When one is striving at this and that, and those around one do not acknowledge this or follow one’s lead—to become angry and resentful because of this is a great problem. This is because from the beginning one is behaving in a way that demands that others think and act just as one does. In other words, this is merely a different manifestation of self-centeredness; it is nothing but self-attachment. The assertion of one’s puny ego in this way is liable to merely alienate others and have harmful results.
All things and all people have different functions and distinctive characteristics, and to have the arrogance to try to force others to conform to one’s own nature is blasphemy of God. As a rule, to guide others is very good, but one must never force them.
To guide others in accordance with their true natures is to awaken and develop this nature; while to force others, drastically trying to mold them to one’s own notions, is to ignore their true natures. Unless people have their own desires and ideas of what they want to be, no matter how much they are shown the truth by others this is merely as pearls before swine. They will simply be annoyed.
In this world, people often behave as though they are men of virtue and all others are thieves and swindlers. “I’m very polite and have a strong sense of duty, while everyone else is irresponsible and boorish,” they say, “Only I am correct, and all others are wrong.” Such ‘learned’ moralists are all too common in this world.
Such people are not even remotely qualified to lead others. This is because their state of mind is in denial of everything other than their own selves; it is compulsively inclined to exclude all else. These people are truly intolerable in their love for all that is similar to them, and their downright hate for that which is dissimilar.
With this type, although on the surface he may appear to be so, he can never truly be a wise man, nor a man of virtue. This is because the true man of wisdom and virtue must acknowledge Divine will, and love all others indiscriminately.
Moreover, among those who think themselves to be men of virtue, most, on the contrary, are small, narrow-minded, obstinate, and inconsistent. Yet, among those who are labeled as scoundrels, many men of truly perfect virtue may be found. The former gird themselves in armor from head to toe and lurk fearfully in their ivory towers, while the latter trudge naked across mountains and rivers of blood and tears. (?) The domain of the former type is limited to but a tiny area of the world’s boundless space, while the domain of the latter is highly adaptable, and thus may encompass everything.
Essentially, all things of this earth, whether we find them to be good or bad, exist by the providence of God. To mercilessly condemn things, trying to reject and destroy them, is clearly an act of the devil, conceived of in hell.
The heart is an awesomely potent thing.
If only the hearts of the world’s people were to become truly pure, then our laws and social system would no longer be of great importance.
In our work we must give first priority to people and to the spirit and soul. Emphasizing only the work itself will eventually result in failure.
If you grow tired of exchanging arguments with others, you are well on your way to understanding.
To make one’s small and narrow self the foundation
For reflecting upon the multitude of things,
Is like, in the words of a proverb,
“Gazing at heaven through the eye of a needle”
Or a frog’s view of the world from his well.
To kill an ‘enemy’ is regarded as loyalty.
To kill a person is punished with death.
Thus do we call that which is advantageous good,
And that which is inconvenient bad.
How ridiculously we cling to the injustice
Of our view of good and evil in this world.
God, looking down upon earth
Sees each and every one of us
As essential creations.
All of us are good,
Free from evil.
One must not reproach others, calling them hopeless,
Angry at them simply because they are different than one.
Even if you don’t like something,
If it’s okay with others,
Then it’s not so bad, is it?
What’s more, there’s nothing truly needless,
On heaven or on earth.
Every one of us likes to think that he alone is an enlightened being;
The sole spiritual leader of the world.
Guiding himself through his own world,
To hell or paradise as he wishes.
Since none of us are God,
We are hardly qualified to absolutely lead others.
Therefore we can only hope, as far as possible,
To take each person by the hand
And strive together towards a better world.
As long as there is no harm done to our own selves,
The death and injury of others are of little consequence to us.
Drinking wine as Rome burns,
Applauding the murder of pregnant women,
Little has changed over the centuries.
When hardship affects us directly,
Even if it is the most insignificant matter,
We cry out and call it misfortune.
God, looking down from heaven
And seeing his billions of children,
Does not discriminate among them in the least,
Nor treat one warmly and another coldly.
Mountains, rivers, grass, trees, birds, and beasts,
The unfailing cycle of day and night, spring and fall,
All the things of this world were created by God.
God granted us all with equal resources,
So if we truly possess power and wisdom,
We will take and use only that which we need.
To ignore one’s own lack of effort,
Ever waiting for fortune to come one’s way,
This is truly a vile tendency.
Since each man has been blessed
With a portion of the Divine spirit,
If we could only reunite our hearts with the universe,
God’s will would be realized.
To gaze happily upon a world of growing prosperity,
Without discrimination between self and others,
So do I earnestly hope for the realization
Of a harmonious kingdom of heaven on earth.
Jealous-hearted,
Evil-spirited,
Small-minded.
Such is the nature of man.
Desiring to become king or god
Looking down upon others,
And viewing them as one’s servants
Hateful, narrow-minded, and greedy.
Such too is the nature of man.
Struggling with others,
Defeating others,
These actions are vile.
Blood-stained, sweat-soaked, and impure;
Such are the endeavors of man.
Acting in the interest of the multitude,
Gladly sacrificing one’s own self—
Though others speak ill of one,
One receives the praise of God.
Doing good while bearing evil thoughts,
Helping others merely to benefit oneself—
Though others praise one,
One earns only the wrath of God.
When praising someone, are you not merely being obsequious?
When criticizing others, is this not out of self-interest?
Think. Always.
Because we think only of our own good,
And because we desire only our own benefit,
We are constantly angry and troubled,
Worrying that others are better off than we.
Therefore, you yourself,
When angry, troubled, or envious,
Should reflect upon the state of your heart.
Without constant striving and effort,
We become angry and resentful of each other.
This has always been so…
Can this really be man’s true nature?
