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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

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

Equality Heaven People See
Friends are the siblings God never gave us.
MENCIUS

Friendship God
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.
MENCIUS

Goodness Human Humanity Men Nature Water
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
Friendship is one mind in two bodies.
MENCIUS

Body Friendship Oneself
The great person never loses a childlike spirit.
MENCIUS

Attitude Greatness Person Spirit
He who exerts his mind to the utmost knows his nature.
MENCIUS

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

Born Fall Men Philosophy Spirituality Spring
One who believes all of a book would be better off without books.
MENCIUS

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

Duty Responsibility Roots
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 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
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
Only those who develop their minds and spirits to the utmost can serve Heaven and fulfill their own destinies.
MENCIUS

Destiny Development Heaven Mindset
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
He who wishes to be benevolent will not be rich.
MENCIUS

Choice Himself Rich

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

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

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