Ethics, Morality, and the Way of Heaven

The human being is a substantial being that integrates the universe, that is, a microcosm miniaturizing the universe, and the family is a microcosmic system miniaturizing the system of the universe. The law that interpenetrates the entire universe is the “Way of Heaven,” which is also called “reason-law.” Accordingly, the norm for family life, or ethics, is the manifestation in a miniature form of the Way of Heaven (reason-law). Therefore, the family norm is exactly the Way of Heaven within the condensed scope of the family.

Just as we can find in the universe vertical order (e.g., the moon―the earth―the sun―the center of the galaxy―the center of the universe) and horizontal order (e.g., Mercury―Venus―Earth―Mars―Jupiter―Saturn ―Uranus―Neptune―Pluto), so too, in the family we can find vertical order (e.g., grandchildren―children―parents―grandparents―great grandparents) and horizontal order (e.g., husband and wife, brothers and sisters). The various ethical virtues corresponding to such ordering are vertical virtues, such as the benevolence of grandparents and parents, and the filial piety of children, and horizontal virtues, such as the conjugal love between husband and wife, brothers and sisters’ love between brothers, between sisters, and between brother and sister.

As already mentioned, ethics is the norm which family members observe toward one another as connected beings. On the other hand, morality is the norm of behavior for an individual to observe as an individual truth being. Morality also correlates with the law of the universe, or the Way of Heaven. Every heavenly body in the universe exists in a certain position, forming an inner four position foundation through the harmonious give and receive action between the subject and object elements within it. By the same token, internally within a human being, harmonious give and receive action must be made between the spirit mind and the physical mind, thus forming an inner four position foundation. The norm of behavior in forming this inner four position foundation is morality. Therefore, morality is also in accord with the Way of Heaven. Needless to say, the give and receive action between the spirit mind and the physical mind must be centered on God’s Heart and the purpose of creation. Moral virtues include such virtues as purity, honesty, righteousness, temperance, courage, wisdom, self-control, endurance, independence, self-help, fairness, diligence, innocence, and so on.