PureInsight | March 25, 2007
[PureInsight.org] [Note:
In order to promote true traditional Chinese culture and clear away the
influence the evil Chinese Communist Party has had on that culture, the
Teaching Materials Editorial Team, composed of Falun Gong practitioners
in the educational field, have systematically put together a set of
teaching materials. Some of the materials will be translated into
English because we feel they may benefit Western readers.]
Original Article:
Confucius said, "I've never seen anyone who loves cultivating moral character more than seeking a life of pleasure."
Interpretation:
A Life of Pleasure: Refers to the pleasure of all sensory organs, such as sexuality.
Study and Comments on the Original Text:
People are likely to get lost by living in the dazzling human world
with its myriad temptations. People have become perplexed,
unfocused, and hazy during the process from meeting the basic needs and
wants for survival to satisfying the endless demands for the sensory
organs. People are completely at a loss about their purpose for
becoming human beings. People are liable to degenerate and make
karma for themselves when they are seeking a life of pleasure.
The quotation is also about how lives become valuable and commendable
if people are able to clearly understand their real minds, cherish
lofty aspirations, do away with any external materials without
confusion and cultivate their moral characters.
Extension of Thinking:
1.Who is your idol? What have you learned from him/her?
2.On which part of life that you have spent the most money? Why
Relevant Historical Records for Reference:
Overindulgence Leads to Ruin
The "Script for Morals" says: "Intoxication in the colorful life
of luxury and dissipation will make people blind. Intoxication in
the sound of decadent music will make people deaf." It
means that excessively running after pleasure in music will make people
lose harmony and be unable to hear clearly. Lao Zi understood the
rule that things will develop in the opposite direction when they
become extreme. Therefore, he emphasized the sense of propriety
and taking preventive measures. He meant that people must
restrain themselves from excessively intoxicating themselves in
instrumental and vocal music.
Meng Zi said, "Boyi doesn't want to watch or listen to any evil
things." Boyi was the eldest royal son of the emperor Gu
Zhu. He moved and hid himself in the Mountain of Shouyan, in
order to give away the throne of emperor. He starved to death
when his country was wiped out and he refused to take the invader's
food. His noble manner and lofty behavior won widespread acclaim
in Chinese history. An ancient Chinese book "Lun Yu" had a record
about Confucius' reply to his student Yan Hui's question of how to
manage a country. Confucius said, "Give up the music from the
State of Zheng." The music from the State of Zheng was decadent
music for pleasure seeking only. Confucius believed that that
music made men indulge in sensuality, which degenerates people's
temperament and inclination.
According to the historical Chinese book, Rules about Courtesy and Formalities,
there were two emperors who became laughing stocks to the later
generations because of their intoxication by the coarse music of
lust. Emperor Wei Wen Hou did not like or understand any
classical music, rather, he was particularity fond of the music of
pleasure-seeking from the States of Zheng and Wei. He spent most
of his time in the lounge listening to the music with relish.
Another emperor Tang Xuan Zong did not like traditional musical
instruments, but loved foreign devil drumming. He believed that
the drumming sound could remove his boredom. The two emperors did
not like refined music but loved the secular and obscene music.
They were looked down upon and became laughing stocks in Chinese
history.
A Chinese book about history, Tian Bao Manuscript,
recorded two historical events. The first one was when the emperor Tang
Ming Huang composed the melody, "A Splendid Silky Dress." He was
busy training his girl servants to sing and dance the music. He
was so intoxicated by the entertainment that he became estranged from
the affairs of state. Consequently, his state perished.
This was the well-known event called the "An Shi Riot" in Chinese
history. The second event involved Emperor Chen. He led his
imperial subjects in drinking wine and entertaining at his imperial
home garden. He ordered his wives and the guests to sing his
favorite song "Jade Trees and Flowers at the Imperial Home Garden."
They were so immersed in singing and dancing that they were slack in
the affairs of state, which subjugated the nation. These two
emperors' excessive pleasure- seeking led to their nations' being
ruined and their families' being dead.
Shi Cong was a high ranking official of the Jin Dynasty. He took
advantage of his position to hoard wealth by hook and crook. He
scattered money like dirt and indulged himself in wine and
sensuality. He purchased some girls and taught them to sing and
dance. He spent money profusely without restraint.
Consequently, he stirred up trouble and was beheaded. His
behavior also brought disaster to his parents, wife and children.
This is situation gave rise to the saying "Death has arrived before the
devil music ends."
Devil music and the lure of pornography interfere with people's minds
and bring calamity to the nation and people. A wise person must
refuse the seductions of such devil music and
pornography.
Translated from: http://zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2007/3/8/42581.html
