395 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
395 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
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DUTY
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In the midst of life's uncontrollable circumstances, scripture
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advocates an attitude that is responsible and dutiful. Just as Synergy,
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pp. 684-88, describes the conjunction of responsibility and grace, Duty
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describes the conjunction of responsibility and destiny.
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Admonitions to be responsible for one's own duty and station may
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refer to the obligations of one's role in society, what in Hinduism is
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called svadharma. By fulfilling the obligations incumbent upon one's
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position, the entire social order is supported and the community as a
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whole benefits. This is the case whether one's duty be a prince or a
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janitor; every role is valuable in building the whole. One's obligations
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are often proportionate to one's gifts and abilities, "to whom much is
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given, will much be required." Similarly, on the path of spiritual
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ascent, a person should not neglect his own welfare to compare himself to
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others and envy those who progress faster. Even to be preoccupied with
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helping others is flawed if done without regard to one's own spiritual
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growth, for how can a person properly guide others to enlightenment when
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his own soul is deep in ignorance? Our duty is to fulfill our individual
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covenant with God. Duty to God should transcend the varying fortunes of
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life; we should never seek to escape or avoid it. The example of Job
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reminds us that even in difficulty we should willingly "drink from the
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cup" which God has provided.
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We then move to the ethics of fulfilling one's duty. To do one's
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duty is a challenge, particularly when to shirk responsibility appears as
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an inviting temptation. The ethical imperative of duty is a reliable
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beacon for directing one's steps in the face of adversity or temptations
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of worldly ease. In the Confucian doctrine of Rectification of Names, the
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call to conform to one's station is a challenge in the sense that most
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people stray far from the duties which their positions would properly
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entail. In particular people in high positions are duty-bound to serve
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the public and show compassion to those below them, but they rarely fulfil
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this, being rulers in name but not in fact. Thus the ethic of fulfilling
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one's duty is seen as the root of what is most honorable and noble in man.
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The concluding passages reject fatalism and see in duty an opportunity for
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action. Implicit is a distinction between the fetters of conventional
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social duties and the higher duty to fulfil one's potential as a child of
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God.
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There is not one of us but has his appointed position, and we are verily
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ranged in ranks [for service].
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Islam. Qur'an 37.164-65
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Through your sojourn
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in the world,
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Know your station in life.
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Know it well, you in the world,
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Know it well.
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Shinto. Moritake Arakida, One Hundred Poems about the World
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For the sake of others' welfare, however great, let not one neglect one's
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own welfare. Clearly perceiving one's own welfare, let one be intent on
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one's own goal.
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Buddhism. Dhammapada 166
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By devotion to one's own particular duty, everyone can attain perfection.
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Let me tell you how. By performing his own work, one worships the Creator
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who dwells in every creature. Such worship brings that person to
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fulfillment.
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It is better to perform one's own duties imperfectly than to master the
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duties of another. By fulfilling the obligations he is born with, a
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person never comes to grief. No one should abandon duties because he sees
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defects in them.
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- - - - - - - - - - -
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One Hundred Poems about the World: This passage reflects the fusion of
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Confucian and Shinto ideas in Japanese religion. The notion of 'station
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in life' comes largely from the Confucian hierarchic system.
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Every action, every activity, is surrounded by defects as a fire is
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surrounded by smoke.
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Hinduism. Bhagavad Gita 18.44-48
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Leaving alone things which do not concern him is one of the good things in
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a man's Islam.
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Islam. Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 12
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If one does not perform duty to one whom the duty is due, one becomes a
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thief of the duty.
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Zoroastrianism. Avesta, Videvidad 4.1
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Borrowed trousers and garments
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Never fit a man well;
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They are usually either too tight,
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Or too loose.
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Proper fitting is achieved
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When one wears one's own dress.
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African Traditional Relgions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria)
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Let him not despise what he has received, nor should he live envying the
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gains of others. The disciple who envies the gains of others does not
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attain concentration.
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Though receiving but little, if a disciple does not despise his own gains,
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even the gods praise such a one who is pure in livelihood and is not
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slothful.
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Buddhism. Dhammapada 365-66
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The little that one produces [oneself] with a broken hoe is better than
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the plenty that another gives you.
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African Traditional Religions. Buji Proverb (Nigeria)
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You cannot use your hand to force the sun to set.
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African Traditional Religions. Bette Proverb (Nigeria)
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All appointments are from Heaven, even that of a janitor.
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Judaism. Talmud, Baba Batra 91b
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Bhagavad Gita 18.44-48: By 'defects' the Bhagavad Gita is defending the
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imperfections of the caste system against Buddhist and Jain critiques. At
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the same time, this is practical advice that can be applied to many of
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life's situations. Dhammapada 365-66: On complaint and envy, see Bhagavad
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Gita 3.31-32, p. 162. Bette Proverb: This means that you cannot succeed
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in overstepping your position or seeking to do that for which you have no
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ability.
