Author of the work “Conversations and Judgments”. Died 479 BC. to Qufu. Quotes, aphorisms, sayings and “Conversations” of Confucius have been popular for centuries, and in the present time - “the time of information” his quotes are only gaining popularity among the entire population of the Earth.
Aphorisms and quotes from Confucius about life
Confucius had a stormy hard life, which gave him a wealth of experience, which was reflected in his statements and quotes about life.
- “If we know so little about life, what can we know about death?”
- “Without knowing fate, you cannot become a noble husband. Without knowing what you should, you cannot find support in life. Without learning to understand the true meaning of words, you cannot know people.”
- “The word, guided by which, you can live your whole life - Forbearance.”
- “You can curse the darkness all your life, or you can light a small candle.”
- “A noble husband must beware of three things in his life: in his youth, when vitality is abundant, beware of infatuation with women; in maturity, when the vital forces are powerful, beware of rivalry; in old age, when vitality is scarce, beware of stinginess.”
- “Caring, that is, consideration for others, is the basis of a good life and the basis of a good society.”
- “In fact, life is simple, but we persistently complicate it.”
- “Only a fool does not change his opinion in his life.”
- “The greatest glory is not in never making mistakes, but in being able to rise every time you fall...”
- “A noble husband is serene and free, and short man disappointed and sad."
- “We take advice in drops, but we give it in buckets.”
- “Never tell anything good or bad about yourself. In the first case, they won’t believe you, and in the second, they will embellish you.”
- “Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I’ll remember, let me do it and I’ll understand.”
- “It doesn’t matter how fast you move towards your goal, the main thing is not to stop.”
- “Be strict with yourself and gentle with others. This way you will protect yourself from human hostility.”
Best Confucius Quotes - Life's Greatest Lessons
The collection of the best quotes from Confucius includes his vision of life - how you should try to live your life, what you should strive for.
- “It doesn’t matter how slowly you walk, as long as you don’t stop.” If you continue on the right path, you will eventually reach your goal. A person who achieves success is one who remains committed to an idea and, despite the circumstances, moves towards his goal, albeit slowly but surely.
- “It's easy to hate and hard to love. Many things in our life are based on this. Everything good is hard to achieve, and it is much easier to get something bad.”
This explains a lot. It is easier to hate, easier to be negative, easier to make excuses than to love, forgive and be generous with all your big heart, big mind and big effort.
- “Life expectations depend on diligence and diligence. A mechanic who wants to improve his work must first prepare his tools."
Confucius said: “Success depends on preliminary preparation, and without such preparation failure is sure to occur.” Whatever you do in life, if you want to succeed, you must first prepare. Even the biggest failure can speed up the path to success.
- “There’s nothing wrong with being wrong.”
There is nothing wrong with being wrong as long as you don't keep remembering it. Don't worry about trifles. Making a mistake is not a great crime. Don't let mistakes ruin your day. Don't let negativity occupy your thoughts. There is nothing wrong with making a mistake! Celebrate your mistakes!
- “When you are angry, think about the consequences.”
Solomon said: “He who is long-suffering is better than the brave, and he who controls himself is better than the conqueror of a city.” Always remember to maintain your composure and think about the consequences.
- “If it is obvious that the goals cannot be achieved, do not adjust the goals, adjust the actions.”
If your goals don't seem achievable this year, now is the time to good time to agree on your plan to achieve them. Don't take failure as an option, set your sails for success and move smoothly towards your goal.
- “If I go with two other people, then each of them will act as my teacher. I will imitate good traits one of them, and correct the shortcomings of the other.”
You can and should learn lessons from everyone, be they a crook or a saint. Every life is a story filled with lessons ripe for the picking.
- “Whatever you do in life, do it with all your heart.”
Whatever you do, do it with full return or don't do it at all. To succeed in life, you will be required to give the best that you can, and then you will live without regrets.
- “Before you take revenge, dig two graves.”
- “People spend their health to make money, and then spend money to regain their health. Nervously thinking about the future, they forget about the present, so they live neither in the present nor for the sake of the future. They live as if they will never die, and when they die, they realize that they never lived.”
- “Live the way you want, and not the way others expect from you. It doesn’t matter whether you live up to their expectations or not, you will die without them. And you will win your victories yourself!”
- “Everything global begins with little things.”
- “When the heart is light, the heavens shine in a dark dungeon. When there is darkness in thoughts, demons breed in the light of the sun.”
- “The most beautiful sight in the world is the sight of a child walking confidently along the path of life after you have shown him the way.”
Confucius talking to a woman
Once upon a time, a very educated lady at that time came to visit the great Chinese thinker Confucius and asked him a question:
- Tell me, Confucius, why when a woman has many lovers, she is subjected to public censure, but when a man has many women, then this is normal.
Before answering, Confucius silently brewed tea and poured it into six cups.
“Tell me,” he asked her after that, “when one teapot pours tea leaves into six cups, is this normal?”
- Yes. - the woman answered.
—“You see,” Confucius answered, “and when six teapots are poured into one cup at once?...
Confucius quotes about love
Confucius understood the power of Love, knew it, and with his quotes about Love shows what it is - real Love.
- “Love is the beginning and end of our existence. Without love there is no life. That is why love is something that a wise man bows to.”
- “A person who does not have love cannot endure poverty for a long time and cannot constantly be in joy.”
- “When desires are pure and imbued with love, the heart becomes truthful and straight. And when the heart becomes truthful and straightforward, a person improves and becomes better. And when a person improves and becomes better, then order is established in the family. And when order is established in the family, then prosperity is established in the country. And when prosperity is established in the country, peace and harmony are established in the entire Universe.”
“The attraction of hearts gives birth to friendship, the attraction of minds - respect, the attraction of bodies - passion, and only all three together give birth to love.”
