Nowadays, Shen Du has become a special term, and people like to use Shen Du as their motto. Its connotation is widely known, but its content is quite different from people's previous understanding, so people often interpret and explain it from different angles.
Being cautious and independent is an important thought of Confucianism and an important means of self-cultivation of Confucianism. In ancient books, people generally understand caution as "being cautious about one's behavior when one is alone and nobody is paying attention" (Ci Hai) or "being cautious when one is alone" (Etymology). In fact, the key to cautious independence is the word "independence".
There are three different understandings of "independence": one is Zheng Xuan's theory of "seclusion"; Second, Zhu's A Unique Unknown Place; The third is the "independence (personality)" in the biography of the five elements, that is, "giving one's life", the inner will and thoughts. I prefer the third one.
Cautious independence is a realm of life. Cautious independence is a kind of accomplishment, a noble spiritual realm, and also a kind of self-challenge and supervision. Liu Xiahui sit bosom not disorderly. He once attended festivals and delivered speeches. Xiao He is cautious and independent. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Yang Zhen's motto of "Four Knows", "Heaven knows what the earth knows, you know what I know", was cautious and refused to be polite; During the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Bei said, "Don't do it because of evil, and don't do it because of good." . Fan Zhongyan ate porridge with peace of mind, Yuan Cai, a poet of the Song Dynasty, "lived a life worthy of his heart", and Li Youlian was unmoved by beauty and money. In the Yuan Dynasty, Xu Heng did not eat pears without owners. "Although pears have no owners, their hearts have owners"; In the Qing Dynasty, Lin Zexu's "All rivers run into the sea, with great tolerance;" Standing on a wall, you are strong without desire. Ye Cunren is not afraid of what others know and what you know. Zeng Guofan's "four-day homework" is: cautious independence, respect for Tao, benevolence and hard work. The so-called cautious independence is the heart, and respect is the body. All of the above are the embodiment of self-discipline and moral perfection. However, these cautious stories are not old.
Throughout the ages, there have been many cautious and solitary people. Lu You, a poet, devoted his life to patriotism, persisted in the belief of resisting aggression and reviving the dynasty, and wrote a lot of poems full of patriotic pride. In the early years, the heroic song of "It's a shame for wives and concubines to die in the battlefield", in the middle age, "Serving the country, going out peacefully, but destroying Hu's heart", and in the later years, "Hearing the sound of drums, I was furious and still relieved, and I was the national champion." This is a patriot's cautious and independent mentality. I will abide by this heart all my life until I die, which is touching!
Cautious independence is a feeling, a cultivation, a self-discipline and a magnanimity.
"I save myself three times a day" is a time to be cautious and independent. The three provinces, that is, facing themselves and sorting out their inner lives, are purely for their own learning. Mr. Lu Xun once said: "I do dissect others from time to time, but what is more ruthless is to dissect myself."
As a well-known judge, one should not only have a correct political stance and a solid legal foundation, but also have a judge's professional ethics and moral cultivation. In the act of clean government, we should be "cautious", that is, cautious power, cautious desire, cautious behavior and cautious independence. You should always carefully examine yourself, set up a "moral court" in your heart, always judge yourself morally, "think twice" before doing things, and resolutely do not touch the "high-voltage line". Caution is not a fashion. Because of your prudence and independence, you didn't lower your noble head in the face of the temptation of money. Prudent independence is the barrier to prevent you from entering the abyss, and prudent independence is the temple to improve your own quality and move towards perfection.
Being cautious and independent is the lofty realm of medical staff's medical ethics, and it is also the standard to test the level of medical staff's medical ethics.
The highest state of prudence and independence is what Confucius called "follow one's inclinations". What I'm talking about here is not what I want to do in my daily life, but a moral realm after my moral cultivation reaches a certain level. As long as we start from "cautious independence" and persevere, we can realize the leap from the "inevitable kingdom" of moral cultivation to the "free kingdom"
Those who are cautious and independent are advocated by Confucianism and respected by Buddhism and Taoism, but their obedience to awe is different. Confucianism respects the teachings of Confucius saints and conducts etiquette education; Buddhists worship spirits such as Sakyamuni, Buddha and Bodhisattva. Taoism follows the words of Laozi and Zhuangzi, and it serves the wonderful. What we do, what we stop, what we are tempted to think, the Buddhist cloud says: "There are buddhas, bodhisattvas and even ghosts and gods, and we know everything." The so-called "there are gods three feet away." Whether you believe in religion or not, be honest and trustworthy in self-cultivation. Confucianism and Taoism are the same.
