KNOWLEDGE SCIENCE STUDY GROUP NOTE
We have over the years acquired from the Analects following fundamental philosophies for the scholar to guide our work, and critical thinking in the matter of life, termed ‘Aphorism’: ‘Beyond Science’.
- The Scholar must not be without character and fortitude for his load is heavy and the road is long
- The Scholar takes virtue for his load? Only with death does his course end and the road is not then that long?
- Let character be formed by scholars established by the laws of right behavior and perfected by internal tuning
- Love of daring and resentment of poverty drive men to desperate deed and men who lack moral character, if resentment of them be carried too for will be driven to similar deeds.
- If men have gifts yet be vain and mean his other gifts are unworthy of virtue.
- Learn: all the way, as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were afraid of missing it.
- Only heaven is great and Gabriel must answer to its standard vast and beyond the power of the people to express and sublime in his achievement though brilliant his civilizing regulations of his thoughts and foresight.
- Simplicity of life
- The true philosopher devotes himself to the fundamentals, for when those have been established right courses naturally evolve
- Filial devotion and respect are the very foundation of unselfish life
- Virtue is not ingrained in artful speech, an ingratiating demeanour, it is in the denial of self and response to what is right and proper.
- Three points to daily examine in planning for others have I failed in consciousness?
- In intercourse with friends have I been insincere?
- Have I failed to practice what I have been taught or learnt?
- The scholar who loves learning is he who in his food does not seek gratification of his appetite, nor in his dwelling is solicitous of comfort, who is diligent in his work and guarded in his speech how associates with the highly principled and therefore directs himself a right
- I am that scholar but I will not grieve that men do not know me but I will grieve that I do not know men. It is the moral character in the neighbourhood that constitutes its excellence. It is wise to dwell in a moral surrounding. I will lead by my moral excellence like a pole star which abides in its place while all the other stars bow towards it. I will lead with dignity and inspire the people with respect and loyalty so that they can be dutiful to the community
- Ones duty, as a son and friendliness to one’s brethren are shown forth in the public service
- To sacrifice to a spirit of an ancestor not one’s own is sycophancy, to see the right and not do it is cowardice. We must sacrifice to our forefathers as if they are present. I must be present at a sacrifice to sacrifice
- A man with virtue will long abide in happiness a virtuous man is at rest in virtue and the wise man covets it
- Only the virtuous are competent to love or to hate but it is who really set his mind on virtue that will do no evil
- In my meditative treasuring up of knowledge and unwearing pursuit of wisdom the tiring instruction of other, it is the neglect in the cultivation of character, lack of thoroughness in study, incompetency to move towards recognized duly and defined goal, in ability to correct my imperfections – these are what caused me solicitude which I must now strive to overcome .
- I must fix my mind on the right way, hold fast to it in my moral character, follow up on kindness to others and take recreation in the polite art and to improve character and discriminate in what is irrational taking consciousness and sincerity as ruling principles submitting the mind to the right condition. The man of noble mind has neither anxiety nor fear.
When the man of noble mind unfailingly conducts himself with self respect and is covetous and well behaved with others, then all within the four seas are his brother. He should cultivate himself unfailingly to respect others. He should cultivate himself so as to ease the dot of others. He should cultivate himself to ease the lot of the people.
- To love and hate is irrational – do not subject your mind to this irrationality.
- Let the prince be prince, the minister minister, the father, father and son son
The man of noble mind seeks to achieve the good in others and not their evil.
- To govern means to guide right
- The wise man by his culture gathers his friends and by his friends develops his goodness of character
- The resolute scholar and the virtuous man will not seek life at the expense virtue
- The practice of virtue, a workman must first sharpen his tools, take service with the worthiest of the minister and made friends of the most virtuous of the scholars.
There are three kinds of friends – the upright, the faithful and the well informed.
Beneficial pleasure: (i) refinement of manners and music
(ii) discussing the excellence of others
(iii) make up worthy friends
The noble mind holds three things in awe:
- He hold the divine will in awe
- He holds the great in awe
- The percepts of the sage in awe
He who does not know the divine law cannot become a noble man
He who does not know the law of right conduct cannot form his character
He who does not know the force of words cannot know men.
- The power of science is in its understanding to explain reality of its creation and co creation. Is the universe a halogram!