Mencius Quotes - Page 4

A small country cannot contend with a great; the few cannot contend with the many; the weak cannot contend with the strong

By exhaustively examining one's own mind,one may understand his nature.One who understands his own nature understands Heaven.

The tendency of mans nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downward.

Is it only the mouth and belly which are injured by hunger and thirst? Men's minds are also injured by them.

Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.

Human nature is disposed to do good.

When I say that all men have the mind which cannot bear to see the suffering of others, my meaning is illustrated this way: when two men suddenly see a child about to fall into a well, they all have a feeling of alarm and distress, not to gain friendship with the child's parents, nor to seek the praise of their neighbors and friends. From such a case, we see that a man without the feeling of commiseration is not a man. The feeling of commiseration is the beginning of humanity.

Every duty is a charge, but the charge of oneself is the root of all others.

If you know that a thing is unrighteous, then use all dispatch in putting an end to it--why wait till next year?

Kindly words do not enter so deeply into men as a reputation for kindness.

To lay hold of the mean without taking into account the occasion is like grasping one thing only.

Incessant falls teach men to reform, and distress rouses their strength. Life springs from calamity, and death from ease.

Virtue alone is not sufficient for the exercise of government; laws alone cannot carry themselves into practice.

The man of true greatness never loses his child's heart.

The path of duty lies in what is near, and men seek for it in what is remote; the work of duty lies in what is easy, and men seek for it in what is difficult.

The way is One and only One. The way is close at hand, but men seek it afar.

Human nature is good, just as water seeks low ground. There is no man who is not good, just as there is no water that does not flow downward.

Mankind fears an evil man but heaven does not.

All people have the common desire to be elevated in honour, but all people have something still more elevated in themselves without knowing it.

The regular path of virtue is to be pursued without any bend, and from no view to emolument.

Those who follow the part of themselves which is great are great men; those who follow the part which is little are little men.

Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or west, but will it flow indifferently up or down? The tendency of our nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downwards. There are none but have this tendency to good, just as all water flows downward.

The five kinds of grains are considered good plants, but if the grains are not ripe, they are worse than cockles. It is the same with regard to kindness, which must grow into maturity.

The people turn in allegiance to Humanity, as surely as water flows downward or as a wild animal takes cover in the wilderness.

He who outrages benevolence is called a ruffian: he who outrages righteousness is called a villain. I have heard of the cutting off of the villain Chow, but I have not heard of the putting of a ruler to death.