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A long time ago, there was a man was not well educated and could not do any kind of work, so he had no choice but to become a servant. Before he started work, someone taught him some rules. “Firstly, when walking, never walk in front of your master. Got it?” “Got it!” “There’s another important rule, and it has its advantages too. Your things are not to be used by the master. But you may use your master's things. Got it?" “Got it!” “And one more rule: when the master is eating, you must not eat first. After the master has finished, whatever is left over, you eat. Got it?” “Got it!” Image Source: GPT After memorizing these three rules, he started working as a servant. One evening the master was out on the road, and dinner was already prepared at home. In those days it was dark at night and there were no electric lights, so the family said, “So-and-so, take a lantern and go pick up the master.” The servant went out and met the master on the road. Carrying the lantern, he ran behind the master. The master said, “Hey! What are you doing? Go in front!” The servant replied, “No, no, no, I can't!” No matter what the master said, he refused, because the rule he had learned was that he must stay behind the master. As a result, the master was very irritated walking in front with no light. Image Source: GPT Another day, the master went out again. It was late and raining, so the family told the servant to take an umbrella to pick up the him. Carrying the umbrella, he met the master on the road. The master had no umbrella and said, “Oh good, you brought an umbrella. Let’s share it.” The servant replied, “No, no, no, I can't!” Again, the servant refused because the rule he had learned was that the master cannot use his things. Image Source: GPT After returning home, the master was extremely displeased. Even the mistress could not calm him down. Their argument upset their child, who began to cry. The adults quickly soothed the child and gave him a bowl of milk to drink. After the child finished drinking, there was some leftover, and this servant immediately ran over and started drinking the leftovers himself. Why? Because it was “what the master had left over”! As for what happened to that servant later, we can all probably guess. Image Source: GPT (Story translated from Professor Xu's Commentary on The Essentials of Common Propriety) Commentary While we may laugh at this stickler servant, we should also reflect on ourselves. Are we good students? If we want a happy life, then being a good student at moral learning is key. If we want a successful career, then being a good student in our field is key. No matter our situation, learning is an important ability we ought to develop. In the Analects, Confucius said, "Learning without thinking leads to confusion. Thinking without learning leads to trouble." (Original text: 學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆。) In moral learning and cultivation, we can't just learn the surface-level matter. We have to grasp the underlying principle and spirit behind the matters. There is never a one-size-fits-all approach, and every rule has its exceptions. Thus, it's very important for us to contemplate "Why?" towards rules and to check our understanding with experts. Only when we understand why can we judge when to make exceptions. In the Optimality Principle, Confucius also gave a sequence for moral learning: "Learn deeply and broadly, inquire thoroughly, think carefully, discern clearly, and practice earnestly." (Original text: 博學之 審問之 慎思之 明辦之 篤行之) The first step is to start learning about a topic, and we aim to learn extensively. In the process of learning theory, we need to inquire thoughtfully and thoroughly. Engage with the content. Ask questions. Third, we need to think carefully about the content and the answers to our questions. What is the matter, the reasoning, and the intention? How can we apply these teachings in our daily life? We also need to discern clearly what is true in which situations and in which situations there may be exceptions. The previous four steps are all part of the process of understanding and digesting the theory that we learned. What is the purpose of understanding? To practice earnestly. Only through action can we truly benefit. Thus, the previous four steps are all for the purpose of our practice in daily life. Understanding and practice mutually feed each other. Image Source: GPT In this story, the person who advised the servant gave reasonable rules that would normally be suitable. However, the servant only focused on the matters of the rules without understanding the underlying reason or principles behind the rules. As a result, he didn't make exceptions when he should have. For the first rule, indeed, we should usually walk behind the master to show our respect. After all, it's the leader that leads in front, and the follower follows behind. The leader gets to set the walking pace, not the follower. If the leader wants to stop, the followers stop too. The principle and spirit here is respect and deference. But when it is dark, the servant needs to serve the master by lighting the path ahead for the master. So when we walk behind the master, it's to show our deference and respect. When we walk ahead to light the way for the master, it's also to show our deference and respect. Although the actions seem opposite, the intention is the same: respectful service. Can you think of other situations where the servant should walk ahead of the master? In our learning, we also need to be able to make connections and inferences. If we cannot, then our learning is stiff and rigid; we're just memorizing matters, not internalizing principles and spirit. Matters are infinite, and trying to memorize them one by one