Some Key Passages from the Confucian Classics

Some Key Passages from the Confucian Classics

Edited by Ronnie Littlejohn

FILIAL PIETY

I, 2--Master Yu said, Those who in private life behave well towards their parents and elder brothers, in public life seldom show a disposition to resist the authority of their superiors. And as for such men starting a revolution, no instance of it has ever occurred. It is upon the trunk that an exemplary person works. When that is firmly set up, the Way (dao) grows. And surely proper behavior towards parents and elder brothers is the trunk of goodness.

I,9--Master Tseng said, When proper respect towards the dead is shown at the end and continued after they are far away the te (moral force) of a people has reached its highest point.

II, 5--Meng Tzu asked about the treatment of parents. The Master said, Never disobey! When Fan Ch'ih was driving his carriage for him the Master said, Meng asked me about the treatment of parents and I said, Never disobey! Fan Ch'in said, In what sense did you mean it? The Master said, While they are alive, serve them according to li . When they die bury them according to li and sacrifice to them according to li.

II, 6--Meng Wu Po asked about the treatment of parents. The Master said, Behave in such a way that your father and mother have no anxiety about you, except concerning your health.

II, 7--Tzu-yu asked about the treatment of parents. The Master said, "Filial sons"; nowadays are people who see to it that their parents get enough to eat. But even dogs and horses are cared for to that extent. If there is no feeling of respect, wherein lies the difference?

IV, 19--The Master said, While father and mother are alive, a good son does not wander far afield; or if he does so, goes only where he has said he was going.

IV, 20--The Master said, If for the whole three years of mourning a son manages to carry on the household exactly as in his father's day, then he is a good son indeed.

Book of RITES 10, 4--After getting properly dressed in the morning, sons should go to their parents and parents-in-law. On getting to where they are, with bated breath and gentle voice they should ask if their clothes are too warm or too cold, whether they are ill or pained, or uncomfortable in any part. If they are, they should proceed reverently to stroke and scratch the place. They should in the same way, going before or following after, help and support their parents in leaving or entering the apartment. In bringing in the basin for them to wash, the younger will carry the stand and the elder the water. They will beg to be allowed to pour out the water, and when the washing is concluded, they will hand them the towel. They will ask whether they want anything, and then respectfully bring it. All this they will do with an appearance of pleasure to make their parents feel at ease. They should bring gruel, thick or thin, spirits or juice, soup with vegetables, beans, wheat, spinach, rice millet maize, and glutinous millet--whatever they wish, in fact. They should bring dates, chestnuts, sugar and honey to sweeten their dishes; the ordinary or the large-leafed violets, leaves of elm-trees, fresh or dry, and the most soothing rice-water to lubricate them; and fat and oil to enrich them. The parents will be sure to taste them, and when they have done so, the young people should withdraw...From the time that sons receive an official appointment, they and their father occupy different parts of their residence. But at dawn, the son will pay his respects, and express his affection by the offer of pleasant delicacies. At sundown, the son will pay his evening visit in the same way...

10,10--While the parents are both alive, at their regular meals, morning and evening, the eldest son and his wife will encourage them to eat everything, and what is left after all, they themselves will eat. When the father is dead, and the mother still alive, the eldest son should wait upon her at her meals. The wives of the other sons will do with what is left as in the former case. The children should have the sweet, soft and oily things that are left. When sons and their wives are ordered to do anything by their parents, they should immediately respond and reverently proceed to do it. While going out or coming in, while bowing or walking, they should not presume to belch, sneeze, or cough, to yawn to stretch themselves, to stand on one foot, or to lean against anything, or to look askance. When their parents give them anything to eat or drink, which they do not like, they will nevertheless taste it and wait for their further orders. When they give them clothes which are not to their liking, they will put them on, and wait in the same way. When sons and their wives have not been filial and reverential, the parents should not be angry and resentful with them, but endeavor to instruct them. If they will not receive instruction, they should then be angry with them. If that anger does no good, they can then drive out the son, and send the wife away, yet not publicly showing why they have treated them so. If a parent has a fault, the son should with bated breath, and bland aspect, and gentle voice, admonish him. If the admonition does not take effect, he will be more reverential and more filial; and when the father seems pleased, he will repeat the admonition. If he should be displeased with this, rather than allow him to commit an offense against anyone in the neighborhood or countryside, the son should strongly protest. If the parent is angry and more displeased, and beat him till the blood flows, he should not presume to be angry and resentful, but be still more reverential and more filial.

