Outline (Standards for Being a Good Student and Child)

"Standards for Being a Good Student and Child"(1)

Was taught by Chinese saints and sages of the ancient past.

First it teaches you how to be dutiful to your parents, and to be respectful and loving to your siblings.(2)

Then it teaches you how to be cautious with all people, matters and things in your daily life, and to be a trustworthy person.

To believe in the teachings of the ancient saints and sages.(3)

Furthermore, it teaches you to love all equally,

Be close to and learn from people of virtue and compassion.

When you have accomplished all the above duties,

You can further study and learn literature and art to improve the quality of your cultural and spiritual life.

related post: Chapter 1 – At Home, Be Dutiful to Your Parents
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(1) Selected from Analects of Confucius, Book I, Chapter 6. It was taught by Confucius, Mencius and other Chinese saints and sages of the ancient past.

(2) "Xiao" and "Ti" have been the very foundation of Chinese culture for five thousand years. Xiao “孝” means to be dutiful to one's parents with affection, and to understand the basic relationship of grandparents, parents and self. In ideogram form, xiao has two components - the top part of xiao is the top portion of the word elder “老” and the bottom part is the word son “子”. Combined, it implies that the older generation and the younger generation are one: that there should be no gap between them. In Buddhism the meaning is further extended. Outside the family, the child should treat every male and female of the parents' generation as if they were the child's own father and mother. Ti “悌”  means sincere fraternal love. Here it is used more as the principle and standard of conduct of the younger brother towards his older brother when the younger brother is away from home. In Buddhism, its meaning also extends further to include conduct towards all persons who are older, but of the same generation.

(3) "To believe in the teachings of the ancient saints and sages" means to actually practice and put the teachings of the ancient saints and sages into effect.

Source Of Information:
《Standards for Being a Good Student and Child》, translated by Pure Land Learning College Translation Association, printed in August 2012, distributed by Amitabha Buddhist Society Malaysia (92, Jalan Pahang, 53300 Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
*** The information provided above does not contain personal opinion of this blog.