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The Master said:“Everyone says, ‘I am wise!’Yet when driven into nets, snares, and traps,none of them knows how to avoid them.Everyone says, ‘I am wise!’Yet even if they choose the Doctrine of the Mean,they cannot hold to it for even a month.”
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What is meant by “making one’s intentions sincere” is not deceiving oneself. It is like hating a foul odor or loving a beautiful color – this is what is called self-satisfaction (or inner authenticity). Therefore, the gentleman must be especially vigilant when alone.
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5.27 The Master said, “In vain have I looked for a single man capable of seeing his own faults and bringing the charge home against himself.”
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4.6 The Master said, “I for my part have never yet seen one who really cared for benevolence, nor one who really abhorred wickedness. One who really cared for benevolence would never let any other consideration come first. One who abhorred wickedness would be so constantly practicing benevolence that wickedness would never have a…
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A corrupt official wanted to show that he was pure and honest. So, before assuming office, he took an oath in public, saying, “If my right hand accepts bribes, let it fester; if my left hand accepts bribes, let it fester, too.”
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There was once a fool who, on coming to the capital for the civil examination, discovered that he had lost his leather bag.
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After the fall of the house of Fan, a man got hold of a bronze bell. It was too big to carry away on his back, and when he tried to break it with a hammer it made such a din that he feared others might hear and take it away from him. So…
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There was once a man of southern Xia Shou by the name of Juan Shuliang who was both slow-witted and cowardly.