Look Neither Down Nor Up
The wise wander not to grow worldly fame, nor speak with flattery or guile. Unstained by what is seen and heard, they have no contention.
Are my words and acts for the sake of truth, or for looking good to others?
📝Reflection
"Wander not to grow worldly fame" pricks oddly in the age of social media. We endlessly display, seek recognition, build reputation — embellishing, packaging well, sometimes ingratiating. This verse says all of it is, in the end, the seed of contention. For the stronger the wish to look good, the more comparison, rivalry, and envy follow. By contrast, one who is not elated or cast down by what is seen and heard, walking their own path quietly, has nothing to quarrel over — they compete with no one. Living truthfully and living to look good run in different directions. The first leads to stillness; the second, to an endless whirlpool of comparison.
🌱Apply It Today
Before you do or say something today, ask honestly just once: "Is this truly my intent, or am I conscious of how someone will see it?"
This verse is read as universal humanistic wisdom, not religion — no faith is promoted, and the reflection is 100% original ONGO content.