is poor learning. If we internalize the principle and spirit, then we'll be able to respond to all matters appropriately. One example I can think of for when we should walk ahead of others is when we approach a door. The servant should then rush ahead to open the door for the master. Another example might be walking down a rocky path. The servant could walk ahead to check the safety of the path for the master. Although we're using the example of a servant and master here, it's not limited to these two roles. When we're with anyone else, we can view them as either our superior or junior. Towards parents, teachers, leaders, as well as elder siblings and friends, we can treat them the way a servant treats a master: with an attitude of service and respect. The second rule was that the servant is allowed to use the master's things, but the master is not allowed to use the servant's things. Why? I think the master shouldn't use the servant's things because we want to help the master maintain his image. If the master uses the servant's things, people might think he is a servant, not a master. On the other hand, the servant can use the master's things because the servant needs to do work for the master, and that sometimes requires using the master's things. If the servant understood this spirit, then when he went to pick up the master in the rain, he would've thought to take the master's umbrella instead of his own, or take both umbrellas. Which option is better? Well, if the master's umbrella is big enough, and the rain isn't too heavy, then I would just take the master's umbrella and hold the umbrella for him. If the master's umbrella is small or the rain is quite heavy, then I would take two umbrellas for better rain protection. Thus, we can see how actions are very flexible and need to adapt to the complex situation, but the intention is still the same. Another important point is that the master even ordered the servant to walk ahead with the lamp and to share the umbrella. This should be the trump card that trumps all rules. If the master orders something and insists on it, we obey. Hence the saying, "Respect is inferior to obedience." When elders ask us to do something, like going first instead of waiting for them, and then we say "No no no, you first", we might think we are being respectful, but actually obeying the elder's orders is true respect. Of course, this requires us to observe the situation and sense the elder's true feelings. Sometimes, they are just being polite; other times, they really mean it. We can't rely on rules. We have to use our judgment and sense what's appropriate for each unique situation. The third rule was that the servant mustn't eat before the master, and whatever is leftover, the servant eats. Why? Of course, the spirit is respect, but what's the reasoning behind the matter? Well, when the most important person should eat first. Therefore, the master eats before the servant. This is also why children should wait until their elders start eating before they start eating. Why should the servant eat the leftovers? Again, the spirit here is deference and not wanting to add trouble to the master. Whatever food the master has, the servant eats. The master isn't going to cook separate food specially for the servant. Moreover, the master doesn't want to waste food, so whatever is leftover, the servant helps to eat. It's also possible that there are certain delicacies that the master wants to save for later, and he might tell the servant to not eat that. Every rule has its exceptions. If we understand the spirit is respect, then we would be able to infer other actions. What inferences can you think of? For one, we would observe their glass and plates. When they are low on water, we could promptly and proactively pour some for them. If we see they really like a certain dish, we could get more of that dish for them. When we bring that dish close to them, we observe their reaction. They might look pleased, or they might look displeased. Based on their reaction and words, we would know if they truly want it or not. We should also try to eat at a similar speed to elders. If we eat too fast, they feel pressured to eat faster. If we eat too slow, then they end up having to wait for us. These are just a few examples of inferences. In the story, the food was milk for the baby. It's kind of strange for the servant to eat baby food because that food was never meant for him. It's basic social intelligence. The stickler servant was a great example of a bad student. We learn from his mistakes to become better students ourselves. At the same time, we should also learn from good role models. Venerable Master Jing Kong is a model of an exemplary student. He is renowned for lecturing on complex Buddhist sutras in an easy-to-understand manner. The teacher who taught him was Mr. Li Bingnan, and Venerable Jing Kong once said, "When I listened to Mr. Li lecture on the Flower Adornment Sutra, I only heard the first volume. Yet after hearing that first volume, I was able to lecture on the remaining eighty volumes myself. Why? Because I understood my teacher’s way of thinking, his ideology, and his methods. What kind of mindset should be used in lecturing? What methods should be used? Such things are alive and flexible; they cannot really be taught directly. What is required is long-term close attendance upon the teacher, never missing a single class. Gradually, through continual observation and reflection, you come to understand these things yourself. It is not that the teacher refuses to teach—it simply cannot be taught explicitly. By listening over a long period, constantly pondering and reflecting, you gradually gain insight and realizations, and then you can apply it flexibly on the lecture platform yourself. If you only