JohnWorldPeace
Copyright 1998 by John WorldPeace
Houston, Texas USA

All rights reserved.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Preface

Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 4
Book 5
Book 6
Book 7
Book 8
Book 9
Book 10

Sayings of Confucius II   Books 11 to 20

HOME

14. The teacher said

"People in harmony do not eat until they are full and do not strive for total comfort at home. They are diligent in performing their duties and fulfilling their responsibilities but are reserved in communicating their thoughts. They seek to associate themselves with others who flow in peace
and harmony in order to remain centered in peace and harmony. Such people are open to learning."

15. Tzu-kung said,

"Poor without succumbing to an attitude of subservience, rich without being arrogant."

The teacher said,

"Poor and flowing in the peace and harmony of simplicity, rich and flowing in the peace and harmony of traditions and rituals"

Tzu-kung then said,

"Cutting, chiselling, filing, polishing one's life, acquiring and maintaining peace and harmony, is the nature of life. And what you have said is an example."

16. The teacher said,

"You should be indifferent to the possibility that others do not recognize or appreciate your abilities. But on the other hand, you should be concerned that you may not recognize or appreciate the abilities of others."


BOOK 2


1. The teacher said,

"Those who flow in the harmony of the oneness of humanity are like the North Star around which all the other stars orbit in peace and harmony."

2. The teacher said,

"The sum of my teachings comes down to this: Live in harmony with yourself and be at peace with all of humanity."

3. The teacher said,

"If you attempt to control the citizenry by an over abundance of laws
enforced by punishments, the people will circumvent the laws without any
sense of guilt. If you remember the oneness of the citizenry and keep the
laws basic and in harmony with proven traditions and rituals, the people
will flow in harmony and think twice before breaking the law."

4. The teacher said,

"At fifteen, I set my heart on understanding my place in the Universe.
At thirty, I had laid the foundation of my philosophies. At forty, I found
peace. At fifty, I truly understood the oneness of humanity. At sixty, I
listened and was receptive to the harmony of perpetual change. At
seventy, I did as I pleased and yet all that I did was in peace and harmony
with all people."

5. When asked about the treatment of parents, the teacher said,

"In harmony with tradition, to the extent that you can, see that they
are provided for. At the time of their death, observe the traditions of
burial and the final rituals. Always remember that you are the progeny of
endless generations."

6. The teacher said,

"Conduct yourself in such a manner that the only anxiety that your
parents have regarding you is in relation to any illness that you may
acquire."

7. The teacher said,

"If one lacks respect for her parents, then providing for them is like
providing for one's animals."

8. The teacher said,

"Respecting one's parents amounts to more than taking care of their
chores and providing them with food and drink. It is the intent to show
respect through those acts that is essential."

9. The teacher said regarding Yen Hui,

"I can talk to him all day and he asks no questions, so I wonder if he is
listening. However, later when I happen to observe him, I see that he is
practicing what I have taught. It is then that I realize that he not only was
listening but also that he understood."

10. The teacher said,

"A person cannot hide his true character. Simply observe the way he
accomplishes his tasks and the path he takes. Consider whether there is
harmony between the things he says and the things he does."

11. The teacher said,

"A person who can see the old traditions and rituals perpetually
manifesting in what is considered new is qualified to be a teacher."

12. The teacher said,

"A human being is not a tool with a limited purpose."

13. The teacher said,

"It is best to practice what one preaches."

14. The teacher said,

"A person at one with humanity can see things from many
perspectives. A person who has forgotten his oneness is confused and can
only see things from one perspective; his."

15. The teacher said,

"If one mindlessly learns from others but does not consider the
validity of what he has learned, he will become confused. If one studies but
does not consider the experiences of others, his life will flow in endless
difficulties and hardships."

16. The teacher said,

"If one is out of harmony with others, peace will be hard to attain."

17. The teacher said,

"True knowledge is embodied in realizing when you truly know
something and realizing when you are confused."

18. The teacher said,

"If you doubt the majority of what you hear and are cautious about
repeating the rest, you will seldom be ridiculed. If you avoid perilous acts
and act in harmony with your nature, you will have few regrets. If you are
seldom blamed for your words and have few regrets about your actions,
your life will flow in peace and harmony."

19. The teacher said,

"In order to increase the peace and harmony in society, appoint the
honest and empathetic to office. When the dishonest and arrogant hold
office, the people become contentious and rebellious."

20. The teacher said,

"In governing, to obtain respect, foster loyalty and instill optimism,
do the following: In all your words and deeds, treat others with dignity and
you will obtain their respect. Be respectful to your parents and nurturing
toward your children and you will foster loyalty. Promote the honest and
train the unskilled and the people will become optimistic."

21. When asked why he did not participate in government, the teacher
said,

"I am respectful to my parents, nurturing to my children and in
harmony with my brothers and sisters. This is the root of government even
though it is not generally recognized as such."

22. The teacher said,

"I do not know how a person who is untrustworthy can be put to use. If
an automobile has no steering wheel, how can its direction be determined."

23. When asked whether the nature of government two hundred years into
the future could be determined, the teacher said,

"Each generation builds on the foundation of the past. By studying
history, we can see what each generation has added and what it has
discarded. Therefore, we can generally determine what the future will
manifest."

24. The teacher said,

"To pay homage to gods that are not in harmony with one's nature is to
manipulate the followers of those gods. To have an opportunity to stand up
for what is true and not do so is confusion in cowardice."


