1. When people are busy, they think, and when they think, good intentions arise; when they are idle, they become immoral, and when they are immoral, they forget their good deeds; when they forget their good deeds, they become disgusted.
Source: Pre-Qin·Anonymous "Jing Jiang on Work and Rest".
Translation: People have to work before they can think, and they have to think in order to (find) a good way to improve their lives; idleness and ease will lead people to over-enjoy, and people who over-enjoy will forget good conduct; forget good things His conduct will give rise to evil thoughts.
2. In the beginning, human beings are inherently good. Similar in nature, but far apart in habits. Father and son are kind, husband and wife are obedient. An elder brother is a friend, a younger brother is a respectful person. The order of elders and younger ones, friends and friends. The king is respectful and the minister is loyal.
Source: "Three Character Classic" by Wang Yinglin of Song Dynasty.
Translation: When people are born, they are all kind-hearted and have similar natures. It is only the different environments and educations they receive that lead to huge differences in their habits.
3. Good friends, if they want to practice cultivation, they can do it at home, not in the temple. If you can practice it at home, you will be like an Eastern person with a good heart; if you don't practice it in the temple, you will be like a Westerner with a bad heart. But if the mind is pure, it means that one’s own nature is in the west.
Source: Tang Dynasty Huineng's "Sixth Patriarch Altar Sutra: Judgment·Section 2".
Translation: Good friends, if you really want to practice, you can practice at home. You don’t have to become a monk and go to a temple. If you practice at home, you are like an Eastern person who has a good heart; if you don't practice in a temple, you are like a Westerner who has an evil heart. As long as your heart is pure, you have reached the Western Pure Land in your own nature.
4. Do not follow evil paths and do not bully the darkroom. Accumulate virtue and merit, be kind to things. Loyal, filial to friends, honest to oneself and good to others, caring for the lonely and widowed, respecting the elderly and caring for the young. Insects and vegetation should not be harmed. It is appropriate to show mercy to others when they are in danger, to rejoice in others' kindness, to help others when they are in need, and to save others when they are in danger. See what others gain as you gain yourself. Seeing others' mistakes is like one's own mistakes. Don't show off others' shortcomings, don't show off your own strengths.
Source: "Taishang Induction Chapter" by Li Changling of the Song Dynasty.
Translation: Don’t take the evil path, hide things clearly, and don’t lie secretly. Do good deeds and accumulate more positive and negative virtues. Be compassionate and care for living things. Be loyal to the country, be filial to your parents, and be friendly to your brothers and sisters.
Correct yourself first, then persuade others, pity and help the lonely and helpless. Respect the elderly and care for other people's children. Insects and vegetation cannot be harmed yet.
If someone has something unlucky for them, you should pity them and be happy for them to do good deeds. Help others when they are in urgent need. When others are in danger, rescue them immediately. People and I are one, and the gains and losses of others are equal to our own gains and losses. Do not publicize the shortcomings of others and do not boast of your own strengths.
5. The best is like water. Water is beneficial to all things without fighting. He is disliked by everyone, so he is close to the Tao. Live in a good place, have a good heart, be kind and benevolent, speak good faith, govern well, do good things, and act at good times. The husband does not fight, so there is no need for you.
Source: Chapter 8 of "Laozi" by Laozi in Spring and Autumn Period.
Translation: The highest goodness is like water. Water is good at helping all things without competing with them. It stays in a place that everyone dislikes, so water is close to reason.
The most virtuous people should be as content with being humble as water and be good at keeping calm. Intentions should be as deep as water, making friends should be as close as water, be good at benevolence and righteousness, speak like water, be good at keeping promises, be as orderly as water in politics, be as omnipotent in doing things, and behave like water. That's how you stand by. Precisely because there is no dispute with all things, there is no fault.