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A favorite saying of the rabbis of Jabneh was, I am God's creature and my
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peasant neighbor is God's creature. My work is in the town and his work
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is in the country. I rise early for my work and he rises early for his
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work. Just as he does not presume to do my work, so I do not presume to
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do his work. Will you say, I do much and he does little? We have
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learned, One may do much or one may do little; it is all the same,
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provided he directs his heart to Heaven.
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Judaism. Talmud, Berakot 17a
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Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required.
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Christianity. Luke 12.48
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He has raised you in ranks, some above others, that He may try you in the
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gifts He has given you.
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Islam. Qur'an 6.165
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Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?
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Christianity. John 18.11
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In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider;
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God made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out
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anything that will be after him.
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Judaism and Christianity. Ecclesiastes 7.14
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Nanak, for man it is idle to ask for pleasure when suffering comes;
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Pleasure and suffering are like robes which man must wear as they come.
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Where arguing is of no avail, it is best to be contented.
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Sikhism. Adi Granth, Var Majh, M.1, p. 149
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I go out at the north gate,
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With my heart full of sorrow.
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Straitened am I and poor,
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And no one takes knowledge of my distress.
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So it is! Heaven has done it;--
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What then shall I say?
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Confucianism. Book of Songs, Ode 40
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Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord, and afflicted Job with
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loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And
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he took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.
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Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity?
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Curse God, and die." But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish
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women would speak. Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we
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not receive evil?"
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Judaism and Christianity. Job 2.9-10
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All a gentleman can do in starting an enterprise is to leave behind a
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tradition which can be carried on. Heaven alone can grant success.
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Confucianism. Mencius I.B.14
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When one follows unswervingly the path of virtue it is not to win
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advancement. When one invariably keeps one's word it is not to establish
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the rectitude of one's actions. A gentleman merely follows the norm and
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awaits his destiny.
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Confucianism. Mencius VII.B.33
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It is not your duty to complete the work, but neither are you free to
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desist from it; if you have studied much Torah, much reward will be given
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you; for faithful is your Employer to pay you the wages for your labor.
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Know that the grant of reward to the righteous will be in the time to
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come.
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Judaism. Abot 2.21
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Duke Ching of Ch'i asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied
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saying, Let the prince be a prince, the minister a minister, the father a
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father, and the son a son." The Duke said, "How true! For indeed, when
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the prince is not a prince, the minister not a minister, the father not a
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father, the son not a son, one may have a dish of millet in front of one
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and yet not know if one will live to eat it.
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Confucianism. Analects 12.11
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He who does not fulfil his duty is not respected by honest men. It
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is how he acts that reveals the nobility or baseness of a man and
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distinguishes the honest or the dishonest person; otherwise the ignoble
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would resemble the noble, and he who is devoid of honor would resemble a
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man of integrity; he who is unworthy would be deemed worthy and he who is
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depraved would be considered to be a man of virtue. If, under the pretext
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of duty, I adopt this unrighteous course, calculated to produce the
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confusion of social roles [castes], and do acts not recognized by the
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scriptures, I should, renouncing good, have to reap evil only! What
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sensible man, able to discern what is just and unjust, would respect me in
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this world, if I behaved viciously and dishonorably?...
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Duty, the essence of which is truth, is said to be the root of all
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in this world; it is truth that is the support of duty; everything has
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truth as its basis; there is nothing greater than the truth. Offerings,
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sacrifices, libations, mortifications, asceticism, and the Vedas all have
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truth as their foundation; therefore truth is before all. Alone it
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supports the world, alone it supports the family; its non-observance sends
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one to hell; it alone is exalted in heaven. Why should I not fulfil the
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command of my father, who was a devotee of truth? Neither ambition,
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forgetfulness, nor pride would cause me to destroy the bridge of morality!
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Hinduism. Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda 109
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Job 2.9-10: In this story, Satan is acting only on God's permission, so
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Job's evil plight is ultimately due to the hand of God. See Job 1.6-12,
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p. 442n. Analects 12.11: This passage gives the Confucian doctrine of
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Rectification of Names. Cf. Mencius I.B.8, p. 1085; II.B.4, p. 1042.
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The moral man conforms himself to his life circumstances; he does
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not desire anything outside his position. Finding himself in a position
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of wealth and honor, he lives as becomes one living in a position of
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wealth and honor. Finding himself in a position of poverty and humble
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circumstances, he lives as becomes one living in a position of poverty and
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humble circumstances. Finding himself in uncivilized countries, he lives
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as becomes one living in uncivilized countries. Finding himself in
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circumstances of danger and difficulty, he acts according to what is
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required of a man under such circumstances. In one word, the moral man
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can find himself in no situation in life in which he is not master of
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himself.
