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The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.

Mencius

The ways are two: love and want of love. That is all.
MENCIUS

Compassion Love
There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.
MENCIUS

Greatness Sincere
A man must not be without shame, for the shame of being without shame is shamelessness indeed.
MENCIUS

Character Existence Men Shame
Virtue alone is not sufficient for the exercise of government; laws alone cannot carry themselves into practice.
MENCIUS

Alone Enough Exercise Government Law Practice Virtue
The regular path of virtue is to be pursued without any bend, and from no view to emolument.
MENCIUS

Path View Virtue
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.
MENCIUS

Character Kindness Men
The feeling of right or wrong is the beginning of wisdom.
MENCIUS

Beginning Feeling Right Wisdom Wrong
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

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

Effort People Spiritual
It is not difficult to govern. All one has to do is not to offend the noble families.
MENCIUS

Authority Difficult Family Government
Men must be decided on what they will not do, and then they are able to act with vigor in what they ought to do.
MENCIUS

Decision Men Vigor
The foundation of the world lies in the nation. The foundation of the nation lies in the family. The foundation of the family lies in the individual.
MENCIUS

Confidence Family Foundation Nation World
Friendship is one mind in two bodies.
MENCIUS

Body Friendship Oneself
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
All things are complete within ourselves.
MENCIUS

One Liner Perfection
He who attends to his greater self becomes a great man, and he who attends to his smaller self becomes a small man.
MENCIUS

Leadership Men Spirituality
In abundance prepare for scarcity.
MENCIUS

Abundance Money One Liner Scarcity
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
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
The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.
MENCIUS

Dream Friendship Life Material Memories
The feeling of compassion is the beginning of humanity.
MENCIUS

Compassion Feeling Humanity
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
Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.
MENCIUS

Equality Heaven People See
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
The tendency of mans nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downward.
MENCIUS

Flow Human Nature Water
If you know that a thing is unrighteous, then use all dispatch in putting an end to it–why wait till next year?
MENCIUS

End Evil Wait Years

The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.

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The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.

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