To view the original Internet Sacred Text Archive, visit archive.sacred-texts.com
38. Discourse on Virtue
The archive, offline Own the Wisdom of the Ages Every text in the library on a single USB drive. Read offline, cite freely, keep forever. No subscription required. Get the drive $127.00

38. Discourse on Virtue

II.

38. DISCOURSE ON VIRTUE.

1. Superior virtue is unvirtue. Therefore it has virtue. Inferior virtue never loses sight of virtue. Therefore it has no virtue.

2. Superior virtue is non-assertion and without pretension. Inferior virtue asserts and makes pretensions.

3. Superior benevolence acts but makes no pretensions. Superior justice acts and makes pretensions.

4. Superior propriety acts and when p. 100 no one responds to it, it stretches its arm and enforces its rules.

5. Thus one loses Reason and then virtue appears. One loses virtue and then benevolence appears. One loses benevolence and then justice appears. One loses justice and then propriety appears. The rules of propriety are the semblance of loyalty and faith, and the beginning of disorder.

6. Traditionalism is the flower of Reason, but of ignorance the beginning.

7. Therefore a great organizer abides by the solid and dwells not in the external. He abides in the fruit and dwells not in the flower.

8. Therefore he discards the latter and chooses the former.

Support the archive. Read ad-free with unlimited highlights, bookmarks, and annotations. $5/mo Become a Member Join

Comments and social are coming soon

Reader conversations and shared activity will appear here.

45 of 138 Book 32% ~1 min left