Thank you for sharing this beautiful and insightful reflection on the delicate balance between providing and withholding, between giving fully and giving wisely. I truly admire the depth of thought and heart you've brought into your role as a guide to your disciples.

While I see the wisdom in delaying the replacement tablet to allow space for Ren (仁) to blossom naturally through sharing and negotiation, I also wondered: might there be a hidden cost? By not giving the 3rd disciple the new tablet while the others still have theirs, could this unintentionally lead to feelings of being left behind or singled out? In striving to teach Ren, we might accidentally create a sense of unfairness or exclusion. If the 3rd disciple doesn’t understand the broader intention behind the delay, he may not interpret it as an opportunity for growth, but rather as injustice or even neglect. That’s where wise, open dialogue matters.

I also wonder if Ren can be cultivated in the presence of abundance, not just in absence. It’s not always about breaking the device so they learn to share—it could be about creating experiences where sharing becomes meaningful, even when everyone has what they need. Cooperative goals, paired learning, or group challenges that require collaboration across devices could offer the best of both worlds.

Perhaps true Ren isn’t only born from lack, but also from how we intentionally design connection in the midst of sufficiency. With a little gentle guidance, they can experience autonomy and interdependence, self-sufficiency and empathy together.

Yes, harmony truly lies in the balanced path.

Your reflection reminds me of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, which says “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”



Perhaps in the process of teaching Ren, it’s also about teaching the wisdom of the Tao, and embracing the cyclical nature of life. There are times for abundance and times for restraint, times for giving and times for receiving. Both are necessary for growth.

It’s through these cycles that true harmony emerges, where the act of teaching itself becomes a lesson in balance and flow.