HARMONY

I, 7--Tzu-hsia said, A man who treats his betters as betters, wears an air of respect, who in serving father and mother knows how to put his whole strength, who in the service of his prince will lay down his life, who in intercourse with friends is true to his word--others may say of him that he still lacks education, but I for my part should certainly call him an educated man.

I, 16--The Master said, the good man does not grieve that other people do not recognize his merits. His only anxiety is lest he should fail to recognize theirs.

IV, 5-Wealth and rank are what every man desires; but if they can only be retained to the detriment of the way (dao) he professes, he must relinquish them. Poverty and obscurity are what every man detests; but if they can only be avoided to the detriment of the dao he professes, he must accept them. The exemplary person who ever parts company with goodness does not fulfill that name. Never for a moment does an exemplary person quit the way of goodness. He is never so harried but that he cleaves to this; never so tottering but that he cleaves to this.

IV, 14--The Master said, The exemplary person does not mind not being in office; all he minds about is whether he has qualities that entitle him to office. He does not mind failing to get recognition; he is too busy doing the things that entitle him to recognition.

IV, 18--The Master said, In serving his father and mother a man may gently remonstrate with them. But if he sees that he has failed to change their opinion, he should resume an attitude of deference and not thwart them; he may feel discouraged, but not resentful.

V, 15--Of Tzu-ch'an the Master said that in him were to be found four virtues that belong to the way (dao) of the true exemplary person. In his private conduct he was courteous, in serving his master he was punctilious, in providing for the needs of the people he gave them even more than their due; in exacting service from the people, he was just.

V, 16--The Master said, Yen P'ing Chung is a good example of what one's intercourse with one's fellow men should be. However long he has known anyone he always maintains the same scrupulous courtesy.

V, 22--The Master said, Po I and Shu Ch'i never bore old ills in mind and had but the faintest feelings of rancor.

VII, 37--The Master's manner was affable yet firm, commanding but not harsh, polite by easy

RECIPROCITY

V, 11--Tzu-kung said, What I do not want others to do to me, I have no desire to do to others. The Master said, On Ssu! You have not quite got to that point yet.

XV, 23--Tzu-kung asked saying, Is there any single saying that one can act upon all day and every day? The Master said, Perhaps the saying about consideration: 'Never do to others what you would not like them to do to you.'

XII, 2--Jan Jung asked about goodness. The Master said, Behave when away from home as though you were in the presence of an important guest. Deal with the common people as though you were officiating at an important sacrifice. Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no feelings of opposition to you, whether it is the affairs of a State that you are handling or affairs of a Family. Jan Yung said, I know that I am not clever; but this is a saying that, with your permission, I shall try to put into practice.

SELF-CULTIVATION

I, 3--The Master said, Clever talk and a pretentious manner are seldom found in the good.

I, 4--Master Tseng said, Every day I examine myself on these three points: in acting on behalf of others, have I always been loyal to their interests? In intercourse with my friends, have I always been true to my word? Have I failed to repeat the precepts that have been handed down to me?

I, 8--The Master said, If an exemplary person is frivolous, he will lose the respect of his inferiors and lack firm ground upon which to build up his education. First and foremost he must learn to be faithful to his superiors, to keep promises, to refuse the friendship of all who are not like him in pursuit of the good. And if he finds he has made a mistake, then he must not be afraid of admitting the fact and amending his ways.

II, 3--The Master said, If out of the three hundred Songs I had to take one phase to cover all my teaching, I would say "Let there be no evil in your thoughts."

II, 18--Tzu-chang was studying the Song Han-lu. The Master said, Hear much, but maintain silence as regards doubtful points and be cautious in speaking of the rest; then you will seldom get into trouble. See much, but ignore what it is dangerous to have seen, and be cautious in acting upon the rest; then you seldom want to undo your acts. He who seldom gets into trouble about what he has said and seldom does anything that he afterwards wishes he had not done, will be sure incidentally to get his reward.

IV, 17--The Master said, in the presence of a ren man, think all the time how you may learn to equal him. In the presence of a bad man, within yourself scrutinize yourself!

