PHANTOM by Terry Goodkind

WIZARD’S TENTH RULE:   Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one’s self.  (Richard Rahl, War Wizard)

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Haaay… kawawa naman si Richard Rahl, siya lamang ang nakakaalam ng existence ng asawa niya dahil sa ginawang kalokohan ng Sisters of the Dark.  Kaya naman sa kabila ng pag-iisip ng iba na nawawala siya sa sarili, pilit pa din niyang ipinaglalaban ang kung ano ang alam niyang totoo dahil isang pagtataksil sa kanyang sarili kung hahayaan niyang ang paniniwala ng iba na hindi naman totoo ang kanyang susundin.

 Chainfire by Terry Goodkind

Wizard’s Ninth Rule:  A contradiction can not exist in reality.  Not in part nor in whole.  To believe in a contradiction is to abdicate you belief in the existence of the world around you and the nature of the things in it;  to instead embrace any random impulse that strikes your fancy – to imagine something is real simply bacause you wish it were.

Faith is a device of self-delusion, a sleight of hand done with words and emotions founded on any irrational notion that can be dreamed up.  Faith is the attempt to coerce truth to surrender to whim.  In simple terms, it is trying to breath life into a lie by trying to outshine reality with the beauty of wishes.  Faith is the refuge of fools, the ignorant and the deluded, not of thinking rational man.  (ZEDD, First Wizard)

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Pagkatapos kong mabasa ito, naisip ko ang paniniwala natin/ko kay Jesus Christ.  Kasi ang pananampalataya natin ay sinusukat sa ating pananalig sa Kanya.  How deep our faith in Him shows in our act.  Pero ayon sa eksplanasyon ng rule, faith is the refuge of fools, the ignorant and the deluded.  Somehow, kung mag-iisip lang talaga, sa dami ng lumalabas na contradictions tungkol sa Bibliya at documents na natipon ng mga iskolar tungkol sa isyung ito, maaring mawala ang ating pananalig sa kanya.  Pero sa palagay ko, wala namang masama sa pananalig as long as hindi naman ito nakakasama.

Kaya lang, pag naaalala ko ang bulag na paniniwala ng Imperial Order sa kwentong ito, naiisip ko, paano kung ganoon din ang nangyayari sa atin?  Na dahil sa paniniwalang ito tayo lumaki at ito ang humubog sa ating pagkatao, ito na din ang paniniwalang ating isinasabuhay.  Haaay… masyadong komplikado ang itinatakbo ng isip ko… basta yun na yun.

 Naked Empire by Terry Goodkind

WIZARD’S EIGHT RULE:  TALGA VASSTERNICH (DESERVE VICTORY).

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Lahat naman tayo may karapatang magtagumpay… sa lahat ng ating ginagawa lalo pa at ito ay hindi lamang para sa pansarili nating kabutihan kundi para sa kabutihan ng nakararami.  Maaring magulang, kapatid, kapamilya, kaibigan, o mamamayan sa lugar na ating tinitirhan.

Marami ng nilabag na Wizard’s Rule si Richard Rahl, una na ang Wizard’s First Rule kung saan handang paniwalaan kung ano ang totoo.  Hindi dahil ito ay tunay na totoo kundi dahil ito ang iniisip na totoo.  Nilabag nya din ang Sixth Rule kung saan ang tanging maaring mamuno sa kanya ay tamang katwiran… sapagkat mali na din ang rason na kanyang ipinaglalaban.

Tunay na napakakomplikado ng bawat bagay… lahat ay dapat nating suriin at alamin kung ito nga ba ay totoo at nararapat, base na din sa kung ano ang ating katwiran at ipinaglalaban.

 The Pillars of Creation by Terry Goodkind

You don’t have any idea what love really is.  You can’t love anyone or anything until you love your own existence, first.  Love can only grow out of respect for your own life.  When you love yourelf, your own existence, then you love someone who can enhance your existence, share it with you, and make it more pleasureable.  When you hate yourslef, and believe  your own existence is evil, then you can only hate, you can only experience the shell of love, that longing for something good, but you have nothing to base it in but hatred.  YOu taint the very concept of love, with your corrupted longing for it.  You want me only to justify your hatred, to be your partner in self-loathing.  To truly love someone, you must revel in their existence because they make life all the more wonderful.  If you think existence is corrupt, then you are sealed off from the fruition of such a relationship, from what love really is.  (Jennsen Rahl, half sister of Lord Rahl to Sebastian)

