the sea’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. - Mark 11:23
Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. - Matthew 7:7

博學之。審問之。慎思之。明辨之。篤行之。有弗學。學之弗能弗措也。有弗問。問之弗知弗措也。有弗思。思之弗得弗措也。有弗辨。辨之弗明弗措也。有弗行。行之弗篤弗措也。人一能之。己百之。人十能之。己千之。果能此道矣。雖愚必明。雖柔必強。 - 中庸

Learn broadly, question thoroughly, think carefully, discern clearly, practice deeply. Although there may be areas not learned, once learning, do not stop until you become capable. Although there may be areas not questioned, once questioning, do not stop until you know. Although there may be areas not thought, once thinking, do not stop until you attain understanding. Although there may be areas not discerned, once examining, do not stop until it’s clear. Although there may be areas not practiced, once practicing, do not stop until you go deep. If others can achieve in one effort, [if you are not as good as they], you will put ten efforts. If others achieve in ten efforts, you will put a thousand efforts. If whoever can do things this way, the dull will become bright and the weak strong. – Zhong Yong (Doctrine of the Mean)

On simplicity:

乾以易知，坤以簡能。易則易知，簡則易從。易知則有親，易從則有功。有親則可久，有功則可大。可久則賢人之德，可大則賢人之業。易簡而天下之理得矣。 - 易經,繫辭上

Gan (Heaven) knows easily. Kun (Earth) can do simple. Easiness makes things easy to know. Simplicity makes things easy to follow. If things are easy to know, there will be familiarity. If things are easy to follow, there will be effects. With familiarity, there will be potential to sustain for long time. With effects, there will be capacity for greatness. Sustaining for long is de (inner virtue) of the virtuous. Bringing greatness is ye (outer work/accomplishment) of the virtuous. With easiness and simplicity, one will attain the law of the Under the heaven (the Universe). – Yi Jing (Classic of Changes)

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. - Leonardo da Vinci

Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains. – Steve Jobs

The majority believes that everything hard to comprehend must be very profound. This is incorrect. What is hard to understand is what is immature, unclear, and often false. The highest wisdom is simple, and passes through the brain directly into the heart. - Viktor Schauberger