12 Steps, 108 Defilements, and Confucius Say
12 Steps
Are you addicted to fanfic challenges? Follow these 12 steps and face your addiction head-on by... writing a story for each prompt. O_o;;
My name is Insert Your Username Here, and I am addicted to fanfic challenges.
Hi, Insert Your Username Here!
1.Admit It
2.Believe
3.Make a Decision
4.Inventory of Yourself
5.The Nature of Our Wrongs
6.Ready
7.Remove my Shortcomings
8.The List
9.Amends
10.Press On
11.Meditation, Knowledge, Will
12.Awakening
The HTML for this table
My name is , and I am addicted to fanfic challenges.
Hi,!
DON'T FORGET TO REPLACE "YOUR USERNAME HERE" WITH YOUR USERNAME!! You'll look pretty silly if you don't. Just sayin'.
108 Buddhist Defilements
Perhaps you'd like to deal with your addiction by conquering the 108 Defilements of Buddhism. If writing 108 challenge fics doesn't cure you of your fanfic challenge addiction, I don't know what will.
List comes from here: The 108 Defilements of Buddhism
My name is Insert Your Username Here, and I am addicted to fanfic challenges.
Hi, Insert Your Username Here!
1.Ostentatiousness
2.Grudge
3.Gambling
4.Ingratitude
5.Dipsomania
6.Ambition
7.Dominance
8.Faithlessness
9.Manipulation
10.Stinginess
11.Pessimism
12.Hostility
13.Abuse
14.Debasement
15.Sexual Lust
16.Sarcasm
17.Humiliation
18.Jealousy
19.Gluttony
20.Unruliness
21.Hurt
22.Cruelty
23.Unkindness
24.Obstinacy
25.Envy
26.Indifference
27.Negativity
28.Furtiveness
29.Sadism
30.Enviousness
31.Derision
32.Falseness
33.High-handedness
34.Know-it-all
35.Rage
36.Aggression
37.Rapacity
38.Effrontery
39.Disrespectfulness
40.Hard-heartedness
41.Eagerness for Power
42.Lying
43.Insidiousness
44.Self-denial
45.Inattentiveness
46.Contempt
47.Wrath
48.Haughtiness
49.Greed for Money
50.Seducement
51.Vindictiveness
52.Insatiability
53.Voluptuousness
54.Excessiveness
55.Censoriousness
56.Dissatisfaction
57.Egoism
58.Ignorance
59.Hatred
60.Greed
61.Impudence
62.Imposture
63.Cursing
64.Imperiousness
65.Lecherousness
66.Callousness
67.Malignancy
68.Torment
69.Intolerance
70.Blasphemy
71.Shamelessness
72.Irresponsibility
73.Obsession
74.Prejudice
75.Arrogance
76.Violent Temper
77.Garrulity
78.Dogmatism
79.Presumption
80.Intransigence
81.Oppression
82.Prodigality
83.Lack of Understanding
84.Concealment of Wrongdoing
85.Pride
86.Conceitedness
87.Delusion
88.Quarrelsomeness
89.Self-hatred
90.Violence
91.Vanity
92.Hypocrisy
93.Stubbornness
94.Baseness
95.Pretense
96.Mercilessness
97.Disrespect
98.Ridicule
99.Masochism
100.Tyranny
101.Capriciousness
102.Deceit
103.Anger
104.Discord
105.Calculation
106.Unyielding
107.Desire for Fame
108.Deception
You can use these for Buffet tables as well, or just take on this table as a whole.
The HTML for this table
My name is , and I am addicted to fanfic challenges.
Hi,!
DON'T FORGET TO REPLACE "YOUR USERNAME HERE" WITH YOUR USERNAME!! You'll look pretty silly if you don't. Just sayin'.
Yes, I was lost on some of these words too. I have defined the ones that I found troublesome.
