Confucius said, "I have shame, I have contempt, I have perished: I cannot learn from the young, the old cannot teach it, I am ashamed; I go to his hometown, and when he meets the deceased, he has no old words, I despise it; and those who deal with the little people, I am also ashamed."
Confucius said, "I have things that I think are shameful, I have things that I think are despicable, and I have things that I think are dangerous." When I was young, I couldn't study diligently, and when I was old, there was nothing to pass on to others, and I thought it was a shameful thing. Leaving my hometown and becoming a dignitary and dignitary, I suddenly met a friend from the past, and I couldn't talk about the old times, which I thought was a despicable thing. Making friends with villains, I thought it was a dangerous thing. ”
In a person's life, there can be many shameful things, but Confucius only emphasizes that not learning is a shame, why? Because in the Confucian view, learning is learning to be a person, not learning knowledge. Therefore, Confucius said: "A disciple who enters is filial piety, a disciple who goes out, who is sincere and faithful, who loves the people, and who is kind and has spare strength, learns literature." ”
Zeng Zi edited the "Analects", the first chapter is "Xueer", "Xunzi" also begins with "Persuasion", Confucius's learning ideas are passed down from generation to generation, which is really the essence of Confucian culture, you must first learn to be a person, in order to do things correctly, to be a useful person to society. Regarding the importance of learning, Xunzi said: "For it, man also; for it, the beast also." ”
Learning itself is not the goal, action is the goal, Zixia said: "Wise and wise, easy to color; to do parents, can do their best; to do things, to the king, to his body; to make friends, words and faith." Although I have not learned, I will say that I have learned. ”
Learning is a lifetime of practice, and the knowledge learned in practice is the real learning. Confucius said, "Don't you say what you learn and learn from time to time?" The so-called "Xi" is first of all practice, the learned principles of being a human being are implemented in all aspects of daily life, and through practice, we continue to deepen our understanding of the truth, discover problems in practice, and in turn promote further learning, so Confucius asked for "time" to learn, and when learning did not stop, that is, XunZi said that "learning can not be done."
Secondly, the so-called "habit" is to acquire, become the habit of behavior, integrate with our words and deeds, become a part of the body, and truly internalize in the heart and externalize in action.
Confucianism has always emphasized that to be a gentleman, to be a gentleman is not for oneself first, but to serve the society, and to help the world is the highest pursuit of a gentleman.
The Book of Verses says, "Gentlemen, there is no permanent rest." Jing Gong Er position, good is integrity. "It is not enough to just clean yourself, as a gentleman, you should not only continue to make progress, but also use the principles of being a man you have learned all your life to educate the people and make more people continue to progress, in other words, to devote your life to promoting the way of the Holy King and helping the country achieve great governance."
Confucius said, "If a friend comes from afar, don't you say anything?" "The so-called friends are like-minded people, and it is of course a happy thing to know from other people. However, some people, once their status has changed, they have been promoted and become rich, they have no friends in their eyes, their feelings are weak, and their words cannot be speculated.
Confucius said, "Go to his hometown, and do things for the king, and when you meet the deceased, you have no old words, and I despise them." Confucius despised such people because it was not the work of a gentleman. If this is true for friends, can it be good for ordinary people? Zi Gong Yue: "Poor and unscrupulous, rich and arrogant, how can it be?" Zi Yue: "But also." Those who are not poor and happy, rich and courteous. ”
A true gentleman does not care about personal gains and losses, to borrow laozi's words, "spoil and not be frightened", or as Mencius said: "Gain your will, and the people will do it; you will not be willing to do it, go your own way." Rich and noble cannot be adulterous, poor and lowly cannot be moved, and mighty cannot be bent, which is called a big husband. ”
Therefore, when the students asked Confucius about his ambitions, Confucius said: "The old man is safe, the friend believes, and the little one cherishes it." ”
The incompatibility between a gentleman and a villain is an eternal Confucian concept.
In terms of ideology, "gentlemen are harmonious but different, and villains are the same but not harmonious." ”
In the trade-off between righteousness and profit, "a gentleman is a righteous man, and a villain is a profit." ”
In terms of honor and disgrace, "gentlemen are frank, and villains are long-standing." ”
In terms of character cultivation, "a gentleman asks for himself, and a villain asks for everyone." ”
In terms of speech and demeanor, "Gentlemen are proud but not arrogant, and villains are proud but not proud." ”
In interpersonal communication, "gentlemen are not compared to the week, and villains are not compared to the week." ”
Therefore, Confucius's dating principle is "friendship straight, friend forgiveness, and friendship and more knowledge", and the villain is "easy to open, kind and gentle, and easy to do", making friends with the villain, it is dangerous, this is not only a matter of personal safety and loss, but also a damage to his own character.
By extension, the monarch should be pro-virtuous and far lesser. In the first half of his life, Duke Huan of Qi made good use of Guan Zhong, Bao Shuya, BinSuwu, Ning Qi, and Kui Peng, and became the head of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period, and in his later years he reused the use of Yi Ya, Vertical Diao, Kaifang, and other treacherous villains, and the result was that "Huan Gong's corpse was in bed for sixty-seven days, and the corpse worms came out of the household." ”
There was also Qi Jinggong, who not only used such sages as Yanzi and Huang Tho to govern the country, but also liked to use such a humble disciple as Liang Qiu to seek pleasure, which could not but be said to be a big stain. Yan Zi commented: "The monarchs of the sages are all good friends, but they have no wine and meat friends. Qi Jinggong uses both kinds of people, so it can only be done without destroying the country!"
In fact, after the Duke of Qi Jing, the authority of the State of Qi gradually fell into the hands of the Tian clan, and finally Tian Qi was established and Jiang Qi was abolished, and the foundation of the State of Qi founded by the great jiang Taigong was destroyed.
In short, the three questions of "shame, contempt, and death" put forward by Confucius here are, in the final analysis, a question of life goals, that is, to be a gentleman, that is, Xun Zi said, from a gentleman to a gentleman and a saint, the road of life is the pursuit of the road to sanctification. Confucianism is the study of gentlemen and the learning of saints.