Category: Online Class
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Confucius Analects – Avoid strange practices – 孔子论语 – 拒绝极端修炼
15.12 Choose learning rather than strange practices 子曰、吾嘗終日 不食、終夜不寢、以思、無益、不如學也。 The Master said, ‘I have been the whole day without eating, and the whole night without sleeping:– occupied with thinking. It was of no use. The better plan is to learn.’ * * * These practices of no food/no sleep are not to be followed blindly…
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Confucius Analects – 4 Stages of Virtue – 孔子论语 – 德行4阶段
15.13 Four stages of virtue (knowing, abiding, applying, integrating) 子曰、知及之、仁不能守之、雖得之、必失之。 知及之、仁能守之、不莊以蒞之、則民不敬。 知及之、仁能守之、 莊以蒞之、動之不以禮、未善也。 The Master said, ‘When a man’s knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again. ‘When his knowledge is sufficient to attain, and he has virtue…
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Confucius Analects – practice in all situations – 孔子论语 – 全方位修行
2.4 Conduct when alone, in different environment 子曰、吾與回言終日、不違、如愚。退兒省其私、亦足以發、回也不愚。 The Master said, ‘I have talked with Hui [Hui] for a whole day, and he has not made any objection to anything I said;–as if he were stupid. He has retired, and I have examined his conduct when away from me, and found him able to illustrate…
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Confucius Analects – careful speech and conduct – 孔子论语 – 慎言慎行, 三思而後行
2.12 Careful speech and action 子曰、多聞闕疑、慎言其餘、則寡尤、多見闕殆、慎行其餘、則寡悔。 The Master said, ‘Hear much and put aside the points of which you stand in doubt, while you speak cautiously at the same time of the others:– then you will afford few occasions for blame. See much and put aside the things which seem perilous, while you are cautious…
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Confucius Analects – 3 Levels of Practice – 孔子论语 – 修行3阶段
Last week we finished our discussion on study. This week we start our discussion on practice. Practice is the application of knowledge in life. in Chinese practice is (修行）, which includes study and application. Alongside with our ongoing study, let see what Confucius and his students had to say on how to practice, and how…
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Confucius Analects – Balance Work and Study – 孔子论语 – 平衡工作与学习
19.3 Serving vs. learning 子夏曰、仕而優則學、學而優則仕。 Zixia said, ‘The officer, having discharged all his duties, should devote his leisure to learning. The student, having completed his learning, should apply himself to be an officer.’ * * * Zixia, a prominent student of Confucius, talked about the importance of balancing work and study. When we are in…
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Confucius Analects – Avoid strange teachings – 孔子论语 – 拒绝异端
2.10 Strange doctrines 子曰、攻乎異端、斯害也己。 The Master said, ‘The study of strange doctrines is injurious indeed! -> e.g. spiritual cults, end of world prophecies, moralistic relativism, skepticism, conspiracy theories, esoteric teachings, etc. 7.3 Irrelevance: Those confucius don’t speak of 子不語、怪、力、亂、神。 The subjects on which the Master did not talk, were– extraordinary things, superhuman power, chaos/disorder, and metaphysics.…
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Confucius Analects – There are teachers everywhere – 孔子论语 – 三人行、必有我師焉
7.4 There are teachers everywhere 子曰、三人行、必有我師焉、擇其善者而從之、其不善者而改之。 The Master said, ‘When I walk along with two others, they may serve me as my teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad qualities and avoid them.’ * * * Discussion: Last week there was a question about where or whom to learn from.…
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Confucius Analects – Study: ask, learn, and think – 孔子论语 – 学: 不恥下問,学与思
Last week we finished the discussion on the general image of a proper Confucius/Superior Man. This week we start the discussion on the topic of study. Study leads to knowledge. The world “knowledge” in Chinese, consists of two components: Learn (学）and Ask （问）. Learn implies acquiring, while ask includes thinking and inquiring. These 2 components…
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Confucius Analects – What superior man does not like – 孔子论语 – 君子亦有惡
17.5 What superior man does not like 子貢曰、君子亦有惡乎。子曰、有惡、惡稱人之惡者、 惡居下流而訕上者、惡勇而無禮者、惡果敢而窒者。 Zigongsaid, ‘Has the superior man his hatreds also?’ The Master said, ‘He has his hatreds. He hates those who proclaim the evil of others. He hates the man who, being in a low station, slanders his superiors. He hates those who have valour merely, and are…