1. Ostentatiousness: Prone to lavish or pretentious displays.
5. Dipsomania: Insatiable craving for alcohol.
14. Debasement: Being low in quality, character, or value.
24. Obstinacy: The act of stubbornly adhering to an opinion or course of action.
28. Furtiveness: The act of being shifty and sly.
31. Derision: Laughing at someone or ridiculing them contemptuously.
33. High-handedness: Overbearing.
37. Rapacity: Ravenous. Eager to consume large quantities of food. Also, feeding on live prey.
38. Effrontery: Shameless, arrogant boldness.
43. Insidiousness: Working or spreading harmfully in a stealthy way. Attractive but dangerous.
48. Haughtiness: Arrogantly proud.
53. Voluptuousness: The state of being given over to sensual pleasures.
55. Censoriousness: Prone to strong disapproval or criticism, sometimes on a large scale (like a censor).
57. Egoism: The belief that self-interest is the prime motivation for human conduct.
61. Impudence: Bold rudeness or disrespect.
62. Imposture: Deception by assumption of a false identity.
64. Imperiousness: Being domineering.
67. Malignancy: Harmful, evil, life-threatening.
70. Blasphemy: To speak of a sacred thing in disrespect.
77. Garrulity: Excessive chattiness.
78. Dogmatism: Authoritarian assertion of beliefs as absolute truth that are based on unprovable principles.
80. Intransigence: Uncomprimising.
82. Prodigality: Extravagant wastefulness.
84. Originally a repeat of #24 for some reason, so I changed it.
94. Baseness: Morally bad.
95. Pretense: A pretext, a false reason for doing something.
101. Capriciousness: Subject to whim, subject to frequent and sudden change of mind.
104. Discord: Lack of harmony.
105. Calculation: Coldly scheming. Not math. ;)
In general, these prompts are meant in a negative way, but it's okay to write them in a positive light if you like (for example, Seducement can refer to corruption or romantic seduction). Whatever serves your story best.
I think I'd rather use these prompts to make a Buffet table, and need my Buffet HTML now.
Confucius Say...
Writing fic based on the wise and noble sayings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius is bound to cure you of your fanfic challenge addiction. It's okay to interpret these sayings literally, symbolically, and/or creatively to suit your writing purposes.
My name is Insert Your Username Here, and I am addicted to fanfic challenges.
Hi, Insert Your Username Here!
1.Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes.
2.Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.
3.Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.
4.Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
5.I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
6.Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.
7.It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.
8.Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.
9.Respect yourself and others will respect you.
10.Study the past if you would define the future.
11.The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved.
12.To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
13.To see what is right, and not to do it, is want of courage or of principle. (aka To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice.)
14.What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.
15.When anger rises, think of the consequences.
16.Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.
17.They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
18.By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.
19.Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.
20.Have no friends not equal to yourself.
21.He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.
22.He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.
23.He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful may be called intelligent indeed.
24.Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
25.I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.
26.If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.
27.If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere - although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has.
28.Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
29.The cautious seldom err.
30.The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete.
31.The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration.
32.The man who in view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends - such a man may be reckoned a complete man.
33.The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it.
34.The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters.
35.The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
36.The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.
37.The superior man... does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.
38.There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth... lust. When he is strong... quarrelsomeness. When he is old... covetousness.
39.Things that are done, it is needless to speak about... things that are past, it is needless to blame.
40.To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.
41.Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue.
42.Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.
43.What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
44.When a man's knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.
45.When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.
46.When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it - this is knowledge.
47.With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow - I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud.
48.Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.
49.The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.
50.While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve spirits [of the dead]? While you do not know life, how can you know about death?
51.If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?
52.Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
53.It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve, and bad things are very easy to get.
54.A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
55.Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
56.Life is really very simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
57.In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.
58.He that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
59.It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.
60.It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.
61.The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.
62.Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing.
63.The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell. (aka The virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit.)
64.Don't be concerned others not appreciating you. Be concerned about your not appreciating others.
65.The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.
66.Gravity is only the bark of wisdom, but it preserves it.
67.Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
68.A man who stands on a hill with his mouth open will wait a long time for roast duck to drop in.
69.Don't complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof when your own doorstep is unclean.
70.Not to alter one's faults is to be faulty indeed.
71.If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.
72.If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.
73.Can there be a love which does not make demands on its object?
74.A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake.
75.A picture is a poem without words.
76.To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.
77.By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.
78.Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher.
79.The superior man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing.
80.To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.
81.See a person's means (of getting things). Observe his motives. Examine that in which he rests. How can a person conceal his character?
82.What you know, you know; what you don't know, you don't know. This is true wisdom.
83.When you serve your mother and father, it is okay to try to correct them once in a while. But if you see that they are not going to listen to you, keep your respect for them and don't distance yourself from them. Work without complaining.
