Zigong asked, “Is there one word that can be practiced for a lifetime?” The Master said, “Perhaps it is ‘shu’ (reciprocity)! Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.”
The Master said, “The determined scholar and the humane person will never seek to preserve their life at the expense of benevolence (humaneness); they would rather sacrifice their life to fulfill humaneness.”
The Master asked Zigong, “Ci, do you think I am someone who has acquired much knowledge and simply remembered it all?”Zigong replied, “Yes – aren’t you?”The Master said, “No. I hold to one principle that unifies everything.”
The Master said, “There are three qualities of the noble person’s Way, none of which I have been able to attain: the benevolent are free from anxiety, the wise are free from perplexity, and the courageous are free from fear.”Zigong replied, “This is precisely a description of yourself, Master!”
Zilu said, “Duke Huan of Qi killed Prince Jiu; Shao Hu died for him, but Guan Zhong did not.” He added, “Was he not humane?”The Master replied, “It was through Guan Zhong’s efforts that Duke Huan convened the feudal lords nine times without resorting to war chariots. Wasn’t he humane! Wasn’t he humane!”
The Master said, “There may be noble persons (junzi) who occasionally fall short of benevolence; but there has never been a petty person who truly attained benevolence.”