I once tried standing up on my toes to see far out in the distance, but I found that I could see much farther by climbing to a high place.
XUNZIThus, anybody who follows this nature and gives way its states will be led into quarrels and conflicts, and go against the conventions and rules of society, and will end up a criminal.
More Xunzi Quotes
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If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity.
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When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm.
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Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity.
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The coming of honor or disgrace must be a reflection of one’s inner power.
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If there is no dull and determined effort, there will be no brilliant achievement.
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Pride and excess bring disaster for man.
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Misery is evil; quarreling, a misfortune. There is only one possibility of avoiding both: a clear division of society. [Otherwise] the strong tyrannize the weak, the intelligent frighten the stupid, the inferior resist the superior, and the young mock the old.
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Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.
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Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them.
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Not having heard something is not as good as having heard it; having heard it is not as good as having seen it; having seen it is not as good as knowing it; knowing it is not as good as putting it into practice.
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Thus, that one can find no place to walk through the breadth of the earth is not because the earth is not tranquil but because the danger to every step of the traveler lies generally with words.
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If the quickness of the mind and the fluency of the tongue are too punctilious and sharp, moderate them in your activity and rest.
XUNZI -
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
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Since the nature of people is bad, to become corrected they must be taught by teachers and to be orderly they must acquire ritual and moral principles.
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There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.
XUNZI -
If you wish to see the thousand years, look at today; if you wish to understand the millionfold, then look at the one or the two.
XUNZI -
You look upon the seasons with expectation and await them: wy not seize the seasonal opportunities and exploit them?
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Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die.
XUNZI -
When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state.
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The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.
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The drum is surely the lord of music, is it not?
XUNZI -
I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.
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A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned.
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Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.
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Therefore, a person should first be changed by a teacher’s instructions, and guided by principles of ritual. Only then can he observe the rules of courtesy and humility, obey the conventions and rules of society, and achieve order.
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The nature of man is evil; what is good in him is artificial.
XUNZI