Author: Richard Urban

Before You Desire to Have Dominion Over The Universe, You Should First Have Dominion Over Yourself

Watch or listen to the second part of the series on the Richard Urban Show, Why Abstinence Matters:
We Have Become Diseased both Spiritually and Physically.

Deuteronomy 5

5 Moses called together the people of Israel and said:

Today I am telling you the laws and teachings that you must follow, so listen carefully. 2 The Lord our God made an agreement with our nation at Mount Sinai.[a] 3 That agreement wasn’t only with[b] our ancestors but with us, who are here today. 4 The Lord himself spoke to you out of the fire, 5 but you were afraid of the fire and refused to go up the mountain. So I spoke with the Lord for you, then I told you that he had said:

6 I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves.

7 Do not worship any god except me.

1 Kings 18

7 As Obadiah was walking along, he met Elijah. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down, and asked, “Elijah, is it really you?”

8 “Yes. Go tell Ahab I’m here.”

9 Obadiah replied:

King Ahab would kill me if I told him that. And I haven’t even done anything wrong. 10 I swear to you in the name of the living Lord your God that the king has looked everywhere for you. He sent people to look in every country, and when they couldn’t find you, he made the leader of each country swear that you were not in that country. 11 Do you really want me to tell him you’re here?

Richard: Elijah was committed to speaking the truth, no matter what.

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 3

Perfection

1. Perfection Begins with Unity of Mind and Body

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

“Before you desire to have dominion over the universe, you should first have dominion over yourself”: This is the first article in the life of faith. To attain self-perfection you should have dominion over your self. In other words, you should reach the state of self-mastery, controlling your body, with no conflict or opposition between your mind and body. (37:122, December 23, 1970)

The structure of a human being consists of dual aspects: mind and body. The mind relates to the vertical standard, while the body relates to the horizontal standard. Had human beings attained God’s ideal standard at the beginning, always receiving God’s love, then whenever the bell of God’s love would ring in their vertical mind, their bodies on the earth plane would resonate with it and feel everything. Whenever the mind-like spirit self resonated vertically with true love, the body on the horizontal plane would naturally respond.
When you strike an “A” on a tuning fork, it sends waves of a certain frequency through space, and when they match the frequency of another object, that object sends its waves back. This is called resonance. Likewise, there is resonance between the mind and the body at the frequency of love. When love strikes the mind or spirit self, the body responds. Had human beings not fallen, it would have been this way. By what standard would resonance occur? The resonant frequency has to be true love. (177:216, May 20, 1988)

When your mind and body become one, God will be with you. This is a fundamental principle. Why would God be with you at that point? Because that is where love is. Love begins when mind and body become one. For love to flow, subject and object are necessary. Therefore, God is with the person who has established mind-body unity. Then his or her body becomes God’s temple.
What sort of place is God’s temple? It is a place of Sabbath rest. In what can God rest? Love. God’s temple is the place to rest in the love of God.
The highest human aspiration is to abide in the place of love—the world of heart. It is like a fountain: there is no end to love no matter how much pours out. Why does love have no end? Because God dwells there. (91:78, January 30, 1977)

God is like pure gold; there is nothing false about God. What should we do to be united with God? We should not be false people. That means our mind and body should be united, just as God’s [inter nal nature and external form are united]. That is the meaning of Matthew 5:48: “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (91:321, March 1, 1977)

Each member of the family first needs to perfect his or her individual character. This requires removing the fallen nature, which has been passed down through the generations since the Human Fall. In other words, each person must be victorious in the struggle between the mind and the body. Then the world of harmony will bear fruit in that individual’s perfected character—a state of one heart, one mind and one thought. Fallen nature, which causes jealousy, envy, greed, hatred and all other evils, will never again take root in a person who has achieved that state. (March 23, 2004)

The purpose of religion is to cultivate people of character who live by the laws of the world of the heart and all the principles of the cosmos, and thereby govern the emotions of life. (6:349, May 24, 1959)

Unless you can perfectly love yourself, you cannot perfectly love God. (22:97-98, January 26, 1969)

Perfection is a State of Unity With God

Watch or listen to the second part of the series on the Richard Urban Show, Why Abstinence Matters:
We Have Become Diseased both Spiritually and Physically on the Richard Urban Show.

