188 lines
9.2 KiB
Plaintext
188 lines
9.2 KiB
Plaintext
The Family
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World Scripture
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THE FAMILY
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We may regard the family as having two axes: a vertical axis running through
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the generations from grandparents to parents to children, and a horizontal axis
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including members of the same generation: husband and wife, brothers and
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sisters. Furthermore, the ultimate vertical axis is the relation between the
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family and Ultimate Reality, recognizing God as the Ultimate Parent. Happiness
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and harmony in the family are thus directly related to the good character,
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truthfulness, and God-directedness of the individual: of the parents first and
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also of other family members. Good family relations, in turn, are productive
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of good citizens who are able to apply the lessons of family relations to
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relations with their elders and superiors, co-workers, and subordinates, in
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school, business, government, and other community affairs. The passages in this
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section deal with the various relations in the family all together. The
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following two sections gather passages on the vertical axis of parents and
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children and the horizontal axis of husband and wife, respectively.
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Supporting one's father and mother, cherishing wife and children and a peaceful
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occupation; this is the greatest blessing.
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1. Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 262
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Lord, give us joy in our wives and children, and make us models for the
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God-fearing.
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2. Islam. Qur'an 25.74
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May in this family discipline overcome indiscipline, peace discord,
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charity miserliness, devotion arrogance, the truth-spoken word the false
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spoken word which destroys the holy order.
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3. Zoroastrianism. Avesta, Yasna 60.5
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There are five relations of utmost importance under Heaven...
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between prince and minister; between father and son; between husband and wife;
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between elder and younger brothers; and between friends.
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4. Confucianism. Doctrine of the Mean 20.8
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What are "the things which men consider right"? Kindness on the part of
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the father, and filial duty on that of the son; gentleness on the part
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of the elder brother, and obedience on that of the younger;
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righteousness on the part of the husband, and submission on that of the
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wife; kindness on the part of elders, and deference on that of juniors;
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with benevolence on the part of the ruler, and loyalty on that of the
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minister;--these ten are the things which men consider to be right.
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5. Confucianism. Book of Ritual 7.2.19
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Natural mildness should be there in the family. Observance of the vows leads
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to mildness.... Right belief should there be amongst family members.
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Crookedness and deception cause unhappiness in the family. Straightforwardness
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and honesty in one's body, speech, and mental activities lead the family to an
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auspicious path. Purity, reverence, ceaseless pursuit of knowledge, charity,
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removal of obstacles that threaten equanimity, service to others -- these make
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the family happy.
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6. Jainism. Tattvarthasutra 6.18-24
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The moral life of man may be likened to traveling to a distant place: one must
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start from the nearest stage. It may also be likened to ascending a height [of
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public responsibility]: one must begin from the lowest step [one's family].
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The Book of Songs says,
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When wives and children and their sires are one,
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'Tis like the harp and lute in unison.
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When brothers live in concord and at peace
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The strain of harmony shall never cease.
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The lamp of happy union lights the home,
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And bright days follow when the children come.
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Confucius, commenting on the above, remarked, "In such a state of things what
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more satisfaction can parents have?"
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7. Confucianism. Doctrine of the Mean 15.2-3
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Thus I have heard, the Buddha was once staying near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Wood
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at the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Now at this time young Sigala, a
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householder's son, rising betimes, went forth from Rajagaha, and with wet hair
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and wet garments and clasped hands uplifted, paid worship to the several
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quarters of the earth and sky: to the east, south, west, and north, to the
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nadir and the zenith.
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And the Exalted One early that morning dressed himself, took bowl and robe and
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entered Rajagaha seeking alms. Now he saw young Sigala worshipping and spoke
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to him thus,
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"Why, young householder, do you worship the several quarters of earth and sky?"
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"Sir, my father, when he was dying, said to me: 'Dear son, you should worship
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the quarters of the earth and sky.' So I, sir, honoring my father's word, rise
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and worship in this way."
