When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state.
XUNZIIf knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity.
More Xunzi Quotes
-
-
Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.
XUNZI -
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
XUNZI -
There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.
XUNZI -
Thus, 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.
XUNZI -
The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.
XUNZI -
If there is no dull and determined effort, there will be no brilliant achievement.
XUNZI -
Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.
XUNZI -
The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
XUNZI -
If the gentleman has ability, he is magnanimous, generous, tolerant, and straightforward, through which he opens the way to instruct others.
XUNZI -
Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity.
XUNZI -
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.
XUNZI -
Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them.
XUNZI -
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.
XUNZI -
Men of all social stations live together: they are equal in their desires, yet vary in their methods; they are equal in their passions, yet different in their intelligence; that is their nature-given vitality.
XUNZI -
Quarreling over food and drink, having neither scruples nor shame, not knowing right from wrong, not trying to avoid death or injury, not fearful of greater strength or of greater numbers, greedily aware only of food and drink – such is the bravery of the dog and boar.
XUNZI