- “Love is the spice of life. It may sweeten it, or it may oversalt it.”
- “The village where love reigns is beautiful.”
Confucius quotes about happiness
Happiness is a varied and vague concept. Reading quotes and sayings of Confucius about happiness, you understand that happiness exists and it is nearby.
- “In the pursuit of happiness, sometimes you just need to stop and be happy.”
- « Happy man very easy to find out. He seems to radiate an aura of calm and warmth, moves slowly, but manages to get everywhere, speaks calmly, but everyone understands him. Secret happy people simple - it is the absence of tension."
- “Never return to the place where you were once happy.”
- “Misfortune came - man himself gave birth to it, happiness came - man himself raised it.”
- “Unhappiness and happiness have the same doors, benefit and harm are neighbors.”
- “The one who knows is far from the one who loves. The lover is far from joyful.”
Confucius quotes about women
Confucius, in his quotes about women, gives tips on how to live, love and understand with them. Sometimes he is categorical in his statements about them, probably because he had an unhappy love.
- “U an ordinary woman The mind is as much as a chicken, and the extraordinary one has as much intelligence as two.”
Funny Confucius Quotes
Confucius was not deprived of a sense of humor, and his funny quotes confirmation of this.
- “Victory is defeat.”
- “Only the smartest and the stupidest cannot change.”
- “Anyone who, having lived to forty years, causes only hostility, is a complete person.”
- “Blessed is he who knows nothing: he does not risk being misunderstood.”
- “I don’t understand how you can deal with a person you can’t trust? If a cart doesn’t have an axle, how can you ride it?”
“I have never yet met a person who loved virtue as much as they love female beauty.”
Confucius quotes about work
Confucius understood that work occupies a large part of a person's life, and is the basis of any state, just like the family. What Confucius learned about in his quotes about work.
- « Gemstone cannot be polished without friction. Likewise, a person cannot become successful without enough hard attempts.”
- When it's obvious that a goal is unattainable, don't change the goal—change your action plan.
Whatever you do in life, do it with all your heart.
I hear and forget. I see and remember. I do and understand.
Confucius quotes about the state
Confucius was a statesman, held a post and understood the importance of the state in managing such big country like China. His wisdom is reflected in quotes about the state.
- “Rule the people with dignity, and the people will be respectful. Treat people kindly and people will work hard. Exalt the virtuous and instruct the unlearned, and people will trust you.”
- “When there is justice in the country, it is a shame to be poor and insignificant; when there is no justice, it is a shame to be rich and noble.”
- “In a country where there is order, be bold in both actions and speeches. In a country where there is no order, be bold in your actions, but careful in your speech.”
- “When the law does not work in a country, many bosses become in it.”
- “When the state is governed in accordance with reason, poverty and need are shameful; when the state is not governed in accordance with reason, then wealth and honor are shameful.”
- “If the sovereign honors his parents, then the common people will be humane. If a master does not forget old friends, then his servants will not be soulless.”
Sayings of Confucius about man
Great and memorable sayings of Confucius about Man.
- “A noble man makes demands on himself, a low man makes demands on others.”
- “Work on clearing your thoughts. If you don’t have bad thoughts, you won’t have bad deeds.”
- “If you want to feed a person once, give him fish. If you want to feed him for life, teach him to fish.”
- “The best fighter is the one who wins without fighting.”
- “Your home is where your thoughts are calm.”
- “Man can make the path great, but it is the path that makes man great.”
- “Simplicity is one of the best qualities person."
- Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t wish for yourself.
Not talking to a person who is worthy of talking means losing a person. And talking to a person who is not worthy of conversation means losing words. The wise man loses neither people nor words.
There are three ways for a person to act wisely: the first, the most noble, is reflection; the second, the easiest, is imitation; the third, the most bitter, is experience.
A restrained person has fewer mistakes.
How can you deal with someone you can't trust? If a cart doesn't have an axle, how can you ride in it?
A noble husband helps people see what is good in them, and does not teach people to see what is bad in them. But a low person does the opposite.
The teacher said: “My case seems hopeless. I have never met a person who, knowing about his mistakes, would admit his guilt to himself.”
To respect every person as ourselves, and to do with him as we wish to be treated with us - there is nothing higher than this.
If a person is firm, decisive, simple and quiet, then he is already close to humanity.
Even in the company of two people, I will certainly find something to learn from them. I will try to imitate their virtues, and I myself will learn from their shortcomings.
An angry person is always full of poison.
It is not easy to meet a person who, having devoted three years of his life to teaching, would not dream of occupying a high position.
When you meet a worthy person, think about how to become equal to him. When dating a low person, take a closer look at yourself and judge yourself.
-“Whoever can think deeply, speak simply and be truthful has a chance of becoming a perfect person.”
Sayings of Confucius on Education
Knowing the power of education, Confucius left his wisdom in quotations.
- “Study as if you constantly feel the lack of your knowledge, and as if you are constantly afraid of losing your knowledge.”
- “Learning without thought is in vain, thought without learning is dangerous.”
Aphorisms of Confucius about God
- “The highest goal of human life is to find and implement in life the will of God, His law, that is, to manifest the true, moral essence of our self
The will of God is what we call the law of our lives. Fulfilling the law of our life is what we call moral, true life. When the laws of our life are collected in order, set out in sequence, this is what we call religion.”
- “The true way, or the law of God, by which we must live, is not far from people.”
- “If people create for themselves rules, laws, ways of life that are far from the simplest reasoning of their minds, then these paths cannot be considered true.”
How amazing how wonderfully a person can unfold and manifest the heavenly gift inherent in him! We look for it and do not see, we listen and do not hear, and yet this divine essence penetrates into everything that exists, nothing can exist without it.