Cheon Seong Gyeong 2156

The result of this Fall is that human-
kind became ignorant of such basic
issues as the facts relating to God, life,
and the universe. Throughout my life,
I have spoken in public more than ten
thousand times, and presented a true
view of the world, of life, and of history
based on the principles of ‘Godism.’ This
content in its entirety has been translat-
ed into twelve different languages and
published in a series of some three hun-
dred volumes. It was not brought to light
as a result of some kind of comprehen-
sive literary research or academic study,
but is comprised of the fundamental and
essential answers I found while freely
traversing both the visible and the invis-
ible worlds.

Richard: Very true. How many are aware of what the purpose of life is, as God designed it?

Cheong Seong Gyeong 1509

Where is the center of the universe?
It is the family. Where is the base for true
love to settle? It is in your family. There-
fore, the family of the original ideal is
one that grasps the love of the universe
and participates in the protection of the
universe. Also, such a family applies
the realm of love for the universe to the
national level in order to walk the way
of patriotism and finally, applies it to the
world level. People who love their family
are called filial sons or daughters, people
who love their nation are called patriots,
and people who love the world are called
saints. (Blessed Family – 925)

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 3

Perfection

Scriptures describe the virtues of a person who is one with the Absolute, who is firmly established in truth, who is without sin or bondage to worldly corruption, and who exhibits the fullness of sanctifying grace. He or she may be called a saint, a sage, a Buddha, or a divine man. This state of perfection is not beyond our reach; it is a goal to be attained, if we only make the effort. Gandhi once said, “Life is an aspiration. Its mission is to strive after perfection, which is self-realization. The ideal must not be lowered because of our weaknesses or imperfections.”
The passages in this section describe the excellent qualities of a person who has attained the state of perfection. Three characteristics of perfection in particular stand out: The first is mind-body unity. The saint has dominion over him or herself, having overcome selfish desires and been purified of any feelings of lust, greed or other cravings. As a result, he only wishes to do what is right—in accord with God’s will and the dictates of conscience. In Saint Augustine’s words, he is one who can “love God and do what you will.”
Second, perfection is a state of unity with God. God is the pattern and model for the highest human aspirations. Thus, the saint participates in God’s own perfection and comes to embody God’s attributes— absoluteness, unchangeability, compassion, righteousness, etc.
Third, perfection means to embody God’s true love. Love or compassion is the core of God’s being, as expressed in His untiring efforts to save sinful people. Therefore, a man or woman of perfection delights in the well-being of others and selflessly works for their benefit. Saintly love has no partiality, regards no one as an enemy, but always repays evil with good. (See also Chapter 13: True Love.)

  1. Perfection Begins with Unity of Mind and Body

A novice asked the Buddha, “What is goodness
and what is greatness?” The Buddha replied,
“To follow the Way and hold to what is true is
good. When the will is in conformity with the
Way, that is greatness.”
Sutra of Forty-two Sections 15 (Buddhism)

None of you truly believes until his inclination
is in accordance with what I have brought.
Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 41 (Islam)

One who is rich in the enlightenment will not
indulge in any sinful action, since his conscience is
guided by the intellect fully illumined with Truth.
Acarangasutra 1.174 (Jainism)

Whose minds are well perfected in the Factors of
Enlightenment, who, without clinging, delight
in the giving up of grasping, they, the corrup-
tion-free, shining ones, have attained Nibbana
even in this world.
Dhammapada 89 (Buddhism)

He whose senses are subdued, like steeds
well-trained by a charioteer, he whose pride is
destroyed and is free from the corruptions—
such a steadfast one even the gods hold dear.

Like the earth, a balanced and well-disciplined
person resents not… He is like a pool, unsullied
by mud; to such a balanced one, life’s wanderings
do not arise.

Calm is his mind, calm is his speech, calm is his
action, who, rightly knowing, is wholly freed
[from defilements], perfectly peaceful and
equipoised.