84.What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is called Instruction. The path may not be left for an instant. If it could be left, it would not be the path.
85.The institutions of the Ruler are rooted in his own character and conduct. His presenting himself with his institutions before spiritual beings, without any doubts arising about them, shows that he knows Heaven. His being prepared, without any misgivings, to wait for the rise of a sage a hundred ages after, shows that he knows men.
86.The superior man can find himself in no situation in which he is not himself.
87.Benevolence is the characteristic element of humanity.
88.It is characteristic of the most entire sincerity to be able to foreknow. When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens.
89.To no one but the Son of Heaven does it belong to order ceremonies, to fix the measures, and to determine the written characters.
90.Things have their root and their branches. Affairs have their end and their beginning. To know what is first and what is last will lead near to what is taught in the Great Learning.
91.When you are laboring for others, let it be with the same zeal as if it were for yourself.
92.Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.
93.When a person should be spoken with, and you don't speak with them, you lose them. When a person shouldn't be spoken with and you speak to them, you waste your breath. The wise do not lose people, nor do they waste their breath.
94.Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.
95.An oppressive government is more feared than a tiger.
96.Since you yourself desire standing then help others achieve it; since you yourself desire success then help others attain it.
97.If the people be led by laws, and uniformity among them be sought by punishments, they will try to escape punishment and have no sense of shame. If they are led by virtue, and uniformity sought among them through the practice of ritual propriety, they will possess a sense of shame and come to you of their own accord.
98.If your desire is for good, the people will be good. The moral character of the ruler is the wind; the moral character of those beneath him is the grass. When the wind blows, the grass bends.
99.Li: Look at nothing in defiance of ritual, listen to nothing in defiance of ritual, speak of nothing in defiance of ritual, never stir hand or foot in defiance of ritual.
100.Ren: Compassion, loving others, altruism.
99. This Confucius saying is very similar to the Japanese legend of the three monkeys, "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil," which sometimes includes a fourth monkey, "Do no evil." The two sayings pretty much mean the same thing: lead your life in proper conduct.
If your having trouble understanding the concept of Li, Stanford's website has more on the subject...
Learning self-restraint involves studying and mastering Li, the ritual forms and rules of propriety through which one expresses respect for superiors and enacts his role in society in such a way that he himself is worthy of respect and admiration. A concern for propriety should inform everything that one says and does.
Subjecting oneself to ritual does not, however, mean suppressing one's desires but instead learning how to reconcile one's own desires with the needs of one's family and community. Confucius and many of his followers teach that it is by experiencing desires that we learn the value of social structures that make an ordered society possible (See Lunyu 2.4.). Nor does Confucius' emphasis on ritual mean that he was a punctilious ceremonialist who thought that the rites of worship and of social exchange had to be practiced correctly at all costs. Confucius taught, on the contrary, that if one did not possess a keen sense of the well-being and interests of others, his ceremonial manners signified nothing. (Lunyu 3.3). Equally important was Confucius' insistence that the rites not be regarded as mere forms, but that they be practiced with complete devotion and sincerity.
Some websites say that #2, 54, and 55 are actually misattributed to Confucius, having been said by other philosophers. I'm going to leave them in because I need them to fill out the table and they're rather nice sayings anyway. ;D There are a few others on here that I find questionable; they don't have the same feel as the bulk of the sayings that we know for sure can be attributed to Confucius. But, oh well. I want the table to be 100 prompts and 100 it shall be. On that note, there are a couple of repeats here where sayings are translated just differently enough to make them seem like different sayings, and... I thought they were different sayings. ^_^;; Oops. I'm leaving them in; I had a hard enough time getting to 100 when the well started to dry up around 80 prompts.
Anyway, here's the HTML you need to post this table:
My name is , and I am addicted to fanfic challenges.
Hi,!
DON'T FORGET TO REPLACE "YOUR USERNAME HERE" WITH YOUR USERNAME!! You'll look pretty silly if you don't. Just sayin'.
I think I'd rather use these prompts to make a Buffet table, and need my Buffet HTML now.