MonumentConfucius in Moscow https://rostovetz.livejournal.com/244676.html#cutid1
During his life, Pan Confucius wanted to become a popular philosopher, but he would have achieved the glory of a sage much later. The chains began 300-400 after his exit to the ancestors. And I’ll explain why.
At the end of his life, Kong Qiu (that was the real name of the founder of Confucianism) greatly increased the value of his lands to China. Here you worked as a guardian of the local prince, in another place you carried out ceremonies, in the third you ruled the place, and on the way you learned ancient knowledge and talked with people. At any age, his students followed him, sometimes up to 30 people. This could have been philosophers, farmers, children of rulers... Those who could always follow the teacher, making a contribution for knowledge - a knitting of dried meat.
Confucius steadily commented, making examples of life, alegory and history. Most of the students wrote down verbatim everything the teacher said, and left it to the court to understand what they should do with reasonable thoughts and what not.
And so it happened: under Confucius, the declining people were left with countless volumes that were complemented by powerful treatises on tradition, sacrifice and music. Confucius later became the image of Lenin for the inhabitants of the post-Radyan space: other people’s quotes were attributed to him, unneeded words were taken away, practically the entire main part (about traditions and sacrifice) was revived from him, depriving him of worship I respect my ancestors and respect my elders. On the basis of these texts, Chinese rulers founded Confucianism - the rules of a new life for the Chinese.
About a noble husband
Perhaps you have read Boris Akunin’s books about the benefits of Fandorin. They Erast Petrovich often marvel at the situation with the look of a noble man or jun-tzu. So the axis of this noble man is the ideal of Confucius. As the sage himself said, he himself could not reach the ideal.
What are the rules of life for China?
The Chinese lands were at that time divided into independent principalities, provinces, towns and villages with their own laws, rulers and constant wars. There was no way to unite the lands under one ruler; it was up to him to create a set of rules that new generations could follow, regardless of who ruled them.
“New Chinese” were obliged to love their fathers, respect their elders and their ruler. Not only the local one, but also the ruler of the Transgalno-Chinese one. After two thousand years of existence, the Chinese people, who love the party, are working wholeheartedly for the glory of China.
About Confucius
The following accounts describe Confucius in everyday life:
- I would like the meat to be served to the table in abundance, without allowing it to outweigh the vegetable (for example, rice).
- Only a few wines without limiting yourself, and not drinking at all until you lose control.
- There is no store-bought wine or market meat (we are afraid that the stench is not clean or is harmful to health).
- We never do without ginger. Prote, it’s not much.
- The importance of cooked hedgehogs over the wild ones, which are often considered to be a headache for the support of vital forces, is considered by Chinese hygiene to be harmful to health and leads to a shortened life. Ginger - according to the Chinese - refreshes the mind and relieves smorgasm.
- The philosopher will be affectionate, but we will be suvored; we are serious, but not violent; let's drink, let's calm down.
- Shao's music was considered by the philosopher to be most beautiful and moral.
- Confucius equates little people with women: if you get close to them, they stop respecting you, and if you move away, they begin to hate you.
- Behind the words of the teachers, we were wise, modest, and acted, thus attracting people to ourselves.
- If you are not in good spirits, then you will be happy and unturbulent.
Quotes from Confucius
Here are some quotes that I want to share with you.
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- A ruler can impose burdens on his people after withdrawing their trust. In other cases, the people are important to serve him for tyranny. So the ruler himself can be praised only after he has come to believe you, otherwise he is respected for his foolishness.
- With the wives and the servants, it’s important to get in the way. When approaching them, the stench becomes indomitable, and even more so.
- Street sensitivity and guessing are the opposite of honesty! (Plitkuvat is disgusting).
- There are three dear friends and three unkind friends. Cory's friends are a straightforward friend, a generous friend and a friend with rich feelings. Cheerful friends are a hypocritical friend, a woody friend and a foolish friend.
- I spent whole days without sleep and all nights - without sleep, but I know that just don’t bring measles and even better read.
- Compromises that cannot be dealt with are the axis of correct compensation.
- The philosopher is attentive to the following four speeches: forward-looking, impatient, stubborn and egoic.
- The forests of the forest will confuse the honesty, and the little impatient dog has great thoughts.
- A noble husband looks for the reasons for his failures in himself, and behind the people he looks for them in others.
- A noble husband is respectful, but not grumpy, a comrade, but he doesn’t go to work with anyone.
- Not speaking to a human being who can speak to one means wasting that human being; to speak to a human being whom one cannot speak to means to waste words. A sensible person does not waste people and does not waste words.
- The noble people sternly maintain themselves in a bordered camp, and the lower (low) people become loose, given to lawlessness.
- Nothing so easily awakens a person and does not bring him to the point of self-forgetfulness, which tends to lead to ruinous inheritances, like Mitt’s anger and disappointment, and for the uniqueness of great mercies it is necessary to dissect them into the very embryo.
- Under the influx of wicked disappointment, forgetting yourself and your fathers - is there no mercy?
- Whatever you do to yourself, don’t bother others.
- In this case, just as you are afraid of not learning the item, you are also afraid of wasting it.
- Don’t ask for documents that aren’t your own.
- Believe broadly and love to read, take care of your work until death and complete your path.
- Do not go to a power that is known to be in trouble; in the state, stabbed to death, do not live. Show up when the All-World has no law, and show up in the era of lawlessness.
- It would be disgraceful to be poor and occupy a low position if the law is broken in the country. So it’s a shame that we are rich and know, if lawlessness is rampant in the state.
- People can be forced to follow the right path, but they can’t explain why.
- The people, due to their ignorance, cannot comprehend abstract statements about moral activity; they need the living example of ministers and rulers.
- Garni rulers are good people. And just like that.
- People can be forced to follow the right path, but they can’t explain why.
- The noble husband is carefree and free, but the lowly woman is disappointed and sorrowful.
