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Commentary on the Confucian Analects, Book 6: "Yung Yey" Part 2/2

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7 years ago
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"Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Constant Mean! Rare for a long time has been its practice among the people."

Hello everyone! This is the next post in my Confucian Analect commentaries. If you have missed any thus far, there will be links at the bottom of this article. Today, I am commentating the second half of Book 6: Yung Yey.

Here is the second half of my commentaries on Book 6: Yung Yey:

[Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CCO Public Domain]

Original text from the Public Domain Confucian Analects (from the 2013 edition of "The Art of War and Other Classics of Eastern Thought")

@cmp2020 original commentary

Yung Yey

XV
A lament over the waywardness of men's conduct
The Master said, "Who can go out by the door? How is it that men will not walk according to these ways?"

I believe that this is saying to do things by the book. You don't need to add creative touches to things you can get done much easier using basic techniques. For example, the old cliche "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

XVI
The equal blending of solid excellence and ornamental accomplishments in a complete character
The Master said, "Where the solid qualities are in excess of accomplishments, we have rusticity; where the accomplishments are in excess of the solid qualities, we have the manners of a clerk. When the accomplishments and solid qualities are equally blended, we have the man of virtue."

What you have accomplished does not prove that you follow your moral standards. Having moral standards does not prove that you follow your moral standards. Having moral standards which are reflected by your accomplishments shows that you follow your moral standards.

XVII
Life without uprightness is not true life, and cannot be calculated on
The Master said, "Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness, and yet live, his escape from death is the effect of mere good fortune."

If you are successful without being honorable, you are lucky.

XVIII
Different stages of attainment
The Master said, "They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it."

If you know the truth but don't enjoy following it, you are inferior to those who do enjoy following it. If you enjoy following the truth but don't live for it, you are inferior to those who do live for it.

XIX
Teachers must be guided in communicating knowledge by the susceptivity of the learners
The Master said, "To those whose talents are above mediocrity, the highest subjects may be announced. To those who are below mediocrity, the highest subjects may not be announced."

This is saying that only those who are ready to learn something should learn it. In the same way, someone who is not ready to learn something should not learn it. For example, you do not give a beginner piano student a Beethoven piano concerto before first teaching them the music below that concerto.

XX
Chief elements in wisdom and virtue
Fan Ch'ih asked what constituted wisdom. The Master said, "To give one's self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom." He asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration-this may be called perfect virtue."

You are wise if you truly live to achieve what is best for yourself and those around you. A man with moral standards will first focus on overcoming a problem before even considering what success will bring.

XXI
Contrasts of the wise and virtuous
The Master said, "The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived."

The wise are willing to take risks that exceed their own moral standards if such a risk will benefit them. The virtuous are not willing to break their own moral standards for any reason. This has been a recurring idea throughout these analects, that the truly virtuous will live strictly by what they believe.

XXII
The condition of the States of Ch'i and Lu
The Master said, "Ch'i, by one change, would come to the State of Lu. Lu, by one change, would come to a State where true principles predominated."

Rather than strive for perfection right away, work in increments. The state of Ch'i should strive to be like the State of Lu. The State of Lu should strive to be a state where principles come first. In the same way, rather than strive to be the best at a field (such as piano playing), first strive to be the best at scales, then arpeggios, then interpretation, then you will be one of the best. Another example of this would be becoming a whale on Steemit. You don't just sign up and say "I'm going to make 1,000,000 Steem by posting a ton in the next week and become a whale."

XXIII
The name without the reality is folly
The Master said, "A cornered vessel without corners-a strange cornered vessel! A strange cornered vessel!"

This means that a cornered vessel needs to have corners. In the same way, a man with moral standards needs to act based on these moral standards, or he is not virtuous.

XXIV
The benevolent exercise their benevolence with prudence
Tsai Wo asked, saying, "A benevolent man, though it be told him-'There is a man in the well' will go in after him, I suppose." Confucius said, "Why should he do so? A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled."

The superior man does not blindly listen to someone. He listens, then makes judgement based on evidence as to what to do. Confucius is saying that before the superior man jumps in the well, he makes sure that (1) there is actually someone in the well, and (2) there is a way to safely rescue the person. As they say in life guarding school "Don't turn one life lost into two."

XXV
The happy effect of learning and propriety combined
The Master said, "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."

The superior man tries to learn about everything. He subscribes to manners, and makes sure to follow them in every instance. When he does these things, there is no possible way for him to accidentally overstep his boundaries.

XXVI
Confucius vindicates himself for visiting the unworthy Nan-tsze
The Master having visited Nan-tsze, Tsze-lu was displeased, on which the Master swore, saying, "Wherein I have done improperly, may Heaven reject me! May Heaven reject me!"

Talking to sinners does not make you a sinner. Being a sinner is what makes you a sinner. You are not guilty of the crimes that someone committed just because you hang out with them.

XVII
The defective practice of the people in Confucius's time
The Master said, "Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Constant Mean! Rare for a long time has been its practice among the people."

A moral standard is perfect if it is one that everyone shares. It is rare to find one that all people follow, however.

XVIII
The true nature and art of virtue

  1. Tsze-kung said, "Suppose the case of a man extensively conferring benefits on the people, and able to assist all, what would you say of him? Might he be called perfectly virtuous?" The Master said,"Why speak only of virtue in connection with him? Must he not have the qualities of a sage? Even Yao and Shun were still solicitous about this."
  2. "Now the man of perfect virtue, wishing to be established himself, seeks also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged himself, he seeks also to enlarge others."
  3. "To be able to judge of others by what is nigh in ourselves-this may be called the art of virtue."

It is not enough to discuss how your actions will benefit people. You must also, seek to help others and judge them as fairly as possible.

Previous Posts

Confucian Analects

Art of War Review

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