In Praise of Virtue

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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From the Mahabharata:
Abstention from injury, by act, thought, and word, in respect of all creatures, compassion, and gift [charity], constitute behavior that is worthy of praise.
That act or exertion by which others are not benefited, or that act in consequence of which one has to feel shame, should never be done. (Santiparva 124.65-6)

It is difficult to say what righteousness is. It is not easy to indicate it. No one, in discoursing upon righteousness, can indicate it accurately.
Righteousness was declared (by Brahmā) for the advancement and growth of all creatures. Therefore, that which leads to advancement and growth is righteousness.
Righteousness was declared for restraining creatures from injuring one another. Therefore, that is righteousness which prevents injury to creatures. (Santiparva 109.9-11)

I know morality, which is eternal, with all its mysteries. It is nothing else than that ancient morality which is known to all, and which consists of universal friendliness, and is fraught with beneficence to all creatures.
That mode of living which is founded upon a total harmlessness towards all creatures or (in case of actual necessity) upon a minimum of such harm, is the highest morality. (Santiparva 262.5-6)
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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Know, O child, these two truths with certainty, viz., that might is not always meritorious and forgiveness also is not always meritorious! He that forgiveth always suffereth many evils. Therefore it is that the learned applaud not a constant habit of forgiveness.
Listen now to the demerits of those that are never-forgiving! The man of wrath who, surrounded by darkness, always inflicteth, by help of his own energy, various kinds of punishments on persons whether they deserve them or not, is necessarily separated from his friends in consequence of that energy of his. Such a man is hated by both relatives and strangers. Such a man, because he insulteth others, suffereth loss of wealth and reapeth disregard and sorrow and hatred and confusion and enemies. He is an object of alarm to the world. People always do him an injury when they find a hole.

