Let but a prince cultivate virtue, people will flock to him; with people will come to him lands; lands will bring forth for him wealth; wealth will give him the benefit of right uses. Virtue is the root, and wealth an outcome. Confucius
The Four Virtues
Those who want to know the truth of the
universe should practice the four cardinal virtues.
The first is reverence for all life; this
manifests as unconditional love and respect for
oneself and all other beings.
The second is natural sincerity; this manifests
as honesty, simplicity and faithfulness.
The third is gentleness; this manifests as
kindness, consideration for others, and sensitivity
to spiritual truth.
The fourth is supportiveness; this manifests as
service to others without expectation of reward.
The four virtues are not an external dogma
but a part of your original nature.
When practiced, they give birth to wisdom
and evoke the five blessings: health, wealth,
happiness, longevity and peace.
Comments: Every religion has ethics or virtue
as a basis. Certainly one could never venture
into the inner circle without being firmly
grounded in virtue.
First: St. Francis of Assisi showed great
respect for life, to the point that he feared
treading on worms while walking on a path.
Second: We need to be sincere with ourselves
This starts with self-observation.
Third: Gentleness and kindness are looked on as weaknesses in this day and age.
Fourth: This humanity is more concerned with
taking than giving. Consumerism and materialism
are primary drivers in our daily lives.
Mother Nature is viewed as a natural resource
and we take and we take without any regard for
the consequences. Supportiveness, then, would
be acting as a steward for the Earth, protecting
the environment and conserving our natural
resources.