2500 words after reading the novel Ten Essays on Life

1、 Three Directions of Life

In this chapter, Mr. Qian Mu refers to the three directions, namely, seeking from within the spiritual world and leaning towards the heart; Second, seek outside the material boundary, and prefer things; The third is the neutrality of Confucianism, which is neither internal nor external, neither psychological nor material.

The highest development from the spiritual world is religion, and the highest development from the material world is science.

Seeking outside is limitless, and we can only keep chasing, and satisfaction turns into emptiness in a blink of an eye. Joy and joy turn into boredom and pain in the blink of an eye. Gradually forward, becoming a constant void. Strength is just a shadow, fullness is just an illusion.

Inward seeking is also infinite, and the result is still endless. Outward life is a kind of painted life; An inward life is a washed life. Outward is establishment, inward is disassembly. Going inward, it is inevitable to abandon and get rid of the outside.

The inward life is a free and easy life, and the final realm becomes a void. Buddhism calls it nirvana, which is nothing.

Both inward and outward are inseparable, and they depend on each other. Therefore, Zen says that mystery is enlightenment, worry is nirvana, all beings are Buddha, and ignorance is true knowledge.

The life of the Confucianist follows the middle line, and there is no limit ahead, but anytime and anywhere is his ultimate stop.

Confucianists are not biased towards the outside world. They affirm the pursuit of material things. In Mencius, "food, sex, and sex are the same", Confucius said, "Eating men and women is the greatest desire of human beings."

They are also not opposed to internal bias. They are not opposed to science. But they don't say that to conquer nature, knowledge is right. They only talk about their own nature, and then they can talk about the nature of things and praise the cultivation of heaven and earth. They say that heaven and man are one.

2、 "Harmony with God"

In this chapter, on the western traditional values of truth, good and beauty, Mr. Qian Mu quoted two other items proposed by German Bermhard Bavink's modern scientific analysis: fit for the sacred, as a supplement to the truth, good and beauty, and described the two new items.

The truth, the good and the beautiful are not beyond the objective existence of human beings, but are absolute and ultimate. Since it is called objective, it contains subjective elements. If you see something, you must see it. Be able to integrate and stand side by side. The view must be perfect, and there should be no pure objectivity in the universe.

Tao, absolute is nothing, absolutely relative, neither absolute. The maximum limit of the truth that human beings can reach is a kind of truth that combines the various positions of all mankind through the ages.

Emphasizing "fitness" makes the subjective objective, the relative absolute, the present the ultimate, and the contradiction the harmony.

The value field of "fitness" focuses on the reality of life. This value field is by no means absolute, but still relative, limited, and still limited within its own value range.

"God" is one sand and one world. There is no end in a moment, and there is no tranquility.

"Suitability" is to draw people closer, so that they can be present.

"God" is pushed far away, making people fly and fish leap.

3、 Purpose and Freedom of Life

In the process of the evolution of human history, the first is to meet its biological needs, first to seek life preservation, and then to seek life continuity. This attribute is endowed by nature. In addition, human beings have other purposes of survival, which is also the difference between human beings and animals. A purposeful and meaningful life is called a humanistic life, or a cultural life.

Cultural life is a freedom that human beings liberate from natural life. There are two essences of human life: purposeful life and freedom to choose such purposes. Only this kind of freedom can indicate the bright future of human culture.

Since the purpose of life is freely chosen by people, there is no difference between high and low. Freedom's pursuit of purposeful freedom is inevitably hindered and restricted by the outside world. The rights and wrongs of various purposes of life depend on the amount of freedom. Freedom is the value standard to judge all life purposes. The judgment of human good and evil depends on the amount of freedom.

If there is no cultural life, then natural life is not evil. If there is no higher culture of life, simple cultural life, it is not easy to calculate evil. It is precisely because of the evolution of cultural life, the concept of evil and the evaluation of evil become more and more distinct. It is not that there are more evils in cultural life, but that there are more good in cultural life.