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"But in the religion of an educated man, the six quarters should not be
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worshipped thus."
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"How then, sir, in the religion of an educated man, should the six quarters be
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worshipped? It would be an excellent thing if the Exalted One would so teach
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me the correct way..."
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"How, O young householder, does the educated man serve the six quarters? The
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following should be looked upon as the six quarters: parents as the east,
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teachers as the south, wife and children as the west, friends and companions as
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the north, servants as the nadir, and religious leaders as the zenith.
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"In five ways should a child minister to his parents as the eastern quarter:
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'Once supported by them, I will now be their support; I will perform duties
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incumbent on them; I will keep up the lineage and tradition of my family; I
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will make myself worthy of my heritage.'
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"In five ways parents thus ministered to, as the eastern quarter, by their
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child, show their love for him: They restrain him from vice, they exhort him
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to virtue, they train him to a profession, they contract a suitable marriage
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for him, and in due time they hand over to him his inheritance.
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"Thus is the eastern quarter protected by him and made safe and secure.
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"In five ways should pupils minister to their teachers as the southern quarter:
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by respectfully greeting them, by waiting upon them, by eagerness to learn, by
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personal service, and by attentiveness to their teaching.
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"In five ways do teachers, thus ministered to as the southern quarter by their
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pupils, love their pupil: They train him in what they have been trained; they
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make him hold fast to moral precepts; they thoroughly instruct him in the lore
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of every subject; they speak well of him among his friends and companions; they
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counsel him for his safety and benefit.
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"Thus is the southern quarter protected by him and made safe and secure.
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"In five ways should a wife as western quarter be ministered to by her husband:
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by respect, by courtesy, by faithfulness, by handing over authority to her, by
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providing her with adornment.
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"In five ways does the wife, ministered to by her husband as the western
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quarter, love him: Her duties are well performed, she is hospitable to their
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relatives, she is faithful, she watches over the wages and goods which he
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brings home, she discharges all her business with skill and industry.
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"Thus is the western quarter protected by him and made safe and secure.
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"In five ways should one minister to his friends and companions as the northern
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quarter: by generosity, courtesy, and benevolence, by treating them as he
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treats himself, and by being as good as his word.
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"In five ways do his friends and familiars, thus ministered to as the northern
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quarter, love him: They protect him when he is off his guard, and on occasions
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guard his property; they become a refuge in danger; they do not forsake him in
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his troubles; and they show consideration for his family.
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"Thus is the northern quarter protected by him and made safe and secure.
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"In five ways does a noble master minister to his servants and employees as the
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nadir: by assigning them work according to their strength, by supplying them
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with food and wages, by tending them in sickness, by sharing with them unusual
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delicacies, by granting them leave at times.
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"In five ways, thus ministered to by their master, do servants and employees
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love him: They rise before him, they lie down to rest after him, they are
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content with their wages, they do their work well, and they carry about his
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praise and good fame.
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"Thus is the nadir by him protected and made safe and secure.
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"In five ways should the layman minister to saints, priests, and religious
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leaders as the zenith: by affection in act and speech and mind, by keeping open
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house to them, and by supplying their temporal needs.
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"Ministered to as the zenith, monks, priests, and religious leaders show their
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love for the layman in six ways: They restrain him from evil, they exhort him
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to good, they love him with kindly thoughts, they teach him what he has not
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heard, they correct and purify what he has heard, they reveal to him the way of
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heaven.
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"Thus by him is the zenith protected and made safe and secure."
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8. Buddhism. Digha Nikaya iii.185-91, Sigalovada Sutta
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Doctrine of the Mean 20.8: These are the Confucian Five Relations. They are
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further explicated in the following passage. Book of Ritual 7.2.19: Cf. I
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Ching 37, p. 260. Tattvarthasutra 6.18.24: Cf. Acarangasutra 1.35-37, p. 739;
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Tattvarthasutra 9.6, p. 169.
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