BOOK 3


1. The teacher said,

"Rituals and traditions are irrelevant to one who has no interest in
peace and harmony. And further, one who does not value harmony can have
little interest in music."

2. The teacher said,

"In observing rituals and traditions, it is better to be frugal than
extravagant. In mourning it is better to be sad than to be meticulous in
the arrangements."

3. The teacher said,

"Democracy is generally preferable to autocracies and monarchies."

4. The teacher said,

"People who remember their oneness with each other and flow in peace
and harmony do not contend with each other.
Only in competitions of the mind and body could they be considered as
being contentious. However, in competition there is mutual respect. Prize
fighters bear no anger toward their opponents."

5. When asked for an explanation of ritual sacrifice, the teacher said.

"I do not know."

6. The old adage, Meditate as if present, means, meditate as if the
spirits were present.

The teacher said,

"If I do not meditate it is as if the spirits do not exist."

7. The teacher was asked the meaning of the saying;

Better to meditate at the kitchen stove
than at the shrine.

The teacher said,

"It is not true. Whoever is out of harmony with the oneness of
humanity has nowhere to find peace."

8. When the teacher entered the Grand Temple, he asked questions about
everything.

Someone said,

"Do not tell me this teacher understands the rituals. If he did, why
would he ask so many questions?"

The teacher responded,

"Asking questions is the ritual."

9. The teacher said,

"In archery, piercing the target is not the objective because
strength varies from archer to archer."

10. Tzu-kung wanted to stop sacrificing a sheep at the new moon ritual.

The teacher said,

"Tzu-kung, you want to get rid of the sacrificial part of the ritual. I
want to get rid of that ritual altogether."

11. The teacher said,

"If anyone serves his leader to the letter in every act and ritual, he
is considered a lackey."

12. Duke Ting asked the teacher how a ruler should manage his ministers
and how the ministers should relate to their ruler.

The teacher said,

"In employing ministers, one should follow customs and traditions and
appoint those who are in harmony with the ruler.
Ministers should be in harmony with the ruler; loyal and committed to
his policies."

13. The teacher said,

"It is best not to carry pleasure to the limits of drunkenness and not
to carry grief to the limits of self injury."

14. It is said that in constructing an altar to the earth, the Hsia
monarchy used pine, the Yin used cypress and the Chou used chestnut all
claiming that it would make the people fearful.

When the teacher heard this, he said,

"What is over and done, do not argue about. What has taken its
course, do not complain about. What has past, do not criticize."

15. The teacher said,

"Kuan Chung was a man of limited abilities"

Someone said,

"But wasn't he an example of frugality.

The teacher said,

"Kuan Chung has three separate homes, wives and families and he
didn't take care of his official duties. How could he be considered frugal?

Someone else said,

"But surely he understood the rituals"

The teacher said,

"When the ruler built a fence around the royal estate, Kuan Chung
built a fence around his property. When the ruler met with another ruler he
provided a stand for inverted cups. Kuan Chung also had such a stand. If
this is considered understanding the rituals, who does not understand
them?"

16. The teacher talked about the music of Lu with the Grand Master. He
said,

"The music started in unison, was harmonious, clear and unbroken to
the end."

17. The border guardian at Yi requested an audience with the teacher
saying,

"I have never been denied an audience by any teacher who has come
this way."

The followers of the teacher presented the guardian to the teacher.

When the guardian came out, he said to the followers,

"What are you concerned about? It has been a long time since harmony
prevailed in the nation and the Infinite is about to use your teacher as a
wooden bell for peace.

18. The teacher commented on two plays; the Shao about the peaceful
enthronement of a ruler and the Wu about the enthronement of a ruler after
a war. He said,

"The Shao is beautiful, harmonious and peaceful. The Wu is beautiful,
harmonious and disturbing."

19. The teacher said,

"If people in positions of authority are narrow minded in their views,
irreverent when performing rituals and without sorrow in mourning, how can
they manifest peace and harmony in the nation?"


BOOK 4


1. The teacher said,

"Peace and harmony give a neighborhood its beauty. A wise person
when given the choice will always choose to live in peace and harmony."

2. The teacher said,

"One who resides in peace and harmony can long endure adversity as
easily as prosperity. A person who feels at one with peace and harmony is
at home in peace and harmony because it is her nature. A wise person
gravitates to peace and harmony because she knows it is advantageous to
do so."

3. The teacher said,

"Only a person who is in harmony with the oneness of humanity can
deal with friendly people as well as disagreeable people."

4. The teacher said,

"A person who flows in the peace and harmony of the oneness of
humanity is tolerant of all people."

5. The teacher said,

"Wealth and status are what most people prefer, but if they are not in
harmony with wealth and status they will not acquire or maintain either.
Poverty and low status is what most people desire to avoid. People
do not reside in poverty and low status if they are not in harmony with
them.
If a person forgets his oneness with humanity, he will find it
difficult to achieve peace and harmony in his life. A person who truly
resides in peace and harmony never forgets her oneness with humanity for
even a moment.
People who remember their oneness with humanity flow in peace and
harmony whether they are at rest or whether they are surrounded by
turmoil."