4、 Things and Heart

In terms of matter and mind, Mr. Qian Mu agreed with the conclusion of modern science that the existing matter, after life, has a mind. Then, instead of being purely materialistic, he believed that the mind need not be bound by things. The continuous continuation of human civilization is precisely the result of the efforts of life and soul. The heart can get rid of the shackles and exist independently.

The intersection of hearts, common efforts and mutual fulfillment make a great person.

5、 How to Explore the Truth of Life

In this chapter, Qian Mu compares the differences between Chinese and Western cultures. The oriental culture is introverted; Western culture is extroverted. The Chinese pursue truth inward, while Westerners pursue truth outward.

Westerners' view of truth, which transcends human life and is external, must be objective, resulting in religion, science and philosophy. It is infinite to look outside.

The Chinese people's pursuit of truth is to seek the truth from the inside, and then turn to the outside. It can be said that it is subjective.

According to the Book of History, the sky sees itself as a people, and the sky listens to itself as a people. Mencius said that we should know our nature with all our heart and know heaven with all our nature. According to the Doctrine of the Mean, we can do what we have, and we can do what we have. To be human, to be material. Make the best of the nature of things, and then you can praise the cultivation of heaven and earth. Everything should be based on human beings, so as to achieve the goal of harmony between man and nature.

Chinese philosophy is based on the philosophy of life, giving a deep experience and faithful lesson of daily life. He advocates that people should take self-cultivation as the foundation, and then seek for the family, the country and the world. To teach people to be a good person is to be a perfect person between heaven and earth.

How to be a good person depends on the inner awareness, which is experienced by each person within himself rather than outside.

6、 How to Complete a Me

"The value of the ancient self lies in the ability of people to be themselves in the world. The value lies in the individuality in the group character, and the value lies in the different aspects in the common. Therefore, I must be unique to myself and the same to the masses."

The doctrine of the mean has its own words. It is extremely brilliant and the doctrine of the mean is refined. It is broad and subtle. It follows morality and asks for knowledge. These three languages are the highest lesson for Chinese people to teach others. People with different talents and natures have different paths and different interests. However, in terms of morality and justice, each has its own advantages. People are different. If you can do your best, you can take a shortcut.

People are benevolent. All are mutually beneficial. I need benevolence to complete my internal aspects, and ritual to complete my external aspects.

7、 How to Relieve Life Pain

There are two limits in life. One is my limit, the other is the limit of life and death.

Buddha said, Nirvana without me; The kingdom of God, says Yahweh; The Tao says that inaction is natural; Confucians say that we should seek peace and comfort.

The body is limited and the mind is unlimited. The transition from natural life to spiritual life is beyond the limit, which means that it is contact with pain, and it also relieves the limit of man and himself.

To die for the sake of morality is to die for the right place, which can reach eternity, that is, to break the limit of life and death.

8、 How to Place Our Heart

"The human heart can neither be fully oriented to God nor to things. The human heart can not be closed to the body and tyrannize it, so that it can only be used as a tool for life and as a slave, which will make human beings return to animals."

Confucius taught people to place their peace of mind in morality and justice and in benevolence. "Loyalty and forgiveness are not far away from violating the Tao. Filial piety is the second most important thing for benevolence." Mencius said, "Benevolence is the peace of mind."

9、 How to Get Our Freedom

Life without freedom is painful, but to be free becomes evil.

William James divided me into three categories: 1. physical me, 2. social me (false me, guest me), 3. spiritual me (master me). The body is dominated by physiology, the society is bound by etiquette, and only the spirit can obtain unlimited freedom.

Educator Pestalocci listed three situations of life: 1. natural situation, 2. social situation (political situation), 3. life situation (moral situation). Human life has evolved step by step and cannot be offside.

Confucianism advocates starting from morality, which is enlightened, not forced by the outside world, and can obtain great freedom at this level.