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The foundation of the world lies in the nation. The foundation of the nation lies in the family. The foundation of the family lies in the individual.

Mencius

He who exerts his mind to the utmost knows his nature.
MENCIUS

Himself Mind Nature
There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.
MENCIUS

Greatness Sincere
Listen to a man’s words and look at the pupil of his eye. How can a man conceal his character?
MENCIUS

Character Eyes Hide Men Word
A real man is he whose goodness is a part of himself.
MENCIUS

Goodness Man Reality
People are eager to comment on something when they themselves are not in the situation of doing it.
MENCIUS

Advice People Talk
Treat your elders as elders, and extend it to the elders of others; treat your young ones as young ones, and extend it to the young ones of others; then you can turn the whole world in the palm of your hand.
MENCIUS

Hands Respect World
The Tao is near and people seek it far away.
MENCIUS

Effort People Spiritual
If you let people follow their feelings, they will be able to do good. This is what is meant by saying that human nature is good.
MENCIUS

Deep Feeling Human People Philosophy Spiritual
The ways are two: love and want of love. That is all.
MENCIUS

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

Greatness Men
He who wishes to be benevolent will not be rich.
MENCIUS

Choice Himself Rich
He who attends to his greater self becomes a great man, and he who attends to his smaller self becomes a small man.
MENCIUS

Leadership Men Spirituality
By exhaustively examining one’s own mind,one may understand his nature. One who understands his own nature understands Heaven.
MENCIUS

Heaven Mind Nature Understand
The gap between enthusiasm and indifference is filled with failures. The great man is he that does not lose his child’s heart.
MENCIUS

Children Failure Heart Men
Evil exists to glorify the good. Evil is negative good. It is a relative term. Evil can be transmuted into good. What is evil to one at one time, becomes good at another time to somebody else.
MENCIUS

Deep Evil Goodness Negative Perspective Philosophy Spiritual
So I like life and I like righteousness; if I cannot keep the two together, I will let life go and choose righteousness.
MENCIUS

Choice Justice Right Togetherness

The foundation of the world lies in the nation. The foundation of the nation lies in the family. The foundation of the family lies in the individual.

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The foundation of the world lies in the nation. The foundation of the nation lies in the family. The foundation of the family lies in the individual.

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