Today’s show celebrates Confucius Day to honor and reflect on the legacy of the Great Master Confucius (vegetarian).
We are honored to present selections from Chapter 12 of the “Confucian Analects,” a collection of teachings and philosophy by Master Confucius, compiled by His disciples. This chapter focuses on perfect virtue.
Chapter 12
“Yen Yuan asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, ‘To subdue one’s self and return to propriety is perfect virtue. If a man can, for one day, subdue himself and return to propriety, […] Heaven will ascribe perfect virtue to him. ‘Is the practice of perfect virtue from a man himself, or is it from others?’ Yen Yuan said, ‘I beg to ask the steps of that process.’ The Master replied, ‘Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety.’ Yen Yuan then said, ‘Though I am deficient in intelligence and strength, I will make it my business to practice this lesson.’
Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, ‘It is, when you go abroad, to behave to everyone as if you were receiving a great guest; […] not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself; to have no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family.’ Chung-kung said, ‘Though I am deficient in intelligence and strength, I will make it my business to practice this lesson.’
Sze-ma Niu asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, ‘The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech.’ ‘Cautious and slow in his speech!’ said Sze-ma Niu, ‘Is this what is meant by perfect virtue?’ The Master said, ‘When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?’ Sze-ma Niu asked about the superior man. The Master said, ‘The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear.’ ‘Being without anxiety or fear!’ said Sze-ma Niu, ‘does this constitute what we call the superior man?’ The Master said, ‘When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about? What is there to fear?’
Sze-ma Niu, full of anxiety, said, ‘Other men all have their brothers, only I have not.’ Tsze-hsia said to him, ‘There is the following saying which I have heard, “Death and life have their determined appointment; riches and honors depend upon Heaven.” Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety. Then all within the four seas will be his brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?"
Tsze-chang asked what constituted intelligence. The Master said, ‘He, with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, is successful, may be called intelligent indeed. Yes, he, with whom neither soaking slander, nor startling statements, is successful, maybe called farseeing.’ […]
Chi Tsze-ch’ang said, ‘In a superior man, it is only the substantial qualities which are wanted. Why should we seek for ornamental accomplishments?’ Tsze-kung said, ‘Alas! Your words, sir, show you to be a superior man, but four horses cannot overtake the tongue. Ornament is as substance; substance is as ornament. […]’
The Duke Ai inquired of Yu Zo, saying, ‘The year is one of scarcity, and the returns for expenditure are not sufficient. What is to be done?’ Yu Zo replied, ‘Why not simply tithe the people?’ ‘With two tenths,’ said the duke, ‘I find it not enough. How could I do with that system of one tenth?’ Yu Zo answered, ‘If the people have plenty, their prince will not be left to want alone. If the people are in want, their prince cannot enjoy plenty alone.’
Tsze-chang having asked how virtue was to be exalted, and delusions to be discovered, the Master said, ‘Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles, and be moving continually to what is right. This is the way to exalt one’s virtue. You love a man and wish him to live; you hate him and wish him to die. Having wished him to live, you also wish him to die. This is a case of delusion. […]’
The Duke Ching of Ch’i asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, ‘There is government when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son.’ ‘Good!’ said the Duke, ‘If, indeed, the prince be not prince, the minister not minister, the father not father, and the son not son, although I have my revenue, can I enjoy it?’ The Master said, ‘Ah! It is Yu, who could with half a word settle litigations!’”
