"Heart: A Life's Commitment by Kazuo Inamori (A Masterpiece of 'Inamori Philosophy')" Reading Notes

"Heart: The Life Teachings of Kazuo Inamori ("Inamori Philosophy" Masterpiece)" Reading Notes#

Author: Kazuo Inamori
Reading Time: 1 hour

These are the notes and excerpts I recorded while reading "Heart: The Life Teachings of Kazuo Inamori ("Inamori Philosophy" Masterpiece)" on WeChat Reading.

Recommended Preface: Inamori's Heart Studies#

Improve your character, expand your business

Mr. Inamori summarized six points from personal experience, which require efforts in six areas, referred to as "Six Efforts." ① "Put in efforts that are no less than anyone else's." Fully devote yourself to work, pursue excellence, and find joy in it, which can suppress laziness. At the same time, concentrating on work will naturally diminish selfish thoughts. This is the most effective practice. ② "Be humble, do not be arrogant." Achievements from hard work, especially after gaining power, can lead to arrogance; this is a historical pattern that even great people find hard to escape. Therefore, suppressing arrogance and maintaining humility is a very important practice. ③ "Reflect daily." Even if one is diligent, one can still become lazy; even if one reminds oneself to be humble, flattery from petty people can lead to arrogance and sometimes anger. Persisting in daily reflection will prevent oneself from becoming worse. This practice is essential. ④ "Live with gratitude." If one reflects seriously and realizes that one's achievements and progress are due to the support and help of others, a sense of gratitude will arise. Additionally, if one views setbacks and disasters as opportunities to strengthen one's will and enhance one's abilities, sincerely saying "thank you" and working harder is an excellent practice. ⑤ "Do good deeds, think of others." In this practice, it is important to note that "great good seems indifferent, while small good is great evil." Distinguishing between great good and small good, truly doing good for others, and genuinely being altruistic is effective practice. ⑥ "Do not have emotional troubles." Practicing the above five points will greatly reduce troubles. However, people are inherently troubled beings, especially when facing failures, setbacks, and grievances, which inevitably cause pain and distress. At such times, rationally suppressing troubles and directing energy towards new work is a good practice.

Improve your character, expand your business

Mr. Inamori summarized six points from personal experience, which require efforts in six areas, referred to as "Six Efforts." ① "Put in efforts that are no less than anyone else's." Fully devote yourself to work, pursue excellence, and find joy in it, which can suppress laziness. At the same time, concentrating on work will naturally diminish selfish thoughts. This is the most effective practice. ② "Be humble, do not be arrogant." Achievements from hard work, especially after gaining power, can lead to arrogance; this is a historical pattern that even great people find hard to escape. Therefore, suppressing arrogance and maintaining humility is a very important practice. ③ "Reflect daily." Even if one is diligent, one can still become lazy; even if one reminds oneself to be humble, flattery from petty people can lead to arrogance and sometimes anger. Persisting in daily reflection will prevent oneself from becoming worse. This practice is essential. ④ "Live with gratitude." If one reflects seriously and realizes that one's achievements and progress are due to the support and help of others, a sense of gratitude will arise. Additionally, if one views setbacks and disasters as opportunities to strengthen one's will and enhance one's abilities, sincerely saying "thank you" and working harder is an excellent practice. ⑤ "Do good deeds, think of others." In this practice, it is important to note that "great good seems indifferent, while small good is great evil." Distinguishing between great good and small good, truly doing good for others, and genuinely being altruistic is effective practice. ⑥ "Do not have emotional troubles." Practicing the above five points will greatly reduce troubles. However, people are inherently troubled beings, especially when facing failures, setbacks, and grievances, which inevitably cause pain and distress. At such times, rationally suppressing troubles and directing energy towards new work is a good practice.

Translator's Introduction: Universe and Life#

In today's rapidly changing business society, everything is changing quickly. Some even say that in this era, the only constant is change itself. The concept of "impermanence" in Buddhism is vividly reflected in today's world.