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How sweet!!! Para mapatunayan ang pagmamahal sa isang tao, kailangan munang mahalin at pahalagahan ang sariling buhay.  Naalala ko ang nabasa kong libro noon, sinabi naman niyang hindi ka makapagmamahal ng buo kung ang hinahanap mo ay kapunuan ng iyong sarili.  Kung pakiramdam mo ay may nawawala pang isang bahagi sa sarili mo.  Hindi daw ganoon ang pagmamahal… kinakailangang kumpleto na ang tingin mo sa iyong sarili at hahanapin mo ang katipan na kung saan ibabahagi mo ang iyong kabuuan.  Mas maganda sana kung maaalala ko ang buon konteksto… kaya lang, ang talaan ko ay hindi ko dala dito… sayang…

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WIZARD’S SEVETH RULE
LIFE IS THE FUTURE, NOT THE PAST.  The past can teach us through experience, how to accomplish things in the future, comfort us with cherished memories, and provide the foundation of what has already been accomplished.  But only the future holds life.  To live in the past is to embrace what is dead.  To live life to its fullest, each day must be created anew.  As rational, thinking beings, we must use our intellect, not a blind devotion to what has come before, to make rational choices.  (Lord Richard Rahl)

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Sabi nga, matuto na tayo sa kamalian ng kahapon… at matutong pumili ng tama sa ngayon.  Wala lang…

 FAITH OF THE FALLEN by Terry Goodkind

Kahlan stood with her willow sword lowered.  “You’re dancing with death.  That’s what you’re doing with your sword.”

 Richard blinked at her as if she had just announced that rain was wet.  “But, of course.”  Richard touched the amulet hanging at his chest.  In the center, surrounded by a complex of gold and silver lines, was a teardrop shaped ruby as big as her thumbnail.  “I told you that a long time ago.  Are you just now coming to believe me?” 

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 Kahlan recalled all to clearly his chilling words to her when she had first seen the amulet around his neck, and she had asked him what it was: “The ruby is meant to represent a drop of blood.  It is the symbolic representation of the way of the primary edict.  It means only one thing, and everything:  cut.  Once committed to fight, cut.  Everything else is secondary.  Cut.  That is your duty, your purpose, your hunger.  There is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one.  Cut.  The lines are the portrayal of the dance.  Cut from the void, not from the bewilderment.  Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible.  Cut with certainty.  Cut decisively, resolutely.  Cut into his strength.  Flow through the gaps in his guard.  Cut him.  Cut him down utterly.  Don’t allow him a breath.  Crush him.  Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit.  It is the balance of life:  death.  It is the dance with death.  It is the law a war wizard lives by, or he dies.” The dance was art… art expressed through a blade.  It was all one and the same.  He saw no distinction, for within him, there was none.  (War Wizard, Lord Richard Rahl of D’Haran Empire, formerly Richard Cypher a woods guide from Hartland, Westland)

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“Dancing with death.” Minsan sa buhay natin, sa ating ginagawa… wala tayong ideya kung ano nga ba ang patutunguhan.  Ang ating pananaw ay hindi tunay na katotohanan.  Naiinggit ako sa tauhan na ito ng kwento dahil siya alam niya ang purpose nya sa buhay.  Kung paanong wala siyang ideya noon sa kung ano ang tunay na katauhan nya, ng masimulan na niyang makilala ang kanyang sarili, ay tinanggap na din niya ang kaniyang katungkulan sa lipunang kanyang ginagalawan.  Mula sa simpleng wood’s guide patungo sa isang pinuno ng isang emperyo. Samantalang ako, datapwa’t nakatapos na ng kolehiyo, hanggang ngaun ay patuloy na naghahanap ng katugunan sa kung ano ba ang tunay na purpose ko sa buhay kong ito.  Haay!!! Wala lang, nakakaloka lang isipin.  Nakakainggit din ang kahandaan ng pangunahing tauhan sa kamatayan.  Na matatanggap niya ang anumang mangyayari sa kanyang buhay… ako kaya? Hindi ko alam… bahala na…

