The Oxford Dictionary defines integrity as being honest and having strong moral principles.
Merriam-Webster takes it a step further and specifies that a person of integrity is incorruptible.
That one word packs a very strong punch.
If I think of integrity in terms of honest and incorruptible,
I am saddened to say that nobody comes to mind.
It's difficult to admit to ourselves,
Let alone to others,
That we all have a breaking point for corruption and dishonesty,
Big or small.
But if I think of integrity as an intended target,
Then I am relieved to say that I know many people who at least take aim.
For me,
That's what the monastic vows are all about.
Clear and defined parameters to do less harm.
When I saw the words moral principles in the dictionary's definition of integrity,
I immediately wondered,
Moral principles according to whom?
According to our parents?
According to our teachers?
According to our preachers?
They try to teach us morality,
But are they themselves incorruptible?
I won't answer that question.
If you've read Faithfully Religionless,
You know I have nothing against religion,
I just don't think we need it in order to be ethical.
We each calibrate our individual moral compasses through personal and collective experiences,
And that is how we build character.
I view integrity in the same light as the Zen invitation to walk on sand without leaving a footprint.
Impossible,
Yet we try with each step.
I regularly give talks at various organizations,
Schools,
And churches,
Where each denomination offers a set of beliefs that they hope will guide their members through life.
I walk into those churches and say,
Your beliefs don't make you a better person,
Your behavior does,
And then we talk about aligning our thoughts,
Words,
And actions.
Last month,
I was invited to speak at a Rotary International meeting again,
And what I admire about Rotary clubs is that they are 100% action-based.
More than a million members set aside their opinions about religion or politics,
And they take action to address various needs in their communities by volunteering and funding projects around the globe.
Their mission,
Put simply,
Is to promote integrity.
The Buddha taught that a person with no integrity lacks remorse for their immoral actions.
Trying to force core values on someone with no integrity is like giving a pair of shoes to someone with no feet.
Pushing dogma doesn't work,
Because whenever you push something on anyone,
You ultimately push them away.
As one of my teachers used to say,
You can't give by throwing.
But promoting integrity is different.
It invites you to have a set of values WITHOUT dictating to you what those values must be.
I'm going to say that again.
Promoting integrity invites you to have a set of values,
But it doesn't tell you what those values must be.
It's similar to teaching children to think rather than telling them what to think.
As a result,
Integrity takes many forms.
To me,
It means helping someone who can't help you back.
It is unconditional kindness at its best.
And since it is open for interpretation,
My question is,
What does integrity mean to you?
At our monthly discussion about this topic,
Common interpretations of integrity included doing the right thing when nobody is watching.
Congruence,
Honesty,
Compassion,
Empathy,
And kindness,
Which are all moral principles that we each prioritize differently.
At one of my talks a few years ago,
Someone said they don't know what their core values are,
So they asked if I could simply give them a set of rules to follow.
I laughed,
Of course,
And said I won't chisel commandments onto stone tablets,
But I urge everyone to write down their own morals and guiding principles,
And then commit to living in alignment with them.
The invitation here is similar.
First,
Define integrity,
And then have the courage to build your life around your answer.
I am right there beside you,
Walking on sand,
Trying not to leave any footprints.
Namaste.