learn fixed explanations sentence by sentence, then your method is rigid and dead. It cannot adapt, and it cannot suit the capacities of different audiences." Conclusion The stickler servant was a great example of how to be a bad student: follow rules rigidly without asking why. If we want to be good students in moral learning on how to be a good person and have a happy life, then we need learn not the matters, but rather the principles, reasoning, spirit, and intentions behind the matters. In this way, we can learn one matter and infer many more. This kind of learning is alive and flexible. It brings us insights and realizations, which is a joyful experience. In order to grasp the principles and spirit, we need to inquire thoroughly, think carefully, and discern clearly. We also need long-term observation of good teachers and role models, as well as self-reflection and earnest practice. When we understand one point, we practice one point. From practice, we reflect and gain further understanding, which then improves our practice next time. Practice and understanding fuel each other, and through the process, we will experience the joy of moral learning and growth. As Confucius said in the opening line of the Analects, "To learn and constantly practice what one learns, is this not joyful?" They key, of course, is that we know how to learn. Weekly Wisdom #394

The Daily Stoic is a book with 366 quotes from Stoic philosophers on how to live a good life. I had previously read this a couple years ago and benefited a lot from it, and I've decided to read it again this year. Every day, I read the quote, the explanation, and then journal my thoughts and reflections. At the end of each month, I review my reflections and summarize the month. April's theme is unbiased thought, and this article will summarize my April reflections: The importance of our thoughts Cultivating our thoughts Adjusting expectations Cultivating virtues Image Source: GPT 1: The importance of our thoughts April 1: "Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in thought, for the human spirit is colored by such impressions." —Marcus Aurelius A lot of people spend most of their time and energy trying to earn more money, to gain a better reputation, to buy more things, or to have better experiences. But what is the most important thing that we should improve in our lives? Ancient philosophers like Marcus Aurelius would tell us it's our mind, our thoughts, or our attitude. After all, it is our thoughts that determine how we feel, not what happens to us. It is our thoughts that determine our actions and reactions, which then determines our life. More importantly, our thoughts are in our control! We can consciously choose and train the color of our thoughts. In fact, it's absolutely necessary if we want a good life. April 17: "If being upset or hurt is something you'd like to experience less often, then make sure your interpretations of others' words make that possible." —Ryan Holiday April 18: "What is bad luck? Opinion. What are conflict, dispute, blame, accusation, irreverence, and frivolity? They are all opinions, and more than that, they are opinions that lie outside of our own reasoned choice, presented as if they were good or evil. Let a person shift their opinions only to what belongs in the field of their own choice, and I guarantee that person will have peace of mind, whatever is happening around them." —Epictetus A lot of us think, "If only that person would change…if only my situation would change…then I would be happy." But external people and situations are not the root of our happiness or unhappiness. Our thoughts are. Moreover, externals are not in our control, while our thoughts are. Thus we see the importance of our thoughts: it's our thoughts that determine our happiness and peace of mind, not outside people or situations. My Practice: In my daily reflection journal, I will record things that upset me, and I will try to reframe the situation positively or imagine ancient philosophers advising me. This helps me to change my perspective and thoughts towards what I initially felt was a purely negative event. 2: Cultivating our thoughts April 30: "Just as what is considered rational or irrational differs for each person, in the same way what is good or evil and useful or useless differs for each person. This is why we need education, so that we might learn how to adjust our preconceived notions of the rational and irrational in harmony with nature. In sorting this out, we don't simply rely on our estimate of the value of external things, but also apply the rule of what is in keeping with one's character." —Epictetus The purpose of learning philosophy and moral education is to teach people correct standards for right versus wrong, good versus bad, appropriate versus inappropriate, and beneficial versus harmful. When we have a correct moral compass, we will naturally live in harmony with the world. People who haven't learned such things might think they should be common sense, but actually, it's often more complicated than we think. If we still have conflict with others or get bad results when we try to do something that we think is good or right, then we probably need to spend more time and effort in moral learning. Moreover, it's best to read ancient teachings that have been time-tested for thousands of years as compared to modern ideas that haven't passed the test of time. For example, a modern idea is that the purpose of life is self-enjoyment. But there's no record of ancient philosophers saying that. Why? Probably because if someone said that, and then later people followed that advice, they realized it led to problems, so they wouldn't pass on that bad teaching to future generations. It's no coincidence that all the ancient philosophers