6. The teacher said,

"I have never met anyone who was totally committed to a peaceful and
harmonious life. Nor have I met anyone who was totally committed to
avoiding turmoil and contention.
A person who is totally committed to peace and harmony could not be
surpassed as an example of the oneness of all humanity. Anyone who was
committed to avoiding turmoil and contention also could not be surpassed
as an example of the oneness of all of humanity.
Is there anyone capable of completely devoting himself to peace and
harmony?
I have never met anyone who does not have the capability of living in
peace and harmony. These people may in fact exist but I have never met one
of them."

7. The teacher said,

"People fail to achieve peace and harmony in all the areas of their
lives because they deal with the majority of things in the same way. If one
observes others, one can easily identify the reasons that a person has not
achieved peace and harmony in his life."

8. The teacher said,

"If a person is awakened in the morning to his oneness with humanity,
he is prepared for death in the evening."

9. The teacher said,

"There is little purpose in consulting a person who is ashamed of
modest clothing and simple foods regarding achieving peace and harmony in
one's life."

10. The teacher said,

"A person who has achieved peace is not for or against anything. Her
priority is to see the harmony in everything."

11. The teacher said,

"People who acknowledge their oneness with humanity value peace and
harmony and respect the law. People who do not acknowledge their oneness
are confused and value their land and respect the law only so long as it
does not interfere with their personal desires."

12. The teacher said,

"If you lose sight of your oneness with humanity and become confused
in the pursuit of profit for the sake of profit, you will lose the good will
of others."

13. The teacher said,

"If you can govern a nation by observing rituals, customs and
traditions, what difficulties could there be? If you cannot govern a nation
by rituals, customs and traditions, what good are they?

14. The teacher said,

"Do not be concerned that you do not hold public office. Concern
yourself with being qualified to hold public office. Do not be concerned
that no one recognizes your abilities and accomplishments. Just do your
job."

15. The teacher said,

"A single thread binds all my teachings together. It is a thread
consisting of loyalty and treating others the way you desire to be
treated."

16. The teacher said,

"A person who resides in peace constantly seeks to stay centered in
the clarity of harmony. A confused person is concerned with profit for
profit's sake."

17. The teacher said,

"When you observe someone who flows in peace and harmony, observe
her so that you may increase your own peace and harmony. When you see
someone who is confused, observe him so that you may avoid confusion."

18. The teacher said,

"It is alright to state your opinion to your parents, but it is not
alright to argue with them or try to force your views upon them. One should
remain respectful of the opinions and desires of one's parents and avoid
becoming intolerant and resentful."

19. The teacher said,

"When one's parents are alive, one should remain nearby. If one
travels, she should make her destination known."

20. The teacher said,

"If for three years after the death of her father, the daughter
follows in his footsteps, she can be said to be in harmony with the nature
of her father."

21. The teacher said,

"When one is mindful of the age of one's parents, one is
simultaneously happy and apprehensive."

22. The teacher said,

"In past generations, people were hesitant to speak too much because
they were concerned that they could not live in accordance with their
words."

23. The teacher said,

"Prudence is seldom the cause of one's failure."

24. The teacher said,

"One who resides in peace and harmony is deliberate in her speech and
prompt in her actions."

25. The teacher said,

"Peace and harmony are seldom solitary, all things are drawn to them."

26. The teacher said,

"If one is critical of one's boss, one falls into disfavor. If one is
critical of one's friends, one becomes estranged."


BOOK 5


1. Someone said,

"Although Jan Yung is a man of peace, he is not eloquent."

The teacher said,

"What is the value of eloquence? Those who confront others with
eloquence are many times disliked by them. Whether Jan Yung is a man of
peace or not, why does he need to be eloquent?"

2. The teacher asked Chi-tiao Kai about accepting a public appointment.

He said,

"I cannot yet trust myself to faithfully fulfill the duties of that
office."

The teacher was pleased.

3. The teacher said,

"If war prevailed in the nation and I was forced to put out to sea on a
raft, Tzu-lu would be the one to go with me. However, Tzu-lu would follow me
because he is adventuresome and full of courage and not necessarily
because he is in harmony with my motives."

4. Meng Wu Po asked if Tzu-lu was good.

The teacher said,

"Tzu-lu would do well as a general in the nation's army, but I cannot
say whether or not he is good."

Meng Wu Po said,

"What about Jan Yu?"

The teacher said,

"Jan Yu would do well as the mayor of a city, but I cannot say whether
or not he is good."

Meng Wu Po said,

"What about Kung-hsi Hua?"

The teacher said,

"Kung-hsi Hua would do well as an ambassador of the nation, but I
cannot say whether or not he is good."

5. The teacher said to Tzu-kung,

"Who is more intelligent, you or Yen Hui?"

Tzu-kung said,

"I cannot begin to compare myself to Yen Hui because when he learns
one thing he automatically knows ten things. When I learn one thing I only
understand two.

"In truth," the teacher said, "you are not as intelligent as Yen Hui,
but neither am I."

6. Tsai Yu was sleeping in the daytime. The teacher said,

"Rotten wood cannot be carved and hardened clay cannot be molded.
What is the point in my reprimanding him?
There was a time when I assumed that people would act in accordance
with what they said. Now, I listen to someone and then see if his acts are in
accordance with his words.
It was in part due to Tsai Yu that I changed."

7. The teacher said,

"I have really never met anyone who was steadfast in his beliefs."

Someone suggested Shen Cheng.