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WIZARD’S SIXTH RULE: THE ONLY SOVEREIGN YOU CAN ALLOW TO RULE YOU IS REASON.  The sixth rule is the hub upon which all rules turn.  It is not only the most important rule, but the simplest.  Nonetheless, it is the one most often ignored and violated, and by far the most despised.  It must be wielded in spite of the ceaseless, howling protest of the wicked.  Misery, iniquity, and utter destruction lurk in the shadows outside its full light, where half-truths snare the faithful disciples, the deeply feeling believers, the selfless followers.  Faith and feelings are the warm marrow of evil.  Unlike reason, faith and feeling provide no boundary to limit any delusion, any whim.  They are a virulent poison, giving the numbing illusion of moral sanction of every depravity ever hatched.  Faith and feelings are the darkness reason’s light.  Reason is the very substance of truth itself.  The glory that is life is wholly embraced through reason, through this rule.  In rejecting it, in rejecting reason, one embraces death.  (First Wizard, Zedd) 

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Ang tanging panuntunan na dapat nating hayaang mamuno sa ating sarili ay katwiran.  Di tayo dapat mabulagan sa kung ano ang ating nararamdaman bagkus ay makita dapat ang katotohanan na naayon sa makatwirang pag-iisip o paghuhusga.  Madalas kasi ay nauuna ang ating nararamdaman sa halip na alamin at balansehin ang katotohanan.  Kaya madalas ay nakakasakit tayo ng damdamin dahil sa pagsasalita ng hindi muna tinitimbang ang katotohanan.

 STONE OF TEARS by Terry Goodkind 

WIZARD’S SECOND RULE

The greatest harm can result from the best intentions.  It sounds a paradox, but kindness and good intentions can be an insidious path to destruction.  Sometimes doing what seems right is wrong, and can cause harm.  The only counter to it is knowledge, wisdom, forethought and understanding the First Rule.  Even then, that is not enough. (Prophet:  Nathan Rahl @ The Palace of the Prophets)

            Ang hirap din, kasi minsan ang nais talaga natin ay ang makatulong, ang maibigay ang ikaliligaya ng isang taong mahalaga sa atin tapos hahantong lang ito sa kamalian.  Naalala ko ang isang kaibigan ko na malayo sa kaniyang nobyo.  Umalis din ng bansa para makipagsapalaran.  Nakipanuluyan siya sa isang kamag-anak na may anak na nagbibinata.  Nais niyang mapalapit sa pinsan niyang ito kaya handa siyang ibigay lahat.  Nais lamang niya maituring na isang kapatid.  Humantong sa isang insidenteng nais niyang pagsisihan subalit huli na.  Pero ang tunay niyang hangarin, di din naman nabigyan ng katuparan, gaano man kabuti ang intensiyon niya, mali pa din ang katapusan.

Madalas, madami tayong ginagawa na wala tayong hinahangad kundi ang ikabubuti ng taong mahalaga sa atin, subalit lagi ay dapat nating isaalang alang ang katotohanan.. ang Wizard’s First Rule.  Maaring magkamali pa din tau gaano man ang ating pag-unawa, pero dito naman nahuhurno ang ating pagkatao, sa aral na natututunan natin sa mga pagkakamaling ating nagagawa.

   The screelings are loose and the Keeper may win.His assasins have come to rip off your skin.Golden eyes will see you if you try to run.The screelings will get you and laugh like it’s fun. Walk away slow or they’ll tear you apart,And laugh out all day long as they rip out your heart.Golden eyes will see you if you try to stand still.The screelings will get you, for the Keeper they kill. Hack ‘em up, chop ‘em up, cut ‘em up to bits,Or else they will get you while laughing in fits.If the screelings don’t get you the Keeper will try.To reach out and touch you, your skin he will fry. Your mind he will flail, your soul he will take.You’ll sleep with the dead, for life you’ll forsake.You’ll die with the Keeper till the end of time.He hates that you live, your life is a crime. The screelings might get you, it says so in text.If screeling don’t get you the Keeper is next,Lest he who’s born true can fight for life’s bond.And that one is marked; he’s the pebble in the pond. (Kahlan Amnell, Mother Confessor@ The Village of the Mud People)

 Di ko alam bakit ko kinuha ang bahaging ito ng kwento, marahil minsan gusto kong maging isang “pebble in the pond” din, ang gumawa ng pagbabago…