agree that the purpose of life is to serve and help others. Thus, establishing a correct moral compass is the first step to cultivating our thoughts. Once we have correct standards, we can then compare our thoughts to the standards and correct them. To give some examples, Stoicism teaches us: Focus on what's in our control. Be strict with yourself and tolerant towards others. The purpose of life is to cultivate our moral character and serve the common good. Wherever there is another person, there is an opportunity for kindness. The obstacle is the way. Amor Fati: Love everything that happens because anything can be good and useful. Memento Mori: Life could end at any time. Cherish time and don't waste life. These are all effective and proper standards for our moral compass. April 21: "Is it possible to be free from error? Not by any means, but it is possible to be a person always stretching to avoid error. For we must be content to at least escape a few mistakes by never letting our attention slide." —Epictetus April 22: "These are the characteristics of the rational soul: self-awareness, self-examination, and self-determination. It reaps its own harvest… It succeeds in its own purpose…" —Marcus Aurelius Image Source: Unsplash Philosophers are rational people. Rational people do things that are beneficial and worthwhile. What obstructs rationality? Excessive emotion. We all get emotionally triggered by certain things, whether it's certain people, events, or things. Thus, philosophical training is training our attention and self-awareness to be aware of our thoughts, mental state, and emotional state. The faster we can become aware of bad thoughts and correct them, the better our cultivation. This is cultivating from the root. If we want to have self-awareness, then we need to constantly do self-examination, that is examining if our thoughts are correct or proper. This constant self-examination can be quite tiring and unnatural at first, so we also need to have self-determination to build this ability or habit. My Practice: I've been learning philosophy for many years now, and I feel that I have slowly built up a moral compass that reaps good results. As with learning anything major, it requires time and determination, but the harvest is worth it. To improve my awareness of the virtues I want to cultivate, I inspect myself on those things every night in my daily reflection journal. I also meditate every day to help keep my mind rational and calm. 3: Adjusting Expectations Aside from the methods mentioned earlier, adjusting expectations is another method for cultivating our thoughts. There were many quotes about this in April, so I created its own section here. Surprise magnifies emotions. But if we saw it coming, it's much easier to remain calm and rational. Thus, the Stoics have many ways to adjust expectations to be more realistic. The point isn't to put us in a bad mood. Rather, it's to put ourselves in a state of vigilance to remain calm in the face of challenges. April 6: "When you first rise in the morning, tell yourself: I will encounter busybodies, ingrates, egomaniacs, liars, the jealous, and cranks. They are all stricken with these afflictions because they don't know the difference between good and evil. Because I have understood the beauty of good and the ugliness of evil, I know that these wrong-doers are still akin to me…and that none of them can do me harm, or implicate me in ugliness—nor can I be angry at my relatives or hate them. For we are made for cooperation." —Marcus Aurelius The fact is, school nowadays doesn't teach people how to cultivate their thoughts, virtues, character, and relationships. Instead, school just focuses on grades. Given that most people didn't really learn about moral cultivation, it's only expected that we would encounter people who have vices and bad habits. Even those of us who have learned should know how difficult it is to change bad habits. Thus, we should be more tolerant and understanding towards everyone. As philosophers and self-cultivators, we recognize that others cannot implicate me in their vice. Just because others do bad things doesn't mean they can make me do bad things. Just because others have negative emotions doesn't mean I will get influenced. Just because others have conflict with me doesn't mean I can't have harmony with them. With awareness and training, we become masters of ourselves, and we'll be able to cooperate with all people, virtuous or not. That is attainment, and it is our true nature. April 15: "Nothing will ever befall me that I will receive with gloom or a bad disposition. I will pay my taxes gladly. Now, all the things which cause complaint or dread are like the taxes of life—things from which, my dear Lucillius, you should never hope for exemption or seek escape." —Seneca "Waiting around is a tax on traveling. Rumors and gossip are the taxes that come from acquiring a public persona. Disagreements and occasional frustration are taxes placed on even the happiest of relationships. Theft is a tax on abundance and having things that other people want. Stress and problems are tariffs that come attached to success. And on and on and on." —Ryan Holiday I think the analogy of tax is a great one. From one perspective, tax is just a matter of life. Nobody gets upset that they have to pay tax when they buy stuff. It's extremely normal and common. From another perspective, we should be grateful for taxes and pay them gladly as Seneca says. Why? Firstly, the reason you pay tax is because you have the money to buy the thing in the first place. You aren't super poor. Secondly, tax money is used to serve the people. We should feel thankful for the services that tax provides. This mindset can be extended to other taxes of life. When we have to wait in