The teacher said,

"Shen Cheng! He is so full of desires how could be he steadfast."

8. Tzu-kung said,

"I have no inclination to do to others what I do not want others to do
to me."

The teacher smiled and said,

"Tzu-kung, I don't think you are there yet."

9. Someone said,

"You can learn about the teachers accomplishments and you can get
his views on how to live in society, but you cannot get his opinion on the
spiritual nature of human beings or his opinions on God and Heaven."

10. Tzu-lu was always concerned that before he could put into practice
something he had learned he would learn something else.

11. The teacher was asked,

"Why is Kung Wen Tzu considered wise?
Because he was eager to learn and delighted in learning and he was
not too proud to ask the advice of those who were socially inferior to him."

12. The teacher said,

"There are four attributes of a person who flows in peace and
harmony.
In her personal affairs she is courteous. She is respectful to her
employer. In taking care of others, she is generous. In the employment of
others, she is fair."

13. The teacher said,

"Yen Ping-chung excelled in his relations with others. No matter how
long he had known someone, he always treated them with courtesy and
respect."

14. The teacher said,

"In building a house for his tortoise, Tsang Wen-chung had hills
carved on the capitals of the pillars and a duckweed design painted on the
rafters. What is one to think of Tsang's knowledge and understanding?"

15. Tzu-chang asked the teacher about Ling Yin Tzu-wen who was
appointed to office three times but never showed any emotion. Neither did
he show any emotion when he was three times replaced in office. He always
did his job and was helpful to his successors.

The teacher said,

"It can be said that he always did he job."

Tzu-chang then said, "Can he be considered good?"

The teacher asked, "What does doing one's job have to do with being
good?"

"When the head of state was assassinated, Chen Wen Tzu abandoned his
property and left the nation. When he arrived at another nation he
determined that things were the same in that nation as at home and he left.
On arriving at a third nation, he again determined that things were the same
as at home and he again left. What do you think of him?

The teacher said,

"It can be said that he is a purist."

Tzu-chang said, "Can he be considered good?

The teacher asked,

"What does being a purist have to do with being good?"

16. When the teacher was told of a person who considered something three
times before acting, he said,

"Twice is enough."

17. When the teacher was told of someone who acted with intelligence
when the nation flowed in peace and harmony but acted stupidly when the
nation flowed in disharmony and turmoil, the teacher said,

"One can acquire intelligence but not stupidity"

18. When the teacher was in the territory of Chen he said,

"Let us go home! Let us go home! Our young adults are ambitious but
unschooled in life. They have accomplished something great but they do not
know how to remain centered in peace and harmony after such
accomplishments."

19. The teacher said,

"Po Yi and Shu Chi never dwelled on past wrongs committed against
them and so they seldom encountered ill will from others."

20. The teacher said,

"Who said Wei-sheng Kao was honest? When someone asked to borrow
some wine, he borrowed it from someone else and gave it as if it was his
own."

21. The teacher said,

"Cunning words, a smiling face and excessive courtesy, Tso-chiu Ming
found these to be dishonorable as do I. Being outwardly friendly toward
someone against whom one harbors resentment and ill will, Tso-chiu Ming
also considered this shameful as do I.

22. The teacher asked Yen Hui and Tzu-lu about their desires.

Tzu-lu said,

"I would like to share my possessions with my friends and not be
concerned if they were returned to me broken or worn."

Yen Hui said,

"I desire not to boast about my abilities and I also desire not to
foist my hard work onto others."

Tzu-lu then asked about the teachers desires.

The teacher said,

"To comfort the old, to be trustworthy with my friends, and to
nurture the young."

23. The teacher said,

"I have never found a person who could distinguish his shortcomings
and then with determination correct them."

24. The teacher said,

"In a hamlet of ten households, I am sure you will find someone as
loyal and trustworthy as I, but probably not someone who is as fond of
learning as I."


BOOK 6


1. The teacher said,

"Tzu-sang Po-tzu would do well as a ruler because he is patient and
easy going with people."

Chung-kung said,

"I can see how a person who disciplines himself but is easygoing with
others can function as a ruler. But I do not believe that one who is
easygoing with himself as well as with others would function well as a ruler.

The teacher said,

"That is true."

2. Duke Ai asked the teacher which of his followers was fond of learning.

The teacher said,

"Yen Hui was fond of learning. He did not vent his frustration on
others and he tried not to repeat his mistakes. Unfortunately, he died
young and so presently I know of no one who is truly fond of learning."

3. When Tzu-hua was sent on a mission, Jan Tzu asked for grain for
Tzu-hua's mother.

The teacher said, "give her a pound."

Jan Tzu asked for more.

The teacher said, "give her two pounds."

Jan Tzu gave her ten pounds.

The teacher said,

"When Tzu-hua departed, he was drawn by well fed horses and he wore
expensive furs. One helps those who are in need as opposed to those who
are well off."

4. When Yuan Ssu was appointed as a steward by the teacher, he was
given nine hundred bushels of grain which he initially refused. However,
the teacher asked him to take it and to give it to his neighbors."

5. The teacher said of Chung-kung,

"Should one reject a fine ox with a red coat and well formed horns
just because it is born of common stock? The hills and streams do not
distinguish its birth and reject it."

6. The teacher said of Yen Hui,

"He is able to stay centered in peace and harmony for months on end.
Others can only stay centered for only a day or a week."