The man who is not credulous but truly
understands the Uncreated (Nibbana), who has
cut off the links, who has put an end to occasion
[of good and evil], , who has eschewed all desires,
he indeed is a supreme man.
Dhammapada 94-97 (Buddhism)

Arjuna: Tell me of those who live established in
wisdom, ever aware of the Self, O Krishna. How
do they talk? How sit? How move about?
Lord Krishna: They live in wisdom who
see themselves in all and all in them, who have
renounced every selfish desire and sense craving
tormenting the heart.
Neither agitated by grief nor hankering after
pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and
anger. Established in meditation, they are truly
wise. Fettered no more by selfish attachments,
they are neither elated by good fortune nor
depressed by bad. Such are the seers.
Even as a tortoise draws in its limbs, the
wise can draw in their senses at will. Aspirants
abstain from sense pleasures, but they still crave
for them. These cravings all disappear when
they see the highest goal. Even of those who
tread the path, the stormy senses can sweep
off the mind. They live in wisdom who subdue
their senses and keep their minds ever absorbed
in Me.
Bhagavad-Gita 2.54-61 (Hinduism)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as say-
ing, “The believers whose faith is most perfect
are those who have the best character.”
Hadith of Abu Dawud and Darimi (Islam)

The monk who has destroyed the cankers, lived
the life, done what was to be done, laid down the
burden, won the goal, burst the bonds of becom-
ing, and is freed by the fullness of gnosis, cannot
transgress nine standards: a monk in whom the
cankers are destroyed cannot deliberately take
the life of any living thing; cannot, with inten-
tion to steal, take what is not given; cannot
indulge in carnal intercourse; cannot intention-
ally tell a lie; cannot enjoy pleasures from mem-
ories as of yore when a householder; a monk
in whom the cankers are destroyed cannot go
astray through desire; cannot go astray through
hate; cannot go astray through delusion; cannot
go astray through fear.
Anguttara Nikaya 4.370 (Buddhism)

He who has achieved it cannot either be drawn
into friendship or repelled,
Cannot be benefited, cannot be harmed,
Cannot either be raised or humbled,
And for that reason is highest of all creatures
under heaven.
Tao Te Ching 56 (Taoism)

Your Conscience Is the Agent of God Within You

1 John 3

11 From the beginning you were told that we must love each other. 12 Don’t be like Cain, who belonged to the devil and murdered his own brother. Why did he murder him? He did it because his brother was good, and he was evil. 13 My friends, don’t be surprised if the people of this world hate you. 14 Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life. But if you don’t love each other, you are still under the power of death.

Esther 1

1 1-2 King Xerxes[a] of Persia lived in his capital city of Susa[b] and ruled one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia.[c] 3 During the third year of his rule, Xerxes gave a big dinner for all his officials and officers. The governors and leaders of the provinces were also invited, and even the commanders of the Persian and Median armies came. 4 For one hundred eighty days he showed off his wealth and spent a lot of money to impress his guests with the greatness of his kingdom.

5 King Xerxes soon gave another dinner and invited everyone in the city of Susa, no matter who they were. The eating and drinking lasted seven days in the beautiful palace gardens. 6 The area was decorated with blue and white cotton curtains tied back with purple linen cords that ran through silver rings fastened to marble columns. Couches of gold and silver rested on pavement that had all kinds of designs made from costly bright-colored stones and marble and mother-of-pearl.

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 3

Conscience and Inborn Goodness

2. Struggling with One’s Conscience

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

As he pursues his life’s course, a person must attend his own deep mind. This is an ironclad rule of Heaven. Heaven will punish a person who fails to follow his original mind’s order. (4:260, August 8, 1958)

A guilty conscience is evidence that you have broken the heavenly law. (17:36, November 6, 1966)

No one can help me be reconciled with my conscience; it is up to me, to each individual. For instance, if I wronged my brother, I would be ashamed to go near him. Even if he doesn’t know that I wronged him, my conscience already knows it. Because I feel pangs of conscience, I keep myself at a distance, feeling all the while that I should go to him and confess. That is how the principle of heaven and earth operates. Due to the Human Fall we were desensitized, but anyone whose sensitivity is keen and sharp already knows it. (400:382, January 11, 2003)