Although Shendu was put forward by the ancients, it has not lost its practical significance because of the changes of the times, because it is a wake-up call in your heart, a barrier to prevent you from rolling in the deep, and a temple to improve your self-cultivation to the extreme. (Source: Fo Yin. com)
"Cautious independence" is a method of self-cultivation and moral education with China national characteristics created by ancient Confucianism in China. For thousands of years, it has played a positive role in the personality casting, self-cultivation and moral promotion of our people. The culture of "cautious independence" is the essence of China's traditional morality, which not only played an important role in ancient moral practice, but also has important practical significance for today's socialist moral construction.
It is obvious to all that Confucianism attaches importance to "cautious independence". It goes without saying that both Daxue and The Doctrine of the Mean advocate that "a gentleman must be cautious and independent", and Mawangdui silk book and Guodian bamboo slips "Five Elements" also say that "a gentleman must be cautious and independent". Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties directly used the word "cautious independence". Zheng Xuan interprets The Doctrine of the Mean and interprets "cautious independence" as "cautious idleness". Mr. Liang Shuming believes that "Confucianism is only a cautious independence", while Zhu believes that "independence" is "a place where one does not know but only knows". In ancient records, people often understand caution as "being alone" (etymology) or "being alone" (Ci Hai).
Zheng Xuan, a Confucian scholar in the Eastern Han Dynasty, commented: "People who are cautious and independent should be careful what they do when they are free." It is to work hard in the "hidden" and "subtle" places, live alone, and be cautious. Pythagoras, an ancient Greek mathematician, advocated: "Never do despicable things in front of others or when you are alone. The most important thing is self-esteem. Liu Shaoqi, a revolutionary of the older generation, explained: "When a person works independently, unsupervised, and is likely to do bad things, he will not do bad things. This is called prudence and independence. According to the author's understanding, "cautious independence" was first seen in the Book of Rites the Doctrine of the Mean. So a gentleman is wary of what he can't see, and fear is almost unheard of. Don't see it hidden, don't show it, so the gentleman is cautious. " It means that a gentleman can't be divorced from morality at any time, otherwise he is not a truly moral person. Even when others can't see or hear, he should be cautious and strict with himself, and he can't let his words and deeds go beyond moral norms.
"The Doctrine of the Mean" says: "Don't be invisible, don't be insignificant, so a gentleman is cautious and independent." That is to say: the most secret words and deeds can best show a person's quality, and the smallest things can best show a person's soul.
This reminds me of a story: "once upon a time, there was a hungry and thirsty scholar who passed by a ripe peach forest." Although he was full of longing for peaches, he finally swallowed his saliva and continued to bow his head. " Someone asked him why he didn't pick a peach to quench his thirst, and he replied,' peaches and plums have no owners, but my heart has owners.' "After listening to the story, I decided to be a' willing heart' like that scholar, trying to eliminate interference and temptation from the outside world. To achieve "I have a master in my heart", I must abide by my own conduct in order to achieve "stop what I think is wrong and correct what I think is wrong". "This is a story about" cautious independence "that has a great influence on me.
The ancients said: "cultivate one's morality, keep one's family in order, govern the country and level the world." That's right-"cultivate one's morality, keep one's family in order, govern the country and level the world" can be regarded as a four-step course for successful people, and "cautious independence" is the prelude to these four-step courses. "Prudence and independence" should be an internal demand, not an external ornament. Only when people turn "cautious independence" into their inner needs can they truly practice "cautious independence". We are cautious and independent not for others, but for ourselves. When we are "cautious and independent", we are faced with our naked souls. We can analyze ourselves without mercy, even if it is bloody. No matter when you are together or alone, don't show your ugliness, but ask yourself to be a noble person at any time and anywhere, and be a person worthy of respect from others and yourself.
For us personally, "cautious independence" is the highest realm of life. An upright man is open and poised, villains are always in the same boat. Selflessness can make them fearless, fearless can make them do nothing, they can do something or even do anything! In order to calmly face all the ups and downs in the world! Our inner world is often complicated, just like "there is a world in a grain of sand". When we are unrestrained and out of control, we often have indulgent emotions. This huge internal force is likely to drive us to do whatever we want. When a person is alone, it is a time to test whether his cultivation is profound; When a person is alone, it is a time to test whether his position is firm; When a person is alone, it is time to test his ability.
"Shen Du" is a shield that can help us resist all kinds of temptations and prevent all kinds of "sugar bombs". "Shen Du" is a loyal dog, which can help you avoid traps everywhere and avoid all kinds of right and wrong; "Cautious independence" is a good prescription, which can refresh your mind and make your appearance proud. For us, "cautious independence" is very necessary for our future, our career, the present and the future, and we can't neglect it for a moment. We should keep a clear head at all times. The so-called sober, that is, "cautious independence."