Gongsun Chao of Wei asked Zigong, “From whom did Confucius acquire his learning?”
Zigong replied, “The Way of Kings Wen and Wu has not yet fallen to the ground—it still exists in people. Those who are worthy understand its greater aspects, while those who are unworthy understand its lesser aspects. There is no one who does not have the Way of Wen and Wu within them. From whom did the Master not acquire his learning? And what need was there for him to have a formal teacher?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Gongsun Chao of Wei questioned Zigong, saying, Where did Zhongni (Confucius) study?
Zigong said, The Way of Wen and Wu has not yet disappeared completely. Among the populace, worthy men remember the essentials, and those of little worth remember the minor points. There are none who do not possess the Way of Wen and Wu, so how could our Master fail to study it? But how can you say he studied with any particular teacher?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Zixia said, “One who excels in his official position should then devote himself to learning. One who excels in learning should then devote himself to official service.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zixia said, Hold public office, and if you have time left over, study. Study, and if you have time left over, hold public office.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Zilu was traveling with Confucius, but had fallen behind. He encountered an old man carrying a wicker basket suspended from his staff. Zilu asked, “Have you seen my Master?”
The old man answered,
“ ‘Won’t soil his dainty hands
Can’t tell millet from corn.’
Who, then, might your master be?”
He then planted his staff in the ground and began weeding.
[Not knowing how to reply], Zilu simply remained standing with his hands clasped as a sign of respect.
The old man subsequently invited Zilu back to his house to stay the night. After killing a chicken and preparing some millet for Zilu to eat, he presented his two sons to him. The next day, Zilu caught up to Confucius and told him what had happened.
“He must be a scholar recluse,” the Master said. He sent Zilu back to the old farmer’s house to meet with him again, but by the time Zilu got there the man had already disappeared. Zilu then remarked, “To avoid public service is to be without a sense of what is right. Proper relations between elders and juniors cannot be discarded—how, then, can one discard the rightness that obtains between ruler and minister? To do so is to wish to keep one’s hands from getting dirty at the expense of throwing the great social order into chaos. The gentleman takes office in order to do what is right, even though he already knows that the Way will not be realized.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zilu was accompanying the Master but had fallen behind when he came upon an old man carrying a pole with a basket dangling from it. Zilu said, Have you seen my Master?
The old man said, Don’t know how to move your four limbs, can’t tell the five grains apart?—who is your “Master”? Then he stuck the pole in the ground and went to weeding. Zilu folded his hands in a gesture of respect and stood waiting.
The old man put Zilu up for the night, killed a chicken and cooked millet for a meal, and introduced him to his two sons.
The following day, Zilu caught up with Confucius and reported what had happened. The Master said, He’s a recluse! and sent Zilu to look for the man again, but when he got to the place, the man was gone.
Zilu said, If you fail to serve the ruler, you lack rightness. You understand that the etiquette between elder and younger cannot be set aside. How, then, can the right relations between ruler and subject be set aside? You want to keep yourselves unsullied, but you bring confusion to a much greater relationship. The gentleman, in serving the ruler, is carrying out his rightful duty. That the Way does not prevail today—we know that already!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said to Boyu, “Have you mastered the Odes from the ‘South of Zhou’ and the ‘South of Shao’? A man who has not mastered the ‘South of Zhou’ and the ‘South of Shao’ is like someone standing with his face to the wall, is he not?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said to [his son] Boyu, Have you studied the “Zhounan” and “Shaonan”? Anyone who doesn’t know the “Zhounan” and “Shaonan” is like a person who stands with a wall in front of him.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Confucius said, “Those who are born understanding it are the best; those who come to understand it through learning are second. Those who find it difficult to understand and yet persist in their studies come next. People who find it difficult to understand but do not even try to learn are the worst of all.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Confucius said, Those born with understanding rank highest. Those who study and gain understanding come next. Those who face difficulties and yet study—they are next. Those who face difficulties but never study—they are the lowest type of people.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “I once engaged in thought for an entire day without eating and an entire night without sleeping, but it did no good. It would have been better for me to have spent that time in learning.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Once I went all day without eating and all night without sleeping in order to think. It was no use—better to study.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “Just because someone is able to learn with you does not necessarily mean that they can travel the Way in your company; just because they can travel the Way in your company does not necessarily mean that they can take their place alongside you; just because they can take their place alongside you does not necessarily mean that they can join you in employing discretion.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, You may study alongside a person but can’t agree with him how to pursue the Way. You may pursue the Way with him but can’t agree where to take your stand. You may agree where to take your stand but not how to adapt to circumstances.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
A villager from Daxiang remarked sarcastically, “How great is Confucius! He is so broadly learned, and yet has failed to make a name for himself in any particular endeavor.”
When the Master was told of this, he said to his disciples, “What art, then, should I take up? Charioteering? Archery? I think I shall take up charioteering.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
A villager of Daxiang said, What a great man Confucius is! He has studied widely, but he doesn’t make any particular name for himself.
When the Master heard this, he said to his disciples, What should I specialize in? Should I specialize in charioteering? Should I specialize in archery? I think I’ll specialize in charioteering.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Zixia said, “Imagine someone who recognizes and admires worthiness and therefore changes his lustful nature, who is able to fully exhaust his strength in serving his parents and extend himself to the utmost in serving his lord, and who is trustworthy in speech when interacting with friends and associates. Even if you said of such a person ‘Oh, but he is not learned,’ I would still insist that it is precisely such qualities that make on worthy of being called ‘learned.'”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zixia said, If he treats worthy persons as worthy and is respectful to them, does all in his power to serve his father and mother, gives his best in the service of the ruler, and in dealings with friends is faithful to his word, though some may say he lacks learning, I would surely call him learned!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
