Section 3: Detailed Reading instead of a trip to the market, but still the question comes back eternally, like the sea waves lapping upon the shore “ What is the meaning of life?” 3 The Chinese humanists believe they have found the true end of life and are conscious of it for the chinese the end of life lies not in life after death for the idea that we live in order to die, as taught by Christianity, is incomprehensible; nor in Nirvana, for that is too metaphysical; nor in the satisfaction of accomplishment, for that is too vainglorious; yet in progress for progress' sake, for that is meaningless
Section 3: Detailed Reading instead of a trip to the market, but still the question comes back eternally, like the sea waves lapping upon the shore: “What is the meaning of life?” 3 The Chinese humanists believe they have found the true end of life and are conscious of it. For the Chinese the end of life lies not in life after death, for the idea that we live in order to die, as taught by Christianity, is incomprehensible; nor in Nirvana, for that is too metaphysical; nor in the satisfaction of accomplishment, for that is too vainglorious; yet in progress for progress’ sake, for that is meaningless
Section 3: Detailed Reading The true end, the chinese have decided in a singularly clear manner, lies in the enjoyment of a simple life especially the family life and in harmonious social relationships. The first poem that a child learns in school runs: e While soft clouds by warm breezes are wafted in the morn, Lured by flowers, past the river l roam on and on. They'll sav, "Look at that old man on a spree! y And know not that my spirit's on happiness borne. QUESTION 曰曰
Section 3: Detailed Reading The true end, the Chinese have decided in a singularly clear manner, lies in the enjoyment of a simple life, especially the family life, and in harmonious social relationships. The first poem that a child learns in school runs: While soft clouds by warm breezes are wafted in the morn, Lured by flowers, past the river I roam on and on. They’ll say, “Look at that old man on a spree!” And know not that my spirit’s on happiness borne. QUESTION
Section 3: Detailed Reading 44 That represents to the Chinese, not just a pleasant poetic mood but the summum bonum of life. The Chinese ideal of life is drunk through with this sentiment it is an ideal of life that is neither particularly ambitious nor metaphysical but nevertheless immensely real. It is, I must say, a brilliantly simple ideal, so brilliantly simple that only the matter-of-fact Chinese mind could have conceived it. and yet one often wonders how the West could have failed to see that the meaning of life lies in the sane and healthy enjoyment of it. The difference between China and the West
Section 3: Detailed Reading 4 That represents to the Chinese, not just a pleasant poetic mood but the summum bonum of life. [4] The Chinese ideal of life is drunk through with this sentiment. It is an ideal of life that is neither particularly ambitious nor metaphysical, but nevertheless immensely real. It is, I must say, a brilliantly simple ideal, so brilliantly simple that only the matter-of-fact Chinese mind could have conceived it, and yet one often wonders how the West could have failed to see that the meaning of life lies in the sane and healthy enjoyment of it. The difference between China and the West
Section 3: Detailed Reading seems to be that the westerners have a greater capacity for getting and making more things and a lesser ability to enjoy them, while the Chinese have a greater determination and capacity to enjoy the few things they have. This trait, our concentration on earthly happiness, is as much a result as a cause of the absence of religion for if one cannot believe in the life hereafter as the consummation of the present life one is forced to make the most of this life before the farce is over. The absence of religion makes this concentration possible 曰曰
Section 3: Detailed Reading seems to be that the Westerners have a greater capacity for getting and making more things and a lesser ability to enjoy them, while the Chinese have a greater determination and capacity to enjoy the few things they have. This trait, our concentration on earthly happiness, is as much a result as a cause of the absence of religion. For if one cannot believe in the life hereafter as the consummation of the present life, one is forced to make the most of this life before the farce is over. The absence of religion makes this concentration possible
Section 3: Detailed Reading 5 From this a humanism has developed which frankly proclaims a man-centered universe, and lays down the rule that the end of all knowledge is to serve human happiness. The humanizing of knowledge is not an easy thing, for the moment man swerves, he is carried away by his logic and becomes a tool of his own knowledge. only by a sharp and steadfast holding to the true end of human life as one sees it can humanism maintain itself. Humanism occupies, for instance, a mean position between the other-worldliness of religion and the materialism of the modern world QUESTION 曰曰
Section 3: Detailed Reading 5 From this a humanism has developed which frankly proclaims a man-centered universe, and lays down the rule that the end of all knowledge is to serve human happiness. The humanizing of knowledge is not an easy thing, for the moment man swerves, he is carried away by his logic and becomes a tool of his own knowledge. Only by a sharp and steadfast holding to the true end of human life as one sees it can humanism maintain itself. Humanism occupies, for instance, a mean position between the other-worldliness of religion and the materialism of the modern world. QUESTION