line, we can be grateful that it's so easy to buy groceries at the store, that we can get fresh produce from all over the world at a local supermarket. Wow. Waiting in line is just a minor inconvenience or tax in exchange for a great luxury. Traffic may not be ideal, but wow, we have cars and highways that allow us to travel far distances so fast. And we have a job. And we have the freedom to go to the office unlike during the pandemic. And we can use our commute time to listen to podcasts. And on and on. April 26: Things Happen in Training "When your sparring partner scratches or headbutts you, you don't then make a show of it, or protest, or view him with suspicion or as plotting against you. And yet you keep an eye on him, not as an enemy or with suspicion, but with a healthy avoidance. You should act this way with all things in life. We should give a pass to many things with our fellow trainees. For, as I've said, it's possible to avoid without suspicion or hate." —Marcus Aurelius Most people want life to follow their wishes. Subconsciously, they think the world revolves around them. This incorrect thinking leads to many unpleasant surprises, which then leads to upset. Marcus Aurelius views life as a sparring partner who is here to help us train and elevate our virtues. We don't get upset if our sparring partner attacks us. We know it's part of the sport! Instead, we train our own skills to defend, dodge, and attack better. If we can have this kind of attitude, not only would we not get upset at challenges, we would improve from them and appreciate them. My Practice: In my practice, I really agree with what Epictetus said about how it's impossible to be free from error, and so our goal isn't perfection, it's to be a person striving for excellence. I still get upset and influenced by external people and situations, but I'm working on it, and I'm certainly better than before. All the examples of adjusting expectations given here remind me of the Six Ways of Endurance, which I review every day. Being more tolerant towards others and viewing their vices are expected and normal is enduring through compassion and observation. Being grateful for the taxes of life is enduring through forgetting; by focusing on the big positives, we forget the small negatives. Being grateful for the sparring partner is enduring through joy; we are happy from the joy of improvement. In the morning, I visualize the people, matters, and things that have upset me a lot in the past, and I thank them for showing me my deficiencies and helping me improve. In the evenings, I reflect on whether I got upset or impatient during the day and if I practiced any of the six methods. Over time, I don't get as annoyed by the things that annoyed me in the past, and I'm better able to respond in a calm and rational way. 4: Cultivating virtues Another aspect of cultivating our thoughts is to cultivate virtues. We want to make virtuous thoughts more natural and habitual, and make non-virtuous thoughts unnatural and unfamiliar. April 20: "Here's a way to think about what the masses regard as being 'good' things. If you would first start by setting your mind upon things that are unquestionably good—wisdom, self-control, justice, courage—with this preconception you'll no longer be able to listen to the popular refrain that there are too many good things to experience in a lifetime." —Marcus Aurelius The Stoics taught that the truly valuable things in life are not external things, like material possessions, but rather our own internal virtues. The four cardinal virtues in Stoicism are wisdom, self-control (or temperance), justice, and courage. Image Source: GPT Wisdom is knowing what's right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, and beneficial and harmful. With wisdom, we will make effective choices, leading to good results and a good life. Wisdom is the supporting foundation for the other three virtues. It's thanks to wisdom that We know how to be just and what to be just about. (Justice) We know what to be courageous about, what to persist in, and what to resist. (Courage) What the right amount and degree of something should be. (Self-control and temperance) Self-control is necessary for action. Knowing is just the first step. If we don't take action, nothing good will happen. However, the training process isn't easy, so self-control, discipline, and perseverance are key to attainment. Moreover, self-control involves the aspect of temperance, which is doing things to the appropriate degree. Excessiveness and deficiency are all problematic. Justice, as defined by Marcus Aurelius, is "A commitment to justice in your own acts. Which means: thought and action resulting in the common good. What you were born to do.” Justice is about our interactions with people and how we handle matters. This is built on the foundation of our self-control and wisdom. Once we have corrected ourselves, we can naturally handle relationships and matters effectively. Courage is required to do what's right even when it is difficult, and to continually grow and challenge ourselves. April 4: "Make sure you're not made 'Emperor,' avoid that imperial stain. It can happen to you, so keep yourself simple, good, pure, saintly, plain, a friend of justice, god-fearing, gracious, affectionate, and strong for your proper work. Fight to remain the person that philosophy wished to make you. Revere the gods, and look after each other. Life is short—the fruit of this life is a good character and acts for the common good." —Marcus Aurelius This is one of the most memorable quotes from the book for me. It tells us that the purpose of life is twofold: to cultivate a good character and to serve the common good. When we grow our moral character, we'll experience the joy of growth. When serve the common