7. Chi Kang Tzu asked whether Tzu-lu was qualified to hold office.

The teacher said,

"He is efficient and so he is qualified to hold office."

Chi Kang Tzu asked about Tzu-kung.

The teacher said,

"He is perceptive and understanding and so he is qualified."

Then Chi Kang Tzu asked about Jan Yu.

The teacher said,

"He is accomplished and so he is qualified to hold office."

8. A corrupt ruler wanted to appoint Min Tzu-chien to office. Min Tzu-chien said,

"Decline the offer diplomatically for me. I am going far away to the
other side of the River Wen if anyone needs me."

9. When Po-niu Keng was ill, the teacher went to see him. Holding his hand
through the window he said,

"He is going to die. It must be his destiny to die from this disease.
It must be his destiny."

10. The teacher said,

"What an ideal role model of peace and harmony is Yen Hui. He lives in
the poorest section of the city and exists on little more than a bowl of
rice and a ladle of water each day. Yet, these conditions do not affect his
happiness. What a paragon of peace and harmony is he."

11. Jan Chiu said,

"I desire to achieve the peace and harmony of your teachings, but do
not possess the strength to achieve it."

The teacher said,

"Those who do not possess the strength collapse in exhaustion along
the path but you have simply quit."

12. The teacher said to Tzu-hsia,

"Remember your oneness with all things and become a person who flows
in peace and harmony. Forget your oneness with all things and become
confused in the manifestations of the Infinite."

13. When Tzu-yu was a steward of Wu Cheng, the teacher inquired,

"Have you met anyone there who flows in peace and harmony?"

Tzu-yu answered,

"There is one person I have met who never takes shorts cuts and only
comes to my office on official business."

14. The teacher said,

"Meng chih Fan never brags about his deeds. When the army was in
retreat he stayed to the rear. But when he was near the city gate he
whipped up his horses and said. 'I didn't stay to the rear because of my
courage but because my horses are slow.'"

15. The teacher said,

"In today's world, it is difficult to get by if one is not articulate,
even if one is attractive or good looking."

16. The teacher said,

"Everyone realizes you enter a room by the door but only a few
recognize the door of oneness as the gateway to peace and harmony."

17. The teacher said,

"When one has a wealth of experience but little education, one is
considered unsophisticated. When one has education but little experience
one is considered an idealist. Balancing experience and education
increases one's chances of achieving peace and harmony."

18. The teacher said,

"If one does not value honesty in himself, he will find it impossible to
flow in peace and harmony."

19. The teacher said,

"It is better to chose peace and harmony than to simply talk about it.
And it is better to love peace and harmony than to simply choose it."

20. The teacher said,

"To those who are educated, you can talk about ideals and
possibilities. But to those who are uneducated, you can only talk about
practicalities."

21. Fan chih asked the teacher about wisdom.

The teacher said,

"The wise person works for the betterment of society without
considering religious doctrine and dogma."

Fan Chih then asked about goodness.

The teacher said,

"There is no such thing as goodness, only peace and harmony."

22. The teacher said,

"A wise person prefers water. A person flowing in peace and harmony
prefers the mountains. A wise person becomes excited. A person flowing in
peace and harmony remains calm. A wise person experiences joy. A person
flowing in peace and harmony lives a long life."

23. The teacher said,

"A single event can bring one from confusion to understanding. And a
single event can bring one from understanding to peace and harmony."

24. Tsai Wo asked the teacher,

"If those who flow in peace and harmony prefer to be with others who
flow in peace and harmony, would a person of peace and harmony join another
person of peace and harmony who was at the bottom of a well?"

The teacher said,

"Maybe."

25. The teacher said,

"A person who is well educated but can harmonize her education with
the rituals, customs and traditions of her society will surely flow in peace
and harmony."

26. When the teacher went to see Nan Tzu, Tzu-lu expressed his
disapproval.

The teacher said,

"Do not judge me!"

27. The teacher said,

"The value of peace and harmony within the individual and within
society is priceless and yet those who truly seek it out are few."

28. Tzu-kung said,

"What would you say about someone who was not only benevolent to her
friends and neighbors but was also benevolent to all of society? Would you
call her good?"

The teacher said,

"Good is not the word. She would be called a sage because it would be
obvious that she felt at one with of all humanity and had made herself a
living example of peace and harmony. If one flows in peace and harmony,
those with whom she comes in contact begin to flow in peace and harmony.
Where she has succeeded, others around her begin to see the path to peace
and harmony and also succeed. To acknowledge the oneness of all of
humanity is the essence of peace and harmony."


BOOK 7


1. The teacher said,

"There is very little that can be called new. I have only related that
which I was taught without adding anything new. I have been truthful in my
words and a respecter of rituals, customs and traditions upon which
society has manifested peace and harmony. In this, I venture to compare
myself to the teachers who have preceded me."

2. The teacher said,

"I have quietly listened to and observed all that has gone on around
me. I have never grown tired of learning nor have I ever become bored with
teaching what I have learned. Learning and teaching have never been a
burden to me."

3. The teacher said,

"I am always attuned to my inability to ceaselessly flow in peace and
harmony, to expand upon what I have learned, to attract that which
increases the flow of peace and harmony within myself and to avoid that
which creates confusion within myself."

4. At leisure, the teacher was relaxed and at peace.

5. The teacher said,

"Remember your oneness with all things, flow in peace and harmony,
care for all things, enjoy the beauty of the arts."

