Character Psych Template — Part 4

The Four Classes of Illumination of Law

Therefore substance combines with law, and the combination produces illumination.  Illumination is enough to see the law, and the law is able to become a system.

1. The Law of Tao 道理
   • Definition:  the changeableness of all phenomena, the filling and emptying, the increasing and lessening.
   • Substance and nature:  balanced, with subtle and profound mind.
   • Ability:  to understand naturally.
2. The Law of Affairs 事理
   • Definition:  the rectification of affairs by laws and institutions.
   • Substance and nature:  active and intelligent, with cunning and clever plans.
   • Ability:  to administer complicated affairs.
3. The Law of Correct Behavior 義禮
   • Definition:  the suitability of ritual and doctrine.
   • Substance and nature:  peaceable.
   • Ability:  to discuss matters of ritual and doctrine, their merits and defects.
4. The Law of Temperament 情理
   • Definition:  the pivot of human emotions.
   • Substance and nature:  subtle and analytical.
   • Ability:  to infer from the emotions the ideas which were their cause, and suit their changing emotions.

The Nine Partialities of Temperament

And because human nature invades illumination, each [partiality] has its merits and defects.

1. The Unyielding and Generalizing 剛畧
   • Characteristic:  cannot deal with details.
   • Merit:  vast and wide when discussing matters of importance.
   • Defect:  does not stop but skip over minute laws when calculating them.
2. The Obstinate and Austere 抗厲
   • Characteristic:  inflexible.
   • Merit:  complete and just when discussing law.
   • Defect:  runs contrary to the facts and cannot begin to understand when speaking about changing conditions.
3. The Firm and Strong 堅勁
   • Characteristic:  likes to work upon actual facts.
   • Merit:  penetrating and complete when indicating the crucial point in the reasoning.
   • Defect:  exposed and isolated when coming to general principles.
4. The Fluent 辯給
   • Characteristic:  has many words and sharp ideas.
   • Merit:  sees the essentials and arrives at causes when inferring concerning human affairs.
   • Defect:  astonished and cannot be all-embracing when coming to general concepts.
5. The Drifting 浮沉
   • Characteristic:  cannot think profoundly.
   • Merit:  broad and shallow when talking about general estimates.
   • Defect:  wavering and unstable when coming to set up the essentials of things.
6. The Person of Shallow Explanations 淺解
   • Characteristic:  cannot go deeply into difficulties.
   • Merit:  astonished and pleased when hearing discussions.
   • Defect:  changes frequently and has no own principles when examining essential reasons.
7. The Forgiving and Considerate 寬恕
   • Characteristic:  cannot act quickly.
   • Merit:  vast, minute, endless and refined when discussing virtue.
   • Defect:  dilatory and lags behind when coming to actual affairs.
8. The Mild and Pliant 溫柔
   • Characteristic:  cannot be strong.
   • Merit:  harmonious and clear when chewing over principles.
   • Defect:  weak and incomplete when coming to settle a doubtful difficulty.
9. The Person Who Likes Extraordinary Things 好奇
   • Characteristic:  adventurous and seeks for the unusual.
   • Merit:  masterful and fertile when coming to create fanciful things.
   • Defect:  deviates from the norm and is wide off the mark when coming to pure principles.