the analects of confucius translated by arthur waley

Confucius and his followers taught that public cultivation of li brought about a well-ordered society (Analects 2.3).

He taught that the ability for people to 'think themselves into the shoes of others' - to imagine and project themselves to the conditions of others - could be good for moral self-cultivation (Analects 4.15 see also 5.12 6.30 15.24).Ĭonfucius believed that ren could best be cultivated by the self-discipline involved in cultivating one's understanding of li, that is, various forms of propriety, showing respect and adhering to roles (Analects 3.3).

'A man with ren, desiring to establish himself, helps others establish themselves desiring to succeed himself, helps others to succeed' (Analects 12.2 6.28). But he said that those who had cultivated ren could be distinguished by being 'simple in manner and slow of speech' and that ren could be cultivated by practicing the Golden Rule: 'Do not do to others what you would not like done to yourself'. He wanted to produce ethically well-cultivated men who would demonstrate integrity.Ĭonfucius taught no comprehensive definition of ren. The Analects has been one of the most widely read and studied books in China for the last 2,000 years, and continues to influence on Chinese and East Asian thought and values today.Ĭonfucius taught among much else that one's individual desires do not need to be suppressed, but that people should be educated to demonstrate their respect for others and a sense of virtue, ren, also understood as 'humaneness human-heartedness'. The status of the Analects grew till they were raised above that of the older Five Classics. 'As for unwearying effort to learn and unflagging patience in teaching others, those are merits I do not hesitate to claim,' Confucius is credited with saying in the Analects (7.33). It is believed to have been written by followers of Confucius during the Warring States period (475 BC–221 BCE), and was given its final form during the mid-Han dynasty (206 BC–220 CE). The Analects, 'Edited Conversations', is a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher Kongzi (Confucius) and his contemporaries. Quotations are from Arthur Waley's translation (2007).

The analects of confucius translated by arthur waley