-
Mencius – Chapter 13.6
Mencius stresses shame as humanity’s moral baseline. Feeling ashamed of shamelessness awakens one’s conscience and eliminates disgrace. This teaching criticizes utilitarian, unscrupulous Warring States scholars and advocates inner integrity.
-
Mencius – Chapter 13.5
Mencius observes most people follow the Way blindly: they act without grasping its meaning, stick to habits without reflection, and never truly understand the moral path they live by. He urges conscious self-awareness rather than mindless routine.
-
Mencius – Chapter 13.4
Mencius states all universal truths dwell within oneself. Self-reflection and genuine sincerity bring supreme inner joy. Practicing reciprocity actively offers the nearest path to cultivating benevolence, the core Confucian virtue.
-
Mencius – Chapter 13.3
Mencius distinguishes two pursuits. Inner virtues like benevolence are fully attainable through personal effort. External wealth and status demand proper ways yet rely on fate, so one cannot guarantee gaining them.
-
Mencius – Chapter 13.2
Mencius rejects blind fatalism. All events belong to destiny, yet gentlemen only accept righteous fate. Wise people evade unnecessary risks; dying for the Way is proper fate, while death from crime is not.