"Benevolence" of Confucian Culture
Benevolence is great love.
Confucius said, "A gentleman's business is based on his foundation. Filial piety is also the foundation of benevolence! " ? A gentleman should devote himself to the cultivation of essence in order to produce Tao. Filial piety and respect for brothers are the foundation of "benevolence"!
Mencius said: "It is good to be close; Respect is long, and righteousness is also. Without him, it will reach the world. " It is benevolence to love parents and righteousness to respect brothers. There is no other reason, because benevolence and righteousness are universal.
Ask Ren. Confucius said, "Love." Fan Chi asked Confucius, what is benevolence? Confucius said, "Love."
Confucianism stresses benevolence, which is love in our modern words. Love parents, brothers and sisters, even others, and all the people in the world. This kind of love begins with filial piety to parents and respect for brothers and sisters, and then from near to far, from near to far, push yourself and others, and love others with a broad mind and kindness.
Benevolence is self-discipline
Confucius said, "Is benevolence far away? I want benevolence, and I am benevolent. " Ren, is it far? If I want to be kind, I can do it.
Confucius said, "Can you help benevolence in one day? I have never seen anyone who is weak. " In one day, I put my strength into the practice of benevolence, but I haven't seen enough strength yet.
Sima Niu asked Ren. Confucius said, "Benevolent people are also confused." Sima Niu asked how to be good, and Confucius said, "A good man speaks cautiously."
Confucian culture advocates that "doing something wrong is just asking for trouble." Benevolence is a person's cultivation and foundation, and it is used to restrain oneself. We should actively and consciously practice it. It should not be used as laws and norms that bind and blame others, and should not be forced to abide by them.
As we say in modern times, "Morality is better than all laws to restrain oneself, and morality is better than all lynchings to restrain people", which is similar to the benevolence emphasized by Confucianism.
Benevolence is morality.
Ceng Zi said, "Benevolence is my duty, isn't it important? Isn't it far after death? " Isn't it a sign of responsibility to take kindness as one's heavy responsibility? Even if you die, you still feel that you haven't fulfilled many responsibilities, don't you?
Confucius said, "A benevolent person does not have to live to harm others, but commits suicide to be kind." People with lofty ideals are benevolent, and they are not afraid to die and harm righteousness. Only those who sacrifice their own lives can be kind.
Mencius: "Life is what I want, and righteousness is what I want. You can't have both, and those who give up their lives are also righteous. " ? Life is what I love, and righteousness is what I love. If I can't have it at the same time, I can only sacrifice my life for righteousness.
The "benevolence" of Confucian culture, righteousness is more important than life. When righteousness and life can't be balanced, we should give up life for righteousness. All benevolent gentlemen should take it as their duty to practice benevolence and morality, and should not care about utilitarian gains and losses, and forget righteousness. Benevolence is a spirit of responsibility and moral idealism.
"Benevolence" in Chinese Medicine Culture
Interpretation of Ancient Physicians: Confucian Morality
On Medicine: "Doctors can't be trusted unless they are kind, intelligent and reasonable, and can't be trusted unless they are honest and upright." ? To be a doctor, kindness is a necessary condition. Without benevolence, there is no qualification to be a doctor. Doctors should be smart, honest and kind to be credible.
Sun Simiao: "When a great doctor treats a disease, he must be calm and carefree, have no desire or desire, show great compassion first, and swear to save the suffering of the spirit." ? It is called a great doctor because it bears the brunt of kindness, compassion and sympathy for patients, and a mind to save mental suffering.
"Ten Essentials of Physicians": "Kindness is a good word, which is given to others and benefits others." ? Only when doctors are kind-hearted can they be broad-minded and try their best to benefit patients. Without it, you will be entangled in your own self-interest and deviate from the purpose of medicine.
"Push the teacher's watch" "Medicine is benevolence, pen is in the book, and you want the world to return to benevolence." ? Medicine is benevolence, and the dissemination of medical works should help promote the humanistic spirit of medicine.
In ancient times, doctors' benevolence and righteousness was nothing more than putting patients first, indifferent to fame and fortune, caring for patients in general, and practicing benevolence and morality wholeheartedly was their unshirkable responsibility and mission.
Modern Physicians' Interpretation: Pictographic Thinking
The above ancient doctors' explanations of "benevolence" are basically on the moral level. However, Dr. Liu Lihong, a modern physician and a famous Chinese medicine practitioner in Guangxi, interpreted pictographic thinking from the word "benevolence" itself. It's interesting to read.
"Benevolence", from the glyph, is "Qi" on the left, that is, people, and there are two horizontal lines on the right. The upper horizontal line represents the sky and the lower horizontal line represents the earth, which together is "benevolence". Benevolence is about the relationship between heaven, earth and people. Being able to handle the relationship between heaven, earth and people is called "benevolence".
The reason why "medicine is benevolence" requires not only the virtue of doctors, but also the understanding of heaven, earth, people and their relationships, which is required from the level of "surgery"
The core values of TCM are harmony and balance. "Hair is the sum of the middle sections", and it is just right, neither more nor less. The main objects of "harmony" are heaven, earth and people. Only when people are in harmony with heaven and earth can they be called "ordinary people" (healthy people). On the other hand, disharmony with heaven, earth and people is "unequal" and will lead to illness.
The wisdom and artistic conception of "benevolence" are far-reaching, and we need to try and experience it with our heart.
Read the classics and gain insight into the wisdom of the ancients. We are always on the road.