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哀公問政。子曰。「文、武之政、布在方策、其人存、則其政擧。其人亡、則其政息。人道敏政、地道敏樹。夫政也者、蒲盧也。故爲政在人、取人以身、修身以道、修道以仁。仁者人也、親親爲大。義者宜也、尊賢爲大。親親之殺、尊賢之等、禮所生也。在下位不獲乎上、民不可得而治矣。笔君子不可以不修身。思修身、不可以不事親。思事親、不可以不知人。思知人、不可以不知天。天下之達道五、所以行之者三、曰。君臣也、父子也、夫婦也、昆弟也、朋友之交也、五者天下之達道也。知仁勇三者、天下之達德也、所以行之者一也。或生而知之、或學而知之、或困而知之、及其知之、一也。或安而行之、或利而行之、或勉強而行之、及其成功、一也。」

The Duke of Ai asked about government. Confucius said: “The records of the governments of Wen and Wu are on the ancient tablets. When they had the right people, the government functioned, and when they didn’t have the right people, government failed. When people are right, the government flourishes; when the ground is right, plants flourish; the governments of Wen and Wu flourished like fast-growing weeds.”

Therefore, the skillful handling of government is contingent upon having the right people. You attract the right people by your own character. You cultivate your character through the Way and you manifest the Way by means of ren. ren is “humanity” 2 and its most obvious function is in love for relatives. “Justice” 義 means “setting things right” and its most obvious function is in venerating the Good. The differing levels in loving relatives and venerating the good are expressed through propriety.

Thus, if your rank is low, and you do not have the support of those in power, you cannot hope to have an influence on government. Therefore the Superior man cannot but cultivate his character.

Wanting to cultivate his character, he cannot do it without serving his parents. Wanting to serve his parents, he cannot do it without understanding others. Wanting to understand others, he cannot do it without understanding Heaven.

There are five pervasive 達 relationships in this world, which are carried out in three ways. The relationships are those between ruler and minister, father and son, husband and wife, older brother and younger brother, and between friends. The three ways of practice are wisdom, ren and courage, but they are practiced in unison.

Some are born knowing it; some know it by learning and some have to struggle to know it. Nonetheless, the knowledge is the same.

Some practice it by being comfortable within it; some practice it by benefitting from it; and some have to struggle to practice it. But when the practice is perfected, it is the same.

[…]

“凡事豫則立、不豫則廢。言前定則不跲、事前定則不困、行前定則不疚、道前定則不窮。在下位不獲乎上、民不可得而治矣。獲乎上有道。不信乎朋友、不獲乎上矣。信乎朋友有道。不順乎親、不信乎朋友矣。順乎親有道。反諸身不誠、不順乎親矣。誠身有道。不明乎善、不誠乎身矣。誠者、天之道也。誠之者、人之道也。誠者不勉而中、不思而得、從容中道、聖人也。誠之者、擇善而固執之者也。博學之、審問之、愼思之、明辨之、篤行之。有弗學、學之弗能、弗措也。有弗問、問之弗知、弗措也。有弗思、思之弗得、弗措也。有弗辨、辨之弗明、弗措也、有弗行、行之弗篤、弗措也。人一能之己百之、人十能之己千之。果能此道矣、雖愚必明、雖柔必強。”

In all affairs, if you plan ahead you can be successful, and if you don’t plan ahead, you will fail. If you are prepared before you speak, you won’t be tongue-tied. If you are prepared before you begin a job, you won’t have complications. If you are prepared before you act, you won’t have to be sorry. If you are prepared before teaching, you won’t run out of material.

Again, if you are in a position of low rank, and you have no influence above, you will have no way of governing people. Even though there is a way of influencing superiors, if your friends don’t trust you, you won’t be able to influence superiors. Even though there is a way of gaining the trust of your friends, if you have discord with your relatives, you will not be trusted by your friends. Even though there is a way of having harmony with your relatives, if your character is not sincere, you will have discord with your relatives. Even though there is a way to make your character sincere, if you have not awakened to your goodness, you will not be able to make your character sincere.

Sincerity is the Way of Heaven. Making oneself sincere is the Way of Man. If you can be perfectly sincere without effort, without concern regarding its attainment, and walk embracing the Middle Way, you are a sage.

If you are working at making yourself sincere, you must find your goodness and hold fast to it. You must study it broadly, investigate it in detail, deliberate on it carefully, discern it clearly and practice it universally. Where there is a lack in your understanding, or your study has not yet reached the point where it is effective, don’t just leave it. When there is something you have investigated, or investigated but not understood, don’t just leave it. When there is something that you have not yet discerned, or discerned but not yet clarified, don’t just leave it. When there is something you have not yet practiced, or have practiced, but not yet universally, don’t just leave it.

If someone else gets it in one try, I will try one hundred times. If someone else gets it in ten tries, I will try one thousand times. If you are able to follow this Way, then even if you are stupid, you will become enlightened. Even if you are weak, you will become strong.

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean 中庸: 20