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Confucius Analects – People have different paths – 孔子论语 – 道不同,不相为谋
15.15 People have different paths 子曰、道不同、不相為謀。 The Master said, ‘Those whose courses are different cannot lay plans for one another.’ * * * Discussion: Despite of being connected, and sharing the same origin, we come here with different level of consciousness, and for different roles and purposes. Confucius said it is unrealistic to expect others…
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Confucius Analects – Observing a person – 孔子论语 – 君子不以言舉人
15.8 Superior man is impartial, does not judge people merely by their speech or reputation 子曰、君子不以言舉人、不以人廢言。 The Master said, ‘The superior man does not promote a man simply on account of his words, nor does he put aside good words because of the man.’ -> Don’t promote a man just because of what he/she says,…
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Confucius Analects – Truthfulness, Humility, Integration – 孔子论语 – 真诚，谦逊，贯彻实行
13.5 Qualities close to virtue 子曰、剛、毅、木、訥、近仁。 The Master said, ‘The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.’ -> Further to appreciating simple lifestyle, strive to be simple, truthful, and modest towards others and towards ourselves. Not only it helps us develop trust from others, it helps us to develop honesty…
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Confucius Analects – Accept life as it is, simple life
4.1 Proper attitude to face fortune and misfortune 子曰、富與貴、是人之所欲也、不以其道得之、不處也。 貧與賤、是人之所惡也、不以其道得之、不去也。 The Master said, ‘Riches and honours are what men desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what men dislike. If it cannot be avoided in the proper way, they should not be avoided.…
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Confucius Analects – seek to understand – 孔子论语 – 不患人之不己知、患不知人也。
1.7 Seek to understand others 子曰、不患人之不己知、患不知人也。 The Master said, ‘I will not be afflicted at men’s not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know men.’ -> With our diverse backgrounds and goals, we act, think, and behave differently. It is normal that we don’t understand others very well. Therefore, do not…
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Confucius Analects – who love to learn? speech vs. action – 孔子论语 – 先行其言、而後從之。
1.6 Characteristics of man who love learning 子曰、君子食無求飽、居無求安、敏於事、而慎於言、就有道、而正焉、可謂好學也已。 The Master said, ‘He who aims to be a man of complete virtue in his food does not seek to gratify his appetite, nor in his dwelling place does he seek the appliances of ease; he is earnest in what he is doing, and careful in his…
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Confucius Analects – attitudes and conducts of a learnt person, handling mistakes – 孔子论语 – 過則勿憚改
子曰、君子不重、則不威、學則不固。主忠信。無友不如己者。過則勿憚改。 The Master said, ‘If the scholar be not prudent, he will not build authority, and his learning will not be solid. Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Treat friends as if they are yourself. When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.’ -> A learnt man is prudent, treat every speech…
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Confucius Analects – expectation of self (reflect daily) – 孔子论语 – 吾日三省吾身
1.2 Three things to reflect daily 曾子曰、吾日三省吾身、為人謀、而不忠乎、與朋友交、而不信乎、傳不習乎。 The philosopher Zeng [Tsang] said, ‘I daily examine myself on three points:– whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful;– whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere;– whether I may have not mastered and practised the instructions of my teacher.’…
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Confucius Analects – Superior Man vs. Mean Man (2) – 孔子论语 – 君子与小人(二)
12.6 The superior man seeks to menifest the admirable qualities of men, and does not seek to manifest their bad qualities. The mean man does the opposite of this. -> Everyone has strength and weakness. When we facilitates our goods and others’ goods, good is strengthened. When we facilitates our bads and other’ bads (e.g. fuel…
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Confucius Analects – Superior Man vs. Mean Man (1) – 孔子论语 – 君子与小人(一)
2.8 The superior man concerns the whole and does not compare. The mean man compares and does not concern the whole.’ -> Superior man sees the benefit of all and live his life towards it, Mean man is self-centered, busy comparing him/herself with others, and live his/her live only on one’s own interest. 4.4 The mind of…