good, we'll experience the joy of helping others. Moreover, the order of the two is very important. We have to first cultivate ourselves before we can go serve others. Otherwise, we may end up causing more trouble than help to others. The two are also mutually supporting. We cultivate ourselves to have better relationships, and it is through relationships that we cultivate ourselves. The other aspect of this quote is to guard against arrogance, which is one of the most harmful vices. When people are arrogant, they longer respect others, they don't think they need to improve, and they wouldn't think about benefiting the common good. April 25: "If anyone can prove and show to me that I think and act in error, I will gladly change it—for I seek the truth, by which no one has ever been harmed. The one who is harmed is the one who abides in deceit and ignorance." —Marcus Aurelius "It would be embarrassing if we didn't end up finding out if we were wrong in the past." —Ryan Holiday This is another quote emphasizing humility. I really admire how Marcus Aurelius was so vigilant towards arrogance. After all, he was an emperor, so no one was higher in position than him, but he had the wisdom to know that arrogance would lead to his downfall, and that humility was essential. Only the humble will receive advice and support from others, which will then help them prevent major errors. Image Source Humility is about valuing knowing the truth more than feeling good about ourselves. When hearing advice and criticism, humble people would listen respectfully and thank the adviser. Sure, it might hurt the ego a bit to know we're wrong, but we'll get over it, and we'll slowly learn to not care about being right all the time. We want to hear the opposing opinions because it will help us get a more accurate and well-rounded picture of the situation, which can then help us make better decisions, which then leads to a better life. My Practice: I have a list of virtues that I am working on, and I reflect on these every day in my reflection journal. Wisdom: I read or listen to ancient philosophical teachings every day. I also write a blog article every week to solidify my learning. If I have to make big decisions, I will usually meditate to calm my mind first. Self-control and temperance: My personality is naturally quite disciplined and self-motivated. I manage my time strictly, which the Stoics point out is our most important resource. Doing things to just the right degree is not an easy matter. I can be overly perfectionistic or demanding sometimes, which causes trouble for myself and others. I've noticed that if I want to achieve just the right degree, the key is that my mind is very clear and objective, and my emotions are peaceful. Justice: I care a lot about fairness and appropriateness. I try to consider matters from multiple angles and multiple people's perspectives. Courage: I try to challenge myself to be in the growth zone rather than staying in the comfort zone all the time. I give myself short-term goals where I focus on one matter of cultivation for a period of time to try to develop better habits one at a time. Humility: This is one of my weaknesses. I need to improve on being more respectful and appreciative, especially when hearing criticism. Conclusion April was all about cultivating our thoughts to be unbiased, proper, and effective. We have to first recognize the importance of our thoughts, that our thoughts determine our actions and consequently our life. Then we would naturally be motivated to cultivate our thoughts. As for the methods of cultivation, we need to educate ourselves on the standards of morality. Once we know these standards, we can then compare our thoughts to these standards. Therefore, we need to train our awareness of our thoughts, to constantly examine our thoughts, and to correct our thoughts as soon as we notice they are wrong. The Stoics also gave us many analogies to adjust our expectations towards life, guiding us to be more tolerant, patient, understanding, and appreciative. Finally, we should cultivate virtues such as wisdom, self-control, justice, courage, and humility. This is cultivating a good character, which we do for the purpose of serving the common good. Through relationships, we cultivate our virtues, and through virtues, we have happy relationships and a happy life. Weekly Wisdom #393

Image Source The Hare was once boasting of his speed before the other animals. ‘I have never yet been beaten,’ said he, ‘when I put forth my full speed. I challenge any one here to race with me.’ The Tortoise said quietly, ‘I accept your challenge.’ ‘That is a good joke,’ said the Hare; ‘I could dance round you all the way.’ ‘Keep your boasting till you’ve beaten,’ answered the Tortoise. ‘Shall we race?’ So a course was fixed and a start was made. The Hare darted almost out of sight at once, but soon stopped and, to show his contempt for the Tortoise, lay down to have a nap. The Tortoise plodded on and plodded on, and when the Hare awoke from his nap, he saw the Tortoise just near the winning-post and could not run up in time to save the race. Then said the Tortoise: ‘Plodding wins the race.’ (Source: Aesop's Fables) Commentary Probably everyone has heard this fable at some point. Usually, we're told that the moral of the story is that "slow and steady wins the race". Indeed, most worthwhile pursuits in life (e.g., relationships, schooling, career) are marathons not sprints, and the success of these things depends on perseverance. But there are other morals that can be drawn. The most obvious one that comes to mind is probably "arrogance leads to downfall". It reminds me of a Chinese saying, "An arrogant army will definitely face defeat." Another one is "carelessness leads to downfall." The two are heavily related. When we are arrogant, we have too much confidence in ourselves, causing us to become careless. Although these morals seem simple and easy-to-understand, the more important thing is, can we relate back to our lives? Can we prevent making the same mistake as the Hare and learn the virtues of the Tortoise? I'm reminded of something a doctor said to me once. He said that there are two types of people that live a long life. The first is those who were born with a good constitution and took decent care of their health. The second is those who were born with a bad constitution and were very careful with their health throughout their life. Meanwhile, some people are born with a good constitution, but they squander their health with bad habits and choices, so they end up living a short life. I think this relates to the fable. Someone born with a good constitution is like the Hare. If they take decent care of themselves, that's like running the race and not being careless or arrogant to nap. Someone born with a bad constitution would be like the Tortoise. But with persistent carefulness and perseverance, they can attain good health and "win the race". The same is true in our learning and cultivation. Some people are born smarter than others. Some people started out in life with better conditions and resources than others. If those people get arrogant, they are reaping the seeds for their downfall. That would be a shame. If they could remain humble and careful, then they would attain spectacular success. On the other hand, some people are born a bit slow-witted and dull. But with persistence and diligence, they too can become top of their field. As the Optimality Principle states: "If others can do it in one try (and I cannot), I will do it a hundred times; if others can do it in ten tries (and I cannot), I will do it a thousand times. If one can truly follow this principle, then the dull will definitely become wise, and the weak will definitely become strong." My Practice In order to prevent arrogance and complacency, I have role models in mind that I am working to catch up to. This helps me to not think too highly of myself because I feel like I still have a long way to go compared to my role models. When I see other people's faults, it's easy to think I'm better than them if I don't have that fault, or at least not to that degree. To correct this arrogant mentality, I will remind myself that everyone has different personalities, and each personality has their own individual strengths and weaknesses. Although they might have a certain weakness that I'm better at, they will also have certain strengths that I'm weaker at. No one is perfect. When I look at others, I should focus on their strengths and try to learn from them. If I were the Hare, I might tell myself, "Although I am very fast, I'm not nearly as fast as a cheetah. Besides, I can still work on beating my own record. Although the tortoise is slow, he is very steady and calm. That's something I need to learn." As for carefulness, I find that I become careless in two situations. First is when I think this task is too easy or simple. Second is when I'm rushed. The second situation is much more common, so I need to cultivate calmness and do daily meditation. In terms of perseverance, if I set my mind to something that I feel is important, I am usually good at persevering with a daily practice. I think one major reason for this is because I've researched habit formation and use many techniques from experts. For example, I've been writing things that I'm grateful for every day for many years now. What I need to be wary about is to not just go through the motions, but continue doing things with full attention and heart like at the beginning. I shouldn't write something I'm grateful for just to get it done; I should really feel the emotion. The same applies to my daily meditation and other practices. Conclusion What are your thoughts on this timeless fable? How do you emulate the virtues of the Tortoise and guard against the vices of the Hare? Weekly Wisdom #392

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND BLOG Who are you? I'm just a fellow student of life, trying to contribute something meaningful to the world. I'm a high school teacher by day and an amateur blogger in my free time. Why did you start this blog? I'm passionate about learning, and I believe great things should be shared! I believe having wisdom is the key to happiness and success. Only when we have the right mindset and ideas, we will do the right actions and get good results. Hence, I started this blog to share wisdom that I've learned and practiced so that others might avoid the suffering I've experienced and gain joy and success. Why do you use a picture of a smiling owl? Because owls represent wisdom, and when we use wisdom in life, we will gain joy. What should I do on this blog? I suggest you either browse around or use the search bar for specific topics. You can also scroll down on the home page to see all the different tags (topics) on the blog. Click on any you that catch your interest to see articles on that topic. You can also browse a category that interests you. I created 5 categories for the blog: Weekly Wisdoms are my weekly learning reports. My intention is to make sure I keep learning, but since these learnings are useful to others, I publish them on my blog. Top Picks are articles that I think deserve special mention. Book Summaries are long posts summarizing books that I think are worth sharing. Stories are short stories with lessons worth reflecting on and sharing. Health covers basic knowledge we could all use in terms of physical health and mental health. I also blog about Traditional Chinese Medicine. Ancient Wisdom is about timeless wisdom from ancient sages and philosophies, such as Stoicism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. How can I support you? You can simply read some articles and press the heart button if you found them useful 😃. Another way is to comment on my posts about what you found useful. Can I request a topic for you to write about? Sure! I'd be happy to write about any topics that are useful to a large group of people. You can make a request by sending me a message on the Contact Page. About: About

