World Philosophical Heritage

Wisdom and teachings of
Confucianism

325 quote(s) | Page 6 / 14

contact_support

I nteracting with Others Away from Home ??? Older siblings should love and care for the younger ones; younger siblings should love and respect the older ones. Getting along well with one’s siblings is a sign of respecting one’s parents and caring that they are happy.

quote 8814 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

W e should regard our aunts and uncles as if they were our parents, and our cousins as if they were our siblings.

quote 8813 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

I f we are in a vehicle and see an elder whom we know passing by, we should get out and greet the person [if the situation safely allows]. We continue on our way only after the elder has left us.

quote 8812 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

W hen meeting elders whom we know, greet them promptly and respectfully. If they do not greet us in return, respectfully stand aside.

quote 8811 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

W hen addressing elders, do not call them by their first name. When in the presence of an elder, do not show off.

quote 8810 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

W hen an elder is standing, do not sit. After an elder sits down, sit only when invited to do so.

quote 8809 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

W hen an elder is asking for someone, find that person right away. If we cannot find that person, we should immediately report back and ask if we can help instead.

quote 8808 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

W hen siblings value family ties more than possessions, resentment will not arise. When siblings are careful with their words, feelings of anger naturally dissolve.

quote 8807 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

W hen meeting elders, walk briskly towards them; when leaving, do not do so in haste. When answering a question, look attentively at the person.

quote 8806 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

W hen drinking, eating, walking, or sitting, let the elders do so first; younger ones follow.

quote 8805 | Guidelines for Being a Good Person
Guidelines for Being a Good Person, Pure Land Translation Team, Chapter 2

T hrough practising the discourse of the Three Teachings, I come to realize they are equally good, even though on the surface they appear to be different, the nature of their principles is the same. They all have the same purpose in mind teaching and encouraging people to be good.

quote 8752 | The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng
The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng

T he six Books of Chinese Classics are to educate the mass population. However, if one hopes to elevate one's spiritual realm, one must use the Buddhist scriptures as the guide. If all my people can adhere to the teaching of Confucianism and Buddhism and become honest, down-to-earth, and good-natured, the country will be at peace and I will have nothing more to worry about.

quote 8751 | The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng
The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng

T he Buddha’s teaching of the ‘Five Precepts’ and the ‘Ten Virtuous’ leads people to goodness. The Confucian teaching of the ‘Five Moral Conducts and One Hundred Ways’ also induce, give incentive, and persuade people to be good. Is there any sacred teaching that does not lead people to do the same?

quote 8750 | The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng
The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng

I f ten people in a village of one hundred families abide by the Five Precepts, we will have ten people who are friendly, kind, honest, cautious and respectful. In a region of one thousand families, if one hundred people abide by the Ten Good Conducts, we will have one hundred people live in harmony. If we apply this same principle to the whole nation where we may have a hundred million of households, we will have millions of virtuous people living in harmony. If we can practise one good conduct, one less evil will be committed. One less evil conduct means the elimination of one punishment. If each family reduces the crime rate by one, we can eliminate thousands and thousands of punishments. Yes, indeed, the country will be in peace and your Highness can sit on your throne without any worry.

quote 8749 | The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng
The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng

A ll the Three Teachings (Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism) have the capacity to help people be enlightened in China because all Three Teachings derive from the same original source. Their teachings run parallel to each other, thus they do not conflict each other. It is only when people do not have thorough understanding that their minds become unclear and they have differences of opinion. The Taoists think Taoism is better than Buddhism is less esteemed. The Buddhists say Taoism is not as great as Buddhism. The Confucians exclude them both and claim they are not correct. Thus they contradict and compete with each other, each aiming to dominate over the other two. But they only find themselves in a tight contest.

quote 8748 | The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng
The Imperial Edict of Emperor Yong Zheng

