WIZARD'S RULES

Wizard's First Rule: Chapter 36, Page #397

"People are stupid"

Explanation

"People can be made to believe any lie, either because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it's true." (Zedd from Wizard's First Rule)

Example

At the end of Wizard's First Rule, Richard made Darken Rahl believe that Kahlan's power had affected him when it really didn't. When Richard recounted the text from the Book of Counted Shadows, he led Darken Rahl to open the Box of Orden that would kill him even though Darken Rahl already knew which box would lead to his death. Darken Rahl wanted the power from the Box so much that he believed what Richard told him even though he new it wasn't true.

Counter

"You must always be vigilant, knowing that you, too, are vulnerable, and never arrogantly believe you are immune." (Nathan from Stone of Tears)

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Wizard's Second Rule; Stone of Tears: Chapter 63, Page #634,

"The Second Rule is that the greatest harm can result from the best intentions."

Explanation

Sometimes, doing what one thinks is right will cause problems or harm to come to him and his friends.

Example

Richard killed Darken Rahl by making him open the wrong box of Orden. While Richard did the right thing in killing Rahl, the box of Orden's opening created a tear in the veil to the underworld. That could have led to even greater problems than had Rahl opened the correct box.

Counter

Listen to reason not your heart. Beware of what you feel is right and always think before you act.

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Wizard's Third Rule: Blood of the Fold: Chapter 43, Page #360

"Passion rules reason."

Explanation

Often we make decisions based on our emotions instead of through common sense.

Example

Not thinking about the safety of Aydindril and himself, Richard ran off to go to the Palace of the Prophets to save Kahlan.

Counter

Think before you act or stay calm at all times.

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Wizard's Fourth Rule: Temple of the Winds: Chapter 41, Page #318

"The Wizard's Fourth Rule, he called it. He said that there was magic in forgiveness, in the Fourth Rule. Magic to heal. In forgiveness you grant, and more so in the forgiveness you receive."

Explanation

"Magic to heal. In the forgiveness you grant, and more so in the forgiveness you recieve."

Clarification

Forgiveness can heal one's "soul."

Example

Richard left the Temple of the Winds, even though he knew that he would die for it, to ask forgiveness of Kahlan. He realized that he had made a mistake and would rather have died forgiven than live in the Temple of the Winds with his guilt.

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Wizard's Fifth Rule: Soul of the Fire: Chapter 28, Page #205

"Mind what people do, not only what they say, for deeds will betray a lie."

Explaination

People will lie but if you watch a person's actions they will always tell the truth.

Example

Joseph Ander said that he was on the Midlands side in the Great War. They didn't believe that wizards should rule people. If the wizards had paid more attention to what he was doing instead of what he said, they might have seen that Joseph thought himself superior to the people of Anderith, and he ruled them.

Counter

Pay attention to what people do, not only to what they say.

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Wizard's Sixth Rule: Faith of the Fallen: Chapter 41, Page #319

"The most important rule there is, the Wizard's Sixth Rule: the only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason."

Explaination

Misery, Iniquity, and utter destruction lurk in the shadows ouside 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 feelings provide no boundary to limit any delusions, any whim. They are a virulent poison, giving the numbing illusion of moral sanction to every depravity ever hatched.

Clarification

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.

Example

In Faith of the Fallen Richard gives up on helping the people who follow him in the War against the Order. By doing so he uses Wizard's Sixth Rule because he let reason rule his decision not to take part in the war, instead of going by his feelings and fighting by which he would die.

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Wizard's Seventh Rule: The Pillars of Creation: Chapter 60, Page #549

"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 it's 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."


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Wizard's Eighth Rule: Naked Empire: Page #598
"Talga Vassternich."

Translation:
Deserve Victory

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Wizard's Ninth Rule; Chainfire: Page #489 (HC)
A contradition cannot exist in reality. Not in part, nor in whole. To believe in a contradiction is to abdicate your 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 image something is real simply because you wish it were.
A thing is what it is, it is itself. There can be no contradictions.
Faith is a device of the 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 the truth to surrender to whim. In simple terms, it is trying to breathe 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 men.
In reality, contradictions cannot exist. To believe in them you must abandon the most important thing you possess: your rational mind. The wager for such a bargain is your life. In such an exchange, you alway lose what you have at stake.

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The Seeker of Truth's Precept

Explaination

"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 a portrayal of the dance. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisively, resoluely. 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." (Richard in Temple of the Winds)

Clarification

Once in battle with an enemy, do anything you can to defeat that enemy.

Example

Richard had no sword. Drefan had the Sword of Truth. Richard killed Drefan by pulling out his spine with his bare hands.

Another Example:

When Richard is fighting the thirty blade masters and he uses the magic to defeat them by himself in order to get to the Palace of Prophets.

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