Every human being, throughout his life, has a most precious teacher within himself. Yet we do not treat this teacher well. We mistreat it, trample on it and abuse it. That teacher is the human conscience. Our conscience always gives us helpful words of advice, trying to connect us to true love. Like a parent, our conscience urges us to be good, unselfish people, and guides us to do the Will of God. But within each person there is also a rebel who always goes against the conscience. That rebel is the physical body.
The body tramples and abuses the conscience miserably. Knowing this, how can you continue to side with your body, the enemy of your conscience, as it weakens your character and damages your life?
Your conscience should be your constant internal teacher and parent, leading you to complete unity with the ultimate Parent of humankind, God. Your conscience is the agent of God within you. Do you think you should indulge and go along with your body, the enemy of the conscience? Or should you control and restrain your body and vindicate your conscience? Your body seeks only after carnal desire. It always seeks for comfort, and wants to take advantage of others. To conquer the realm of the body is an awesome responsibility, which every person must undertake. (201:208, April 10, 1990)

God is the great King of wisdom. He did not place the path to perfection in some far off place. Instead, He prepared it in the place that is nearest to us, the place that is most private and safe— your conscience.
Ladies and gentlemen, your conscience is your master. It is your teacher. It stands in the place of your parents. Your conscience is the first to know everything about you. Your conscience knows all your thoughts. It knows before your teacher, your parents or even God knows. Think how much advice your conscience gives you over your lifetime. Day and night, every time you have an evil thought, it scolds you, saying, “Hey you!” It never grows tired as it works constantly to pull you over rivers and mountains. The conscience always stands as the true master, protecting you and trying to help you. Yet, how often have you betrayed your own conscience? What should be done about your body, which has thoroughly mistreated this precious, irreplaceable teacher that the universe bequeathed to you? Do you intend to idle your life away, clinging to your physical body and enslaved by its desires while it continues to brutally trample your conscience? Don’t you realize that your conscience was given to you as the representative of your heavenly Parent, to enable you to inherit His original love? (May 1, 2004)

You say that you are people of good character. You are self-satisfied and believe that there is nothing wrong with your conscience. However, your conscience is asleep…
Let’s wake up our sleeping conscience. Let’s wake up the conscience of the nation that sleeps in ignorance of God’s heart. Let’s wake up the conscience of humanity around the world that sleeps in ignorance of God’s heart. Let’s wake up the conscience of people, who cannot avoid their fated encounter with the Last Days, that they might act in obedience to the Will of God who seeks to embrace heaven and earth and build one united world.
Is the religion we follow today capable of awakening humanity’s sleeping conscience? Do we have a philosophy that possesses such content? When the conscience is awakened, the shock, determination, and resolve that rush in must be so strong that in an instant it can properly rearrange everything in the world. It has no fear of the sword or of death. Who will dare to stand in the way of the power rising up from our conscience? No one can block it. (10:284, November 6, 1960)

Keep Your Conscience Clear

Watch or listen to the Richard Urban Show:
Why Abstinence Matters-1: The Fall of Man

Cheon Seong Gyeong 343

Where does true love begin? True love
begins in True Parents. This is the best
news among all good news. Although
there may be some good news declared
in the world, and although “husband”
and “wife” are good words, there is no
better news than that of True Parents.
This is because without the appearance
of True Parents, no true husband or wife
can appear in the fallen world. You must
understand this clearly. (131-187, 1984.5.1)

What does it mean for you to serve
with all your heart, with your entire
mind, and with all your devotion? It
means to offer your life. Is there any-
thing greater than that? To devote your-
self with all your heart means giving up
your life. To serve with all your mind
and devotion means giving up your life.
Isn’t there a saying, “Sincerity moves
heaven?” Is there a limit to sincerity, an
end to one’s devotion? Put your life on
the line and offer devotion. God will rec-
ognize the person who is ready to sacri-
fice his life and offer a life of devotion.
(38-242, 1971.1.8)

Cheong Seong Gyeong 994

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 3

Conscience and Inborn Goodness

2. Struggling with One’s Conscience

Keep your conscience clear.
1 Peter 3.16

You may not see yourself growing up, but you
definitely know it when you are sinning.
Akan Proverb (African Traditional Religions)

The mind is said to be twofold:
The pure and also the impure;
Impure—by union with desire;
Pure—from desire completely free.
Maitri Upanishad 6.34 (Hinduism)