- When nature takes precedence over artificiality, we reject rudeness. And if artificiality takes precedence over nature, we risk hypocrisy. And only the proportionality of nature and pieceness gives the nobility people.
- Integrity is never alone; it always has followers.
- When you look like a worthy person, think about being equal with her, and when you look like an unworthy person, consider yourself (be careful that you don’t have the same shortcomings).
- A noble husband remembers the goiter, but a lowly person remembers the benefits.
- Don’t worry, because you don’t have enough space, but worry, how to stand on it.
- Don’t be so excited that people don’t know you, but try to work so hard that people might know you.
- If it is possible to preserve the power with progress and necessary ceremonies, then what are the difficulties for the country? If it is not possible to maintain the power of the progress that ceremonies require, then why do we have ceremonies?
- A nobleman thinks about honesty, and a lowly one thinks about calmness.
- For the present, who, having bended to the truth, at the same time wears out the filthy clothes and the filthy hedgehogs, is not good enough to languish about the Vchenya.
- Wealth and knowledge become the subject of human desires, but a noble man does not profit from them, as they have become an illegal way.
- Poverty and low status serve as a subject for people to stink, but a noble man does not scratch them (do not scratch them), as the stench is not deserved.
- How can a noble man profit from these people without humanity? The noble man is never separated from humanity for a year, and he is always with him in troubles and ruins.
- Only a humanist can love people and hate them. Such a right is acquired by him due to the fact that only lack of progress, lack of self-righteousness and rightness can lead to completeness.
- A person who lacks love cannot endure poverty for long and cannot constantly experience joy.
- The one who loves people, knows the peace of love, and the wise one knows its benefits.
- That village is beautiful, it’s filled with love. If, when we choose a place, we will not settle there, because love is a problem, then we can become wiser together?
- A noble husband does not hesitate in anything.
- Care in words and words is a sure way until the toll is charged.
- Cherish without hesitation is a matter of course, and think about it without becoming unsafe.
- Who is this noble man? The one who lives first, and then speaks.
- If you care for the people for the help of laws and maintain order for the help of punishment, then you want to make sure that they are unique from them, otherwise they will not feel like rubbish. If we treat him with the help of honor and maintain order in him with the help of ceremony, then his faults will be cleared and his sins will be corrected.
- Whoever cares for additional honesty, he can be likened to the ancient Polar Star, which is in its place, and other stars will soon be away from it.
- Don’t worry about things that people don’t know, but worry about things that you don’t know.
- Ji-kung asked: “What can you say about a person who does not live in poverty and does not become arrogant in wealth?” Philosopher Verdov: “It is worth it, but it is lower for the one who has fun in poverty, and is decent in wealth.”
- About that noble man, who does not worry about saturation, does not shy away from comfort in life, is quick in activity, careful in business, and does his best to straighten himself up to be a moral person, we can say that he loves to read.
- Anizh should repent, why don’t we better protect the kidney?
- Ji-qin asked from Ji-gong: the philosopher, having arrived to the visible state, immediately collected information about its religion. Shukav himself, did you help him? Ji-kung confirmed: The philosopher trimmed all of his curiosity, directness, playfulness, modesty and compliance. Is there a different way of collecting them than other people?
- If a nobleman is not respectable, then he will not attract respect to himself in others, and his knowledge is unstable. Therefore, I set myself the responsibility for loyalty and generosity; Don’t be friends with people who are like you; and once you have had mercy, don’t be afraid to get better.
- You shouldn’t speak in such a way as to avoid upsetting anyone. If you are cheerful, you will laugh, and so on, so as not to embarrass anyone. If you need to take it justly, take it otherwise, so that you don’t bring condemnation from anyone.
- If you remain powerful to yourself, less than others, you will destroy the image.
- What can you say about a person who loves the whole village?
“They are worthless people,” says Confucius.
- What can you say about the people who hate the whole village?
“And they are worthless people,” said Confucius.
- It would have been much more beautiful, as if the good people from this village loved him, but the bastards hated him. - For someone who unapologetically understands words, it is difficult to figure them out.
- Anything that exists in a people is good for culture - it becomes dikun. If culture is healthy, then you are a scribe. Only one in whom culture and culture are equally important can become a noble person.
- Walking in the company of two people, I still know one thing I can learn from them. I will try to adopt good habits, and having learned about the bad habits of others, I will try to correct the same in myself.
- Since philanthropy is rampant in the community, that’s wonderful. How can we respect wisely the one who settles there, where philanthropy does not pant?
- A noble man is powerful to himself, as a small person, as he is powerful to others.
Meaning human existence he saw the establishment in the Celestial Empire of the highest and universal form of the socio-ethical order of the “Tao”, or path. He considered humanity, justice, self-esteem, filial piety, loyalty and mercy to be the main manifestations of Tao. In this article we'll talk about the sayings and aphorisms of Confucius.
Confucianism in China
To put it simply modern language, then we can say that Confucius is the main brand of China. After all, the self-identification of a people is associated with the choice of a person who represents them as accurately and vividly as possible. This is actually not such a simple question. On the solid and extensive Chinese foundation of the most ancient historical and philosophical thought of the world rises the figure of Confucius, the wisdom of whose aphorisms and teachings truly deserves veneration.
Personality
As mentioned in the Historical Notes of Sima Qian, an ancient Chinese historian and encyclopedist, Confucius was born into a “wild marriage.” The concept of a “wild marriage” means that the parent is in old age allowed himself a relationship with a young concubine. His father died, and Confucius was brought up in a single-parent family. He became the first Chinese teacher to teach to anyone for a bundle of dried meat. So, the school replaced his related association. His very name Kung Fu Tzu (in Chinese) speaks of his calling, because “fu tzu” is translated as “teacher, sage, philosopher.”
