Buddhism Quote by Kaiten Nukariya
![“4. Man is neither Good-natured nor Bad-natured according to Su Shih (So-shoku).[FN#164] The difficulty may be avoided by a theory given by Su Shih and other scholars influenced by Buddhism, which maintains that man is neither good-natured nor bad-natured. According to this opinion man is not moral…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/83c/kaiten-nukariya-793_buddhism_4-man-is-neither-good-natured-nor-bad-na_100937.jpg)
““4. Man is neither Good-natured nor Bad-natured according to Su Shih (So-shoku).[FN#164] The difficulty may be avoided by a theory given by Su Shih and other scholars influenced by Buddhism, which maintains that man is neither good-natured nor bad-natured. According to this opinion man is not moral nor immoral by nature, but unmoral. He is morally a blank. He is at a crossroad, so to speak, of morality when he is first born. As he is blank, he can be dyed black or red. As he is at the cross-road, he can turn to the right or to the left. He is like fresh water, which has no flavour, and can be made sweet or bitter by circumstances.””
About This Quote
Human moral character is portrayed as a neutral slate, shaped by external influences rather than innate goodness or evil.
In simple terms: People start blank, molded by circumstances.
Key Takeaway
Morality is a learned condition.
Themes
philosophy
ethics
Buddhism
Mood
thoughtful
neutral
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- child development
- cultural assimilation
- rehabilitation programs
- ethical education
Key Concepts
nature vs. nurture
moral relativism
Practical Applications
- design environments that foster positive values
- encourage reflective moral reasoning
Questions to Reflect On
- If morality is a blank slate, what responsibilities do societies hold?
- How do innate tendencies interact with cultural shaping?
A Different Perspective
The analogy may ignore innate predispositions observed in psychology and genetics.
![“3. Man is both Good-natured and Bad-natured according to Yan Hiung[FN#163] (Yo-yu). According to Yang Hiung and his followers, good is no less real than evil, and evil is no more unreal than good. Therefore man must be double-natured-that is, partly good and partly bad. This is the reason why the…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/429/kaiten-nukariya-793_nature-of-man_3-man-is-both-good-natured-and-bad-natur_2802826.jpg)
![“Rin-zai also says: "Spirit is formless, but it penetrates through the world in the ten directions."[FN#149] The Sixth Patriarch expresses the same idea more explicitly: "What creates the phenomena is Mind; what transcends all the phenomena is Buddha."[FN#150]” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d4e/kaiten-nukariya-793_quote_rin-zai-also-says-spirit-is-formless-but_13012.jpg)
![“it is the overcoming of egoism, the destroying of mean desires, the uplifting of the moral ideal, and the disclosing of inborn wisdom. [FN#12]” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ae/kaiten-nukariya-793_uplifting_it-is-the-overcoming-of-egoism-the-destr_46308.jpg)
![“The fourth stage is called the Rank of Co-operative Merit,[FN#273] in which the student 'co-operates' with other persons in order to complete his merit. Now, he is not compared with a general who conquers his foe, but with the prime-minister who co-operates with other officials to the benefit of…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4a6/kaiten-nukariya-793_quote_the-fourth-stage-is-called-the-rank-of-c_48041.jpg){kind=icon}
![“The extraction of discrete parts of Chöd teachings from their broader philosophical contexts is symptomatic of how Chöd has been incorporated into and transmitted through other Tibetan Buddhist lineages. For example [...] Chöd practices gradually merged with pre-existing models of deity yoga, such…” quote by Michelle Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b05/michelle-sorensen-60370_2013_the-extraction-of-discrete-parts-of-ch-d_4303.jpg)