And I do call to witness the self-reproaching
spirit.
Qur’an 75.2

A certain person has done no lovely deed, has
done no profitable deed, has given no shelter
to the timid; he has done evil, cruel, wrongful
deeds. At the thought, “I have done no lovely
deed,” he is tormented. At the thought, “I have
done evil,” he is tormented. These two thoughts
sear the conscience.
Itivuttaka 25 (Buddhism)

My conscience hath a thousand several
tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several tale,
And every tale condemns me for a villain.
William Shakespeare, Richard III

Every judgment of conscience, be it right or
wrong, be it about things evil in themselves or
morally indifferent, is obligatory, in such wise
that he who acts against his conscience always
sins.
St. Thomas Aquinas (Christianity)

If a superior give any order to one who is under
him which is against that man’s conscience,
although he does not obey it yet he shall not be
dismissed.
Saint Francis of Assisi, Third Admonition of the Order
(Christianity)

To the pure all things are pure, but to the cor-
rupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very
minds and consciences are corrupted.
Titus 1.15

The glory of a good man is the testimony of a
good conscience. Therefore, keep your con-
science good and you will always enjoy happi-
ness, for a good conscience can bear a great deal
and can bring joy even in the midst of adver-
sity. But an evil conscience is ever restive and
fearful.
Thomas à Kempis, Imitation of Christ (Christianity)

Is it not the fact that there is in the body a
clot of blood which, if it is in good condition,
the whole body is, too; and if it is in rotten
condition, so too is the whole body? Is not this
the heart?
40 Hadith of an-Nawawi 6 (Islam)

I myself had reason for confidence… as to
the law a Pharisee, as to zeal a persecutor of
the church, as to righteousness under the law
blameless. But whatever gain I had I counted as
loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count every-
thing as loss because of the surpassing worth of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
Philippians 3.4-8

The Self Is Under a Cover of Innumerable Illusions

Watch or listen to the Richard Urban Show:
Why Abstinence Matters-1: The Fall of Man

James 1

1 From James, a servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Greetings to the twelve tribes scattered all over the world.[a]

Faith and Wisdom

2 My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 3 You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. 4 But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.

5 If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. 6 But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. 7-8 If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.

1 Chronicles 16

19 At the time there were
only a few of us,
    and we were homeless.
20 We wandered from nation
to nation,
from one country
    to another.
21 God did not let anyone
    mistreat our people.
Instead he protected us
    by punishing rulers
22 and telling them,
“Don’t touch my chosen leaders
    or harm my prophets!”

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 3

Conscience and Inborn Goodness

The conscience is a gleam of the divine within, prompting us to do good deeds and opposing our inclination to do evil. Buddhism describes this faculty as the “enlightening mind” or “Buddha nature” which can be uncovered through the eye of wisdom. Confucianism regards it as the heart of benevolence; this is illustrated by a well-known passage from Mencius about people’s spontaneous reactions to a child falling into a well. Islam likewise regards the human heart as inherently upright, and St. Paul wrote that the conscience allows even those unschooled in religion to distinguish right from wrong.
The conscience operates positively, encouraging self-betterment and the idealistic search for a better society. It also operates negatively, scolding and admonishing us for acting selfishly and hurting others. In this regard, Father Moon speaks of the conscience as a “precious teacher” that knows us better than our parents, our teachers, and even God. The conscience is God-given, enabling us to improve and ultimately realize our full purpose as God intended. It must constantly struggle, however, against the self-centered desires of the body.
It is possible to speak of a corrupted conscience, because although its essence is God-given, upbringing and education can affect its judgment. To indoctrinate the conscience with false judgments of right and wrong is indeed of the worst defilements of the human spirit. Yet there are levels of conscience. The more superficial level of conscience is relative, adhering to a person’s concept of truth. Yet at a deeper level is the Original Mind, which maintains a connection to the absolute God. Therefore, someone like Saul of Tarsus, who had persecuted Christians in good conscience, could be awakened to a higher vision of truth and change his direction in life to become St. Paul. This divine quality at the root of the conscience is the basis for Father Moon’s optimistic view that all human beings will ultimately be saved.

