What Would Confucius Say?

1:1. Confucius said, "Is it not a pleasure to learn and to repeat or practice from time to time what has been learned? Is it not delightful to have friends coming from afar? Is one not a superior man if he does not feel hurt even though he is not recognized?"
— Confucius, from "Humanism of Confucius" (551-479 B.C.), The Analects, in A Sourcebook in Chinese Philosophy, Wing-Tsit Chan (1963), p. 18.

1:14. Confucius said, "The superior man does not seek fulfillment of his appetite nor comfort in his lodging. He is diligent in his duties and careful in his speech. He associates with men of moral principles and thereby realizes himself. Such a person may be said to love learning."
— Confucius, Ibid., p. 21.

2:11. Confucius said, "A man who reviews the old so as to find the new is qualified to teach others."
— Confucius, Ibid., p. 23.

8:13. Confucius said, "Have sincere faith and love learning. Be not afraid to die for pursuing the good way. Do not enter a tottering state nor stay in a chaotic one. When the Way prevails in the empire, then show yourself; when it does not prevail, then hide. When the Way prevails in your own state and you are poor and in a humble position, be ashamed of yourself. When the Way does not prevail in your state and you are wealthy and in an honorable position, be ashamed of yourself."
— Confucius, Ibid., p. 34.

11:11. Chi-lu (Tzu-lu) asked about serving the spiritual beings. Confucius said, "If we are not yet able to serve man, how can we serve spiritual beings?"
     "I venture to ask about death."
     Confucius said, "If we do not yet know about life, how can we know about death?"
— Confucius, Ibid., p. 36.

     Mencius said, "If you let people follow their feelings (original nature), they will be able to do good. This is what is meant by saying that human nature is good. If man does evil, it is not the fault of his natural endowment. The feeling of commiseration is found in all men; the feeling of shame and dislike is found  in all men; the feeling of respect and reverence is found in all men; and the feeling of right and wrong is found in all men. The feeling of commiseration is what we call humanity; the feeling of shame and dislike is what we called righteousness; the feeling of respect and reverence is what we called propriety (li); and the feeling of right and wrong is what we called wisdom. Humanity, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom are not drilled into us from outside. We originally have them with us. Only we do not think [to find them]. Therefore, it is said, 'seek and you will find it, neglect and you will lose it.'"
— Mencius (371-289 B.C.) (Meng Tzu), "Idealistic Confucianism," in A Sourcebook in Chinese Philosophy, Wing-Tsit Chan (1963), p. 54.

....Therefore Lung Tzu said, 'If a man makes shoes without knowing the size of people's feet, I know that he will at least not make them to be like baskets.' Shoes are alike because people's feet are alike....
— Mencius, Ibid., p. 56.

4. Confucius said, "I know why the Way is not pursued. The intelligent go beyond it and the stupid do not come up to it. I know why the Way is not understood. The worthy go beyond it and the unworthy do not come up to it. There is no one who does not eat and drink, but there are few who can really know flavor."
— Confucius, The Doctrine of the Mean (Chung-Yung), in A Sourcebook in Chinese Philosophy, Wing-Tsit Chan (1963), in Ibid., p. 99.

11. There are men who seek for the abstruse, and practice wonders. Future generations may mention them. But that is what I will not do. There are superior men who act in accordance with the Way, but give up when they have gone half way. But I never give up. There are superior men who are in accord with the Mean, retire from the world and are unknown to their age, but do not regret. It is only a sage who can do this."
— Confucius, Ibid., p. 100.

62. In one's words there should be something to teach others. In one's activities there should be something to serve as model for others. In the morning something should be done. In the evening something should be realized. At every moment something should be nourished. And in every instant something should be preserved.
— Chang Tsai (1020-1077), in Ibid., p. 512.