Therefore, should men never exhibit might in excess nor forgiveness on all occasions. (Vanaparva 6.8 ff.)
Mahabharata
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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From Swami Madhavananda's Foreword to the Uddava Gita:
Srimad-Bhagavatam is one of the most authoritative
of Hindu scriptures. Tradition ascribes its
authorship to the great Vyasa, by whom it was
taught to his illustrious son, Bhagavan Suka. The
Bhagavata is a high authority on Bhakti or devotion.
But devotion, as depicted here, is not divorced from
Jnanam, as it is popularly understood, but rather
Jnanam is exceedingly helpful to lts perfect attainment.
Bhagavan Sri Krishna is the central figure of
this wonderful work, and in the Eleventh Book, the
Lord on the eve of His exit from the arena of the
world gives His parting instructions to His beloved
devotee and follower, Uddhava. The lessons comprise
a variety of subjects, but in and through all,
the necessity of seeing the Lord in everything and
living a life of perfect self-surrender and non-attachment
is passionately inculcated. The Bhagavata
amply fulfils the chief task of the Puranas, viz.
popularising the *Vedic truths by means of narratives
and such other aids. “It is,” as Sri Ramakrishna
aptly expressed it, “fried in the butter of Jnanam
and soaked in the syrup of Bhakti.” The study of
such a book cannot but be of the greatest help to a
seeker after Truth.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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This is how Debroy's three volume version of Bhagavat Purana begins, without his notes which I deleted:
Creation and everything else flow from him. Directly, and indirectly, he knows of all the objectives.
He rules over himself. He is the one who filled the heart of Brahma, the original wise being. The gods
are bemused by him. He is like the interaction between energy, water and earth. He is the certain cause
behind the three types of creation. He is always his own refuge. He is the one who casts out illusion. He
is the absolute truth. We meditate on him. This illustrious Bhagavata was composed by the great sage.
It is about supreme dharma and is completely free from deceit. It is for the virtuous who are devoid of
envy. Knowledge exists here about true reality and bliss and about uprooting the three kinds of misery.
What else is needed to obtain the lord? If a person has cleansed his soul and is faithful, through this, he
instantly establishes him in his heart. The sacred texts are like trees that yield all the objects of desire and this represents their ripened fruit. It emerged from Shuka’s mouth, with the pulp and juice of amrita. Drink the Bhagavata, the store of juices. O those who possess taste! Savour it repeatedly and become happy on earth.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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A few verses on self-reliance from another large Indian text, Yoga Vasistha:
II 4 O Rama, listen to what I [Vasishtha] am about to say, which instruction is sure to remove the
darkness of ignorance. A well-sustained self-effort leads to success in every field of life. Wherever
one encounters failure, it is due to lack of self-effort.
Liberation produces selflessness; we lose our selfishness when we come to know the unity of the soul.
By effort one can attain knowledge which leads to salvation. This is obvious; but what is called God,
destiny or fate is fictitious and is not seen. The dull and the ignorant created God, which is none other
than self-effort of a past incarnation affecting one.
Self-effort, Rama, is that mental, verbal and physical action which is in accordance with the
instructions of a holy person well versed in the scriptures. This will reveal the moon of spiritual bliss
beyond the dark clouds of mental impurities. Such effort, continuous and constant, gives good results,
all the rest is sheer madness. The goal of self-effort is Self-realization.
It is only by such effort that Indra became king of heaven, that Brahma became the creator, and Vishnu
and Shiva earned their place. When right self-effort is sustained, one rises to that lofty state wherein
ruling the vast earth is known as insignificant compared to the glory of Self-realization.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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There are four methods of crossing over the ocean of worldly existence, namely Tranquillity {sama). Contentment {samtosa), Company of the good or the wise {sadhu-sanga), and Thinking {vicara). (II, 16, 18.) They are so related to one another that, if one of them is fully acquired, others will inevitably accompany it. One should, therefore, make effort in acquiring any one of them thoroughly. (II, 16, 22.)
From B.L. Atreya's big study, Philosophy of Yoga-Vasistha, page 136
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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More on self-reliance from Vasishtha:
II 5 Self-effort is of two categories: that of past births and that of this present birth. Past efforts can be
counteracted by current labors. There is constant conflict, like battling rams, between these two in this
incarnation. That which is more powerful triumphs. Men of self-effort, by firm and long practice, can
undo the past effort.
Self-effort which is not in accord with the scriptures is motivated by delusion. To go against scriptural
injunctions will lead to disasters. Mental desire alone, without the needed action, is pure lunacy. It will
not only be useless, but it will lead to further delusions.
There is no power greater than right action in the present. Hence, one should take recourse to self-effort,
gritting one's teeth, and one should overcome evil by good and destiny by present effort. Even
obstructions presented by the devas are due to bad actions in past lives.
One’s effort must be maintained until the past negative karma is overpowered. The virtues of this life
are bound to overcome the vices of past lives. Therefore, one must cultivate serenity, self-control,
reflection and meditation by his self-effort.
One must release oneself from the fetters of the world-process by the force of self-effort. Have
confidence in the Divine Self as one’s inner reality is needed to attain Liberation.
All great men and sages attained success through their self-effort. Reliance on destiny or God is an
expression of ignorance and this is the main cause of failure.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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II 5 Self-effort must be sustained from a very early age in order that it may be powerful. But self-effort
devoid of wisdom leads to negative developments. A self-effort that has been adopted in a sporadic
manner will be unable to gather enough strength to overthrow past karmas.
The lazy man is worse than a donkey. One should never yield to laziness but strive to attain liberation,
seeing that life is ebbing away every moment. Every day one must think of the impermanent body and
struggle to conquer the animal nature. He must take recourse to association with good and virtuous
people. One should not revel in the filth known as sense-pleasures, even as a worm revels in pus. By
good deeds, good will return to you; by bad deeds, bad will return. Nowhere is there any God, fortune
or fate. One who ignores his present ability for self-effort for fear of his past bad actions, might as well
fear his own two arms, thinking them dangling vipers.
One who thinks that fate or God is directing him, is brainless and the goddess of fortune abandons him.
Hence, by self-effort, discrimination, good association and study of the scriptures, acquire wisdom.
Then realize that self-effort will end — in the direct realization of the truth. But ignoring, or going
against the traditional injunctions, will not work. One should not try to create a gemstone from a
ordinary pebble. Those who do not believe in the long practiced and experienced truths of the wise, but
depend upon God, luck or destiny, are fools called the "living dead." If lazy dullness, this dreadful
source of evil, were not found on this earth, who would ever be illiterate or poor? It is because lazy
ones rely, life after life, on God or fortune that this earth is full of people who live like animals,
miserable and poverty-stricken.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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[Vasishtha continues the following morning:]
II 6 The only God or fortune is previous action. As is the effort so is the fruit, O Rama: this is the
meaning of self-effort, and it is also known as fate. What is called fate or divine will is nothing other
than the action or self-effort of the past. The present is infinitely more potent than the past. Just as a
man can govern a boy, vigorous present actions can control past karma. The evils of yesterday can be
remedied by the good actions of today. There is no need to rely on destiny, luck or God. They indeed
are fools who are complacent about the bitter fruits of their past actions (which they regard as divine
will) and do not engage themselves in self-effort now. A weak and dull-witted man can only see the
hand of providence when he is confronted by a powerful adversary and succumbs to him.
If you see that the present self-effort is sometimes thwarted by fortune (or divine will), you should
understand that the present self-effort is weaker than past actions. Even the apparent experience of
defeat sings the glory of one's own past self-effort.
Sometimes it happens that, without effort, someone receives a great gain. This is certainly not an
accident nor some kind of divine act, but the fruit of self-effort in a past birth.
It is important to render the spiritual striving of this life more powerful than the worldly striving of past
lives. When failure or loss occurs, one should not yield to vain grief. Rather one must try again and
again, until the goal is reached.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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Rishi Vasishtha continues:
II 7 O Rama, one should, with a body free from illness and mind free from distress, pursue self-knowledge
so that he is not born again here. One who tries with his best self-effort to destroy the ideas
of God and providence, fulfills his aspirations both here and hereafter. Those who rely on fortune or
God and ignore effort are self-destroyers. Self-effort is rooted in an inner vibration that awakens an
urge for realization in one's consciousness, then a decision in the mind, and then physical action. The
process of self-exertion embraces every part of the individual — spirit, intellect, mind, senses and body.

