"Doctorine of the Mean" - читать интересную книгу автора (Confucius)

500 BC
THE DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN
Confucius

What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with
this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is
called Instruction.
The path may not be left for an instant. If it could be left, it
would not be the path. On this account, the superior man does not wait
till he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to be
apprehensive.
There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing
more manifest than what is minute. Therefore the superior man is
watchful over himself, when he is alone.
While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the
mind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium. When those
feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there
ensues what may be called the state of Harmony. This Equilibrium is
the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and
this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.
Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a
happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things
will be nourished and flourish.
Chung-ni said, "The superior man embodies the course of the Mean;
the mean man acts contrary to the course of the Mean.
"The superior man's embodying the course of the Mean is because he
is a superior man, and so always maintains the Mean. The mean man's
acting contrary to the course of the Mean is because he is a mean man,
and has no caution."
The Master said, "Perfect is the virtue which is according to the
Mean! Rare have they long been among the people, who could practice
it!
The Master said, "I know how it is that the path of the Mean is
not walked in:-The knowing go beyond it, and the stupid do not come up
to it. I know how it is that the path of the Mean is not
understood:-The men of talents and virtue go beyond it, and the
worthless do not come up to it.
"There is no body but eats and drinks. But they are few who can
distinguish flavors."
The Master said, "Alas! How is the path of the Mean untrodden!"
The Master said, "There was Shun:-He indeed was greatly wise! Shun
loved to question others, and to study their words, though they
might be shallow. He concealed what was bad in them and displayed what
was good. He took hold of their two extremes, determined the Mean, and
employed it in his government of the people. It was by this that he
was Shun!"
The Master said "Men all say, 'We are wise'; but being driven
forward and taken in a net, a trap, or a pitfall, they know not how to
escape. Men all say, 'We are wise'; but happening to choose the course
of the Mean, they are not able to keep it for a round month."