MORE! Aesop's Fables
If there is another religious/philosophical system of "rules" that you think would make a good prompt table, please suggest it in a comment. Also, other steps to dealing with addiction, although I think most of them use the 12 steps of AA. I'm not planning on using the Ten Commandments because I use them in 10_hurt_comfort and the only one people seem to like is "Thou shalt not kill." :D But if you would like to see that table here because you want to claim it, please comment and let me know!
|| MASTERLIST OF AVAILABLE PROMPT TABLES ||
Are you addicted to fanfic challenges? Follow these 12 steps and face your addiction head-on by... writing a story for each prompt. O_o;;
My name is Insert Your Username Here, and I am addicted to fanfic challenges.
Hi, Insert Your Username Here!
1.Admit It
2.Believe
3.Make a Decision
4.Inventory of Yourself
5.The Nature of Our Wrongs
6.Ready
7.Remove my Shortcomings
8.The List
9.Amends
10.Press On
11.Meditation, Knowledge, Will
12.Awakening
The HTML for this table
Hi,
| 1. | Admit It | 2. | Believe | 3. | Make a Decision | 4. | Inventory of Yourself |
| 5. | The Nature of Our Wrongs | 6. | Ready | 7. | Remove my Shortcomings | 8. | The List |
| 9. | Amends | 10. | Press On | 11. | Meditation, Knowledge, Will | 12. | Awakening |
DON'T FORGET TO REPLACE "YOUR USERNAME HERE" WITH YOUR USERNAME!! You'll look pretty silly if you don't. Just sayin'.
108 Buddhist Defilements
Perhaps you'd like to deal with your addiction by conquering the 108 Defilements of Buddhism. If writing 108 challenge fics doesn't cure you of your fanfic challenge addiction, I don't know what will.
List comes from here: The 108 Defilements of Buddhism
My name is Insert Your Username Here, and I am addicted to fanfic challenges.
Hi, Insert Your Username Here!
1.Ostentatiousness
2.Grudge
3.Gambling
4.Ingratitude
5.Dipsomania
6.Ambition
7.Dominance
8.Faithlessness
9.Manipulation
10.Stinginess
11.Pessimism
12.Hostility
13.Abuse
14.Debasement
15.Sexual Lust
16.Sarcasm
17.Humiliation
18.Jealousy
19.Gluttony
20.Unruliness
21.Hurt
22.Cruelty
23.Unkindness
24.Obstinacy
25.Envy
26.Indifference
27.Negativity
28.Furtiveness
29.Sadism
30.Enviousness
31.Derision
32.Falseness
33.High-handedness
34.Know-it-all
35.Rage
36.Aggression
37.Rapacity
38.Effrontery
39.Disrespectfulness
40.Hard-heartedness
41.Eagerness for Power
42.Lying
43.Insidiousness
44.Self-denial
45.Inattentiveness
46.Contempt
47.Wrath
48.Haughtiness
49.Greed for Money
50.Seducement
51.Vindictiveness
52.Insatiability
53.Voluptuousness
54.Excessiveness
55.Censoriousness
56.Dissatisfaction
57.Egoism
58.Ignorance
59.Hatred
60.Greed
61.Impudence
62.Imposture
63.Cursing
64.Imperiousness
65.Lecherousness
66.Callousness
67.Malignancy
68.Torment
69.Intolerance
70.Blasphemy
71.Shamelessness
72.Irresponsibility
73.Obsession
74.Prejudice
75.Arrogance
76.Violent Temper
77.Garrulity
78.Dogmatism
79.Presumption
80.Intransigence
81.Oppression
82.Prodigality
83.Lack of Understanding
84.Concealment of Wrongdoing
85.Pride
86.Conceitedness
87.Delusion
88.Quarrelsomeness
89.Self-hatred
90.Violence
91.Vanity
92.Hypocrisy
93.Stubbornness
94.Baseness
95.Pretense
96.Mercilessness
97.Disrespect
98.Ridicule
99.Masochism
100.Tyranny
101.Capriciousness
102.Deceit
103.Anger
104.Discord
105.Calculation
106.Unyielding
107.Desire for Fame
108.Deception
You can use these for Buffet tables as well, or just take on this table as a whole.
