Quotes About Philosophy

The way of the superior person is threefold; virtuous, they are free from anxieties; wise they are free from perplexities; and bold they are free from fear.

The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.

To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.

The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.

Writing cannot express all words, words cannot encompass all ideas.

You are what you think.

The Master said, I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue, would esteem nothing above it. He who hated what is not virtuous, would practice virtue in such a way that he would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach his person. Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be insufficient. Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it.

I am not one who was born with great wisdom. I love the ancients and diligently seek wisdom among them.

A noble minded person is not an implement.

The noble-minded are all-encompassing, not stuck in doctrines. Little people are stuck in doctrines.

The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.

The noble-minded have nine states of mind: for eyes, bright; for ears, penetrating; for countenance; cordial; for demeanor, humble; for words, trustworthy; for service, reverent; for doubt, questioning; for anger circumspect; and for facing a chance to profit, moral.

Language is insight itself.

The Master said, "The gentleman harmonizes [he] without being an echo. The petty man echoes [tong] and does not harmonize.

Adept Lu spent a night at Stone Date, and the gatekeeper asked: Where are you from? From the House of Confucius, replied Lu. Isn't he the one who knows it's hopeless, but keeps trying anyway?

The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.

The Master was entirely free of four faults: arbitrariness, inflexibility, rigidity, and selfishness.

?????? 'while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them

Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things.

How dare I claim to be a sage or a benevolent man?

Truth does not depart from human nature. If what isregarded as truth departs from human nature, it maynot be regarded as truth.

Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated.

Non esiste una strada verso la felicità. La felicità è la strada.

You do not understand even life. How can you understand death?