6. The teacher said,

"I have never refused to teach anyone who has asked me to teach
them."

7. The teacher said,

"I am only successful at teaching those who are truly eager to learn
and eager to speak. If I point out one corner of a square and one does not
attempt to come back with the other three. I do not continue the lesson."

8. When the teacher was seated close to someone who was in mourning, he
never ate his fill.

9. On the days that the teacher had mourned, he did not sing.

10. The teacher said to Yen Hui,

"Only you and I can follow the old adage of acting when employed and
staying out of sight when set aside."

Tzu-lu asked the teacher,

"If you were in command of three armies, who would you take with you."

The teacher said,

"I would not take anyone with me who would have no regrets if he died
trying to fight a tiger with his bare hands or drowned while crossing a
great river without a boat.
I would take someone who was apprehensive about engaging in a
dangerous task and was determined to succeed through planning."

11. The teacher said,

"If the pursuit of wealth was allowed, I would do it even if it meant
taking the most menial job. But if the pursuit of wealth were not allowed, I
would pursue something I enjoyed."

12. The teacher concerned himself with the rituals of sacrifice, war and
sickness.

13. When the teacher heard the great masterpiece he did not notice the
taste of meat for three months and said,

"I did not realize that the harmony of music could reach such
exquisite perfection."

14. The teacher said,

"Even if a person is reduced to eating simple foods and drinking water
and using her arm for a pillow, she can flow in peace and harmony.
The desires for riches and honors acquired by dishonorable means is
as remote to me as floating clouds."

15. The teacher said,

"Give me a few more years and I will have studied for fifty years and I
may be able to eliminate my major shortcomings."

16. When the Duke of She asked Tzu-lu about the teacher, Tzu-lu did not
respond.

The teacher asked,

"Why didn't you say, 'the teacher becomes so caught up in his pursuits
that he forgets to eat, is so attuned to peace and harmony that he forgets
about his anxieties, and that he is unaware of the fact that he is growing
old.'"

17. The teacher said,

"I was not born wise or knowledgeable. I am simply someone who is
insatiably curious about the past and I have never stopped learning from
it."

18. The teacher very seldom spoke of miracles, unseen forces, chaos or
spirits.

19. The teacher said,

"Even if I am visiting with only three people, I learn something from
them. I try to emulate their harmonious qualities and at the same time I
try to rid myself of the same disharmonious qualities I observe in them."

20. The teacher said,

"The oneness of Infinity is the source of the peace and harmony
within me. How can anyone take it away from me?"

21. The teacher said to his followers,

"I realize that you think I am keeping something from you, but it is not
true. I am not keeping anything from you. I share everything with you. If I
didn't, I wouldn't be a teacher."

22. The teacher had four basic subjects: culture, peaceful and
harmonious conduct, loyalty and trustworthiness.

23. The teacher said,

"A person who flows in perfect peace and harmony with the oneness of
Infinity, I will never meet. The most I can hope for is to meet a person who
recognizes her oneness with all of humanity and refrains from judging
others.
A faultless person I will never meet. The most I can hope for is to
meet a person who is in harmony with her circumstances. However, when I
look around, I see people pretending to have things when they have nothing,
pretending to be full when they are empty and pretending prosperity when
their debts exceed their assets. A person in harmony with his
circumstances is hard to find."

24. The teacher fished with a line but not with a net and when he hunted
he did not shoot at roosting birds.

25. The teacher said,

"There are surely some people who can do things without having
studied them, but I am not one of those people. I listen and select the
peaceful and the harmonious and try to incorporate it into my life. I see
things and try to understand and remember what I have seen. This is the
basis of learning."

26. In the village of Hu Hsiang, it was difficult to converse with the
people. When a boy presented himself, the followers of the teacher were
confused. The teacher said,

"I am not concerned with his age or his past or what he may do in the
future. I am in harmony with his desire to learn."

27. The teacher said,

"Is peace and harmony really so far away? When we really desire it, it
manifests."

28. The teacher said,

"I am a fortunate person. Whenever I make a mistake, it seems
everyone hears about it."

29. When the teacher was singing with his friends and he heard a new song
he liked, he always asked to hear it a second time before he joined in.

30. The teacher said,

"In trying to achieve peace and harmony in my life, I guess I try as
hard as everyone else. But if you ask whether I have achieved true peace
and harmony, I have to admit I have not."

31. The teacher said,

"I do not presume to be a sage or even a benevolent person. However,
I do claim to be a person who never tires of learning and never wearies of
teaching."

32. The teacher said,

"Extravagance leads to confusion in materialism. Frugality leads to
the simplicity of peace and harmony. I naturally prefer frugality."

33. The teacher said,

"People who acknowledge their oneness with humanity flow in peace and
harmony. Those who have forgotten their oneness with humanity are
confused and full of tension and anxiety."

34. The teacher was friendly but dignified, outstanding but not
intimidating, respectful yet at ease.


BOOK 8


1. The teacher said of Tai Po,

"Tai Po is surely a man of peace and harmony. Three times he
relinquished his royal duties for the benefit of the people and never made
public his benevolent acts."

2. The teacher said,

"Courtesy beyond the parameters of etiquette becomes tiresome.
Caution in all matters becomes timidity. Unbounded bravery degenerates
into foolishness. Too much candor is rudeness."

