Philosophy: Six Virtues

Virtues, or moral standards, have been underlined and quantified in every culture in the world. As the backbone of religion, morality deals with distinguishing good and bad personal behavior from one another. Various codes and commandments, sometimes in reference to sacred or lucky numbers, have been compiled since the the times of ancient Greek philosophers to the southern and eastern Asian philosophies, that are still revered by us today.

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But a virtue is more than the common faculty of knowing right from wrong. Virtues are, at best, performances of additional thoughtfulness and selflessness by extending awareness to others and the world around us. We often recognize soldiers and public figures for their actions, but people around us make sacrifices everyday. Many unique qualities have been divided into a few groups with a predominant theme below. Make a mantra of them and tell yourself tomorrow morning, for example, "Today I will not have expectations of others."


1. Temperance
Exercising moderation, mindful of the future, health, consequences
Prudence, Frugality, Wholesomeness, Discipline, Livelihood

2.Courage
Continuous strength and adaptability in the face of pain, fear or change
Perseverance, Tenacity, Commitment, Industriousness, Effort, Survival, Flexibility

3.Benevolence  
Treating everyone kindly and equally, displaying yourself openly and truthfully, viewing things for what they are without bias
Justice, Honesty, Sincerity, Purity, Trustworthiness, Clarity

4.Honor
Showing respect and courtesy to others, having a sense of importance and worth of self and others, regardless of merit
Piety, Reverence, Gravity, Dignity, Humanity, Intention, Duty 

5. Hospitality
Ease of manner, welcoming reception of guests and strangers, ability to put aside past transgressions, helpful to those who are weaker than us, free of judgment
Mercy, Compassion, Forgiveness, Kindness, Humor, Tolerance

6. Love
Dedication to help, love and unite those around us, giving of ourselves and making personal sacrifices that benefit others without expecting something in return
Friendship, Loyalty, Faithfulness, Reliability, Fidelity, Unity, Generosity


See Also:
Golden Rule
Aristotle's Two Virtues
Three Buddhist Virtues, Three Christian Theological Virtues
Four Cardinal Virtues, Four Noble Truths
Five Buddhist Precepts, Five Confucian Virtues, Five Japanese Virtues, Five Sikh Virtues
Six Virtues of Hinduism
Seven Heavenly Virtues, Seven Virtues of Bushido
Eight Confucian Virtues, Eight-fold Path, Eight Taoist Virtues, Eight Endeavors of Jainism
Nine Noble Truths
Ten Commandments
Eleven Buddhist Groups of Kindness