TEMPTATIONS

 
What are temptations?  
What are the differences between an improper "temptation" and a legitimate human "need"?  
At what age temptations begin to strike at a man?  
How to survive temptations? 
How to take care proper human needs without falling into temptations?  
What parts in a person are more easily tempted?  Body?  Mind?  
Have you ever encountered any skillful tempters?  
Are we in a society full of temptations?  
How do temptations work? 

When the serpent tempted Eve, it is called a temptation;  when God tempted Abraham, it is called a test.  A test or a temptation, do you see the differences?  

Temptations aim to make someone fall.  Tests are to measure one's weaknesses or strengths. 

Will you marry someone who can be easily tempted? 
Will you trust and depend on someone who just cannot resist temptations? 
Do you feel safe among the tempters? 
Do you have a friend who is measured up to the test?
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fame, money, sex, and power are the most recognized temptations among others in human societies. 

For little children it may be the need to win favors from the parents.  Starting at teens humans begin to sense the sometimes intense urge for sex, until a very late age.  When a man needs to buy something he begins to have a desire for money;  the more things he wants to possess, the more money the better.  As men grow up they discover that fame and power are very close to money and sex.  The four things work and interact with one another remarkably. 

Fame money sex and power are common needs among humans, and are the usual subjects of pursuit in life.  They are not called temptations until they sometimes come into potential conflicts with moral principles/ values, or when they may sometimes confuse the deeper meaning of happiness and contentment.  Good or bad, there are consequences in everything.  Temptations may lead to undesirable consequences.  Falling into a victim of temptations is not an act of wisdom.

The skillful handling of these four needs or temptations could be tricky at times. Some people have a good handle of it, and some fell by the wayside at certain point of their lives. 

When are these four "proper" human needs for the sakes of survival, procreation, and public services?  And when are these four considered "improper" temptations in conflict with morality wisdom and true happiness?

Legitimate needs should be taken care, friendly tests should be passed, and ill-intended temptations should be identified and defeated.

It is a Han tradition to encourage people to reach the level of maturity and deep understandings of the matter when they are 40.  Where are we at now?