The HTML for this table
Hi,
| 1. | Ostentatiousness | 2. | Grudge | 3. | Gambling | 4. | Ingratitude |
| 5. | Dipsomania | 6. | Ambition | 7. | Dominance | 8. | Faithlessness |
| 9. | Manipulation | 10. | Stinginess | 11. | Pessimism | 12. | Hostility |
| 13. | Abuse | 14. | Debasement | 15. | Sexual Lust | 16. | Sarcasm |
| 17. | Humiliation | 18. | Jealousy | 19. | Gluttony | 20. | Unruliness |
| 21. | Hurt | 22. | Cruelty | 23. | Unkindness | 24. | Obstinacy |
| 25. | Envy | 26. | Indifference | 27. | Negativity | 28. | Furtiveness |
| 29. | Sadism | 30. | Enviousness | 31. | Derision | 32. | Falseness |
| 33. | High-handedness | 34. | Know-it-all | 35. | Rage | 36. | Aggression |
| 37. | Rapacity | 38. | Effrontery | 39. | Disrespectfulness | 40. | Hard-heartedness |
| 41. | Eagerness for Power | 42. | Lying | 43. | Insidiousness | 44. | Self-denial |
| 45. | Inattentiveness | 46. | Contempt | 47. | Wrath | 48. | Haughtiness |
| 49. | Greed for Money | 50. | Seducement | 51. | Vindictiveness | 52. | Insatiability |
| 53. | Voluptuousness | 54. | Excessiveness | 55. | Censoriousness | 56. | Dissatisfaction |
| 57. | Egoism | 58. | Ignorance | 59. | Hatred | 60. | Greed |
| 61. | Impudence | 62. | Imposture | 63. | Cursing | 64. | Imperiousness |
| 65. | Lecherousness | 66. | Callousness | 67. | Malignancy | 68. | Torment |
| 69. | Intolerance | 70. | Blasphemy | 71. | Shamelessness | 72. | Irresponsibility |
| 73. | Obsession | 74. | Prejudice | 75. | Arrogance | 76. | Violent Temper |
| 77. | Garrulity | 78. | Dogmatism | 79. | Presumption | 80. | Intransigence |
| 81. | Oppression | 82. | Prodigality | 83. | Lack of Understanding | 84. | Concealment of Wrongdoing |
| 85. | Pride | 86. | Conceitedness | 87. | Delusion | 88. | Quarrelsomeness |
| 89. | Self-hatred | 90. | Violence | 91. | Vanity | 92. | Hypocrisy |
| 93. | Stubbornness | 94. | Baseness | 95. | Pretense | 96. | Mercilessness |
| 97. | Disrespect | 98. | Ridicule | 99. | Masochism | 100. | Tyranny |
| 101. | Capriciousness | 102. | Deceit | 103. | Anger | 104. | Discord |
| 105. | Calculation | 106. | Unyielding | 107. | Desire for Fame | 108. | Deception |
DON'T FORGET TO REPLACE "YOUR USERNAME HERE" WITH YOUR USERNAME!! You'll look pretty silly if you don't. Just sayin'.
Yes, I was lost on some of these words too. I have defined the ones that I found troublesome.
1. Ostentatiousness: Prone to lavish or pretentious displays.
5. Dipsomania: Insatiable craving for alcohol.
14. Debasement: Being low in quality, character, or value.
24. Obstinacy: The act of stubbornly adhering to an opinion or course of action.
28. Furtiveness: The act of being shifty and sly.
31. Derision: Laughing at someone or ridiculing them contemptuously.
33. High-handedness: Overbearing.
37. Rapacity: Ravenous. Eager to consume large quantities of food. Also, feeding on live prey.
38. Effrontery: Shameless, arrogant boldness.
43. Insidiousness: Working or spreading harmfully in a stealthy way. Attractive but dangerous.
48. Haughtiness: Arrogantly proud.
53. Voluptuousness: The state of being given over to sensual pleasures.
55. Censoriousness: Prone to strong disapproval or criticism, sometimes on a large scale (like a censor).
57. Egoism: The belief that self-interest is the prime motivation for human conduct.
61. Impudence: Bold rudeness or disrespect.
62. Imposture: Deception by assumption of a false identity.
64. Imperiousness: Being domineering.
67. Malignancy: Harmful, evil, life-threatening.
70. Blasphemy: To speak of a sacred thing in disrespect.
77. Garrulity: Excessive chattiness.
78. Dogmatism: Authoritarian assertion of beliefs as absolute truth that are based on unprovable principles.
80. Intransigence: Uncomprimising.
82. Prodigality: Extravagant wastefulness.
84. Originally a repeat of #24 for some reason, so I changed it.
94. Baseness: Morally bad.
95. Pretense: A pretext, a false reason for doing something.
101. Capriciousness: Subject to whim, subject to frequent and sudden change of mind.
104. Discord: Lack of harmony.
105. Calculation: Coldly scheming. Not math. ;)
In general, these prompts are meant in a negative way, but it's okay to write them in a positive light if you like (for example, Seducement can refer to corruption or romantic seduction). Whatever serves your story best.
