Dao De (righteousness)

sinweiy SG

How to define Dao De? Even scholars had difficult time defining it.

Come across a wonderful analogy by MKY.

'Dao' is a skill. Knowing how to swim is 'Dao'.
'De' or virtue is seeing a person drowning in the water, and you are willing to jump into the water and save him/her.

Dao is associated with 'self'. While De is associated with others. Self and others combine into One.

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namelessness SG

Yes, that's a very good analogy for us to understand it easily.

I think Dao is like the sun, and De its sunlight. When the sunlight reflects back exactly as it was without deformation, i.e. De equals Dao, thats Dao De.

An Eternal Now SG

Hi, Master Shen Kai too recognise that scholars can hardly define the term Dao De, so he gave a very simple explanation (he even wishes that the explanation can be implemented in Moral Educations in schools):

Li Ji (benefitting oneself) is Dao
Li Ren (beniffiting others) is De
Li Ji Li Ren wei zhi Dao De.

So Dao De is basically benefitting oneself and others, not harming oneself and others, when combined together it is "Dao De".

If we can make be mindful that our daily Mind, Speech, Actions are like that - then naturally we will be Righteous persons.

An Eternal Now SG

Not very different explanations Smile

namelessness SG

Yes, I think the underlining principle is the same. Others are just mirrored images of ourselves, there is no others, only us. If we do feel it this way, then well treat others just like ourselves. Then well be in the stream of righteousness.

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