Those who follow the part of themselves which is great are great men; those who follow the part which is little are little men.
MENCIUSTo lay hold of the mean without taking into account the occasion is like grasping one thing only.
More Mencius Quotes
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Never has a man who has bent himself been able to make others straight.
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Every duty is a charge, but the charge of oneself is the root of all others.
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So I like life and I like righteousness; if I cannot keep the two together, I will let life go and choose righteousness.
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It is not difficult to govern. All one has to do is not to offend the noble families.
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The way of truth is like a great road. It is not difficult to know it. The evil is only that men will not seek it.
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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.
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The great man does not think beforehand of his words that they may be sincere, nor of his actions that they may be resolute- he simply speaks and does what is right.
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Never lose your child’s heart.
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When one by force subdues men, they do not submit to him in heart. They submit because their strength is not adequate to resist.
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One who believes all of a book would be better off without books.
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Benevolence is one of the distinguishing characters of man.
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I dislike death, however, there are some things I dislike more than death. Therefore, there are times when I will not avoid danger.
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He who exerts his mind to the utmost knows his nature.
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He who goes to the bottom of his own heart knows his own nature; And knowing his own nature, he knows heaven.
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The way of learning is none other than finding the lost mind.
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The people turn in allegiance to Humanity, as surely as water flows downward or as a wild animal takes cover in the wilderness.
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A real man is he whose goodness is a part of himself.
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Listen to a man’s words and look at the pupil of his eye. How can a man conceal his character?
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Friends are the siblings God never gave us.
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Human nature is disposed to do good.
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Mankind fears an evil man but heaven does not.
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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.
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All things are complete within ourselves.
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Let not a man do what his sense of right bids him not to do, nor desire what it forbids him to desire. This is sufficient. The skillful artist will not alter his measures for the sake of a stupid workman.
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The sole concern of learning is to seek one’s original heart.
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Secure property in hand leads to peace in mind.
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