I think I'd rather use these prompts to make a Buffet table, and need my Buffet HTML now.
Confucius Say...
Writing fic based on the wise and noble sayings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius is bound to cure you of your fanfic challenge addiction. It's okay to interpret these sayings literally, symbolically, and/or creatively to suit your writing purposes.
My name is Insert Your Username Here, and I am addicted to fanfic challenges.
Hi, Insert Your Username Here!
1.Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes.
2.Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.
3.Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.
4.Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
5.I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
6.Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.
7.It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.
8.Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.
9.Respect yourself and others will respect you.
10.Study the past if you would define the future.
11.The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved.
12.To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
13.To see what is right, and not to do it, is want of courage or of principle. (aka To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice.)
14.What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.
15.When anger rises, think of the consequences.
16.Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.
17.They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
18.By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.
19.Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.
20.Have no friends not equal to yourself.
21.He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.
22.He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.
23.He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful may be called intelligent indeed.
24.Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
25.I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.
26.If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.
27.If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere - although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has.
28.Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
29.The cautious seldom err.
30.The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete.
31.The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration.
32.The man who in view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends - such a man may be reckoned a complete man.
33.The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it.
34.The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters.
35.The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
36.The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.
37.The superior man... does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.
38.There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth... lust. When he is strong... quarrelsomeness. When he is old... covetousness.
39.Things that are done, it is needless to speak about... things that are past, it is needless to blame.
40.To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.
41.Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue.
42.Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.
43.What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
44.When a man's knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.
45.When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.
46.When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it - this is knowledge.
47.With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow - I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud.
48.Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.
49.The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.
50.While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve spirits [of the dead]? While you do not know life, how can you know about death?
51.If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?
52.Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
53.It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve, and bad things are very easy to get.
54.A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
55.Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
56.Life is really very simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
57.In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.
58.He that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
59.It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.
60.It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.
61.The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.
62.Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing.
63.The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell. (aka The virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit.)
64.Don't be concerned others not appreciating you. Be concerned about your not appreciating others.
65.The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.
66.Gravity is only the bark of wisdom, but it preserves it.
67.Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
68.A man who stands on a hill with his mouth open will wait a long time for roast duck to drop in.
69.Don't complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof when your own doorstep is unclean.
70.Not to alter one's faults is to be faulty indeed.
71.If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.
72.If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.
73.Can there be a love which does not make demands on its object?
74.A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake.
75.A picture is a poem without words.
76.To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.
77.By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.
78.Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher.
79.The superior man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing.
80.To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.
81.See a person's means (of getting things). Observe his motives. Examine that in which he rests. How can a person conceal his character?
82.What you know, you know; what you don't know, you don't know. This is true wisdom.
83.When you serve your mother and father, it is okay to try to correct them once in a while. But if you see that they are not going to listen to you, keep your respect for them and don't distance yourself from them. Work without complaining.
84.What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is called Instruction. The path may not be left for an instant. If it could be left, it would not be the path.
85.The institutions of the Ruler are rooted in his own character and conduct. His presenting himself with his institutions before spiritual beings, without any doubts arising about them, shows that he knows Heaven. His being prepared, without any misgivings, to wait for the rise of a sage a hundred ages after, shows that he knows men.
86.The superior man can find himself in no situation in which he is not himself.
87.Benevolence is the characteristic element of humanity.
88.It is characteristic of the most entire sincerity to be able to foreknow. When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens.
89.To no one but the Son of Heaven does it belong to order ceremonies, to fix the measures, and to determine the written characters.
90.Things have their root and their branches. Affairs have their end and their beginning. To know what is first and what is last will lead near to what is taught in the Great Learning.
91.When you are laboring for others, let it be with the same zeal as if it were for yourself.
92.Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.
