The Master said, "The filial piety of nowadays means the support of one's parents. But dogs and horses are able to do something in the way of support; without reverence, what is there is distinguish the one support given from the other?"

If we are to end our own suffering, we need to start by seeking to help and allow ourselves to be helped.

May we take these words to heart and in our own small ways practice the empathy, the true care for others, the world so desperately needs in this hour.

The goal is the fulfillment of a life of learning such that one comes to accord with the Way of Heaven, not in some eschatological point beyond life, but within one's life itself. And what of the afterlife? Simply of no concern and thus no articulation.

Where world religions are often seen to incorporate the metaphor of darkness and light, little has been considered of a Confucian view of darkness and light or the nadir of light at Winter Solstice.

Even a tradition such as Confucianism, as focused upon societal and familial obligations, duties and responsibilities as it was, still saw the value of Nature as a deep and profound source for the learning and transformation of the individual.

The scholarly world has begun to take the discussion of religion and nature seriously. A 10-volume series from Harvard has provided extensive scholarship on the meaning of nature within major religious traditions. One of those 10 volumes is on Confucianism

As with every religious tradition, there are often stereotypes that frequently belie the subtlety or complexity of a worldview to the detriment of a full understanding of its teachings and practices.

While blogging can be a positive steppingstone in the building of a learning process, it also suggests a cautionary warning -- rootless thought runs the risk of abandoning the larger goal of learning.

The answer is to reintroduce schools for the teaching of Confucian values as its own antidote to a world where the ability to act and talk with dignity and respect, civility,

Learning is unceasing -- and is fulfilled in company -- in community with others, in cooperation with others, in care for others, in friendship with others.

And so, in turning toward Confucius we will look for what he believed to be that highest ideal of which he felt each and every person was capable. Such an ideal was captured for Confucius in the term chün tzu, Noble Person.

But do family values have to have a political position? Can't they be just family values, something that we all treasure as a mark of our fundamental humanity and humaneness?

Confucius is rarely heard in contemporary debate. But what indeed would Confucius make of this latest public ovation for what the audience perceived to be the benefits of capital punishment?

The relation of learning and thought is critical to Confucius. Learning is the acquisition of knowledge. But knowledge without thought is perilous indeed.

Confucius witnessed increasingly hegemonic factions garner power with no attempt to emulate the ways of virtue spelled out by the ancients. There was nothing but the quest for power and authority with no accountability. Sound familiar?

Could the Confucian perspective on learning be the reason for Russell's great admiration of Chinese thought after his visit to China in the early 20th century?

In the leisure of our own thought, we ask the question of the nature of Confucius' leisure ... We tend not to think of a founder of a religious tradition or their zealot followers as having many moments of leisure! But is that an accurate impression?

There is a remarkable comparison to be made between Confucius' utilization of jen, goodness, and Martin Buber's idea of "I and Thou."

In this orientation toward an ethical stance, is Confucianism really very much different from other major religious traditions?

Is Confucianism best represented as a political system or is Confucianism best described as a religious tradition?

Many international observers fail to appreciate that religion in China has never been treated as a matter of personal choice. It's hard to imagine that the current regime would suddenly start to view things differently.