人性本來有著無限的光輝，但如果它被黑暗籠罩，它的光輝就無法顯現。利己和利他都是人性中不可或缺的一部份，但利他必須從利己開始。利己意味著善待自己，如果經常譴責自己，也不可能友好和寬容地對待別人。利他意味著關愛別人，在能夠真正了解自己並愛自己的前提下，我們才能對別人真正關愛。
長期以來，我們只強調利他，而將利己視為損害別人的行為，並加以譴責。實際上利己是愛的基礎，如果譴責利己，我們就譴責了愛，並否定了關愛別人的可能性。愛別人就是給予別人所需的東西，是有利於別人的行為，如果我們譴責利己，也就是譴責別人。
這就像我們譴責一棵樹：“不要利用陽光和雨露滋養自己，那是非常自私自利的行為。你應該有利他的心，把自己奉獻給其它植物，這樣才是道德。” 這種想法聽起來很了不起，其實非常危險。
奉獻意味著犧牲，如果每個人都犧牲生命，這種奉獻毫無意義。當所有人都奉獻自己的時候，只有那些教導我們如何奉獻的人享受到好處。以利他作為手段去謀取利益，不是真正的利他。為自己獲益而教唆別人利他，就更是一種邪惡。而真正的善行，是善待自己和別人，接受自己以及別人的私心。
愛不是奉獻，而是互相培養，就像兩棵樹彼此為對方澆水施肥。但我們必須先獲得水和肥料，先有獲取才能進行付出。因此，我們不應譴責獲取，而應該時刻記住，今天獲取的東西，是為將來的付出而作的準備。
如果我們譴責獲取，那麼人性之樹就會枯萎。如果我們不能獲得滋養，即使能虛弱地活著，也會缺乏生存的樂趣，無法活得健康。而最重要的一點是：只有當我們學會愛自己，人性之樹才會開花結果，人生才會有豐富的收穫。
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The path to Tranquility (117) Allows the flowering and fruiting of human nature
Infinite brilliance is inherent in human nature, but if it is shrouded in darkness, its radiance cannot be revealed. Self-interest and altruism are both indispensable parts of human nature, but altruism must start with self-interest. Self-interest means treating ourselves well, for if we often condemn ourselves, we cannot treat others kindly and tolerantly. Altruism means caring for others, and only when we truly understand and love ourselves can we genuinely care for others.
For too long, we have only emphasized altruism while regarding self-interest as behavior that harms others and condemning it. In truth, self-interest is the foundation of love, if we condemn self-interest, we condemn love and deny the possibility of caring for others. Loving others means giving them what they need, which is behavior that benefits others, if we condemn self-interest, we condemn others.
It is like condemning a tree, saying "Do not utilize sunlight and rain to nourish yourself, that is a very selfish behavior. You should have a heart of altruism and dedicate yourself to other plants, this is morality." This idea sounds great, but it is actually very dangerous.
Dedication implies sacrifice, and if everyone sacrifices their lives, such Dedication is means nothing. When everyone dedicates themselves, only those who teach us how to dedicate enjoy the benefits. Using altruism as a means to gain benefits, is not true altruism, for one's own benefit to instigate others to be altruistic is even more evil. True goodness is treating oneself and others well and accepting both one's own and others' selfishness.
Love is not dedication, but mutual cultivation, just like two trees watering and fertilizing each other. But we must first obtain water and fertilizer, we must obtain before we can give. Therefore, we should not condemn acquisition, but always remember that what is acquired today is a preparation for giving for love in the future.
Love is not dedication, but mutual cultivation, just like two trees watering and fertilizing each other. But we must first obtain water and fertilizer, we must obtain before we can give. Therefore, we should not condemn acquisition, but always remember that what we acquire today, is a preparation for giving in future.
If we condemn acquisition, the tree of human nature will wither. If we cannot obtain nourishment, even if we can live weakly, we will lack the joy of survival and cannot live healthily. And the most important point is: only when we learn to love ourselves, the tree of human nature will blossom and bear fruit, and life will be richly harvested.
On September 5, 2023
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