Meditation I

Chapter 20

Between people, they both despise and flatter each other; everyone hopes to be superior to others, and prostrate themselves in front of others.

Have I done anything for the common welfare of mankind?
The unique properties of a rational soul are: it can not only observe and analyze itself, but also shape itself into what it wants; The fruits are all enjoyed by others—wherever the limits of life may end, the rational soul may reach its own ends.Something like a dance or a play, where there is a sudden interruption that stops the whole activity.And every part of the rational soul, wherever it stops, can say that the part before it is complete and sufficient, so that it can say: "I have all that is mine." and examine its external form, extend to infinite time, include and understand the cyclical innovation of all things, realize that future generations cannot see new things, and predecessors and pioneers have not seen Been to more content.A man of forty years, provided he possesses a complete understanding, can see all that has been and will be, by virtue of the universality that permeates all things.Another characteristic of the rational soul is: love of neighbor, truth, and modesty, which value nothing but the reason of the law itself.In this way, right reason comes into complete agreement with just reason.

If you break up a whole piece of music into individual voices, and you ask yourself: Do any of these individual voices move you?Then, your evaluation will be low, and the same is true for songs, dances, and sports competitions.Because you'll be embarrassed to admit that in dance, many movements and gestures are identical in isolation, and the same is true in sports.So, apart from virtue and virtue, you should remember: all things, if you only pay attention to individual parts of it, then you will value it less.This same principle applies to every aspect of your life.

What a soul should be always ready to separate from the part of the body to which it belongs, and always ready to perish, to scatter, or to continue to exist!However, this preparation depends entirely on one's own determination and does not come from Christian 20-style stubbornness.Moreover, this preparation is done with prudence and dignity, in a way that convinces others, and does not act with pathos.

Have I done anything for the common welfare of mankind?Well then, you've been rewarded for asking this question.You should always keep this question in your mind and at the same time don't stop doing good deeds.

What is your craft?Be a good person.How can one be successful without understanding the universal truths other than the nature of the universe, and about the peculiar constitution of human life?

The original intention of the tragedy is to remind people that they should pay attention to what happens around them, which is in line with the natural nature.If you can accept the scenes on the stage with joy, then in the larger stage of reality, you will not be troubled.Because, you see these things have to be done, even the one who cries "O Mount Ciceron."21 has to accept them.In fact, many things have been said well by dramatists, especially the following quote:

"If the gods have neglected me and my child, there must be a reason." 22 And also: "Be not angry and fretful over what has happened." and: "Life is reaped like a fruitful ear of wheat." There are other similar statements.

After the tragedy, the old comedy is introduced, in which there is often an unscrupulous spontaneity, a candid expression that is actually useful in reminding people of what arrogance really is.It is also for this reason that Diogenes often quoted lines from comic writers in the past.

But refer to the interim comedy that followed, gain insight into its nature, and then understand the new comedy introduced afterward, which gradually degenerates into a means of mocking buffoons.Every one knows that some salutary things are said in these works, but to what purpose do these poems and plays tend on the whole!

How clear it is: there is no other condition of life more suitable for the cultivation of philosophy than the life in which you are now.

A branch cut from an adjacent branch necessarily belongs to the whole tree.And if a person wants to be separated from another person, then he is also separated from the whole society at the same time.With the branch it is another tool that cuts it; and a man is separated from others around him by his own deeds, and when he resents and leaves his neighbor he does not realize that he has done so. At the same time isolated from the entire social system.However, he still has a privilege, which is a gift from Zeus who created the world. This kind of privilege given by God allows us to gradually approach our social system again and become a part of the entire social system.However, if such detachment from society occurs frequently, the difficulty of being brought back into a unified social whole will rapidly increase for the detached person.Finally, the branches that grew together with the whole tree still share the life of the tree, but the branches that were cut off and then grafted on are different. grows with the rest of the tree, but no longer has exactly the same mind as the tree.