93.When a person should be spoken with, and you don't speak with them, you lose them. When a person shouldn't be spoken with and you speak to them, you waste your breath. The wise do not lose people, nor do they waste their breath.
94.Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.
95.An oppressive government is more feared than a tiger.
96.Since you yourself desire standing then help others achieve it; since you yourself desire success then help others attain it.
97.If the people be led by laws, and uniformity among them be sought by punishments, they will try to escape punishment and have no sense of shame. If they are led by virtue, and uniformity sought among them through the practice of ritual propriety, they will possess a sense of shame and come to you of their own accord.
98.If your desire is for good, the people will be good. The moral character of the ruler is the wind; the moral character of those beneath him is the grass. When the wind blows, the grass bends.
99.Li: Look at nothing in defiance of ritual, listen to nothing in defiance of ritual, speak of nothing in defiance of ritual, never stir hand or foot in defiance of ritual.
100.Ren: Compassion, loving others, altruism.
99. This Confucius saying is very similar to the Japanese legend of the three monkeys, "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil," which sometimes includes a fourth monkey, "Do no evil." The two sayings pretty much mean the same thing: lead your life in proper conduct.
If your having trouble understanding the concept of Li, Stanford's website has more on the subject...
Learning self-restraint involves studying and mastering Li, the ritual forms and rules of propriety through which one expresses respect for superiors and enacts his role in society in such a way that he himself is worthy of respect and admiration. A concern for propriety should inform everything that one says and does.
Subjecting oneself to ritual does not, however, mean suppressing one's desires but instead learning how to reconcile one's own desires with the needs of one's family and community. Confucius and many of his followers teach that it is by experiencing desires that we learn the value of social structures that make an ordered society possible (See Lunyu 2.4.). Nor does Confucius' emphasis on ritual mean that he was a punctilious ceremonialist who thought that the rites of worship and of social exchange had to be practiced correctly at all costs. Confucius taught, on the contrary, that if one did not possess a keen sense of the well-being and interests of others, his ceremonial manners signified nothing. (Lunyu 3.3). Equally important was Confucius' insistence that the rites not be regarded as mere forms, but that they be practiced with complete devotion and sincerity.
Some websites say that #2, 54, and 55 are actually misattributed to Confucius, having been said by other philosophers. I'm going to leave them in because I need them to fill out the table and they're rather nice sayings anyway. ;D There are a few others on here that I find questionable; they don't have the same feel as the bulk of the sayings that we know for sure can be attributed to Confucius. But, oh well. I want the table to be 100 prompts and 100 it shall be. On that note, there are a couple of repeats here where sayings are translated just differently enough to make them seem like different sayings, and... I thought they were different sayings. ^_^;; Oops. I'm leaving them in; I had a hard enough time getting to 100 when the well started to dry up around 80 prompts.
Anyway, here's the HTML you need to post this table:
Hi,
| 1. | Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes. | 2. | Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. | 3. | Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it. | 4. | Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses. | 5. | I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. |
| 6. | Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star. | 7. | It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. | 8. | Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do. | 9. | Respect yourself and others will respect you. | 10. | Study the past if you would define the future. |
| 11. | The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved. | 12. | To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. | 13. | To see what is right, and not to do it, is want of courage or of principle. (aka To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice.) | 14. | What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. | 15. | When anger rises, think of the consequences. |
| 16. | Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. | 17. | They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom. | 18. | By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart. | 19. | Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue. | 20. | Have no friends not equal to yourself. |
| 21. | He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it. | 22. | He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good. | 23. | He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful may be called intelligent indeed. | 24. | Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. | 25. | I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there. |
| 26. | If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand. | 27. | If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere - although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has. | 28. | Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous. | 29. | The cautious seldom err. | 30. | The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete. |
| 31. | The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration. | 32. | The man who in view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends - such a man may be reckoned a complete man. | 33. | The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it. | 34. | The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters. | 35. | The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. |
| 36. | The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress. | 37. | The superior man... does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow. | 38. | There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth... lust. When he is strong... quarrelsomeness. When he is old... covetousness. | 39. | Things that are done, it is needless to speak about... things that are past, it is needless to blame. | 40. | To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short. |
