Surak, the father of the Cthia religion
Surak is the father and philosopher of the Vulcan region called Cthia. Cthia is the Vulcan word for logic.
Surak's Teachings
"Ideally, do no harm. - Harm speeds up the heat-death of the
Universe, and indirectly, your own.
More practically, do as little harm as possible. - We are creatures of a Universe in which entropy exists, and
therefore see no way to escape, but we do not need to help it.
Harm no one's internal, invisible integrities. - Leave others the privacies of their
minds and lives. Intimacy remains precious only insofar as it is inviolate:
invading it turns it to torment. Reach out to others courteously: accept their
reaching in the same way, with careful hands.
Do no murder. - The spear in the other's heart is the spear in your own; you are he. All action has
reaction: what force you inflict, inevitably returns. The murder of the other is
the murder of your own joy, forever.
As far as possible, do not kill. - Can you give life again to what you kill? Then be slow to take life. Take only
life that will not notice you taking it. To notice one's own death increases
entropy. To die and not notice it increases it less, but still does so.
Cast out fear. Cast out hate and rage. Cast out greed and envy. - Cast out all
emotion that speeds entropy, whether it be love or hate. Cast out these
emotions by using reason to accept them, and then move pass them. Use in
moderation emotions that do not speed entropy, taking all care that they do not
cause others pain, for that speeds entropy as well. Master your passions, so
that they become a power for the slowing of the neat-death.
Do no harm to those that harm you. - Offer them peace, and offer them peace again, and do
it until you die. In this manner you will have peace, one way or the other, even
if they kill you. And you cannot give others what you have not experienced
yourself.
Learn reason above all. - Learn clear thought: learn to know
what is from what seems to be, and what you wish to be. This is the key to
everything: the truth of reality, the reality of truth. What is will set you free."
Universe, and indirectly, your own.
More practically, do as little harm as possible. - We are creatures of a Universe in which entropy exists, and
therefore see no way to escape, but we do not need to help it.
Harm no one's internal, invisible integrities. - Leave others the privacies of their
minds and lives. Intimacy remains precious only insofar as it is inviolate:
invading it turns it to torment. Reach out to others courteously: accept their
reaching in the same way, with careful hands.
Do no murder. - The spear in the other's heart is the spear in your own; you are he. All action has
reaction: what force you inflict, inevitably returns. The murder of the other is
the murder of your own joy, forever.
As far as possible, do not kill. - Can you give life again to what you kill? Then be slow to take life. Take only
life that will not notice you taking it. To notice one's own death increases
entropy. To die and not notice it increases it less, but still does so.
Cast out fear. Cast out hate and rage. Cast out greed and envy. - Cast out all
emotion that speeds entropy, whether it be love or hate. Cast out these
emotions by using reason to accept them, and then move pass them. Use in
moderation emotions that do not speed entropy, taking all care that they do not
cause others pain, for that speeds entropy as well. Master your passions, so
that they become a power for the slowing of the neat-death.
Do no harm to those that harm you. - Offer them peace, and offer them peace again, and do
it until you die. In this manner you will have peace, one way or the other, even
if they kill you. And you cannot give others what you have not experienced
yourself.
Learn reason above all. - Learn clear thought: learn to know
what is from what seems to be, and what you wish to be. This is the key to
everything: the truth of reality, the reality of truth. What is will set you free."