Since ancient times, Chinese philosophers have repeatedly emphasized the importance of self-knowledge. Among them, a passage from Lao Tzu in the Tao Te Ching provides us with profound enlightenment: "If you don't know, you still don't know; I don't know, I'm sick. The saint is not sick, but sick. The husband is only sick, but he is not sick. Although this sentence is short, it contains a wealth of philosophy.
First of all, Lao Tzu reminds us to be self-aware. He said, "I don't know, it's still good." The meaning of this phrase is that we should recognize our own ignorance and inadequacy. To err is human? Everyone has their own blind spots and limitations, and only by recognizing this can we maintain humility and awe and keep learning and improving. If we are blindly confident and think we know everything, then we can easily fall into the quagmire of pride and prejudice. Tao Te Ching Revelation
And self-knowledge is not an easy task. Many times, we are often unwilling to admit our shortcomings and mistakes because of face, self-esteem and other reasons. This attitude of "not knowing" is exactly what Lao Tzu called "sickness". This pathological manifestation not only affects our personal growth, but also negatively affects our relationships and social harmony. Therefore, we need to keep a clear head at all times, have the courage to face our shortcomings and mistakes, and dare to admit and correct them.
So, how can you be self-aware? Lao Tzu gave the answer: "The saint is not sick, but sick." This quote tells us that the true saints have no shortcomings and mistakes because they always treat their own shortcomings and mistakes as a disease. Not only do they have the courage to face their own shortcomings, but they are also good at learning from them and constantly revising their behavior and thoughts. It is precisely because they always maintain this attitude of self-reflection and self-correction that they are able to continue to progress and become true saints.
Self-reflection and self-correction are not an overnight process. It requires us to constantly reflect on our actions and thoughts, constantly identify our own shortcomings and mistakes, and strive to correct them. This requires us to have the spirit and courage of self-criticism, to dare to face up to our own shortcomings and mistakes, and not to evade, cover up, or shirk our responsibilities. Only in this way can we truly achieve self-knowledge and achieve self-transcendence.
At the same time, self-reflection and self-correction also require us to maintain a humble attitude. Humility is an expression of self-knowledge and a prerequisite for self-correction. Only humble people can humbly accept the opinions and suggestions of others, and can continue to learn and improve. Arrogant and arrogant people often do not listen to the opinions of others, find it difficult to discover their own shortcomings and mistakes, and it is even more difficult to achieve self-correction.
This passage in the Tao Te Ching reminds us to always maintain an attitude of self-knowledge and self-correction. Only in this way can we continue to improve and become a better version of ourselves. At the same time, this attitude also helps us to establish a harmonious interpersonal relationship and social environment, and make a positive contribution to the progress and development of society. Let us keep in mind the teachings of Lao Tzu, constantly reflect on ourselves, correct ourselves, and strive to achieve personal growth and social harmony.
Fei Wenzhong. 2024-03-04 in Suzhou Kongdeju.
Those who know do not speak, and those who speak do not know".
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