Analects of Confucius: Chapter 7
I am feeling a bit lost these days and I need to make some decisions soon, so I thought I could use another dose of learning from THE teacher, Kong Zi, otherwise known as Confucius. Here are my favourite sections from his Chapter 7 in The Analects.
3. Confucius said, “Not to cultivate virtue, not to review what one learned, not to practice personally what is righteous, and not to correct one’s mistakes in time - these are all my worries.”
Good advice to follow. I especially like the idea of reviewing what one has learned and to put it into practice. These are two things that I could improve upon.
6. Confucius said, “Stick to the way to your goal, base yourself on virtue, lean upon benevolence, and take your recreation in the six arts (i.e. music, the rites, archery, carriage driving, classic books and arithmetic).”
I like the idea about staying focused and using virtue and caring towards others to keep you on the right path and in your free time to focus on positive things. Mind you some of them are a bit dated, though I still like the image of Confucius driving a buggy or a car. I do agree with the idea of focusing on books, music, math and being active. If you want some more tips on being virtuous here are some links from a great American teacher, Benjamin Franklin.
8. Confucius said, “I will not instruct my students until they have really tried hard but failed to understand. If I give them one instance and they cannot draw inferences from it, I will not teach them anymore.”
Tough teacher, but great principle: students must learn and figure things out by themselves. Learning must come from inside each of us.
20. Confucius said, “I was not born with knowledge, but, being fond of ancient culture, I was eager to seek it through diligence.”
I like this thought that the way to acquire knowledge is through hard work and diligent study.
22. Confucius said, “When walking in the company of other men, there must be one i can learn something form. I shall pick out his merits to follow and his shortcomings for reference to overcome my own.”
This is one of my favourite quotes from Kong Zi, that we can learn something from everyone.
27. Confucius fished with a hook but not with a net and he never shot birds in the nest.
I like this one as it shows the honour in the way Kong Zi lived and hunted.
28. Confucius said, “I am not one of those who pretend to understand what they do not. I suggest that one should listen to different views and choose the sound one to follow, see different things and keep them in mind. Knowledge obtained in this way is reliable, though not as good as innate knowledge.”
Listen to others’ views and choose for yourself. Good advice. Don’t pretend to understand what you do not. This one, I’ve got to work on.