Hello and welcome to this video. In this video, we explore the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Mencius. It’s commonly believed that Mencius lived during the emergence of city states. Most of his teachings focused on enhancing state-related affairs, but in this video, we explore how we can apply his teachings in our personal lives.
So the question is: who is Mencius? Even before choosing this topic, I did not know him. Mencius is considered to be the second saga of Confucianism. He lived in 289 BC. He lived during the Chinese Warring States period approximately 2,300 years ago. He expanded and finalized Confucius’ teachings.
According to Mencius, every human is born with a righteous or upright nature. Later in life, they may lose their way. Their circumstances or environment shaped them, and they lost the right path. According to him, with proper nourishment and care, everything grows, and without the proper nourishment and care, everything degenerates or decays.
Now we discuss four innate virtues in humans. Often referred to as the four beginnings or the four seeds of goodness, I have mentioned them and provided a brief explanation to help us apply them to our personal lives.
- Sense of Compassion (仁, Ren): On a personal level, we need to practice empathy in our interactions with others. Always consider their feelings and strive to comprehend their perspective by putting ourselves in their shoes. Help and support them in their day-to-day tasks. Seek opportunities to assist them with their daily tasks and issues. implement a sense of compassion.
- Sense of Shame and Disdain (義, Yi): Understand and always act on those things that are morally right. Try to avoid acts that are morally wrong. Make choices and decisions based on a moral compass.
- Sense of Respect and Reverence (禮, Li): Many times we think of breaking social norms and traditions. But that is not the right virtue. Always respect social norms and traditions.
- Sense of Wisdom (right and wrong) (智, Zhi)**: Seek knowledge and understanding in every situation. Reflect on your experiences and learn from them. Use your life wisdom to make good decisions.
We can apply Menicus teaching by reflecting on our lives. Regularly reflect on your actions and interactions. Evaluate your actions with respect to your values. If this isn’t the case, it’s important to make changes in your life. Always maintain the belief that every individual possesses a good nature from birth. If a person exhibits negativity, it’s likely due to external circumstances. Always focus on helping and your fellow beings. Always seek balance in life.
I hope friends like this video. Mencius focuses on moral virtues. We can improve our lives by adhering to these rules.