In fact, Mr. Inamori's life is a model of an ordinary person who walks the path of becoming wise and saintly through changing their "heart," achieving a fulfilling life. When he held a heart full of worries and selfishness, his life was filled with setbacks; when he was forced by external circumstances to change his self-centered mindset, his life began to show a glimmer of hope; when he gained insights from this and began to actively steer his mind towards altruism, his life entered a positive cycle; when he thoroughly contemplated and constructed a philosophy of altruism that reaches the level of a cosmic worldview, not only did his life become prosperous and fulfilling, but he also became a leader of many organizations, helping countless people embark on the path to a happy life. It can be said that it is precisely because he possesses a deep-rooted belief in a cosmic worldview that Mr. Inamori's conviction in building his life philosophy on this foundation becomes unshakeable. This powerful will, aided by cosmic forces, allows him to rise above ordinary people, embodying the attributes of what Nietzsche called the "Übermensch." Thus, even when facing various hardships and enormous challenges that ordinary people find difficult to cope with, he can rely on his steadfast beliefs and even faith to forge ahead, achieving great accomplishments and realizing happiness.

In today's rapidly changing business society, everything is changing quickly. Some even say that in this era, the only constant is change itself. The concept of "impermanence" in Buddhism is vividly reflected in today's world.

In fact, Mr. Inamori's life is a model of an ordinary person who walks the path of becoming wise and saintly through changing their "heart," achieving a fulfilling life. When he held a heart full of worries and selfishness, his life was filled with setbacks; when he was forced by external circumstances to change his self-centered mindset, his life began to show a glimmer of hope; when he gained insights from this and began to actively steer his mind towards altruism, his life entered a positive cycle; when he thoroughly contemplated and constructed a philosophy of altruism that reaches the level of a cosmic worldview, not only did his life become prosperous and fulfilling, but he also became a leader of many organizations, helping countless people embark on the path to a happy life. It can be said that it is precisely because he possesses a deep-rooted belief in a cosmic worldview that Mr. Inamori's conviction in building his life philosophy on this foundation becomes unshakeable. This powerful will, aided by cosmic forces, allows him to rise above ordinary people, embodying the attributes of what Nietzsche called the "Übermensch." Thus, even when facing various hardships and enormous challenges that ordinary people find difficult to cope with, he can rely on his steadfast beliefs and even faith to forge ahead, achieving great accomplishments and realizing happiness.

Preface#

"To achieve new plans, the key lies in an unyielding heart. Therefore, one must hold firm beliefs, be ambitious, and persevere to the end.

Strive to suppress one's desires and make efforts for others with a kind and loving heart. This can also be said to be the important meaning of life bestowed upon us by heaven.

"To achieve new plans, the key lies in an unyielding heart. Therefore, one must hold firm beliefs, be ambitious, and persevere to the end.

Strive to suppress one's desires and make efforts for others with a kind and loving heart. This can also be said to be the important meaning of life bestowed upon us by heaven.

Chapter One: Building the Foundation of Life#

Looking back, I realize that my youth seemed to be tinged with misfortune, but in reality, it was just the prelude to the wonderful life bestowed upon me by heaven. If my life had been smooth sailing without experiencing setbacks and hardships, I would not have strived to refine my soul; I might have become someone who does not understand empathy and compassion for others. No matter how harsh the current situation is, one should neither resent nor yield, but rather respond positively and consistently; this is the secret to achieving a happy life.

Regardless of Good or Bad, Be Grateful#

No matter how smooth things are now, this situation cannot last forever. We must not indulge in prosperity and become arrogant; we must always maintain a humble attitude and strictly restrain our actions, never forgetting to be grateful. When facing disasters, suffering, and unfortunate situations, it is actually the perfect opportunity to express gratitude. Why is that? Because such harsh environments and severe situations can train our will and refine our souls. Therefore, do not lament, do not resent, do not always be indignant; instead, say "thank you" to disasters, suffering, and misfortune. Accept everything with a positive attitude and express gratitude, maintaining an optimistic mindset as you move forward.

