Confucius: Superiority (page 2)

Confucius was Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher. Explore interesting quotes on superiority.
Confucius: 538   quotes 94   likes

“The superior man, even when he is not moving, has a feeling of reverence, and while he speaks not, he has the feeling of truthfulness.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

Truth , Feeling

“The superior man governs men, according to their nature, with what is proper to them, and as soon as they change what is wrong, he stops.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

Men , Nature , Change

“The way of the superior man may be compared to what takes place in traveling, when to go to a distance we must first traverse the space that is near, and in ascending a height, when we must begin from the lower ground.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

Way , Travel

“The superior man accords with the course of the Mean. Though he may be all unknown, unregarded by the world, he feels no regret — It is only the sage who is able for this.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

World , Feeling

“There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute. Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

Secret

“When the Superior Man (Junzi) eats he does not try to stuff himself; at rest he does not seek perfect comfort; he is diligent in his work and careful in speech. He avails himself to people of the Tao and thereby corrects himself. This is the kind of person of whom you can say, "he loves learning."”

Confucius

The Analects, Chapter I

Love , People , Learning , Personality

“The Superior Man has nothing to compete for. But if he must compete, he does it in an archery match, wherein he ascends to his position, bowing in deference. Descending, he drinks (or has [the winner] drink) the ritual cup.”

Confucius

Bowing is a courtesy for the host who invites him as well drinking a cup.
Source: The Analects, Chapter III

Drink

“The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right.”

Confucius

Source: The Analects, Chapter VI

Study , Learning

“In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

Way , Failure

“If the Superior Man is not serious, then he will not inspire awe in others. If he is not learned, then he will not be on firm ground. He takes loyalty and good faith to be of primary importance, and has no friends who are not of equal (moral) caliber. When he makes a mistake, he doesn't hesitate to correct it.”

Confucius

Source: The Analects, Other chapters

Faith , Learning , Loyalty

“The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favors which he may receive.”

Confucius

君子喻於義，小人喻於利。
James Legge, translation (1893)
The Superior Man is aware of Righteousness, the inferior man is aware of advantage.
The virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit. [by 朱冀平]
The Analects, Chapter I, Chapter IV

Thinking , Law