A few Insights From Chinese Wisdom

Insights From Chinese Wisdom

Some collected Chinese wisdom:

A wise man looks for everything inside of himself; a madman seeks for everything in others…

 Confucius

A wise man innately knows how to act without searching, because he has the divine within himself. The further you search and seek, the less you know…You should treat your thoughts the way you would  treat yourself and you should treat your wishes the way you would treat children.

Attributed to Lao Tzu All Cited in Calendar of Wisdom

These are classical and historical Chinese expressions of universal wisdom teachings… Built within the fabric of their philosophy is a deep regard for the here and now… Very little is abstract or obtuse in these teachings…

IF I ever go back and re-read more deeply and widely in Chinese philosophical texts, I will try to remain diligent and discerning about the value of these more pithy sayings, and appreciate them as they appear, separate, as they stand… 

Another returning lesson would be to realize, just like with the Victorian treatment of the Hinduism sacred texts, that florid style and complex language was quite an initial barrier for understanding and further appreciation of what the words and the wisdom held for me… I had to learn, dictionary and translations in hand, how language can obscure how best to bring these teachings into our awareness and utilize their timeless insights.

As a young martial arts student who clearly leaned into his the more philosophical side of his studies rather than developing a more enthusiastic appreciation for forms and fighting, I remember being struck by small little signs around the dojo, Then later, seeing parallels in my college studies where the language might differ, but the truth in those words cohere and complement each other.

Wisdom is universal but sometimes we have to work through the cultural obstacles to find it, read it, then apply it so we can benefit from it. 

Without trying to string quotes together, many of the themes repeated themselves in extolling the value of being “single-minded, introspective, and in many ways, affirming the value of self reliance as goals of the inner quest.

I would encourage any reader to begin to compile thoughts that stirred you and then look for their parallels in the great literature of other traditions…