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Benevolence is one of the distinguishing characters of man.

Mencius

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

Duty Responsibility Roots
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
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
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
The feeling of compassion is the beginning of humanity.
MENCIUS

Compassion Feeling Humanity
The tendency of mans nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downward.
MENCIUS

Flow Human Nature Water
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
The way of learning is none other than finding the lost mind.
MENCIUS

Lost Mindset Way
Sincerity is the way to heaven.
MENCIUS

Heaven Sincere
One who believes all of a book would be better off without books.
MENCIUS

Believe Book
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
A small country cannot contend with a great; the few cannot contend with the many; the weak cannot contend with the strong.
MENCIUS

Country Greatness Strong Weakness
He who exerts his mind to the utmost knows his nature.
MENCIUS

Himself Mind Nature
A man must first despise himself, and then others will despise him.
MENCIUS

Hate Men
He who loves others is always loved by them, and he who respects others is always respected by them.
MENCIUS

Love Reaction Respect Treat
The sole concern of learning is to seek one’s original heart.
MENCIUS

Heart Learning Seek

Benevolence is one of the distinguishing characters of man.

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Benevolence is one of the distinguishing characters of man.

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