3. When Zeng Tzu was very ill, he called his students and said,

"Look at my hands and my feet. The Odes says,

In fear and trembling as approaching a deep abyss,
as though treading on thin ice.

Yet as you can see, I am at one with my illness, in harmony with my
condition because my hands do not shake and my feet do not quiver."

4. Tseng Tzu was seriously ill when Meng Ching Tzu came to visit him.
Tseng Tzu said,

"The last song of a dying bird is sad, the last words of a dying man
are noteworthy.
There are three things that are characteristic of a person who flows
in peace and harmony with society.
In every facet of her life she avoids violence and self-righteousness. She maintains a sense of trustworthiness by the
expression on her face. In her speech, she avoids being vulgar or rude.
As for as funeral arrangements are concerned, there are those whose
business it is to take care of these matters.

5. Tseng Tzu said,

"I had a friend who was very well educated and experienced but
without hesitation consulted those who were less educated and experienced
than herself. She was very talented and gifted yet was open to others who
were less talented and gifted. She was well off but lived a simple life. She
was overflowing yet appeared at first glance to be empty. And when she was
wronged she never sought retribution."

6. Tseng Tzu said,

"If a person can be entrusted with the care of an orphaned child as
well as the administration of a nation and without losing sight of her
purpose deal with a crises, she would indeed be in harmony with society."

7. Tseng Tzu said,

"A person who is at one with society must be broad shouldered and
stout of heart for the burden of life can be heavy. She is committed to
harmony which is not easily maintained but is the key to peace. And since
death is the only end of her life's journey, she acknowledges that she has a
long way to go."

8. The teacher said,

"Let a person be guided by the ancient wisdom, flow in the harmony of
proven rituals and traditions, and relax in the perfection of beautiful
music."

9. The teacher said,

"The people can be forced to live in peace and harmony even when they
do not acknowledge their oneness with all of humanity."

10. The teacher said,

"Even people who are not courageous will rebel if suffering from
hunger and poverty. Excessive hatred for inhumane leaders will also
provoke rebellion. Indeed, only the very few that can flow in the peace and
harmony of great suffering will not rebel."

11. The teacher said,

"If a man is as gifted and talented as the Duke of Chou but is
arrogant and miserly, the rest of his qualities would not be worthy of
comment."

12. The teacher said,

"It is hard to find a person who will study something for three years
that will not lead to gainful employment."

13. The teacher said,

"Be of unwavering good faith, pursue learning and flow in peace and
harmony by acknowledging your oneness with humanity. Cautiously enter a
nation in peril and do not remain in a nation that is in danger. Flow in peace
and harmony whether or not the nation as a whole flows in peace and
harmony. If a nation is flowing in peace and harmony and you are poor and
subservient, then you are out of sync with the nation. On the other hand if
you are rich and self-righteous when the nation does not flow in peace and
harmony, you have become confused and forgotten your oneness with
humanity."

14. The teacher said,

"The government of a nation is the concern of each of its citizens."

15. The teacher said,

"I do not understand people who are headstrong but tricky, childlike
but insincere, candid but not trustworthy."

16. The teacher said,

"Even if one studies diligently in order to attain knowledge and
understanding, she will still run out of time."

17. The teacher said,

"It was extraordinary the way Shun and Yu ruled the empire and yet
remained detached from the arrogance of absolute sovereignty."

18. The teacher said,

"Yao was an unequaled example of a ruler at one with Infinity.
Infinity is boundless and great and it was Yao who was able to manifest the
Infinite in the Empire. So at one with Infinity was he, that the people could
find no name to describe him. Magnificent were his successes and brilliant
were his accomplishments."

19. The teacher said,

"Yu was an exemplary ruler. He ate and drank simple foods and
beverages and yet followed the customs and rituals when offering food and
drink to the spirits and divinities. In his clothing he kept to the basics,
yet when attending rituals he wore the most splendid robes and headpieces.
He lived in a simple dwelling and concerned himself with ditches for draining
and irrigation. Yu was as exemplary ruler."


BOOK 9


1. The teacher seldom spoke of profit, goodness or fortune telling.

2. A villager from Ta Hsiang said,

"The teacher is a man of great knowledge and wisdom but he has no job
skills for earning a living."

On hearing this, the teacher said,

"What skills shall I acquire, cart driving or soldiering? I think I
prefer cart driving."

3. The teacher said,

"The rituals prescribe a linen cap but today the majority of people
wear black silk instead. This is economical and I follow the majority. The
rituals prescribe bowing before entering a sanctuary but presently people
bow after they enter. This seems to me to be arrogant and so I go against
the majority and bow before entering."

4. The teacher had four characteristics. He never took anything for
granted, he never expected certainty in anything, he was never inflexible
and he was never egotistical.

5. When the teacher was threatened at Kuang because of his teachings,
he said,

"When my teachers died, I taught their philosophies. If their
philosophies had not been destined to survive, I would have not been given
the opportunity to learn them. I am not the last teacher, so why should I
concern myself about these people."

6. The grand minister asked Tzu-kung,

"For a sage, doesn't your teacher have a lot of menial skills?"

Tzu-kung said,

"Surely he was destined to be a sage but he acquired many skills along
the way."

When the teacher heard this, he said,

"The grand minister knows about my life. When I was young, I was poor
and I acquired many menial skills in order to survive. He is correct in his
observation. Generally, men of noble birth have few menial skills."

