The Analects (500 BC) | Confucius
Confucius lived around 551-479 BC. Far back in time. Sometime around or after that period, his disciples compiled his teachings in what would become The Analects. He probably didn’t write any on his own. Had he been alive today these would have been his words posted and re-posted as quotes/memes by his people.
A wise teacher to say the least. I was looking for that quote about the difference between teaching a man how to fish feeds him for a lifetime, instead of giving him a fish that feeds him only for a day. Never saw that quote. He had however many others that serve better in terms of living morally, respecting family, following the rites and virtues, humaneness, serving in government, being a gentleman and so on. Here are some:
1.16: Do not worry that other people do not know you. but be concerned that you do not know them.
2.20: Ji Kangzi asked, "How can I get the common people to be respectful, to do their best, and to encourage each other to strive forward?" The Master said, "Oversee the people with dignity, and the people will be respectful. Honor the elderly, cherish the young, and the people will do their best. Acknowledge the good, teach the incompetent, and the people will encourage each other to strive forward."
4.12: If in your action you think only of profit, then you will incur much unhappiness [with yourself and with the world].
5.23: The Master said "Bo Yi and Shu Qi did not dwell on old wrongs, and so they were rarely blameful."
7.37: The gentleman is large of spirit and mind, while the petty man is always nervous about something
8.17: Learn as if you will never catch up, as though you are afraid of losing whatever you have already understood.
13.27: Unwavering in integrity. Resolute in one's moral conviction. Simple as a piece of unadorned wood and hesitant to speak-these qualities come close to being humane.
14.42: He cultivates himself in order to acquire a respectful attitude. He cultivates himself in order to give ease to those around him. He cultivates himself in order to give ease to the people.
15.12: A person who does not think ahead about the distant future is sure to be troubled by worries close at hand.
15.15: Be hard on yourself and be sparing when criticizing others-this way you’ll keep resentment at bay.
15.19: The gentleman is worried about his own lack of ability and not about the fact that others do not appreciate him.
15.24: Do not impose on others what you yourself do not want [others to impose unto you]
15.30: To make a mistake and not to correct it-now that is called making a mistake
15.31: I once spent a whole day thinking, not bothering to eat, and a whole night thinking, not bothering to sleep, but i gained nothing from it. It would have been better if id spent the time learning something.
15.36: When encountering matters that involve the question of humaneness, do not yield even to your teacher.
16.5: There are three kinds of pleasure that can benefit you and three kinds of pleasure that can harm you. The pleasure of hitting the right measure in your practice of the rites and music, of celebrating the goodness of others, of having many worthy friends-all this will benefit you. The pleasure of being self-important, of being a slacker and a loafer, of drinking and feasting to excess-all this will do you harm.
16.12: Duke Jing of Qi had four thousand horses. On the day he died, people could not find anything praiseworthy to say about him. Bo Yi and Shu Qi died of hunger at the foot of Mount Shouyang. Up to this day people still sing praise of them.
17.8: Six noble tendencies and six problems as a result of letting these noble tendencies get stuck in a state of benightedness.
To love humaneness without a love for learning leads to foolishness.
To love the quickness of intelligence without a love of learning leads to an unmoored life.
To love trustworthiness without a love for learning leads to harm [done to others and to oneself]
To love fortrightness without a love for learning leads to derisiveness.
To love courage without a love for learning leads to unruliness.
To love unwavering strength without a love for learning leads to wild behavior [that could be offensive to others].
20.3: A person will have no way to become a gentleman if he does not understand destiny. He will have no way to find his balance if he does not know the rites. He will have no way to assess people's character if he does not have insight into words.
A wise teacher to say the least. I was looking for that quote about the difference between teaching a man how to fish feeds him for a lifetime, instead of giving him a fish that feeds him only for a day. Never saw that quote. He had however many others that serve better in terms of living morally, respecting family, following the rites and virtues, humaneness, serving in government, being a gentleman and so on. Here are some:
1.16: Do not worry that other people do not know you. but be concerned that you do not know them.
2.20: Ji Kangzi asked, "How can I get the common people to be respectful, to do their best, and to encourage each other to strive forward?" The Master said, "Oversee the people with dignity, and the people will be respectful. Honor the elderly, cherish the young, and the people will do their best. Acknowledge the good, teach the incompetent, and the people will encourage each other to strive forward."
4.12: If in your action you think only of profit, then you will incur much unhappiness [with yourself and with the world].
5.23: The Master said "Bo Yi and Shu Qi did not dwell on old wrongs, and so they were rarely blameful."
7.37: The gentleman is large of spirit and mind, while the petty man is always nervous about something
8.17: Learn as if you will never catch up, as though you are afraid of losing whatever you have already understood.
13.27: Unwavering in integrity. Resolute in one's moral conviction. Simple as a piece of unadorned wood and hesitant to speak-these qualities come close to being humane.
14.42: He cultivates himself in order to acquire a respectful attitude. He cultivates himself in order to give ease to those around him. He cultivates himself in order to give ease to the people.
15.12: A person who does not think ahead about the distant future is sure to be troubled by worries close at hand.
15.15: Be hard on yourself and be sparing when criticizing others-this way you’ll keep resentment at bay.
15.19: The gentleman is worried about his own lack of ability and not about the fact that others do not appreciate him.
15.24: Do not impose on others what you yourself do not want [others to impose unto you]
15.30: To make a mistake and not to correct it-now that is called making a mistake
15.31: I once spent a whole day thinking, not bothering to eat, and a whole night thinking, not bothering to sleep, but i gained nothing from it. It would have been better if id spent the time learning something.
15.36: When encountering matters that involve the question of humaneness, do not yield even to your teacher.
16.5: There are three kinds of pleasure that can benefit you and three kinds of pleasure that can harm you. The pleasure of hitting the right measure in your practice of the rites and music, of celebrating the goodness of others, of having many worthy friends-all this will benefit you. The pleasure of being self-important, of being a slacker and a loafer, of drinking and feasting to excess-all this will do you harm.
16.12: Duke Jing of Qi had four thousand horses. On the day he died, people could not find anything praiseworthy to say about him. Bo Yi and Shu Qi died of hunger at the foot of Mount Shouyang. Up to this day people still sing praise of them.
17.8: Six noble tendencies and six problems as a result of letting these noble tendencies get stuck in a state of benightedness.
To love humaneness without a love for learning leads to foolishness.
To love the quickness of intelligence without a love of learning leads to an unmoored life.
To love trustworthiness without a love for learning leads to harm [done to others and to oneself]
To love fortrightness without a love for learning leads to derisiveness.
To love courage without a love for learning leads to unruliness.
To love unwavering strength without a love for learning leads to wild behavior [that could be offensive to others].
20.3: A person will have no way to become a gentleman if he does not understand destiny. He will have no way to find his balance if he does not know the rites. He will have no way to assess people's character if he does not have insight into words.
Comments
Post a Comment