Confucius lived in an era of fragmentation and struggle among many kingdoms. The century was not easy, but it was also remarkable, which is why it was called the golden age of Chinese philosophy. In China, becoming a philosopher means becoming a teacher and getting schooled. Confucius traveled to various countries with his students and offered his services in government - now called management. His activity is truly unique; its results greatly affected the life of society in the 6th-5th centuries BC. Despite the innovative tendency of his teaching, Confucius insisted on returning to the roots, that is, on rethinking existing knowledge.
Good and evil
You should study the sayings and aphorisms of Confucius about good and evil.
As if confirming the wisdom of many religious movements and anticipating Christian ideology, Confucius appeals to a person’s reason and awareness with the phrase: “Do not do to others what you do not wish for yourself.” From century to century, this wisdom is based on not causing harm to others, since, as people say, retribution for actions far from goodness will follow either inevitably, or over time, or will affect the lives of descendants. When performing any action, we send certain information into space, which creates a certain charge of energy that boomerangs over us at the most unexpected moment. When we do good things, we attract good things into our lives, and vice versa.
Speaking about Confucius’s aphorisms about good and evil, one cannot fail to mention this saying: “Try to be kinder at least a little, and then you will see that you will not be able to do a bad deed.” Interpret this expression can be done as follows: once having taken the path of good, we form in our heads a block of rejection of everything unworthy in the behavior of conscious and developed person, which simply does not allow us to sink again, because in this way we will betray ourselves. Having once tasted something better in our everyday life, we yearn for it with all our hearts, and run away from the old. This is how development happens.
Aphorisms of Confucius on the meaning of life
“You can curse the darkness all your life, but you can light at least a small candle.” This statement by Confucius, an ancient thinker and philosopher, is imbued with the deepest wisdom. How often do we lose our bearings, forget to look at all the beautiful things that exist in us, in other people, in our surroundings, and become fixated on negative side life. You just need to light the spark of one pleasant thought in yourself, and life begins to take on new colors. As we blossom from the inside, we transform on the outside, and we also influence those around us. This is how we create our own reality.
“He is not great who never fell, but he is great who fell and got up.” This can be called one of best aphorisms Confucius. As has been accurately noted, every failure leads to success. “Falling” is useful and necessary if a person knows how to learn a lesson. The height of our achievements is determined by the depth of the hole into which we find ourselves. Every time you fail, be defeated, rejoice - because you have room to grow, you are not a lost option for society and the planet, you still have to work on yourself.
“In fact, life is simple, but we persistently complicate it.” And in fact, everything complex is veiled simple. Every complex subject can be disassembled into simple components, this is what helps to comprehend something complex. Having dealt with simple things, we are able to unravel something that previously seemed absurd to us. Another meaning of this statement lies in the fact that we are bored with things that we understand, we need mystery, pretentiousness, some pathos and complexity in execution. For example, simple dishes and gourmet dishes. Sometimes you need to use remarkable abilities to identify the ingredients of some dish, replete with various spices and additives. This is how we move away from the simple truth - simplicity leads to health, because healthy food- this is not always tasty (at first glance) food that has undergone a minimum heat treatment. We are served dishes that, in addition to various brines, could have passed through a saucepan, frying pan, oven, just to get to your table. It would seem, why such tricks? It all lies in the greed and gluttony of human nature, unable to enjoy little things for a long time.
Aphorisms of Confucius and their interpretation - about education
“The most beautiful sight in the world is the sight of a child walking confidently along the path of life after you have shown him the right path.” Many of us are still those same children who have not found their purpose. And all because we were raised by children wandering in the dark. Yes, in life you need to be a child, but purposeful - so that your eyes sparkle and your hands do. Laziness and idleness lead to the destruction of personality. A true child is a creative being, ready at any moment to do what he loves.
About the board
We included the following among Confucius’s aphorisms about the state: “If you are overly zealous in your service, you may lose the favor of the sovereign. If you are overly cordial in friendship, you will lose the favor of your friends.” It can be said that this quote contains the idea that intrusiveness and the desire to please everyone only repel. You don't have to try hard to please others. And is it worth striving to gain the favor of another person? Isn’t it easier and calmer to be yourself, without antics and self-restraints? Don't be afraid to refuse people if their suggestions contradict your principles and guidelines. This way, on the contrary, you will earn the respect of others as a person you can rely on in difficult times. Honesty with yourself leads to honesty with others. On some invisible level, people are able to sense whether they are being flattered or not. And this largely shapes their further attitude towards people.
“If you yourself are straight, then they will do everything even without an order. And if you yourself are not straight, then they will not obey, despite your order.” A person who changes his mind, who has seven Fridays in a week, is not able to maintain his person as an authority for his subjects. Being insecure, such a person may turn out to be unreliable in running a country or a household - he will squander everything until a rainy day with his contradictory ideas and infantile decisions. A person in leadership must be distinguished by the directness of his views and thoughts in order to convey them as accurately as possible to those around him.
“It is a shame to be poor and to occupy a low position if law reigns in the state; just as it is a shame to be noble and rich when lawlessness reigns in the state.” This statement can apply to absolutely any state, because now there are not many countries in the world where noble people are in power, and the law is fair and humane.
About love
“Only a truly humane person is capable of both loving and hating.” In this statement by Confucius, we see that strong feelings that are fully revealed are capable of being experienced by people who can empathize with others, have compassion for them, who look at the world with a heightened sense of justice. There is boundless love, there is just hatred. The rest can experience sublime and base feelings, but without fanaticism. Here people, who have departed from the habits familiar to all animals, learn righteous anger and love.
