Posted by
Vangelo
Wow! Even though this is a hot potato ;) it has the potential of being a great topic.
I have tried to edit the 18 items to be less controversial (I hope IvySunday and Xuefeng don't mind). The original list takes the position that these 18 items are to be avoided lest you want pain in your life. I would argue that there are times when some of them are appropriate at certain times.
Edited list...
1. What is your primary motivation for living? Is it in service to self or in service to others or something else? Why?
2. Selfishness
Take benefits and profits only for themselves rather than serving or contributing to others and to society.
3. Greed
Take only one cup of water rather than possess all rivers and lakes without restraint.
4. Laziness
Being lazy, preferring leisure over work, being opportunistic, and stealing other people’s achievements.
5. Jealousy
When seeing other people leading lives with better conditions, or living happier, freer, and more joyful lives, one immediately has hatred in their heart, or feels uncomfortable without reason, or cannot sit or stand peacefully, or cannot help but be mean and picky, and even wants to harm those other people.
6. Complaints
When one has no clear identification of themselves, cannot see clearly their own shortcomings and disadvantages, always puts the reasons of mistakes or responsibilities on others, finds fault with heaven, earth, society, and other people, but never finds reasons from within.
7. Comparison
To consciously compare yourself against others.
8. Being Competitive and Aggressive
Being competitive and aggressive, always wanting to have a better life than others, always liking to show themselves off, and always wanting to be superior to others.
9. Arrogance
To be arrogant, wild and proud, unable to treat people equally while always feeling superior, disrespectful of other people’s personalities, dignity, and freedom, always speaking in a tone of teaching and superiority, revealing contempt in their eyes, and have no basic politeness.
10. Being Dependent
Not trusting in and relying on the Greatest Creator, not trusting in and relying on oneself, putting the hope of having a happy life without the troubles of food, shelter, clothes, transportation, birth, aging, sickness, and death on someone else, always wanting to rely on and be fed by others, and placing their spiritual prop on someone else.
*** Can't Help With this one ***
[ 11. Infatuated and Poisoned Love
Marital love, faithful love, pledge-of-eternal love, and voluntarily suffering love are all poisonous love. Once one owns poisonous love, their life is inevitably painful. ]
12. Possession and Occupation
Owning, or possessing something as well as occupying land.
13. Chase for Fame and Profits
The struggle for fame and money.
14. Attachment
Attachment to money, rights and privileges, fame, positions, or people sufficient to prohibit independent consciousness and thought.
15. Want to Change or Control others
All life beings have their own natures. Trying to change or control others to live according to his own interests, habits, characters, and will.
16. Depart from the Way of Nature
Departing from the original intention of the Greatest Creator, suppressing one’s nature and love, and trying to resist nature to attain supernatural power, trying to attain special abilities, and living life without following the way of nature.
17. Violating Laws and Disciplines
Countries and governments can disappear, but civilization can not. In order to maintain the efficient and harmonious operation of a society the people, must adopt conventions, laws, rules, and disciplines.
18. The institutions of Marriage, Family, Nation, Political parties, Religions, and Organizations
The formalization of the above consciousness's into institutions such as marriage, family, nation, political parties, religions, and organizations.