If you are walking on the right path of reason, no one can divert you from doing what is right for you, nor should your love for them be affected by it.However, you still need to beware of two things at the same time: not only to maintain the stability of your own judgment and behavior, but also to maintain the original benevolence to those who hinder you or cause trouble for you.For it is a sign of weakness to be troubled by them, and to detour out of fear; and he who does so out of fear is as much a betrayer of his position as he who alienates himself from his natural kin.

Art is not something inferior to nature, for art itself is an imitation of nature.But if so, the inclusion of all the most perfect and universal natures would not be inconsistent with high art.All art is doing low things for the higher good; and so is the nature of the universe.Therefore, the foundation of justice also lies in this, and all other virtues have the foundation of justice.But justice cannot be observed if our concern is with things in the middle (things of little importance), or if we are gullible, careless, and fickle.

Even when things are not in your favor, and your pursuit and avoidance of things disturb you, you still gravitate toward them.You can rest your judgment, stay calm, and stop pursuing or avoiding something.

The sphere-like soul persists in this form: it neither stretches out nor shrinks inward; the truth it contains.

People despise and flatter each other
Suppose someone despises me.Let him take care of himself.And it is my concern that nothing in my own words or actions should be contemptible.Someone hate me?Let him take care of himself.And I will still maintain my original kind and benevolent attitude towards everyone. I am even willing to point out the mistakes of the person who hates me, but I will not use the tone of blame, nor will I put on an attitude of being patient with him , and would, like the great Phocion, be both noble and just, unless he only pretended to be so.Because that's how it should be in the human heart, and we humans should let the gods see that we are not always dissatisfied or complaining.If what you are doing now is in harmony with your nature, and you are satisfied with what is happening in due time according to the nature of the universe, then because you are in a human position, to do things in a certain way for the public good, it is not for you. How could it be an evil?
Between people, they both despise and flatter each other; everyone hopes to be superior to others, and prostrate themselves in front of others.

How unnatural and honest it is for the man to say he is determined to treat you fairly. —Man, what are you doing?There is no need to confess to the world like this.This needs to be expressed in action immediately.Opinions should be written plainly on the forehead.Similarly, all the character of a person can be clearly seen in his eyes, just like a person in love can immediately understand everything from the eyes of the other party.And an honest and kind person seems to have a strong aura around him, and those who approach him can quickly smell his wishes.Contrition, on the other hand, is like a completely bent stick.There is nothing more shameful than wolf friendship (false friendship).You should try to avoid these.Kindness, simplicity and benevolence, unmistakable in the eyes.

The best way of life is demanded, all in the exercise of the powers of the soul, as long as the soul is indifferent to things of no importance.And to realize this attitude, it is necessary to observe the parts of each thing without forgetting the whole, and to remember that none of these things can make us opinion about it, nor do they tend to us. ; only these things remain unmoved, and it is we who judge them, or, so to speak, take them to heart.In fact, we don't have to keep them in our minds, this is within our ability, and if these judgments enter our minds, we can wipe them off; Time exists because life ends shortly after.Besides, is there any difficulty in doing this?Again, if these things are perfectly in line with nature, we should accept them with joy, they are easy for you; but if they are not in line with nature, then it is better to seek those things in line with your nature, Make an effort to approach it, though it may not bring you a good name, for it is permissible for a man to seek what is good for himself.

Just think about it: where did everything come from?What is it built from?What kind of changes are you going through?What will become of things after the change?It continues to exist without damage.

If a person offends or opposes you, think first: What is the relationship between me and them? We were created to cooperate with each other; I was created to be superior to them , like the ram among the sheep, and the bull among the herds.We may examine this question from the most fundamental principle: if not only atoms and particles are of the composition of things, then it is nature itself that arranges all things: if this is true, then the lower things exist for the benefit of the higher things, and These higher things are for the benefit of each other.

(End of this chapter)