These are the Apothegms of Enlightenment--the "clear sayings" without ambiguity or uncertainty that lead to intellectual liberation and a life fulfilled. Yet nothing here is new. Great men and women of philosophy, science, and wisdom have proclaimed these truths to every generation down through the centuries. Once more they are given to you, freely, openly, and truthfully, and with the hope that such wisdom will be heard by all. For ours is a trouble world, suffused with ignorance, bigotry, selfishness, violence, and apathy. Such things are in our nature, it cannot be denied. But let the virtues of reason, peace, and compassion prevail and all such hindrances will be dispelled. For a mind so liberated, enlightenment is assured.
- Exercise Reason and Intellect, cultivate Inner Peace, and act with Compassion toward others.
- Know that as many paths to Enlightenment exist as seekers; there is no "one true way".
- Commit all actions with consideration to the Greatest Good.
- Protect the Earth; Respect Nature; Marvel at the Cosmos.
- Recognize that we are not separate from Nature or the Cosmos; our thoughts are the thoughts of the Cosmos.
- Strive therefore to know all that is knowable and to learn all that is learnable.
- Science alone teaches all things knowable; meditate upon all else.
- Accept nothing without evidence; do not give in to superstition.
- Be not afraid to explore and to wonder, for these are our greatest gifts.
- Stagnation leads to extinction, but progress must be tempered by Enlightened Reason.
- Let Reason and Logic rule the Mind; let Peace and Compassion rule the Heart.
- Mitigate suffering if it is within your power; cause no suffering by intention.
- Accept that all things die, but know they are renewed in Nature.
- Rejoice therefore in Nature; celebrate life and revere the order of the Cosmos.
- Honor your parents and ancestors; love and nurture your children.
- Esteem the teachings of Western Philosophers; for they hold the keys to Reason.
- Esteem the teachings of Eastern Philosophers; for they hold the keys to Wisdom.
- Esteem the teachings of Holy Men of Peace; for they hold the keys to Compassion.
- Live by the Axioms of Delphi: "Nothing in Excess" and "Know Thyself"; these are the keys to living well.
- Live by the Four Cardinal Virtues: Temperance, Prudence, Courage, and Justice; these are the keys to living wise.
- Heed the words of Socrates: "There is only one good, which is knowledge, and one evil, which is ignorance."
- All Holy Men of Peace profess this universal truth: "Love one another"; follow this and you shall not err.
These Apothegms, being true and universal, belong to all humankind. As such, you are free to copy, publish, record, transmit, or reproduce by any other means these Apothegms of Enlightenment, but the text must be preserved in its entirety to the end. Any individual portion may be quoted for use elsewhere with proper citation to the original text. No alteration to the text may be made, except for the necessity of linguistic translation.
Live wise, live well.
Clavinicus the Apollonian, Spring Equinox 2008
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