Unless one is an infant, senile or ill, one must cultivate self-ability so that one can perform one's unavoidable duties and obligations and, as far as one can, take care of those who do not have self-ability.
(1)If there were among one's parents, brothers, husbands or wives, children or relatives, those whose means of living was more substantial than one's own, one wished to depend upon one's kindred without trying to support oneself by working; if one's kindred refused to accept one's request to rely upon them, one claimed to live with one of the kindred. if one did not repay a debt, the whole family would have to pay the debt and finally the life of everyone would become miserable.
(2)Women depended on parents when young, on husbands after marriage, and on sons and daughters when old. Unlike men they were uneducated, owing to unequal rights between men and women; they did not have rights in their society nor had they the right to inherit property, and even their minds and bodies were so restricted that they could not behave on their own accord.
(1)One should not accept the unrighteous
dependency of those who have self-ability.
(2)Parents should divide their inheritance equally and indiscriminately among
their children, the second son and the daughters as well as the first son, except
in the case of one who is unable to keep the property.
(3)After marriage one's financial life should be managed independently; husband
and wife should not indulge in love only, but should make it their principal
goal to fulfill their duties and obligations.
(4)All other affairs should be managed in accordance with the' cases involved
and the law. Men and women should not be discriminated between, as in the past,
but they should be treated well in accordance with what they do.
(1)One should not lead a life of
dependence as in the past, unless one has to depend on someone because of one's
infancy, senility or illness.
(2)Women, like men, should be educated sufficiently so that they can work in
society.
(3)Men and women should work diligently at their occupations so that they may
live comfortably. They must be equal in the performance of their duties and
obligations to their families and their nation.
(4)The second son ought to do his filial duty to his parents, alive or dead,
as well as should the first son.
As it is natural for the wise man to teach the fool and for the fool to learn from the wise man, if one wants to learn in any situation one ought not to be attached to any unreasonable system of discrimination, but ought to fulfill only what one aims at.
(1)Discrimination between persons
of nobility and persons of humble birth.
(2)Discrimination between a legitimate child and an illegitimate one.
(3)Discrimination between the aged and the young.
(4)Discrimination between men and women.
(5)Discrimination between races and nationalities.
(1)If one finds a person whose way
of using the Original Nature, and whose moral conduct, is superior to one's
own, one aught to recognize that person as one's own teacher.
(2)If one finds a person whose ability to handle political or administrative
affairs is superior one's own, then one ought to know that person as one's own
teacher.
(3)If one finds a person whose knowledge of living is superior to one's own,
then one ought to know that person as one's own teacher.
(4)If one finds a person whose learning and technique are superior to one's
own, then one ought to know that person as one's own teacher.
(5)if one finds a person whose common sense is superior to one's own, then one
ought to know that person as one's own teacher.
One does not have to regard all of those superior people, at all times, as one's
teachers, but only when one needs to learn something from them.
If the educational system is limited, or if the idea of education does not transcend the boundary of oneself and others, world civilization will be retarded. In order to enhance the world's civilization and to endow all brethren with a blessed life, the public is to educate all younger generations, expanding the educational organization and abolishing the boundary between oneself and others.
(1)Governments and societies did
not make positive efforts or offer inducements for education.
(2)The educational system was constructed so that neither females nor the lower
classes could ever think of being educated.
(3)There were few educated people who used their learning for the benefit of
the public.
(4)Because of the inconvenient organization of public opinion and communication,
opinions on education were rarely exchanged.
(5)As the idea of education did not transcend the boundary between oneself and
others, those with property, if they had no children, tried in vain to have
children, and missed opportunities to educate people. While the poor, though
they were eager to educate their children, were unable to do so owing to financial
problems, and also missed the opportunities to educate people.
(1)From this time, as the defects
in education are being removed, one must help educational organizations to educate
children whether or not one has children; if possible, one is to educate as
many children of others as possible, with the idea that they are one's own children.
(2)A nation, and society must establish a wide variety of educational organizations
and must educate with a positive effort.
(3)In religious orders, societies, nations and the world, one who practices
these items for the education of the children of others must be honored and
respected in accordance with their meritorious deeds.
If the world respects those who dedicate themselves to the public welfare, there will be many who will dedicate themselves to the welfare of the world. If a nation respects those who dedicate themselves to the public welfare, then there will be many who dedicate themselves to the welfare of the nation. If a society or a religious order respects those who dedicate themselves to the welfare of the society or the religious order, there will be many who dedicate themselves to the welfare of the society or the religious order. The public must therefore respect those who, in accordance with the degree of their meritorious deeds, contribute in various ways to the world, nation, society, or religious order, just as children respect their parents, and one must work for the public welfare oneself, following the virtue of those who dedicate themselves to the welfare of the public.
(1)Professional education for scholarly
and official work, agriculture, industry and commerce, which are the main ways
of living and basic to the public welfare, was rarely given.
(2)Facilities for these fields were rarely established.
(3)Religious doctrine and systems were not adequate for the general public.
(4)The government and society did not honor those who dedicated themselves to
the public welfare.
(5)All education was not independent, but dependent on outside help.
(6)Egoism was so extreme that some tried to gain profit even through harming
others, and favoritism to the extent of closeness and remoteness, intimacy and
estrangement was rampant.
(7)Information and common sense were insufficient.
(8)There were few who knew the difference between a person's being respected
by a family for devotion to the family, and a person's being respected by the
public for devotion to the public.
(1)As we happen to be in the time
when the defects of the work for the public welfare are being removed, we must
distinguish between work for the family and work for the public welfare; if
both are worthwhile, we must put priority on work for the public welfare by
transcending the sense of boundary between ourselves and others.
(2)Those who have dedicated themselves to the public welfare are to be supported
when old according to the degree of their meritorious deeds; after their death,
the public must take responsibility for an honorable funeral. Their pictures
and histories must be kept and commemorated forever.