By exhaustively examining one’s own mind,one may understand his nature. One who understands his own nature understands Heaven.
MENCIUS
MENCIUS
More Mencius quotes
Virtue alone is not sufficient for the exercise of government; laws alone cannot carry themselves into practice.
MenciusMencius Listen to a man’s words and look at the pupil of his eye. How can a man conceal his character?
MenciusMencius In abundance prepare for scarcity.
MenciusMencius Benevolence is one of the distinguishing characters of man.
MenciusMencius Is it only the mouth and belly which are injured by hunger and thirst? Men’s minds are also injured by them.
MenciusMencius Never lose your child’s heart.
MenciusMencius The ways are two: love and want of love. That is all.
MenciusMencius 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.
MenciusMencius Those who follow the part of themselves which is great are great men; those who follow the part which is little are little men.
MenciusMencius Friends are the siblings God never gave us.
MenciusMencius Only those who develop their minds and spirits to the utmost can serve Heaven and fulfill their own destinies.
MenciusMencius To act without clear understanding, to form habits without investigation, to follow a path all one’s life without knowing where it really leads; such is the behavior of the multitude.
MenciusMencius Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.
MenciusMencius He who goes to the bottom of his own heart knows his own nature; And knowing his own nature, he knows heaven.
MenciusMencius Evil exists to glorify the good. Evil is negative good. It is a relative term. Evil can be transmuted into good. What is evil to one at one time, becomes good at another time to somebody else.
MenciusMencius 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.
MenciusMencius