You have to be strict with yourself(鞭辟入裡)
The Song Dynasty in China had a pair of
famous brothers who were the most famous thinkers of that time.
The elder brother's name is (Cheng Hao),
and the younger brother's name is (Cheng Yi).
Their students recorded some of their
everyday conversations and compiled them into a book.
A conversation is recorded in this book.
One day, (Cheng Hao) encouraged the
students, he said to the students.
You have learned many principles of
behavior, but learning is not enough, you have to implement it on your actions.
You have to be strictly self-motivated, and
you have to reflect on your actions every day and ask yourself an important
question, what can I do to be better.
Only then can you be a person of moral
excellence.
When you are alone at home and when you are
away from home, you should always remind yourself whether you are following
these principles of behavior.
You must remind yourself at all times to be
a man of honesty and integrity in speaking and generous and prudent behavior.
If you become such a person, you will be
trusted and welcomed by others wherever you go.
If your words are deceitful and
untrustworthy, your actions are frivolous and calculated, you will be hated by
everyone wherever you go.
You have to have confidence that the
pursuit of being a person of moral excellence has nothing to do with IQ,
everyone can become such a person if you want to.
This idiom means that you have to be strict
with yourself.
Dear friends, what inspiration or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
Do you have principles that you value? Do
you reflect on your behavior every day?
I hope this story will give you something
new to gain.
鞭辟入裡(You have to be strict with yourself)
中國的宋王朝，有一對著名的兄弟，他們是當時最著名的思想家。
哥哥的名字是(程顥)、弟弟的名字是(程頤)。
他們的學生們記錄下他們日常生活中時的一些言談，把這些話編撰成一本書。
這本書中紀錄了一段對話。
有一天，(程顥)勉勵學生們，他對學生們說。
你們學習了許多行為處事的原則，但光有學習是不夠的，你們還要落實在你們的行動之上。
你們必須嚴格的自我鞭策，你們每天都要反省自己的行為並且問自已一個重要的問題，我要怎樣做才會更好。
你們才能夠成為一個道德卓越的人。
你們獨自在家與出門在外的時候都要隨時提醒自已是否有遵循這些行為處事的原則。
你們必須隨時提醒自已要成為一個說話忠實誠信，行為寬厚謹慎的人。
如果你們成為這樣的人後，你不論行走各地，你都會受到別人的信任與歡迎。
如果你們言語詐欺沒有信用，你們的行為輕浮而且算計別人，你不論到何處，你都會受到眾人的厭惡。
你們要有信心，追求成為一個道德卓越的人與智商無關，只要你們願意，每個人都可以成為這樣的人。
這句成語的意思是你要嚴格的自我鞭策。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你有那些你所重視的原則呢?你是否會每天反省自己的言行舉止呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為河南程氏遺書-卷11-師訓-171條
https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&chapter=277544