"Love is the beginning and the end of our existence. Without love there is no life. Because love is what a wise man bows to." This is one of the most heartfelt quotes and aphorisms of Confucius about love. He who rejects love is stupid, because, left without love, he loses motivation for activity, life, and waking up in the morning. We must love, if not the people around us, then at least the things that surround us every day, otherwise life turns into complete chaos. You can also understand this as self-love. Only by loving himself does a person begin to transform and improve, create and comprehend this world. Confucius, whose quotes and aphorisms we consider in this article, was a wise and profound man. Therefore, all his sayings, coming into the field of view of a developed person, flourish in the thought process of the recipient.
“When the ways are unequal, they do not make plans together” is one of the most practical aphorisms of Confucius about love, which hints at the fact that people with different life goals cannot connect their destinies with favorable consequences. Only one spirit lovers is able to maximize the potential of each of them and move them as far as possible towards a common goal.
Oh happiness
“Eating rough food, drinking spring water, sleeping with your own palm under your head - all this contains special joy. But wealth and nobility acquired unrighteously are like floating clouds for me!” This is one of the most striking aphorisms of Confucius about happiness, which implies the search for bliss in the small and pious. Being satisfied with this bit of comfort, a person can survive anywhere and anytime, without experiencing extreme hardships, because he has not adapted to luxury. Abundance guarantees the degradation of soul and body. And wealth acquired by dishonest means generally destroys a person from the inside, devours him entirely, turning him into his most devoted slave, ready again and again to embark on adventures to preserve illusory freedom from poverty. All these “floating clouds,” like dust, dissipate in difficult times or harm their owner, because he is attached to them with all his soul, and, therefore, is ready to die for them.
Another pearl from Confucius’s aphorisms about happiness: “Learning and applying what you have learned to work at the right time - isn’t that wonderful! Talking with a friend who has come from distant countries - isn’t it joyful! Isn’t it sublime - not to be appreciated by the world and not to harbor a grudge!” Here we see that Confucius considered happiness not only wisdom, not only humanity, but also uniqueness, isolation from the general mass of people, the ability to think individually and at the same time feel organic, not feel like an outcast, not complain about the world and society .
About work
The aphorisms of Confucius about work included the following: “Whoever repeats old knowledge and finds something new in it can be a leader.” The essence of this statement is that innovation can only be shown based on previously known ideas. Nihilism, based on the denial of the mistakes of the past, is not appropriate here. The past is a tool for sculpting our present and future state, just as by looking into the future we can change the present. He who uses the knowledge of his ancestors and extracts grains of truth from them is able to occupy leading positions in the state, because he knows the ancient secret of government.
“A human husband will not remain long in straitened circumstances, but he will not remain idle for long either.” This is one of Confucius's aphorisms about work and laziness. Reading these lines, you immediately remember the Russian folk wisdom: “There is time for business, an hour for fun.” Here, however, there is some deviation from the image we are used to: in Confucius, a person does not exhaust himself with work and finds sufficient time for rest, that is, an hour for work, an hour for rest. Here we're talking about about balance in life, which is achieved by balancing all aspects of life. Good, enjoyable work will not cause inconvenience or displeasure to the person who takes it on. That is, having found something you like, you can enjoy every moment as much as possible, without experiencing torment and suffering from the feeling of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Character Traits
Confucius, whose wise sayings, aphorisms and quotes we are considering in this article, according to his students, had an affectionate and good-natured disposition, was distinguished by patience and justice, and always prevailed in his diet. plant food, although he did not disdain meat. He was immoderate only in wine, revering it as a way of meditation, but he never got drunk to the point of unconsciousness. He was modest in speech and in food, separating the main and the secondary. Always in his life great value had ginger, which is believed in China to neutralize harmful influence meat and intoxicating substances.
He finds the reasons for his failures in himself, but the vile man finds them in others." This wonderful statement perfectly describes the lifestyle of people who are accustomed to blaming anyone for all their troubles, but not themselves. It is not they who are lazy and lacking initiative, but the state undermines their “wings”, it is not they who are weak-willed, but their parents who “raised them poorly.” Excuses can always be found. A truly strong-minded person is able to admit his imperfections and strives to change himself at any cost.
“When you meet a worthy person, think about becoming equal to him, and when you see an unworthy person, look into yourself.” Noticing the merits of others is an entire art of life, because initially a person looks for flaws in others. This property of an animal is to rise above others by finding their weaknesses, while humanity presupposes the vision of God in another person through admiration for his creativity, skills, and knowledge. Only a developed personality can see the divine principle in every person and help him discover this powerful force of creation.
“Nothing so easily excites a person and brings him to self-forgetfulness, which leads to the most disastrous consequences, as outbursts of vexation and anger, and therefore, in order to avoid great delusions, it is necessary to notice them in the very bud.” How much wood can you break if you are in a bad mood! A person who cannot control his anger is not able to manage his life.
The most accessible life lessons for a person to understand. They inspire people very effectively. Human-human interactions are built on important life principles that many try to adhere to. Many sages expressed their rules of life, they were especially famous for this eastern countries. Many people are familiar with the name of the famous Chinese thinker Confucius. Sayings, wise aphorisms and quotes from geniuses fill the pages of books and websites.
This man created an entire doctrine, which is also called religion - Confucianism. This teaching is characterized by morals, ethics and life principles. Quotes, aphorisms and wise sayings of Confucius indicate that the sage dreamed of building a harmonious and highly moral society. The golden rule of his ethics was: “Do not do to others what you do not wish for yourself.” People perceive the aphorisms and sayings of Confucius very sensitively. The teaching of genius has been popular for 20 centuries. Get to know this one too legendary personality, sayings of Confucius and their explanation.
The Long Road to Wisdom
Sometimes a person with special mental abilities They shout: “You’re like Confucius!” The sayings of the Chinese sage make you touch the origins of his wisdom and reread his aphoristic sayings. Is there some centuries-old secret? eastern wisdom, is it different from the usual Western one? In the course of our analysis of the sayings of Confucius, this will become clear to you.