| 41. | Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue. | 42. | Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors. | 43. | What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others. | 44. | When a man's knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again. | 45. | When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves. |
| 46. | When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it - this is knowledge. | 47. | With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow - I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud. | 48. | Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established. | 49. | The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions. | 50. | While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve spirits [of the dead]? While you do not know life, how can you know about death? |
| 51. | If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear? | 52. | Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. | 53. | It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve, and bad things are very easy to get. | 54. | A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. | 55. | Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without. |
| 56. | Life is really very simple, but we insist on making it complicated. | 57. | In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of. | 58. | He that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools. | 59. | It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness. | 60. | It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them. |
| 61. | The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them. | 62. | Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing. | 63. | The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell. (aka The virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit.) | 64. | Don't be concerned others not appreciating you. Be concerned about your not appreciating others. | 65. | The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home. |
| 66. | Gravity is only the bark of wisdom, but it preserves it. | 67. | Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change. | 68. | A man who stands on a hill with his mouth open will wait a long time for roast duck to drop in. | 69. | Don't complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof when your own doorstep is unclean. | 70. | Not to alter one's faults is to be faulty indeed. |
| 71. | If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people. | 72. | If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself. | 73. | Can there be a love which does not make demands on its object? | 74. | A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake. | 75. | A picture is a poem without words. |
| 76. | To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness. | 77. | By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest. | 78. | Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher. | 79. | The superior man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing. | 80. | To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous. |
| 81. | See a person's means (of getting things). Observe his motives. Examine that in which he rests. How can a person conceal his character? | 82. | What you know, you know; what you don't know, you don't know. This is true wisdom. | 83. | When you serve your mother and father, it is okay to try to correct them once in a while. But if you see that they are not going to listen to you, keep your respect for them and don't distance yourself from them. Work without complaining. | 84. | What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is called Instruction. The path may not be left for an instant. If it could be left, it would not be the path. | 85. | The institutions of the Ruler are rooted in his own character and conduct. His presenting himself with his institutions before spiritual beings, without any doubts arising about them, shows that he knows Heaven. His being prepared, without any misgivings, to wait for the rise of a sage a hundred ages after, shows that he knows men. |
| 86. | The superior man can find himself in no situation in which he is not himself. | 87. | Benevolence is the characteristic element of humanity. | 88. | It is characteristic of the most entire sincerity to be able to foreknow. When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens. | 89. | To no one but the Son of Heaven does it belong to order ceremonies, to fix the measures, and to determine the written characters. | 90. | Things have their root and their branches. Affairs have their end and their beginning. To know what is first and what is last will lead near to what is taught in the Great Learning. |
| 91. | When you are laboring for others, let it be with the same zeal as if it were for yourself. | 92. | Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three. | 93. | When a person should be spoken with, and you don't speak with them, you lose them. When a person shouldn't be spoken with and you speak to them, you waste your breath. The wise do not lose people, nor do they waste their breath. | 94. | Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness. | 95. | An oppressive government is more feared than a tiger. |
| 96. | Since you yourself desire standing then help others achieve it; since you yourself desire success then help others attain it. | 97. | If the people be led by laws, and uniformity among them be sought by punishments, they will try to escape punishment and have no sense of shame. If they are led by virtue, and uniformity sought among them through the practice of ritual propriety, they will possess a sense of shame and come to you of their own accord. | 98. | If your desire is for good, the people will be good. The moral character of the ruler is the wind; the moral character of those beneath him is the grass. When the wind blows, the grass bends. | 99. | Li: Look at nothing in defiance of ritual, listen to nothing in defiance of ritual, speak of nothing in defiance of ritual, never stir hand or foot in defiance of ritual. | 100. | Ren: Compassion, loving others, altruism. |
DON'T FORGET TO REPLACE "YOUR USERNAME HERE" WITH YOUR USERNAME!! You'll look pretty silly if you don't. Just sayin'.
I think I'd rather use these prompts to make a Buffet table, and need my Buffet HTML now.
MORE! Aesop's Fables
If there is another religious/philosophical system of "rules" that you think would make a good prompt table, please suggest it in a comment. Also, other steps to dealing with addiction, although I think most of them use the 12 steps of AA. I'm not planning on using the Ten Commandments because I use them in 10_hurt_comfort and the only one people seem to like is "Thou shalt not kill." :D But if you would like to see that table here because you want to claim it, please comment and let me know!
|| MASTERLIST OF AVAILABLE PROMPT TABLES ||