In conducting yourself, do not expect to accomplish the greatest things; so long as you do not make mistakes, you make achievements.
When treating others with kindness, do not expect gratitude in return; so long as you do not cause resentment, that is gratitude enough.
处世不必邀功，无过便是功；与人不求感德，无怨便是德。
Notes
Not Seeking Merit – Returning to Merit’s Essence
Deliberately “claiming credit” often carries risks of short-sightedness, where the pursuit of merit may cause error. Conversely, steadfastly “avoiding error,” though seemingly unremarkable, accumulates imperceptible merit.
Expecting No Gratitude – Upholding Virtue’s Purity
Often, people bind kindness to expectation of return. Such conditional goodwill is fundamentally transactional. The core of “expecting no gratitude” lies in restoring virtue to its essence. The motive for kindness should be “it ought to be done,” not “seeking reward.”
Essence of Low-Profile Living: Restrain external validation, Focus on internal cultivation
Both principles advocate an attitude that diminishes external judgment while strengthening inner standards:
- Not measuring merit by others’ praise, but using “absence of error” as a self-assessment;
- Not tying virtue’s value to reciprocity, but acting by the principle “whether one’s conscience is clear.”
This approach seems “passive” but guards clarity amid noise. True value needs no display—appropriate action is its own proof.
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