7. The teacher said,

"I do not consider myself a man of wisdom. But when anyone asks me a
question, regardless of his station in life, I am prepared to thoroughly
discuss all the pros and cons."

8. The teacher said,

"There were no omens at my birth to foretell the coming of a sage. So
I suppose I am just an ordinary person."

9. When the teacher encountered a person in mourning or one who was
blind, even if he was younger than the teacher, the teacher always rose to
his feet. When he encountered them on the street, he always quickened his
pace in order not to disturb them."

10. Yen Hui said with a sigh,

"In the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, the more I look
upwards, the higher it seems: the more I bore into it, the harder it
becomes; and when I think I see it ahead of me, I feel it behind me.
The teacher is unexcelled at teaching people step by step. He
broadens my perspective, but firmly plants me in reality by emphasizing the
rituals and traditions. If I wanted to end my pursuit of knowledge and
understanding, I could not. When I have pursued something to exhaustion, I
sense that I have acquired something profound but I seem to have no way of
bringing that something into consciousness."

11. When the teacher was very ill, Tzu-lu made some of the students
appear to be formal death attendants like those assigned to

state
officials.

When the teacher regained consciousness, he said,

"Isn't it just like Tzu-lu to try to deceive.
In pretending to have formal death attendants, whom will I deceive?
Certainly not heaven.
In truth, I would prefer to die in the presence of my friends than in
the presence of formal death attendants whom I do not know. Even if I do
not have an elaborate state funeral, it is not like I will have died
alongside the road somewhere."

12. Tzu-kung asked,

"Suppose one possessed a beautiful piece of jade, should she keep it
wrapped in a box or sell it for a good price?

The teacher said,

" I would sell it. I myself would rather hold public office as opposed
to remaining secluded."

13. The teacher expressed a desire to settle among the Nine Barbarian
Tribes of the east. Someone said, wouldn't it be hard to put up with their
barbaric ways.

The teacher responded,

"If a man of peace and harmony settled among them, would they remain
barbaric?"

14. The teacher said,

"Performing my official duties when abroad, and my familial duties
when at home, being attentive to the details of funerals and remaining
sober at all times, these things have never caused me any difficulty."

15. When standing by a stream, the teacher commented,

"It is possible for one to seem immortal like this stream which goes on
and on, day and night?"

16. The teacher said,

"I have never meet anyone whose desire for peace and harmony was
remotely equal to his desire for sex."

17. The teacher said,

"Teaching for me is the same as working the earth. If someone is
raising a mound and he stops, even if he needs one more basket of dirt to
finish, I stop. If someone has begun to level the ground and has only spread
one basketful of dirt, I go to help her."

18. The teacher said,

"There are always some sprouts that grow but never flower and
others that flower but never bear fruit."

19. The teacher said,

"Always value children because you can never be sure of their
potential to distinguish themselves and benefit society. On the other
hand, by the time a person reaches his forties or fifties his potential to
distinguish himself or benefit society has become more or less obvious."

20. The teacher said,

"If one admits the value and truth of the proven ancient wisdom but
does not act on it, what good is it? If one agrees with the desirability of
peace and harmony but does not try to incorporate it into one's everyday
life, what is the point of admitting its desirability?"

21. The teacher said,

"In your interactions with others, be loyal and trustworthy. Be
cautious of those who do not value loyalty and trustworthiness. And if you
make a mistake, correct it."

22. The teacher said,

"If the Three Armies are deprived of their commander, they become a
mob, but an ordinary person cannot be deprived of her purpose."

23. The teacher said,

"If anyone could wear old clothes and stand unashamed by others
dressed in their fox and badger furs, it would be Tzu-lu.
Neither envious or greedy, surely he resides in peace."

When the teacher discovered Tzu-kung repeating these words over and
over, he said,

"Simply repeating the words will do little good."

24. The teacher said,

"Only when the weather turns cold can we observe that the pine and
the cypress are the last to lose their leaves."

25. The teacher said,

"She that flows in peace and harmony is seldom unhappy. She who is in
harmony with wisdom is seldom confused. She who is in harmony with courage
is seldom afraid."

26. The teacher said,

"There are those who make a good study partner but would not be a
good partner in life. There are those who would make a good partner in life
but with whom one cannot take a stand on certain issues. There are those
with whom one can join in taking a stand on certain issues and yet not be in
harmony with his or her overall philosophy."

27. The flowers of the wild cherry
Blow here and there
Truly I think of you
but your home is so far away.

The teacher said regarding these lines of verse,

"He probably didn't really think of her because if he did, the distance
would not have mattered."


BOOK 10


1. In his local community the teacher lived a simple life and seemed
ordinary and inarticulate; but in the ancestral temple and at court he
spoke fluently but chose his words carefully.

2 At court, the teacher was friendly and courteous to those of lower
rank; when speaking to those of higher rank he was frank but reserved; and
when in the presence of the ruler, was respectful and composed.

3. When the stables caught fire, the teacher on returning from court
asked;

"Was anyone hurt?"

He did not inquire about the horses.

4. When the teacher entered a sanctuary, temple or holy place he always
asked questions about everything.

5. When the teacher encountered anyone in mourning, he would become
solemn and respectful. When there was a sudden breeze or a storm with
lightning and thunder, the teacher would become alert and introspective.


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