1. The Original Mind and Heart—Rooted in Goodness

Gentleness and goodness are the roots of
humanity.
Book of Ritual 38.18 (Confucianism)

Religion is basically virtue, which is grounded
ultimately in the spiritual nature of man.
Kundakunda, Pravacanasara 7 (Jainism)

Behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 11
Luke 17.21

When Gentiles who have not the Law do by
nature what the Law requires, they are a law to
themselves, even though they do not have the
Law. They show that what the Law requires is
written on their hearts, while their conscience
also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts
accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day
when, according to my gospel, God judges the
secrets of men by Christ Jesus. 12
Romans 2.14-16

Wabisah ibn Ma`bad said, “I went to see the
Messenger of God and he said to me, ‘You want
to question me on the subject of virtue?’ ‘Yes,’ I
replied, and he went on, ‘Question your heart.
Virtue is that by which the soul enjoys repose
and the heart tranquility. Sin is what introduces
trouble into the soul and tumult into man’s
bosom—and this despite the religious advice
which men may give you.’ ”
40 Hadith of an-Nawawi 27 (Islam)

For him who… knows his own mind and sees
intuitively his own nature, he is a Hero, a
Teacher of gods and men, a Buddha.
Sutra of Hui Neng 1 (Buddhism)

Your eye is the lamp of your body; when your
eye is sound, your whole body is full of light; but
when it is not sound, your body is full of dark-
ness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be
darkness. If then your whole body is full of light,
having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as
when a lamp with its rays gives you light.
Luke 11.34-36

The Purpose of the one true God, exalted be His
glory, in revealing Himself unto men is to lay
bare those gems that lie hidden within the mine
of their true and inmost selves.
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh 132
(Baha’i Faith)

Every being has the Buddha Nature. This is
the self. Such a self is, since the very beginning,
under cover of innumerable illusions. That is
why a man cannot see it. O good man! There
was a poor woman who had gold hidden some-
where in her house, but no one knew where it
was. But there was a stranger who, by expedi-
ency, speaks to the poor woman, “I shall employ
you to weed the lawn.” The woman answered, “I
cannot do it now, but if you show my son where
the gold is hidden, I will work for you.” The man
says, “I know the way; I will show it to your son.”
The woman replies, “No one in my house, big or
small, knows where the gold is hidden. How can
you know?” The man then digs out the hidden
gold and shows it to the woman. She is glad,
and begins to respect him. O good man! The
same is the case with a man’s Buddha Nature.
No one can see it. It is like the gold which the
poor woman possessed and yet could not locate.
I now let people see the Buddha Nature which
they possess, but which was hidden by illusions.
The Tathagata shows all beings the storehouse
of enlightenment, which is the cask of true
gold—their Buddha Nature.
Mahaparinirvana Sutra 214-15:
Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Buddhism)

All men have this heart that, when they see
another man suffer, they suffer, too… A man
looks out; a child is about to fall into a well. No
matter who the man is, his heart will flip, flop,
and he will feel the child’s predicament; and not
because he expects to get something out of it
from the child’s parents, or because he wants
praise from his neighbors, associates, or friends,
or because he is afraid of a bad name, or any-
thing like that.
From this we can see that it is not human
not to have a heart that sympathizes with pain.
Likewise not to have a heart that is repelled by
vice: that is not human, either. Not to have a
heart that is willing to defer: that’s not human.
And not to have a heart that discriminates
between true and false is not human, either.
What is the foundation of natural human
feeling for others (jen)? The heart that
sympathizes with pain. What is the foundation
of a commitment to the common good (i)?
The heart that is repelled by vice. What is the
foundation of respect for social and religious
forms (li)? The heart that is willing to defer. And
what is the foundation for a liberal education
(chih)? The heart that can tell true from false.
People have these four foundations like
they have four limbs. A man who says he cannot
practice them is calling himself a criminal. A
man who says the ruler cannot practice that is
calling the ruler a criminal.
Everybody has these four foundations in
himself. If these four foundations can be filled in
on a broad scale, it will be like a fire starting up,
it will be like a spring bursting through. If they
can be filled in, it will be enough to create and
preserve the world order. Leave them unfilled, it
will be impossible for a man to take care of his
father and mother. 13
Mencius II.A.6 (Confucianism)