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

Mencius

The myriad things are complete in us. There is no greater joy than to reflect on ourselves and become sincere.
MENCIUS

Happiness Joy Reflection Sincere
The Way lies at hand yet it is sought afar off; the thing lies in the easy yet it is sought in the difficult.
MENCIUS

Difficult Hands Lying Warrior
I dislike death, however, there are some things I dislike more than death. Therefore, there are times when I will not avoid danger.
MENCIUS

Avoid Danger Death Myself
One who believes all of a book would be better off without books.
MENCIUS

Believe Book
The feeling of compassion is the beginning of humanity.
MENCIUS

Compassion Feeling Humanity
Every duty is a charge, but the charge of oneself is the root of all others.
MENCIUS

Duty Responsibility Roots
All things are already complete in us. There is no greater delight than to be conscious of right within us. If one strives to treat others as he would be treated by them, he shall not fail to come near the perfect life.
MENCIUS

Divine Failure Perfection Philosophy Right
The way is near, but men seek it afar. It is in easy things, but men seek for it in difficult things.
MENCIUS

Easy Men Philosophy Seek Way
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 great person never loses a childlike spirit.
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Attitude Greatness Person Spirit
The way of learning is none other than finding the lost mind.
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Lost Mindset Way
To lay hold of the mean without taking into account the occasion is like grasping one thing only.
MENCIUS

Oneself Understand
The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.
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Dream Friendship Life Material Memories
Never has there been one possessed of complete sincerity who did not move others. Never has there been one who had not sincerity who was able to move others.
MENCIUS

Ability Change Sincere
People are eager to comment on something when they themselves are not in the situation of doing it.
MENCIUS

Advice People Talk
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
Is it only the mouth and belly which are injured by hunger and thirst? Men’s minds are also injured by them.
MENCIUS

Food Hunger Injury Men Mindset
Benevolence is one of the distinguishing characters of man.
MENCIUS

Character Kindness Men
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.
MENCIUS

Artist Desire Men Stupidity
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
Friendship is one mind in two bodies.
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Body Friendship Oneself
Only when someone refuses to do certain things will he be capable of doing great things.
MENCIUS

Capability Greatness Inspirational
He who wishes to be benevolent will not be rich.
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Choice Himself Rich
The ways are two: love and want of love. That is all.
MENCIUS

Compassion Love
Sincerity is the way to heaven; to think how to be sincere is the way of man.
MENCIUS

Heaven Men Thinking
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
The Tao is near and people seek it far away.
MENCIUS

Effort People Spiritual

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

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

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Popular Authors

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