Confucian Canon 121-150

121
The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "What do his words mean?" Tsang said, "The doctrine of
our master is to be true to the principles-of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others,-this and nothing
more."
122
The Master said, "The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean man is
conversant with gain."
123
The Master said, "When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary
character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves."
Confucian Analects : texts 83 - 123
Confucian Analects : texts 124 - 164
124
The Master said, "In serving his parents, a son may remonstrate with them, but gently; when he sees that they do not
incline to follow his advice, he shows an increased degree of reverence, but does not abandon his purpose; and should
they punish him, he does not allow himself to murmur."
125
The Master said, "While his parents are alive, the son may not go abroad to a distance. If he does go abroad, he must
have a fixed place to which he goes."
126
The Master said, "If the son for three years does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial."
127
The Master said, "The years of parents may by no means not be kept in the memory, as an occasion at once for joy
and for fear."
128
The Master said, "The reason why the ancients did not readily give utterance to their words, was that they feared lest
their actions should not come up to them."
129
The Master said, "The cautious seldom err."
130
The Master said, "The superior man wishes to be slow in his speech and earnest in his conduct."
131
The Master said, "Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors."
132
Tsze-yu said, "In serving a prince, frequent remonstrances lead to disgrace. Between friends, frequent reproofs make
the friendship distant."
133
The Master said of Kung-ye Ch'ang that he might be wived; although he was put in bonds, he had not been guilty of
any crime. Accordingly, he gave him his own daughter to wife.
134
Of Nan Yung he said that if the country were well governed he would not be out of office, and if it were in governed,
he would escape punishment and disgrace. He gave him the daughter of his own elder brother to wife.
135
The Master said of Tsze-chien, "Of superior virtue indeed is such a man! If there were not virtuous men in Lu, how
could this man have acquired this character?"
136
Tsze-kung asked, "What do you say of me, Ts'ze!" The Master said, "You are a utensil." "What utensil?" "A gemmed
sacrificial utensil."
137
Some one said, "Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue."
138
The Master said, "What is the good of being ready with the tongue? They who encounter men with smartness of
speech for the most part procure themselves hatred. I know not whether he be truly virtuous, but why should he show
readiness of the tongue?"
139
The Master was wishing Ch'i-tiao K'ai to enter an official employment. He replied, "I am not yet able to rest in the
assurance of this." The Master was pleased.
140
The Master said, "My doctrines make no way. I will get upon a raft, and float about on the sea. He that will
accompany me will be Yu, I dare say." Tsze-lu hearing this was glad, upon which the Master said, "Yu is fonder of
daring than I am. He does not exercise his judgment upon matters."
141
Mang Wu asked about Tsze-lu, whether he was perfectly virtuous. The Master said, "I do not know."
142
He asked again, when the Master replied, "In a kingdom of a thousand chariots, Yu might be employed to manage the
military levies, but I do not know whether he be perfectly virtuous."
143
"And what do you say of Ch'iu?" The Master replied, "In a city of a thousand families, or a clan of a hundred chariots,
Ch'iu might be employed as governor, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous."
144
"What do you say of Ch'ih?" The Master replied, "With his sash girt and standing in a court, Ch'ih might be employed
to converse with the visitors and guests, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous."
145
The Master said to Tsze-kung, "Which do you consider superior, yourself or Hui?"
146
Tsze-kung replied, "How dare I compare myself with Hui? Hui hears one point and knows all about a subject; I hear
one point, and know a second."
147
The Master said, "You are not equal to him. I grant you, you are not equal to him."
148
Tsai Yu being asleep during the daytime, the Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not
receive the trowel. This Yu,-what is the use of my reproving him?"
149
The Master said, "At first, my way with men was to hear their words, and give them credit for their conduct. Now my
way is to hear their words, and look at their conduct. It is from Yu that I have learned to make this change."
150
The Master said, "I have not seen a firm and unbending man." Some one replied, "There is Shan Ch'ang." "Ch'ang,"
said the Master, "is under the influence of his passions; how can he be pronounced firm and unbending?"