Ancient Knowledge

//Thread\\\\

When the most prosperous of the ancients wished to make clear and to propagate the highest virtues in the world they put their states in proper order.

Before putting their states in proper order they regulated their families.

Before regulating their families they cultivated their own selves.

Before cultivating their own selves they perfected their souls.

Before perfecting their souls they tried to be sincere in their thoughts.

Before trying to be sincere in their thoughts they extended to the utmost their knowledge.

Such investigation of knowledge lay in the investigation of things, and in seeing them as they really were.

When things were this investigated, knowledge became complete.

When knowledge was complete, their thoughts became sincere.

When their thoughts were sincere, their souls became perfect.

When their souls were perfect, their own selves became cultivated.

When their selves were cultivated, their families became regulated.

When their families were regulated, their states came to be put into proper order.

When their states were put into proper order, then the whole world became peaceful and happy.

This short thread was inspired by the writings of Confucius.

500 BC

If this isn’t valuable ancient knowledge I don’t know what is.