Where did the origins of the wisdom of the Chinese genius come from? Let's start a little with the childhood of a teacher from the Kun family or Kung Fu Tzu, as he was called in his homeland in China. The name Confucius is considered to be a Latinized form. The teacher lived from 551 to 479 BC. e. Many sayings Chinese Confucius have reached our times, thanks to retellings and records of later interpreters and students.
The sage was born in the village of Qufu, in Shandong province. He belongs to an ancient aristocratic, albeit impoverished, family. His father married three times in order to obtain a worthy heir. This is exactly what the future thinker became. And although the father died three years later, the mother gave her son a highly moral upbringing. In many ways, the formation of Confucius’s ideas about an ideal society and a harmonious person is due to the pure spiritual qualities of this highly moral woman.
The absence of his father in the house forced the young man to work early. He educated himself and searched for the truth. He learned to read early and tried to comprehend all the lines he learned. In Confucius's statements about work and life, one can feel the fusion of thoughts of his worthy predecessors. He worked as a caretaker of warehouses and state lands. But this position did not bring him satisfaction. At the age of 22, the young man became a private Chinese teacher. Having already become a sought-after specialist, he began to teach children from different segments of the population, without paying attention to their well-being.
In communication with people, in the wanderings of the sage, Confucius’s wittiest sayings about man were born. This led him to receive the prestigious position of Minister of Justice. Here he had envious people and slanderers who contributed to the expulsion of the minister from his native land. Confucius began to travel and preach. He went on this pilgrimage for 13 years. In all corners of China, wise sayings of Confucius about creativity, family, and relationships between people were heard.
Returning to his native land, the thinker began to study pedagogical activity. By the end of his life he had trained about three thousand people. Philosophy became the basis of his postulates. Biographers even claim that the Teacher knew the date of his death in advance. As soon as he passed away, the Chinese noticed his absence in the country's culture. But Confucianism received many followers and successors. From 136 BC. e. it is an official religious cult in China. Confucius became a deity and temples were named after him. Only in the 20th century, after the Xinhai Revolution, did centuries-old authorities begin to be overthrown.
Disciples of Confucius collected all of it wise aphorisms and quotations in the book "Conversations and Judgments". In European countries it is called "Analects of Confucius". Analects are quotes, apt sayings, short poems. We worked on this unique collection for half a century. His sayings teach humanity, piety, respect for elders and explain other moral and ethical foundations of society.
How do our contemporaries see Confucius? After the communist denials of the teachings of Confucius, sobering up finally came. IN recent years The Chinese again became interested in Confucianism and the personality of the Teacher. Many tourists go to the places of his wanderings and hold memorial events in his honor. The teachings of the philosopher were again included in the educational programs of Chinese schoolchildren and students.
Vision of good and evil, virtue and vice
A lot of aphorisms and sayings of Confucius are devoted to thoughts about existence, good and evil. The thinker saw a commonality between the laws of nature and human development. He had confidence in subordinating everything in the world to a single algorithm. The philosopher himself studied well and comprehended all the teachings of his predecessors. Some people today question Christian tenets. For example, not everyone can understand why evil must be answered with good. Many people wonder how to relate to the insults inflicted on us; should we respond in kind?
In the raging ocean of everyday passions, quotes from Confucius can become a reliable compass, sometimes a little paradoxical, a little outside the usual system of values. The Chinese Master believed that evil should be punished justly, and good people you need to respond kindly. A bit of an unexpected decision compared to Christianity. Confucius placed the measure of justice in the hands of the person himself, acting according to circumstances. He also did not deny that someone is watching people from above and rewarding them for merit and justice. Here are his most striking statements in this direction:
- It is important to be strict with yourself and gentle with others, this is how people’s hostility is protected.
- If you show more kindness, then there will be no place for bad deeds in life.
- Virtue is not alone, it always has neighbors.
- If you can show mercy, then do it even without prompting from the teacher.
- Wisdom can only be achieved by showing mercy.
About the nobility of the soul
Many of the sage's sayings are dedicated to nobility. Sometimes they also contradict the point of view of daily experience. Let us give an example of the maxim: “A noble person helps to see only the good in himself, while a lowly person points out the bad.” However, one cannot draw a line between man and life. The paradoxes of Confucius make you think, reflect, and debate. Here, for example, is a controversial statement: “A noble person who lives only in the comforts of home cannot be called such.” Here is another selection of quotes on this topic:
About love, man and woman, parents and children, friends
Confucius has many sayings and aphorisms that describe various relationships: family, friendship, love. After all, friends and our environment often bring us joy, but sometimes disappointment. The philosopher has a lot of advice on this matter. Everyone can find something useful in them:
- The right relationships are difficult to build with women and low people. Getting closer to oneself leads to their swagger, and moving away leads to hatred.
- A respectful son can be called one who brings grief to his parents only through illness.
- It's better not to deal with a person you don't trust. After all, it is impossible to ride a cart without an axle.
- Friends need to be helped and taught to do good, but there is no need to put yourself in a humiliating position in front of those who cannot be changed.
- You should not show excessive cordiality in friendship, this can lead to loss of favor with friends.
Confucius also had sayings about love. He called love the beginning and end of everything that exists. The sage worshiped love and believed that without it there is no life.
About complex human vicissitudes
Confucius believed that only true sages and fools cannot be taught. He valued knowledge very much and considered it the highest goal of a self-respecting individual. He studied throughout his life and passed on wisdom to his followers. Today we too can enjoy this bottomless source of wisdom. Here are his sayings on this matter:
- You need to study as if you constantly lack knowledge or are afraid of losing it.
- Bravery without knowledge is recklessness, respect without knowledge is self-torture, caution without knowledge is cowardice, straightforwardness without knowledge is rudeness.
- There are no words to describe a scientist who seeks the truth, but is ashamed of poor clothing and rough food.