Self-effort consists of these three — knowledge of the scriptures, learning from one's Guru and your
own holy striving. Providence or God's dispensation does not enter here. Hence, he who desires
salvation should divert impure mind to pure endeavor by persistent effort — this is the very essence of
all scriptures. The Holy ones emphasize persistently treading the path that leads to the eternal good.
And the wise seeker knows that the fruit of my endeavors will be commensurate with the intensity of
my self-effort and neither fate nor any God can ordain it otherwise. Indeed, such self-effort alone is
responsible for whatever man gets. Only to console blockheads at the time of sorrows or difficulties is
the word God used. No one has seen such a God, but everyone has experienced how an action (good or
evil) leads to a result (good or evil). Hence, from one's childhood, one should endeavour to promote
one's true good by a penetrating study of the scriptures; keeping company with the Holy ones and by
right self-effort.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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I put together these excepts many years ago on a valuable theme - self-reliance. The full text (1800pp in English) is mainly, but not exclusively, about Liberation from samsara and the path to same.
II 8 Fortune or God is merely a convention which has come to be regarded as truth by being repeatedly
declared to be true. If this God or fate is truly the ordainer of everything in this world, of what meaning
is any action? The simpleminded who believe in God might well jump into a fire, trusting in God's
grace to keep them safe. God will make us bathe, give to the poor and do our spiritual practices. What
is the use of the exhortations of the scriptures if God will do everything? In this world, excepting a
corpse, everything is active and such activity yields its appropriate result. In this world no one sees
God, but we do see mind and intelligence. There are not two things, intelligence and God. Only
intelligence is. If between two people of the same intelligence one fails and the other succeeds, God is
not the cause, but laziness and effort are. If one thinks God is the director and doer of all things, let this
whole world sleep, God will do everything. This may be a consoling outlook, but in truth, there is no
God. It was foolish ones who created God. The followers of God will perish. The sages became so by individual effort. Please tell me why the heroic men of valor, the wise and the learned should wait for
God? If astrologers predict that a certain man will become wise and he does so without ever studying -
- then I will accept that God is great.
Rama, this sage Vishvamitra became a Brahma-Rishi by self-effort; all of us Rishis have attained self-knowledge by self-effort alone. Hence, renounce the chimera of God's providence and apply yourself to self-effort.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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Key ethical principles or Foundation Stones by Sage James Allen:

http://james-allen.in1woord.nl/?text=fo ... nd-success
Foreword

How does a man begin the building of a house? He first secures a plan of the proposed edifice, and then proceeds to build according to the plan, scrupulously following it in every detail, beginning with the foundation. Should he neglect the beginning - the beginning on a mathematical plan - his labour would be wasted, and his building, should it reach completion without tumbling to pieces, would be insecure and worthless. The same law holds good in any important work; the right beginning and first essential is a definite mental plan on which to build.

Nature will have no slipshod work, no slovenliness and she annihilates confusion, or rather, confusion is in itself annihilated. Order, definiteness, purpose, eternally prevail, and he who in his operations ignores these mathematical elements at once deprives himself of substantiality, completeness, happiness and success.

JAMES ALLEN
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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On Virtues from the Spiritual Life site:

https://slife.org/virtues/
Virtue is moral excellence. A virtue is a trait or quality that is deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting collective and individual greatness. In other words, it is a behavior that shows high moral standards. Doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. The opposite of virtue is vice.

Virtue is when people realize their own limitedness, and let go of their pettiness in the infinity of the universe.

Virtues are the essence of our character and character does indeed determine destiny. The more we recognize the potential impact that practicing virtues can have on our lives, the more our lives open up to new possibilities and to greater joy and fulfillment.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his. In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty.
Emerson, Self-Reliance
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: In Praise of Virtue

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Truth does not pay any homage to any society, ancient and modern. Society has to pay homage to Truth or die. That society is the greatest, where the highest truths become practical. That is my opinion; and if society is not fit for the highest truths, make it so; and the sooner, the better.
Swami Vivekananda
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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