C onfucius said, ‘People regard their leaders as their hearts, and leaders treat their people as their own bodies . . . The heart is protected by the body, but can also suffer injury due to the discomfort of the body. The national leader exists because of the people, but can also meet their end due to the discontent of the people.’

quote 7603 | The Book of Ritual

T he propriety between a leader and their subordinate is like the heart and body. The heart must be firm and the leader must be virtuous and wise. As the body must be accommodating and in harmony with the heart, the subordinate must remain faithful to the leader. As the heart is protected by the body, the leader can be at ease due to the efforts of their subordinates.

quote 7602 | The Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals

J ust as flames will expire without fuel, a child will counsel the father but will not abandon him because they form one inter-reliant whole. The Analects of Confucius says, ‘When serving parents, we should offer counsel often with a caring voice.’ It continues, ‘We should always be respectful to them and not act contrary to their wishes if proper.’

quote 7601 | The Bai Hu Tong

P arents and children are one entity. A husband and wife are one entity. Siblings are one entity. The relationship of parents to children is as the head to the feet. A husband and wife are like two halves of a whole. Siblings are like the four limbs of a human body.

quote 7600 | The Book of Etiquette & Ceremonial
The Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial Annotated by Zheng Kangcheng

T he principles of being a person of noble character start from the rapport between husband and wife, the truth of which, at its utmost, enables us to thoroughly understand the way of the universe.

quote 7599 | The Zhongyong

C onfucius said, ‘. . . If one were able to perfect his filial piety and attention to fraternal duties, his spirit would be consonant with the highest virtue of the universe, and his mind and prayers would reach and move the Divine. The light of his great virtue would illuminate the whole world and all would be touched by the virtues of filial piety.’

quote 7598 | Confucius
The Classic of Xiao (Xiao Jing), chap. 16 : The Moral Effort and the Response from the Divine

C onfucius said, ‘For teaching the people to love one another there is nothing better than the education of Xiao; for teaching the people to be courteous and harmonious there is nothing better than the education of Ti; for changing bad customs there is nothing better than good, undefied music; for making the rulers at ease and the people orderly there is nothing better than the education of great etiquette.’

quote 7597 | Confucius
The Classic of Xiao (Xiao Jing), chap. 12 : Broad and Crucial Doctrine

C onfucius said, ‘. . . He who loves his parents does not dare to do evil unto others; he who respects his parents does not dare to be arrogant to others. ’

quote 7596 | Confucius
The Classic of Xiao (Xiao Jing), chap. 2 : The Son of Heaven

C onfucius said, ‘ . . . Filial piety (the Way of Xiao) is taught so that all who are fathers will be respected. Fraternal duties (the Way of Ti) is taught so that all who are elder brothers will be respected.’

quote 7595 | Confucius
The Classic of Xiao (Xiao Jing), chap. 13 : Broad and highest virtue

C onfucius said, ‘Filial piety (Xiao) is the foundation of (all) virtue, and out of which grows all teachings and (moral and religious) education.’

quote 7594 | Confucius
The Classic of Filial Piety (Xiao Jing), chap. 1: Opening Explanation

Page: 5 |6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Etc.

World Sacred Scriptures

The Dhammapada
The Diamond sutra and the Heart Sutra
The Bible
Corpus Hermetica
The Bhagavad Gita
The Laws of Manu
The Upanishads
The Holy Koran (External Link)
The Zohar (External Link)
Shri Guru Granth Sahib
The Avesta
The Writings of Bahá’u’lláh
Apocrypha of the Bible
The Dao De Jing
Tibetan Book of the Dead

Quotes from the World Religion

God Love All Beings

Scriptures 360

Bahai 360
Buddhism 360
Christianity 360
Hinduism 360
Islam 360

Jainism 360
Judaism 360
Sickhim 360
Taoism 360
Zoroastrism 360

Quotes by sacred scriptures

Quotes by authors

Quotes by schools of thought

Quotes by subjects

Search quotes by keywords