In Praise of Virtue

[Bodhicitta]

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All bow to virtue, and then walk away.

 

J. De Finod.

[nestentrie]

Do the three treasures relate to the three poisons of Buddhism?

 

Also, do they have any bearing in terms of correcting the 8 defects (and 4 evils) of Zhuangzi?

 

 

Edited July 19, 2017 by nestentrie

[Bodhicitta]

"Do the three treasures relate to the three poisons of Buddhism?"

 

Not in a one to one sense. For Buddha-dharma-arya sangha, whether considered as a unity within Buddha or thought of as unified, but distinct Guru-Teachings-Disciples - in either case the three poisons of greed, anger & stupidity will end thru their influence.

[Bodhicitta]

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By virtue of the awesome spiritual power of the Buddha, the Bodhi tree constantly gave forth sublime sounds speaking various truths without end.

 

 

Avatamsaka Sutra, ch. 1

[Owledge]

On 19/06/2017 at 6:38 PM, Bodhicitta said:

Whatever is right springs from one of four sources. It consists either in the perception and skilful treatment of the truth; or in maintaining good fellowship with men, giving to every one his due, and keeping faith in contracts and promises; or in the greatness and strength of a lofty and unconquered mind; or in the order and measure that constitute moderation and temperance.

Cicero, On Duties

Is this not from the Duh De Jing?

Edited July 22, 2017 by Owledge

[Bodhicitta]

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Valor, cleanness of heart, steadfast union with illumination, generous giving, control, sacrifice, study, fervor, righteousness, Gentleness, truth, freedom from anger, detachment, peace, loyalty, pity for all beings, an unlascivious mind, mildness, modesty, steadfastness, Fire, patience, firmness, purity, good-will, absence of conceit, these belong to him who is born to the godlike portion! Hypocrisy, pride, vanity, anger, meanness, unwisdom, these are his, who is born to the demoniac portion. The godlike portion makes for liberation, and the demoniac for bondage.

 

 

Krishna in Bhagavad Gita 16:1-4

[Marblehead]

We create our own demons too, don't we?

 

[Bodhicitta]

18 minutes ago, Marblehead said:

We create our own demons too, don't we?

 

 

Surely, as the rest of chapter 16 points out.  But demonic and divine beings, little ones and big ones, are already in the atmosphere of this realm.  So when we create good or evil thoughts, words or deeds we attract those of a similar type.  Divine forces are added to and enrich our mind's merit or virtue. And contrary effects result from selfish or evil intents and actions.

[Bodhicitta]

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Once real virtue, manhood, the courage and responsibility of free men, are extinguished in a society, presently security evaporates, too; but that is the lesser loss. There is something better than to know what it is to be guaranteed and protected and pensioned. The better state is to know what it is to be a man.

 

 

Russell Kirk

[Bodhicitta]

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He who gave us our nature to be perfected by our virtue, willed also the necessary means of its perfection.

 

Edmund Burke

[Bodhicitta]

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To be angry about trifles is mean and childish; to rage and be furious is brutish; and to maintain perpetual wrath is akin to the practice and temper of devils; but to prevent and suppress rising resentment is wise and glorious, is manly and divine.

 

Isaac Watts

[Owledge]

26 minutes ago, Bodhicitta said:

To be angry about trifles is mean and childish; to rage and be furious is brutish; and to maintain perpetual wrath is akin to the practice and temper of devils; but to prevent and suppress rising resentment is wise and glorious, is manly and divine.

Isaac Watts

Then again, this must not lead to emotional self-invalidation.

Rage is always justified the moment it arises. The time for review comes after it has been allowed to be experienced fully. If you do not allow that, you lose respect for your own inner voice. It is better to behave badly and feel ashamed about it later than to be told by someone else you should be ashamed for it. Society doing this is short-sighted and robbing itself of an important feedback process for self-correction and problem solving. If such intervention is considered unavoidable, it only shows how long a growing problem has been avoided.

 

http://eqi.org/invalid.htm

Edited August 17, 2017 by Owledge

[Bodhicitta]

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Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.

 

 

Philippians 4:8

[Bodhicitta]

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Under the auspices and direction of Divine Providence,

your forefathers removed to the wilds and wilderness of

America. By their industry they made it a fruitful, and by

their virtue a happy country. And we should still have enjoyed

the blessings of peace and plenty, if we had not forgotten

the source from which those blessings flowed; and

permitted our country to be contaminated by the many

shameful vices which have prevailed among us.

 

 

John Jay

 

Too many vices today, as in 1770s, flow from forgetting the Source of blessings!

[Owledge]

8 hours ago, Bodhicitta said:

 

John Jay

 

Too many vices today, as in 1770s, flow from forgetting the Source of blessings!

Typical example of 'those better, simpler times back then'. Founding of the USA is really a bad example for virtue. What we see today has been put into the country's very foundations and thus could be seen just as easily back then.

[Bodhicitta]

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Distrust everyone in whom the impulse to punish is powerful!

 

Friedrich Nietzsche

[Marblehead]

I was surprised/delighted to see that here in this thread.

 

 

[Bodhicitta]

37 minutes ago, Marblehead said:

I was surprised/delighted to see that here in this thread.

 

 

 

Does not seem to 'praise virtue' at first reading, does it.  Yet, to be able to spot this sham sort of 'virtue' is a virtue.

[Bodhicitta]

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Humans themselves are makers of themselves - by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage; for mind is the master-weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance.

 

James Allen

[Owledge]

6 hours ago, Bodhicitta said:

 

James Allen

 

The mind is the supreme controller. When the heart is radiating, it is because the mind allows it to.

 

This is not necessarily praise of the mind.

[Bodhicitta]

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Temperance was the next topic of Pythagoras' discourses. Since the desires are most flourishing during youth,

this is the time when control must be effective. While temperance alone is universal in its application to all

ages, boy, virgin, woman, or the aged, yet this special virtue is particularly applicable to youth. Moreover,

this virtue alone applied universally to all goods, those of body and soul, preserving both the health, and studiousness

 

 

Iamblichus

[rideforever]

On 22/06/2017 at 9:44 PM, Bodhicitta said:

Cute; but remaining impassive is what is meant, not smiling.  Blessing when cursed is done silently, not with words.

 

It's better to be Real.
Many of these statements although outwardly very pleasing, inwardly there is a subtle manipulation going on.
You judge someone to be angry, and assert the memorized agenda for dealing with this situation, meaning that you don't really see the person in front nor yourself.
We imagine a certain form that we think is ideal, and do not really participate in the churning movements hazard and growth of reality.

[rideforever]

Personally I find many of these statements wonderful, but I would like to find a higher virtue.
I am a little tired of the do-gooders destroying themselves just so that they can get on TV and be seen to be doing good.
Or those who take great pride in shaving their hair.
And so on.
But .... not to give up, but let's ante up and find the higher virtue.

 

Matthew 23

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

 

John 12

1Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

2There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

3Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.

4Then said one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray him,

5Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bore what was put therein.

7Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burial has she kept this.

8For the poor always you have with you; but me you have not always.

[zerostao]

I am not able to express as eloquently as these many fine selections do.

I see virtue as power, or at the least virtue is an expression of power.

[Marblehead]

The power of one's self.