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Commentary on the Confucian Analects, Book 12: "Yen Yüan" Part 1/2

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7 years ago
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"Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, 'It is, when you go abroad, to behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest; to employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice; not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself; to have no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family.' Chung-kung said, 'Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I will make it my business to practice this lesson.' "

Hello everyone! It has been a busy couple of weeks, and will continue to be busy. There were two composer birthday's last week (Rossini on Wednesday, and Chopin on Thursday), so I put this series on hold for a week. I do realize that I missed Vivaldi's birthday yesterday, but I came down with the flu. Let's get into my commentaries on book 12!

Here is the first half of my commentaries on Book 12: Yen Yüan:

[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

Yen Yüan

I
How to attain to perfect virtue-a conversation with Yen Yüan

  1. Yen Yüan asked about perfect virte. The Master said, "To subdue one's self and return to propriety, is perfect virtue. If a man can for one day subdue himself and return to propriety, all under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue to him. Is the practice of perfect virtue from a man himself, or is it from others?"
  2. Yen Yüan said, "I beg to ask the steps of that process." The Master replied, "Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety." Yen Yüan then said, "Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I will make it my business to practice this lesson."

The point of this passage is that sometimes, you are defined by those around you rather than evidence. What is most important is that you understand what you want to be, and filter out anything that will lead you astray.

II
Wherein perfect virtue is realized-a conversation with Chung-kung
Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "It is, when you go abroad, to behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest; to employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice; not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself; to have no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family." Chung-kung said, "Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I will make it my business to practice this lesson."

The point of this passage is that to demonstrate virtue, you must be able to practice what you were taught in all scenarios including the least likely of them. This makes me think of the term fair-weathered. Someone who is fair-weathered only practices their beliefs when it is easy for them to practice their beliefs. As soon as they are faced with an obstacle, they will flee, lie, or change their belief at a moment's notice because the old belief does not benefit them anymore.

III
Caution in speaking a characteristic of perfect virtue-a conversation with Tsze-niu

  1. Sze-ma Niu asked about perfect virtue.
  2. The Master said, "The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech."
  3. "Cautious and slow in his speech!" said Niu-"is this what is meant by perfect virtue?" The Master said, "When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?"

Someone who is virtuous will be careful about what they say because they understand that their speech has an impact on those around them. This especially applies when difficulty and hardship strikes. They hold their beliefs as well as their tongue.

IV
How the Chün-tsze has neither anxiety nor fear, and conscious rectitude frees from these

  1. Sze-ma Niu asked about the superior man. The Master said, "The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear."
  2. "Being without anxiety or fear!" said Niu-"does this constitute what we call the superior man?"
  3. The Master said, "When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?"

This is what we all know as a modern cliche "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." The point of the passage is that if you have made peace with your own flaws, and righted your own wrongs, you should have nothing to worry about, and nothing to fear.

V
Consolation offered by Tsze-hsia to Tsze-niu anxious about the ways of his brothers
Sze-ma Niu, full of anxiety, said, "Other men all have their brothers, I only have not."
Tsze-hsia said to him, "There is the following saying which I have heard:"

  1. "Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety: then all within the four seas will be his brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?"

Someone who is superior will not have enemies because everyone will like him. He makes his own conduct appealing, and respects those around him. If he does this, none around him have reason to hate, and he has no reason to worry.

VI
What constitutes intelligence-addressed to Tsze-chang
Tsze-chang asked wht constituted intelligence. The Master said, "He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful, may be called intelligent indeed. Yea, he with whom neither soaking slander, nor startling statements, are successful, may be called farseeing."

A man is intelligent if he does not believe someone who runs someone else down unless they have evidence to back up their claims. In the same way, a man is intellient if he is not surprised by anything. This means a man who is intelligent is prepared for any scenario.

VII
Requisites in government-a conversation with Tsze-kung

  1. Tsze-kung asked about government. The Master said, "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler."
  2. Tsze-kung said, "If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first?" "The military equipment," said the Master.
  3. Tsze-kung again asked, "If it cannot be helped, and one of the remaining two must be dispensed with, which of them should be foregone?" The Master answered, "Part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of all men; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the State."

The most important thing for a state to possess is the trust of the people. If the people do not trust the government, then that government should not exist. This makes me think of John Locke's belief that government's sole function is to protect the god given rights of the people. If it becomes corrupt and stops doing this, the people are within their rights to destroy the government and create a new form.

VIII
Substantial qualities and accomplishments in the Chün-tsze

  1. Chi Tsze-ch'ang said, "In a superior man it is only the substantial qualities which are wanted-why should we seek for ornamental accomplishments?"
  2. Tsze-kung said, "Alas! Your words, sir, show you to be a superior man, but four horses cannot overtake the tongue."
  3. "Ornament is as substance; substance is as ornament. The hide of a tiger or a leopard stripped of its hair, is like the hide of a dog or a goat stripped of its hair."

I think the point of this passage is that most people view decorative bonus features as the actual product. They are saying that people don't consider what is actually important, but consider the decoration to be the most important part. A superior man seeks substantial beliefs over cosmetic achievments.

IX
Light taxation the best way to secure the government from embarrassment for want of funds

  1. The duke of Ai inquired of Yu Zo, saying, "The year is one of scarcity, and the returns for expenditure are not sufficient-what is to be done?"
  2. Yu Zo replied to him, "Why not simply tithe the people?"
  3. "With two tenths," said the duke, "I find them not enough-how could I do with that system of one-tenth?"
  4. Yu Zo answered, "If the people have plenty, their prince will not be left to want alone. If the people are in want, their prince cannot enjoy plenty alone."

If the people thrive, so too should the government. If the people lack resources, the government should also lack resources.

X
How to exalt virtue and discover delusions

  1. Tsze-chang having asked how virtue was to be exalted, and delusions to be discovered, the Master said, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles, and be moving continually to what is right-this is the way to exalt one's virtue."
  2. "You love a man and wish him to live; you hate him and wish him to die. Having wished him to live, you also wish him to die. This is a case of delusion."
  3. "It may not be on account of her being rich, yet you come to make a difference.' "

To demonstrate virtue, hold loyalty and honesty to the highest extent amongst other principles. Work towards achieving what you believe to be right. To find delusions, look for contradictions in someone's beliefs or actions.

XI
Good government obtains only when all the relative duties are maintained

  1. The duke of Ching, of Ch'i asked Confucius about government.
  2. Confucius replied "There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when father is father and the son is son."
  3. "Good!" said the duke; "if, indeed, the prince be not prince, the minister not minister, the father not father, and the son not son, although I have my revenue, can I enjoy it?"

The point of this passage is that government has a specific role to fill towards its citizens. If it does not fill this role, it is not a legitimate government.

XII
With what ease Tsze-lu could settle litigations

  1. The Master said, Ah! it is Yu, who could with half a word settle litigations!"
  2. Tsze-lu never slept over a promise

Tsze-lu does not get his hopes up over a promise.

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Confucian Analects

Art of War Review

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