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In high position he does not domineer over his subordinates. In a
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subordinate position he does not court the favors of his superiors. He
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puts in order his own personal conduct and seeks nothing from others;
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hence he has no complaint to make. He complains not against God, nor
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rails against men.
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Thus it is that the moral man lives out the even tenor of his life,
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calmly waiting for the appointment of God, whereas the vulgar person takes
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to dangerous courses, expecting the uncertain chances of luck.
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Confucianism. Doctrine of the Mean 14
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Tzu-kao, Duke of She, who was being sent on a mission to Ch'i,
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consulted Confucius. "The king is sending me on a very important mission.
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Ch'i will probably treat me with great honor but will be in no hurry to do
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anything more. Even a commoner cannot be forced to act, much less one of
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the feudal lords. I am very worried about it...."
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Confucius said, "In the world, there are two great decrees: one is
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fate and the other is duty. That a son should love his parent is
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fate--you cannot erase this from his heart. That a subject should serve
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his ruler is duty--there is no place he can go and be without his ruler,
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no place he can escape to between heaven and earth. These are called the
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great decrees. Therefore, to serve your parents and be content to follow
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them anywhere--this is the perfection of filial piety. To serve your
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ruler and be content to do anything for him--this is the peak of loyalty.
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And to serve your own mind so that sadness or joy do not sway or move it;
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to understand what you can do nothing about and be content with it as with
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fate--this is the perfection of virtue. As a subject and a son, you are
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bound to find things you cannot avoid. If you act in accordance with the
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state of affairs and forget about yourself, then what leisure will you
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have to love life and hate death?...
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"Just go along with things and let your mind move freely. Resign
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yourself to what cannot be avoided and nourish what is within you--this is
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best. What more do you have to do to fulfill your mission? Nothing is as
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good as following orders--that is how difficult it is!"
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Taoism. Chuang Tzu 4
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Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda 109: Rama rejects his friends' arguments that he
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should seize the throne and abrogate the command of his father that he
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retire to the forest. He regards the duty of a filial son to obey his
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father's wishes to be more precious than a kingdom. Doctrine of the Mean
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14: Compare 1 Corinthians 9.19-22, p. 1021.
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Every one should remain in the state in which he was called. Were you a
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slave when called? Never mind. But if you can gain your freedom, avail
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yourself of the opportunity. For he who was called in the Lord as a slave
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is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a
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slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of
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men. So, brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him abide
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with God.
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Christianity. 1 Corinthians 7.20-24
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Mencius said, "Though nothing happens that is not due to destiny, one
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accepts willingly only what is one's proper destiny. That is why he who
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understands destiny does not stand under a wall on the verge of collapse.
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He who dies after having done his best in following the Way dies according
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to his proper destiny. It is never anyone's proper destiny to die in
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fetters."
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Confucianism. Mencius VII.A.2
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There was a demon named Harikesha, devoted to the brahmins and to dharma.
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>From his very birth he was a devotee of Shiva. His father said, "I think
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you cannot be my son, or else you are indeed ill-begotten. For this is
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not the behavior (svadharma) for families of demons. You are by your
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inborn nature cruel-minded, flesh-eating, destructive. Do not behave in
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this evil way [that is, worshipping brahmins and Shiva]; the behavior
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ordained by the Creator for demons should not be abandoned; just as
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householders should not perform actions appropriate to the hermitage.
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Abandon this human nature with its complicated scale of rites; you must
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have been born from mortal man, to be set on this wrong path. Among
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mortals, the appropriate ritual duty arises according to caste; and I too
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have ordained your duty in the proper way." But Harikesha went to Benares
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and performed asceticism until Shiva accepted him as a great yogi, one of
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his own hosts.
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Hinduism. Matsya Purana 180.5-7
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1 Corinthians 7.20-24: Christianity does not sanction slavery. However,
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in the Roman Empire, when Paul wrote this letter, many slaves became
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Christians. Paul counseled them to fulfill their social duties,
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internally living in the spiritual freedom of Christ, and all the while
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looking for an opportunity to gain lawfully their external freedom as
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well. Cf. Philemon 10-17, p. 281. Matsya Purana 8.5-7: This and similar
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stories of the good demon who aspires to a destiny beyond that ordained
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for his race are understood as metaphors for any person who aspires to a
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destiny beyond his caste. However, it is not always the case that, as in
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this example, will triumphs over blood. See Vishnu Purana 3.17-18, p.
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448; cf. Sanhedrin 105a, p. 744.
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