The Master said, “The noble person is ashamed when his words exceed his actions.”
Zi Gong asked, “What must one be like to be called a ‘shi’ (a morally responsible scholar-official)?”The Master said, “One who acts with a sense of shame and, when sent on missions abroad, fulfills his ruler’s charge without disgracing it—such a person may be called a shi.”Zi Gong asked, “May I ask about the…
In the state of Qi, there was a man who lived with one wife and one concubine. Every time he went out, he always returned home full of wine and meat. His wife asked him, “Who did you eat and drink with?” He always replied, “All wealthy and noble people.”
In the still of the night, when a man sits alone in meditation, the first thing that happens is that his inordinate desires disappear, and his true self holds sway.