Throughout time, there has been the timeless question of what defines a man or a society as “good”. What exactly is “good”, and how can one achieve this ultimate goal? In the four documents presented in the book, multiple religious and political figures have attempted to set standards. Confucius, Krishna, Socrates, and Jesus all give their own interpretations of what the followers of their communities should aspire to be like. In numerous ways, the separate documents have shared the same fundamentals and basis of their beliefs. Documents 4.1, The Analects by Confucius, and 4.2, the Bhagavad Gita, an account of Krishna, both touch on the subject of topic of achieving some higher state, with the person releasing themselves. On page 200, Confucius…show more content… To once again quote Krishna on pages 201-2, “The man who, casting off all desires, lives free from attachments, who is free from egoism and from the feeling that this or that is mine, obtains tranquility.” In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples, “Blessed are those poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (205) For both of these religions, however bad are relevant your position or surroundings may be while on Earth, if you are able to overlook that, things will be better in the next level of life, which is heaven for Christians, or the goal of ultimate reality (nirvana) for Hindus. Before you are able to achieve this next reality however, you must fulfill some duties on earth. A major problem for most is the intentions or approval of others while acting out these duties. Krishna warns the Hindus, “Your business is with action alone, not by any means with fruit. Let not the fruit of action be your motive to action.” (201) Centuries later, on the mountain, Jesus says, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” (206) People should carry out their actions for themselves and themselves alone, not what they can get out of them or how people will react to