V, 14--Tzu-kung asking saying, Why was K'ung Wen called ("The Cultured")? The Master said, Because he was diligent and so fond of learning that he was not ashamed to pick up knowledge even from his inferiors.

VIII, 4--When Master Tseng was ill, Meng Ching Tzu came to see him. Master Tseng spoke to him saying, When a bird is about to die its song touches the heart. When a man is about to die, his words are of note. There are three things that an exemplary person, in following the way (dao), places above all the rest: from every attitude, every gesture that he employs he must remove all trace of violence or arrogance; every look that he composes in his face must betoken good faith; from every word that he utters, from every intonation, he must remove all trace of coarseness or impropriety. As to the ordering of ritual vessels and the like, there are those whose business it is to attend to such matters.

VIII, 5--Master Tseng said, Clever, yet not ashamed to consult those less clever than himself; widely gifted, yet not ashamed to consult those with few gifts; having, yet seeming not to have; full, yet seeming empty; offended against, yet never contesting--long ago I had a friend (Hui) whose ways were such as this.

VIII, 17--The Master said, Learn as if you were following someone whom you could not catch, as though it were someone you were frightened of losing.

IX, 24--The Master said, First and foremost, be faithful to your superiors, keep all promises, refuse the friendship of all who are not like you; and if you have made a mistake, do not be afraid of admitting the fact and amending your ways.

XII, 21--Once when Fan Ch'ih was taking a walk with the Master under the trees at the Rain Dance altars, he said, May I venture to ask about 'piling up moral,' 'repairing shortcomings' and 'deciding when in two minds'? The Master said, An excellent question. 'The work first; the reward afterwards'; is not that piling up moral force? 'Attack the evil that is within yourself; do not attack the evil that is in others.' Is not this 'repairing shortcomings'?

XV, 18--The Master said, An exemplary person is distressed by his own lack of capacity; he is never distressed at the failure of others to recognize his merits.

XV, 20--The Master said, 'The demands that an exemplary person makes are upon himself; those that a small man makes are upon others.'

XV, 29--The Master said, To have faults and to be making no effort to amend them is to have faults indeed!

XV, 30--The Master said, I once spent a whole day without food and a whole night without sleep, in order to meditate. It was no use. It is better to learn.

JUNZI, THE REN PERSON

IV, 5-Wealth and rank are what people want, but if they are the consequence of deviating from the way (Dao), I would have no part in them. Poverty and disgrace are what people deplore, but if they are the consequence of staying on the way, I would not avoid them. Wherein do the exemplary persons who would abandon their authoritative conduct warrant that name. Exemplary persons do not take leave of their authoritative conduct even for the space of a meal.

IX, 13--The Master wanted to settle among the Nine Wild Tribes of the East. Someone said, I am afraid you would find it hard to put up with their lack of refinement. The Master said, Were a true exemplary person to settle among them there would soon be no trouble about lack of refinement.

IV, 16--The Master said, An exemplary person takes as much trouble to discover what is right as lesser men take to discover what will pay.

IV, 24--The Master said, An exemplary person covets the reputation of being slow in word but prompt in deed.

VIII, 6--Master Tseng said, The man to whom one could with equal confidence entrust an orphan not yet fully grown or sovereignty of a whole State, whom the advent of no emergency however great could upset--would such a one be a true exemplary person? He I think would be a true exemplary person indeed.

XV, 18--The Master said, An exemplary person is distressed by his own lack of capacity; he is never distressed at the failure of others to recognize his merits.

XIV, 27- The Master said, "Exemplary persons would feel shame if their words were better than their deeds."

XIX, 21--Tzu-kung said, The faults of an exemplary person are like eclipses of the sun or moon. If he does wrong, everyone sees it. When he corrects his fault, every gaze is turned up towards him.

XIII, 26--The Master said, The exemplary person is dignified but never haughty; common people are haughty, but never dignified.

XVII, 24--Tzu-kung said, Surely even the exemplary person must have his hatreds? The Master said, He has his hatreds. He hates those who point out what is hateful in others. He hates those who dwelling in low estate revile all those who are above them. He hates those who love deeds of daring but neglect li . He hates those who are active and venturesome, but are violent in temper. I suppose you also have your hatreds? Tzu-kung said, I hate those who mistake cunning for wisdom. I hate those who mistake insubordination for courage. I hate those who mistake tale-bearing for honesty.