- You can endlessly enjoy a child walking confidently along the path of life after you have shown him the path.
- Through archery we can learn to seek truth. A missed shooter does not look for blame in others, but only in himself.
- Anyone who does not think about the future will face unexpected troubles.
- Anyone who does not teach to show kindness to his family does not learn himself.
- Anyone who does not reflect on the teaching is always mistaken. A person who thinks, but does not want to learn, ends up in difficult situations.
- To a wise man It is not inherent in doing to another what he would not wish for himself.
Success and achieving happiness
Confucius also did not ignore the issues of achieving goals and success in his sayings. In them he gives advice on how to deal with envious people and find balance. Many people know him famous phrase about this: “If they spit in your back, it means you are going ahead.” Here are some more quotes:
The meaning of experience, truth and human qualities
“One person curses the darkness all his life, and another lights a small candle,” this phrase betrays the moral experience of many generations. Unfortunately, there are many more critics than those who roll up their sleeves and correct something. The classic of Eastern ethics and philosophy accurately noted that hatred speaks of victory over you. He also noticed that before people we studied for improvement, and now in order to surprise others with our knowledge. Here are some more apt sayings of the sage:
- If wealth and fame cannot be acquired honestly, then you need to avoid them. If you cannot avoid poverty and obscurity, then you need to accept them.
- People are brought together by natural inclinations, but separated by habits.
- In ancient times, verbosity was not accepted. Then it was shameful not to keep up with your words.
- The closest thing to humanity is a firm, decisive, simple and taciturn husband.
- Humanity is very close to us, we just have to desire it.
- A worthy person does not imitate others; he evaluates actions fairly.
Sayings of Confucius about life
The Chinese thinker was interested in everything, he was inquisitive, and preached kindness and philanthropy. He tries to embrace even something immense. Consider the following sayings of Confucius about life:
- A person cannot know what death is because he does not know what life is.
- Before you take revenge, dig two graves.
- If you watch a person, delve into his actions, take a closer look at his leisure time, then he will not be a mystery to you.
- Sometimes a person notices a lot, but does not see the main thing.
- To become human or not depends only on the person himself.
- Strive to be like worthy people, take a closer look at your shortcomings when meeting a low person.
- Advise only the one who strives for knowledge, help only the one who dreams of it, teach only the one who wants to comprehend more.
Sayings of Confucius on work and art
How often do people in companies begin to condemn certain politicians and public figures. Many people think that they would be better at one thing or another. They themselves cannot make sense of their own family or team. Here are some of Confucius's sayings about creativity and attitude towards subordinates:
- The most important thing in government is for the ruler to be a ruler, the subordinate to be the subordinate, the father to be the father, and the son to be the son.
- Don't hold yourself back in small things, it can ruin a great cause.
- Don't worry about not having high rank, it is much more worrying to be worthy of this rank.
- Even when separated, Heaven and Earth do one thing.
- Everyone has the power to become a noble husband, you just need to decide to do it.
- The one who discovers something new by turning to the old is worthy of being a teacher.
- To earn the respect of people, you need to manage them with dignity. If you want people to work hard, treat them kindly.
- He who finds a job he likes will never work a single day in his life.
About myself
The world of amazing sayings and witty observations of the eastern sage is simply amazing! Some of his statements relate to Confucius himself:
- I need a lot of work to expand my knowledge, not to brag to others, not to feel tired, to teach others and not to be disappointed.
- I have never met a person who lived in solitude to achieve his goal, who followed what was necessary to realize his truth.
- Even among two people, I will find something to learn. I will emulate their strengths and learn from their weaknesses.
Each of you can choose among the many sayings of Confucius a wise guide to life. This will help you cope with difficulties and choose the right path to wisdom.
Don't worry about not having a high rank. Worry about whether you are worthy to have a high rank.
Don't worry about not being known. Worry about whether you are worthy of being known.
Archery teaches us how to seek the truth. When a shooter misses, he does not blame others, but looks for the blame in himself.
When the paths are not the same, they do not make plans together.
Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a single day in your life
You can curse the darkness all your life, or you can light a small candle.
When it seems to you that a goal is unattainable, do not change the goal - change your action plan.
An angry person is always full of poison.
Young people should not be looked down upon. It is very possible that, having matured, they will become outstanding men. Only those who have achieved nothing, having lived to be forty or fifty years old, do not deserve respect.
A sage is ashamed of his shortcomings, but is not ashamed to correct them.
When you behave correctly, they will follow you even without orders; when you behave incorrectly, they will not listen, even if you order
overcome bad habits easier today than tomorrow.
A wise man does not do to others what he does not want done to him.
The madman complains that people don't know him, the wise man complains that he doesn't know people.
A noble man makes demands on himself, a low man makes demands on others.
Man can make the path great, but it is the path that makes man great.
It doesn’t matter how fast you move towards your goal, the main thing is not to stop.
If you want to feed a person once, give him a fish. If you want to feed him for life, teach him to fish.
Tell me and I will forget, show me and I will remember, let me do it and I will understand.
If you are more demanding of yourself than of others, you will avoid being offended.
We take advice in drops, but give it in buckets.
Never tell anything good or bad about yourself. In the first case, they won’t believe you, and in the second, they will embellish it.
In fact, life is simple, but we persistently complicate it.
An unbroken horse can be trained to use a harness. Metal melting in a crucible can be given the required form. Nothing will come of a bored slacker for the rest of his life.
In a country where there is order, be bold in both actions and speeches. In a country where there is no order, be bold in your actions, but careful in your speech.
There are three mistakes in human communication: the first is the desire to speak before you need to; the second is shyness, not speaking when necessary; the third is to speak without watching your listener.
Sometimes it's worth making a mistake, if only to know why you shouldn't have made it.
If you don't have bad thoughts, you won't have bad actions.