WELCOME I believe that the key to a happy and successful life is wisdom. When we think wisely, we act wisely. Then we naturally reap joy and success. ​ I started this blog to ensure that I grow in wisdom every week, while also sharing useful learnings with others. These are my personal learnings and experiences, but perhaps they can help others avoid my past suffering and to gain happiness. ​ Feel free to browse around, use the search bar, or click on any of the buttons below to read about popular topics on this blog. ​ Happiness Relationships Success Productivity Health Communication All Top Picks Stories Health 中文 Book Summaries Ancient Wisdom Weekly Wisdom Short Wisdoms Wisdom Quotes Alex Chen 13 hours ago 11 min 22 Things I'm Grateful For In 2022 In honour of Thanksgiving 2022, here are 22 things I am grateful for. What about you? 0 comments 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 Alex Chen Oct 2 6 min Yielding & Humility ≠ Being Weak Being yielding and humble are excellent and important traits. At the same time, we mustn't become weak, insincere, or resentful. 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Alex Chen Sep 25 18 min Ten Ways To Deal With Difficult People (And Even Work Well With Them) How can we deal with difficult people, or even better, work well with them? Here are 10 useful and practical solutions from Stoicism. 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Sep 18 4 min Ten Tips for Suicide Prevention September 10 was World Suicide Prevention Day, and shortly after that, a classmate in my Chinese philosophy class told us she was having... 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Alex Chen Sep 11 4 min 50 Fun Jokes That Don't Make Fun of Others I am a big fan of good humor, and I think everyone would enjoy more laughter in their lives. Here are 50 fun and respectful jokes. Enjoy! 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Sep 4 7 min Take Blame, Give Glory Normal people avoid blame and take glory. Wise people take blame and give glory. 0 comments 7 likes. Post not marked as liked 7 Alex Chen Aug 27 7 min Don't Play The Blame Game Rather than blaming others and the outside world, focus on taking responsibility and giving reciprocity. 0 comments 8 likes. Post not marked as liked 8 Alex Chen Aug 21 5 min Stoic Joy is Real Joy Real joy, according to Stoicism, comes from a deep sense of purpose, inner confidence, and emotional stability. 0 comments 7 likes. Post not marked as liked 7 Alex Chen Aug 13 6 min Lessons From Lao Zi’s Teacher Four parting lessons from Lao Zi's teacher: 1. Be grateful to our roots, 2. Respect elders, 3. Respect Nature, 4. Be soft and adaptable. 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Aug 7 4 min How to Handle The Death of Loved Ones 1. Be loving while they are alive. 2. Follow the Middle Way. 3. Ask them their wishes for you. 4. Carry on their dreams. 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Alex Chen Jul 31 11 min The Enlightened Mind - Explanation and Application Enlighten your mind, and your world will change accordingly. Have sincerity, purity, equality, wisdom, and compassion. 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Alex Chen Jul 25 4 min Commemorating Venerable Master Jing Kong 2022 A bittersweet (mostly sweet) commemoration of my idol and teacher, Venerable Master Jing Kong. 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Alex Chen Jul 23 20 min Seven Timely Acts of Love Love and respect are not just empty words, they are shown on a daily basis through each and every small action. 0 comments 7 likes. Post not marked as liked 7 Alex Chen Jul 15 6 min Why So Harsh On Yourself? Are you harsh and demanding towards yourself or your loved ones? If so, let's untangle that knot for you. 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Jul 8 3 min The Old Man And His Grandson A short story on the The Golden Rule and the importance of role modeling. 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Alex Chen Jul 5 6 min Learnings From A Wise Friend Major learnings from my wise friend over the past year in honor of his birthday. 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Jul 1 3 min Can You Feel Their Hardship? No one is perfect. Do you focus on their hardships, efforts, and contributions? Or do you focus on their imperfections? 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Alex Chen Jun 29 3 min The Body is The Temple of The Soul How my mother and I came to value cooking and nourishing the body more. 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Alex Chen Jun 24 5 min Confucius Worries Too "Not cultivating virtues, not striving to learn, not emulating others' goodness, and not correcting bad behavior, these are my worries." 0 comments 4 likes. Post not marked as liked 4 Alex Chen Jun 18 5 min Is it my responsibility to know what you want? The answer...it depends on if I truly love them or if I just want a transactional relationship. 0 comments 4 likes. Post not marked as liked 4 1/14 22 Things I'm Grateful For In 2022 0 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 Yielding & Humility ≠ Being Weak 0 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Ten Ways To Deal With Difficult People (And Even Work Well With Them) 0 6 likes. 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