Primary virtue (that which if practiced yields all the rest)?

[Raenelle]

Poll question: Primary virtue (that which if practiced yields all the rest)?

[trotsky]

1. Great poll

I say honesty. Because if you're honest with yourself and all those around you, the rest should flow.

[DulceDecorum]

2. Honesty

The others are useless without honesty.
Evil can be patient, perservering and evil can be hardworking.
But evil is never honest in it's dealings or about it's true goals.
Observe Enron, Halliburton, the Big Five Accounting firms.
NOBODY can figure out Tony Blair because the man is totally dishonest.
And evil.

[Raenelle]

4. Well, honesty can be brutal too.

So you inspired me to add kindness, or charity, to my list. I forget whether it was Buddha or the Muslims who said that, before you speak, your words should have to pass through 3 gates: first, is it important? If yes, then second, is it true? If yes, then finally, is it kind? So, I always took that to mean kindness trumps even honesty.

[Kusala]

10. from Buddhism

"Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is well-spoken, not ill-spoken. It is blameless & unfaulted by knowledgeable people. Which five?
"It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken with a mind of good-will."

-- AN V.198

This short essay by Thanissaro Bhikku is great even for non-buddhists. Practicing these ideas(ESPECIALLY in online forums) makes for a more positive experience.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/modern/thanissaro/speech.html

As for the number one virtue, there is no perfect one. I regard the lack of greed/selfishness, combined with compassion for all, to be the most productive virtue.

But all of the other good ones are just as important.

It's interesting after practicing the buddhist noble eightfold path, the bad virtues begin to dissapear as a result. Of course, this doesn't automatically increase your good virtues - you have to practice those as well.

[Raenelle]

3. Actually, I think it's a trick question in that

any virtue, IMO, if practiced full-heartedly, will yield the rest. But that is then begging the questin and heads us in the direction of Buddhism--earnestness, vigilance, perseverance; and good old Ben Franklin, hard work.

When I was morally and spiritually bankrupt, all that I had left in me was a willingness to persevere, not to give up. Honesty? Courage? Patience? Let alone balance (hah!). But I could reach down and find the willingness to keep on keepin' on. So, I checked perseverance.

[VelmaD]

5. I checked "other"

and I'm not sure there's a one-word answer to the virtue I believe is important - it's thinking things through. I think the world would be a better place if people gave more serious and deliberate thought to the things they say and do.

[Raenelle]

6. Good one.

I don't know what you would call that either. Mindfulness? Attentiveness? Seriousness? Actually, it may well be part of patience--the opposite of laziness, the willingness to pay heed, give respect to each thing.

[AndyTiedye]

7. Balance

Even honesty isn't enough by itself.

That's why we're here and the thieves are in the White House.

[VelmaD]

8. I like "mindfulness"

very Yoda-y. :-)

[Robb]

9. Humility n/t

[starroute]

11. Generosity

Most of the others -- courage, patience, etc. -- are self-referential.

Forgiveness only applies to those who have injured you.

But generosity keeps you in a constant engagement with others and forces you to think of others before yourself.

If you are generous, you have to be honest and not withhold truth from others. If you are generous, you have to be patient and wait for others to reciprocate rather than grabbing for yourself. If you are generous, you have to be mindful of what sort of giving would actually benefit others (as opposed to just making you look good.)

Generosity is also the defining virtue of the open source philosophy. To give without expectation of return is not only a personal virtue, but also a great source of creativity and change.

[Raenelle]

14. Synonym of generous is liberal. Hmmmm.

n/t

[LanternWaste]

12. I think it would be Charity...

I voted "Other" thinking Charity. But I'm kinda goofy :+

[damnraddem]

13. Sincerity.

Hey, sincerity is so important that if you haven't got it, you need to fake it.

[ProfessorGAC]

15. I Went With Other

I think loyalty is the primary virtue, as long as it is interactive with honesty. Otherwise one could be loyal to a fault. (See current administration for example.)

I think abject loyalty breeds the openness and honestry that obviates jealousy, envy, and any need to obfuscate. So, it's the most important personal trait, to me.
The Professor

Good Poll!