Socratic Three Goods Defeats Narcissism (satire)

Socrates was said to have said that the chief goodness consists in the caring of the soul concerned with moral truth and moral understanding, that "wealth does not bring goodness, but goodness brings wealth and every other blessing, both to the individual and to the state", and that "life without examination [dialogue] is not worth living".

As a Buddhist, I take it that by "the soul", Socrates implies the person who has a finite existence. Therefore, the first truth can be rewritten as "The chief goodness consists in the caring of the person concerned with moral truth and moral understanding." This implies that Socrates cared about other people because they were as ignorant as he was, but vain enough to think they knew a lot more than they actually did.

The remaining two goods are as depicted. For the second, by caring for another person's understanding of moral truth and moral understanding, "goodness bring wealth and other blessings".

Finally, the third good can be rephrased as "the unexamined life is not worth living, however each of us are only able to examine their life based on the previous two goods.

However, today's society appears not to have time to examine their life. As a result, people sometimes lack the ability to care for others with moral truth and moral understanding in mind. Instead, they are too busy tweeting or other wise distracted.

Eventually this may lead to a sense of entitlement if they were taught by their parents that they are unique. It also leads to a secret desire for fame, and if they cannot get it, notoriety. They also end up looking like selfish jerks. Such is how narcissists are made.

Thus a narcissist would deny that goodness brings wealth and other blessings. Instead, he would claim that "my good looks and natural charm bring wealth and blessings."

Then what of ugly men who are wealth? Do all of them come from good families? And of the ones who were originally poor, would being a conceited ass make them think they could but goodness for a pretty penny?

No and no, I say! The goodness arising from a person's caring and concern for other people allows him realize that wealth requires patience, perseverance and politeness.

It is these three attributes that mark the man who successfully applies the three Goods to validate the goodness that results in wealth and other blessings.

Do not tempted to give in to the ignorant craving of your ego. Think before you tweet, and above all, correct your typos! I have no desire to see your cleavage or your abs. I would rather let you tell me what's on your mind.

The Pure Land of One's Own Essence of Mind

Hui-Neng said:

For a fair mind,
observation of precepts (Sila)
is unnecessary.

For straightforward behavior,
practice in Dhyana (contemplation)
may be dispensed with.

On the principle of gratefulness,
we support our parents and serve them filially.

On the principle of righteousness,
the superior and the inferior stand
for each other (in time of need).

On the principle of mutual desire
to please, the senior and junior
are on affectionate terms.

On the principle of forbearance,
we do not quarrel even in
the midst of a hostile crowd.

If we can persevere until
fire can be obtained through
rubbing a piece of wood,

Then the red lotus (the Buddha-nature)
will shoot out from the black mire (the unenlightened state).

That which is of bitter taste
is bound to be good medicine.

That which sounds unpleasant
to the ear is certainly frank advice.

By amending our mistakes, we get wisdom.

By defending our faults, we betray an unsound mind.

In our daily life we should
always practice altruism,
but Buddhahood is not to be attained
by giving away money as charity.

Bodhi is to be found
within our own mind,
and there is no necessity
to look for mysticism from without.

Hearers of this stanza
who put its teaching
into actual practice
will find paradise in
their very presence.

"All of you should put into practice what is taught in this stanza, so that you can realize the Essence of Mind and attain Buddhahood directly. The Dharma waits for no one." — Sixth Patriarch Hui-Neng

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Reference:
Formless stanza quote: http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/huineng/huineng3.html

Love What You're Doing

Love what you are doing!

Be passionate
about what you're doing
when it becomes hard work.

With passion, any rational person would keep working.

If fun describes what you're doing,
and if you absolute love it,
then you work that much harder.

Love what you are doing!