Humility is the Amulet of a Happy Life#

Why can't abilities and talents belong solely to oneself? Not limited to humans, if we take away everything that makes a living being a living being—body, spirit, consciousness, perception, etc.—what remains is only what can be called "existence." Centered around this "existence," all life is formed, and this "core of existence" is something that all life shares; sometimes it appears in the form of flowers, sometimes it plays the role of a person. In other words, everything outside the "core of existence," such as the things we usually believe belong to us—like body and spirit, thoughts and feelings, or money, status, and reputation, as well as abilities and talents—are merely borrowed items, bestowed accessories. Thinking this way, thoughts like "this is my thing" or "that success is my credit" become baseless and without substance. Once we realize this, arrogance will naturally disappear, and humility will arise. What we consider our own is merely something temporarily stored with us in this world; the true owner of it, we can never know. Therefore, we should not use it for ourselves but must use it for society and for others. When the end of this life comes, we should return these borrowed items to heaven without reluctance. Holding such thoughts in life and work, arrogance will disappear from the heart, and the heart will be filled with gratitude and humility.

Do Not Associate with Those with Malicious Intent#

"It is certainly good to prioritize thinking of others' interests, but what should we do if the other party has malicious intent? Once you step into society, you will encounter many people with ill intentions; if you treat them with 'altruistic heart,' they will find ways to treat you as their prey." Many people probably have such concerns. In a sense, their opinions may be correct. However, I still believe that even those with malicious intent are attracted by our own hearts.

That said, if a person with malicious intent really appears, what should we do? The best approach is to stay away from them and not engage with them. If doubts arise after interacting with them, find a reason to stop seeing them. If they wish to harm us, we must decisively cut off the relationship and no longer associate with them. The worst thing to do is to devise strategies in response to their actions, plotting schemes to harm them. Once we do this, our own hearts will become as dirty as theirs, sinking to their level.

"It is certainly good to prioritize thinking of others' interests, but what should we do if the other party has malicious intent? Once you step into society, you will encounter many people with ill intentions; if you treat them with 'altruistic heart,' they will find ways to treat you as their prey." Many people probably have such concerns. In a sense, their opinions may be correct. However, I still believe that even those with malicious intent are attracted by our own hearts.

That said, if a person with malicious intent really appears, what should we do? The best approach is to stay away from them and not engage with them. If doubts arise after interacting with them, find a reason to stop seeing them. If they wish to harm us, we must decisively cut off the relationship and no longer associate with them. The worst thing to do is to devise strategies in response to their actions, plotting schemes to harm them. Once we do this, our own hearts will become as dirty as theirs, sinking to their level.

Nature Teaches Us the Way of "Contentment"#

When I heard this story, I felt that there exists a "restraint" in nature that is absent in the human world. For survival, animals need to make minimal efforts, but they never let their desires grow excessively. They all possess the instinct of "contentment."

Reduce Desires and Build a Civilization Based on Love#

Saigo also used the phrase "Those who love themselves are the worst of evils" to strongly reject self-love. Human faults, arrogance, and failures in careers are all the result of excessive self-love. The attachment to self-love, selfishness, and self-interest is the true nature of human desires. Therefore, the more we can reduce such desires, the more we can eliminate the self from our hearts, and the proportion of our true selves can expand accordingly.

It is Precisely Because of Adhering to the Right Path that One Encounters Difficulties#

Those who walk the right path must encounter difficulties. No matter how difficult the place is, regardless of success or failure, life or death, one's will should not waver.

Those who follow the right path will inevitably face hardships. Therefore, no matter how difficult the situation is, regardless of whether things succeed or fail, and regardless of whether one lives or dies, there should be no hesitation whatsoever.

Those who walk the right path must encounter difficulties. No matter how difficult the place is, regardless of success or failure, life or death, one's will should not waver.

Those who follow the right path will inevitably face hardships. Therefore, no matter how difficult the situation is, regardless of whether things succeed or fail, and regardless of whether one lives or dies, there should be no hesitation whatsoever.

Reach the True Self, Instantly Understand All Truths#

If we wholeheartedly refine our minds to become the consciousness of our true selves, we can instantly understand everything in this world. Those who reach the state of enlightenment have attained this true self. Upon reaching this state, all truths of this world will clearly present themselves before us, and we can create the reality we desire.

Chapter Five: Cultivating a Beautiful Heart Root#

Is everyone born into this world with a pure and beautiful heart? Not at all. Some people seem to have a murky soul from the moment they are born. Therefore, we must strive to refine our souls through our lives and not be negligent.

