Mencius draws a sharp contrast: diligent people pursuing goodness follow Sage Shun, while those chasing profit resemble bandit Zhi. The core divide between noble and base lies solely in one’s inner motive: virtue or self-interest.
7.12 The Master said, “If any means of escaping poverty presented itself that did not involve doing wrong, I would adopt it, even as a lowly attendant holding a whip. But so long as it is a question of illegitimate means, I shall continue to pursue the quests that I love.”