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A man must first despise himself, and then others will despise him.

Mencius

The sole concern of learning is to seek one’s original heart.
MENCIUS

Heart Learning Seek
When one by force subdues men, they do not submit to him in heart. They submit because their strength is not adequate to resist.
MENCIUS

Force Heart Men Power Resistance
He who goes to the bottom of his own heart knows his own nature; And knowing his own nature, he knows heaven.
MENCIUS

Heart Heaven Philosophy
If the prince of a State love benevolence, he will have no opponent in all the empire.
MENCIUS

Enemy Government Love
A man must not be without shame, for the shame of being without shame is shamelessness indeed.
MENCIUS

Character Existence Men Shame
The tendency of mans nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downward.
MENCIUS

Flow Human Nature Water
Every duty is a charge, but the charge of oneself is the root of all others.
MENCIUS

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

Oneself Understand
When Heaven is about to confer a great office upon you, it first exercises your mind with suffering and your sinews and bones with toil.
MENCIUS

Greatness Heaven Suffering
There is a power in everything; it is the job of the artist to determine it and express it.
MENCIUS

Artist Job Power
To feed men and not to love them is to treat them as if they were barnyard cattle. To love them and not respect them is to treat them as if they were household pets.
MENCIUS

Freedom Men Pet
Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.
MENCIUS

Equality Heaven People See
Secure property in hand leads to peace in mind.
MENCIUS

Freedom Hands Mindset One Liner Security
Friendship is one mind in two bodies.
MENCIUS

Body Friendship Oneself
The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.
MENCIUS

Dream Friendship Life Material Memories
Only those who develop their minds and spirits to the utmost can serve Heaven and fulfill their own destinies.
MENCIUS

Destiny Development Heaven Mindset

A man must first despise himself, and then others will despise him.

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A man must first despise himself, and then others will despise him.

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