The Quality of an Organization Depends on the Leader's Heart#

So, if you ask me what the most important quality of a leader is, I would answer without hesitation that it is "heart." In other words, it can also be expressed as character or humanity. "Improve your character, expand your business." I consistently and repeatedly convey this to business leaders. Those in leadership positions must continuously strive to refine their hearts and improve their character.

Always Cultivate the Heart#

Therefore, in the equation of life and work expressed as "mindset × passion × ability," the scoring range for passion and ability is from 0 to 100, but the mindset ranges from -100 to +100. The multiplication of the three is key. No matter how high the passion and ability, as long as the mindset is negative, everything is negative. This means that even if one possesses outstanding talent and achieves remarkable results through continuous hard work, if over time the mindset falls into negative values, everything in that person's life will turn negative, leading to decline. Conversely, even if one is not endowed with strong abilities and faces adversity, if the mindset is positive, that person will surely turn their fortunes around and lead a happy and fulfilling life. In conclusion, whether it is success, fame, and glory, or setbacks, failures, and hardships, all are tests bestowed upon us by heaven. Therefore, whether in times of smooth sailing or when life does not go as planned, we must continuously reflect on ourselves and never neglect the cultivation of our hearts.

A person's heart is like a courtyard; it can be cultivated rationally or left to run wild. Whether cultivated or neglected, the courtyard will never be empty.

Destiny lies in character.

Therefore, in the equation of life and work expressed as "mindset × passion × ability," the scoring range for passion and ability is from 0 to 100, but the mindset ranges from -100 to +100. The multiplication of the three is key. No matter how high the passion and ability, as long as the mindset is negative, everything is negative. This means that even if one possesses outstanding talent and achieves remarkable results through continuous hard work, if over time the mindset falls into negative values, everything in that person's life will turn negative, leading to decline. Conversely, even if one is not endowed with strong abilities and faces adversity, if the mindset is positive, that person will surely turn their fortunes around and lead a happy and fulfilling life. In conclusion, whether it is success, fame, and glory, or setbacks, failures, and hardships, all are tests bestowed upon us by heaven. Therefore, whether in times of smooth sailing or when life does not go as planned, we must continuously reflect on ourselves and never neglect the cultivation of our hearts.

A person's heart is like a courtyard; it can be cultivated rationally or left to run wild. Whether cultivated or neglected, the courtyard will never be empty.

Destiny lies in character.

Advocating the Philosophy of "Mindset Expanding Life"#

Life can be infinitely expanded, and the key depends on what kind of heart one holds. This is the teaching of the heavenly wind. The heavenly wind says that the universe guarantees that anyone can expand a beautiful life. Therefore, no matter what circumstances one is in, one must maintain an optimistic and upward heart, never become despondent, never speak negatively, and believe that a bright future will surely come. "I was once a violent youth without restraint, but now I can speak about life like this in front of everyone. No matter what kind of past one has, as long as the heart changes, anyone can expand a happy and beautiful life."

Approaching the True Self, Presenting Reality as It Is#

In other words, what we call happiness and unhappiness, those things that cause us to rise and fall in the mundane world, are all illusions. Once we understand this, we can free ourselves from them. Once liberated from these chains of illusion, everything that happens in this world will clearly present itself before us, and we will be able to see and understand it; at this point, we can comprehend the truths of the universe. The significance of the Buddha attaining enlightenment through meditation lies here. So why is it that the truth of the universe is singular, yet our individual lives are tumultuous, filled with suffering and difficulties, and cannot be resolved by ordinary means? This is because our hearts are murky, filled with distractions, preventing us from seeing the true nature of reality.

Success Today is Due to the Existence of Family#

Those who cannot succeed are those who are completely unwilling to sacrifice their desires. If one wishes for success in their heart, they must pay the corresponding price of self-sacrifice. To achieve great success, one must make great self-sacrifices; to achieve supreme success, one must make supreme self-sacrifices.

Everything Begins and Ends with the Heart#

Thinking this way, it can be said that life is actually a very simple thing. Based on an altruistic heart, strive as much as possible in daily life. As long as you do this, fate will surely improve, and a happy life will surely come. At the same time, no matter when, it is most important to keep your heart beautiful and pure; this is the key to fully unleashing your potential and the key to opening the door to a happy life.

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