The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
XUNZIQuarreling 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.
More Xunzi Quotes
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If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction.
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When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state.
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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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There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.
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Music is a fantastic peacekeeper of the world, it is integral to harmony, and it is a required fundamental of human emotion.
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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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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.
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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.
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The noble person uses things; the lesser man is used by things.
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Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving.
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Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same.
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The nature of man is evil; what is good in him is artificial.
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In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men’s nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled.
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The petty man is eager to make boasts, yet desires that others should believe in him. He enthusiastically engages in deception, yet wants others to have affection for him. He conducts himself like an animal, yet wants others to think well of him.
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I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.
XUNZI