Mencius – Chapter 13.3

Mencius said, “Seek and you will find it; let go and you will lose it. This kind of seeking is beneficial to obtaining, because what is sought lies within oneself. To seek it requires the right path, but to obtain it depends on fate. This kind of seeking is not beneficial to obtaining, because what is sought lies outside oneself.”

Note

This passage from the Jin Xin I chapter of the Mencius is a classic exposition on “inner moral cultivation” versus “external worldly gains and losses.” Drawing on traditional commentaries and historical context, we can understand its underlying thought through the following dimensions:

• The Absolute Autonomy of the Moral Subject: “What is Sought Lies Within Oneself”
  Mencius first establishes the autonomy of Confucian moral cultivation. The so-called “what is sought within oneself” refers to inner virtues such as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom. Mencius believed that human moral nature is inherently endowed; as long as one seeks inwardly and continuously nurtures it, one will definitely obtain and elevate it. Once abandoned, it will be lost. This “seeking” and “obtaining” are completely equivalent and do not depend on any external conditions. This endows the individual with absolute freedom and dignity in moral practice, echoing the idea that “practicing benevolence depends on oneself, not on others.”
• The Objective Limitations of External Gains and Losses: “What is Sought Lies Outside Oneself”
  Regarding external things like fame, wealth, and status, Mencius categorizes them as “what is sought outside oneself.” Mencius does not deny that pursuing these things requires following a legitimate path (“seeking it requires the right path”), but he soberly points out that whether one ultimately obtains them is constrained by objective factors beyond personal control, such as the era and opportunities (“obtaining it depends on fate”). Therefore, if one pins all of life’s value on external gains and losses, one will fall into pain and confusion if the pursuit fails. This kind of seeking is not absolutely beneficial to inevitable “obtaining.”
• Confucian Wisdom for Life: Exerting Effort Inwardly and Finding Peace in One’s Destiny
  This exposition profoundly embodies the Confucian philosophy of “doing one’s best and accepting fate.” Mencius is not teaching people to passively avoid the world; rather, he is teaching them how to “find peace and establish their lives.” A gentleman should devote all his energy to the moral cultivation of “what is sought within,” because this is entirely within his own control. As for the worldly achievements of “what is sought outside,” he should let nature take its course and accept them calmly. This thought helped ancient Chinese intellectuals maintain clarity in favorable circumstances and resilience in adversity, never allowing their inner moral steadfastness to be shaken by external honor or disgrace.

孟子曰：「求則得之，舍則失之，是求有益於得也，求在我者也。求之有道，得之有命，是求無益於得也，求在外者也。」