Have you wondered what Confucious said about evil? I have assembled the quotes for you. All references to “evil”
(in bold font) are from The
Analects of Confucius, translation by James Legge. This version is available for free download
from Project Gutenberg. I downloaded this version as a text file and did a text search on the word "evil."
BOOK XII
CHAP. XXI.
1. Fan Ch'ih
rambling with the Master under the trees about the rain altars, said, 'I
venture to ask how to exalt virtue, to correct cherished evil, and to discover delusions.'
2. The
Master said, 'Truly a good question!
3. 'If
doing what is to be done be made the first business, and success a secondary
consideration;-- is not this the way to exalt virtue? To
assail one's own wickedness and not assail
that of others;-- is not this the way to correct
cherished evil? For a morning's
anger to disregard
one's own life, and involve that of his parents;-- is not
this a case of delusion?'
BOOK XV
CHAP. XXIV.
1. The
Master said, 'In my dealings with men, whose evil do I blame, whose goodness do I
praise, beyond what is proper? If I do sometimes exceed
in praise, there must be ground
for it in my examination of the individual.
2. 'This
people supplied the ground why the three dynasties pursued the path of
straightforwardness.'
BOOK XVI
CHAP. XI.
1.
Confucius said, 'Contemplating good, and pursuing it, as if they could not
reach it;
contemplating evil,
and shrinking from it, as they would from thrusting the hand into boiling
water:-- I have seen such men, as I have heard such
words.
2. 'Living
in retirement to study their aims, and practicing righteousness to carry out
their principles:-- I have heard these words, but I have
not seen such men.'
BOOK XVII
CHAP. VII.
1. Pi Hsi
inviting him to visit him, the Master was inclined to go.
2. Tsze-lu
said, 'Master, formerly I have heard you say, "When a man in his own
person is
guilty of doing
evil, a superior man will not associate with him." Pi Hsi is in
rebellion, holding
possession of Chung-mau; if you go to him, what shall be
said?'
3. The
Master said, 'Yes, I did use these words. But is it not said, that, if a thing
be
really hard, it may be ground without being made thin? Is
it not said, that, if a thing be really
white, it may be steeped in a dark fluid without being
made black?
4. 'Am I a
bitter gourd! How can I be hung up out of the way of being eaten?'
BOOK XVII
CHAP. XXIV.
1.
Tsze-kung said, 'Has the superior man his hatreds also?' The Master said, 'He
has his
hatreds. He hates those who proclaim the evil of others. He hates the man who, being
in a low
station, slanders his superiors. He hates those who have valor
merely, and are unobservant of
propriety. He hates those who are forward and determined,
and, at the same time, of contracted
understanding.'
2. The
Master then inquired, 'Ts'ze, have you also your hatreds?' Tsze-kung replied,
'I hate
those who pry out matters, and ascribe the knowledge to
their wisdom. I hate those who are only
not modest, and think that they are valorous. I hate
those who make known secrets, and think that they are straightforward.'
BOOK XIX
CHAP. XX.
Tsze-kung said, 'Chau's wickedness was not so great as
that name implies. Therefore, the superior man hates to dwell in a low-lying
situation, where all the evil of the
world will flow in upon him.'
No comments:
Post a Comment