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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
William Shakespeare wrote of the seven ages of man, starting with the puking infant and the whining1 school boy, through the lover, the soldier, the authority of the middle aged2 justice, then the slippered3 pantaloon, ending with the dependency of old age, sans teeth sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. But I find the categories or stages found in Hinduism more helpful and positive. It speaks of four ages, the student, the householder, the sage4, the ascetic5, with activity in the world dominating the first stages of life, then in later life, the wisdom of experience being shared with upcoming generation, and there's an increasing reflection upon ultimate truths of life and death.But what's significant for all of us in this understanding is that each stage of life has its own inherent importance and dignity. One is not more significant, productive or useful than another. Each stage matters because whether young, old or middle aged, each has something unique to offer. I suppose that that understanding undergirds the Christian6 social teaching of everyone contributing to the common good. So yes, let's have a dignity code for the elderly, and for the young, and for the middle aged. We all need it.
1 whining | |
n. 抱怨,牢骚 v. 哭诉,发牢骚 | |
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2 aged | |
adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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3 slippered | |
穿拖鞋的 | |
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4 sage | |
n.圣人,哲人;adj.贤明的,明智的 | |
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5 ascetic | |
adj.禁欲的;严肃的 | |
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6 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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