In the "Xunzi Fa Xing" chapter, Xunzi mainly tells several stories of Confucius and Zengzi, and warns us that we must follow the essence of etiquette in dealing with people, understand the spirit of etiquette from the source, stand up to the right, and push ourselves and others, so that we can live a stable life, have a happy family, be respected, have a successful career, and have no regrets in life.
He is like the master of the carpenter, but he cannot be above the law of the square and straight; the saint is the model of all generations, but he cannot exceed the norms of etiquette. The liturgy, the average person will follow the liturgy, but rarely really understand it, know it but do not know why it is so; the saints follow the liturgy and understand its true connotation, know its nature and know its reason.
The Book of Verses says, "Trickle of water, not smothering." The hub has been broken, but it is a great spoke. The matter has failed, but it is too much to rest. "A trickle flows from the source, and as long as it is not blocked, the water flow will not be blocked. The hub in the center of the wheel has been broken, and it has to be covered with spokes; things have failed, and what is the use of sighing deeply?
Zeng Zi said: "Do not alienate your family but get close to outsiders, because it is contrary to human morality; do not act improperly and resent others, because this is far from the source of the matter; do not suffer punishment before calling for heaven and earth, because it is too late to regret it."
ZengZi was seriously ill, and his son Zeng Yuan held his feet. ZengZi said, "Son, you must remember! I have a few words to tell you. Fish turtles and shrews live in deep pools but still feel too shallow, drill down to settle down; the eagle eagles think that the mountains are still too low, so they nest and roost in the big trees of the mountains. However, they will still be captured, presumably because they cannot resist the temptation of bait. If a gentleman does not destroy morality for his own gain, shame will not come. ”
Zeng Zi said: "If I make friends with people but I am not liked, it must be that I lack benevolence; when I make friends with people but are not respected, I must not respect my friends; when I face financial problems, I am not trusted, it must be that I have no credit."
If you have these three problems, how can you resent others? To resent others is to be cornered; to resent heaven is to have no insight. Isn't it too out of touch with reality that the fault lies in one's own blame for others? ”
Nanguo Huizi asked Zigong, "Under Confucius's door, why are the people who come and go so diverse and not pure?" ”
Zigong said: "The gentleman himself is physically and mentally upright to receive people from all sides, and those who come do not refuse, and they do not want to leave. Moreover, at the gate of good medicine, there must be many patients coming and going, and there must be a lot of curved wood next to the fence used for plastic surgery, which is why the master's disciples are so diverse. ”
Zigong asked, "Whoever has a word that can be practiced for life?" Zi Yue: "Forgiveness! Do not do to others what you do not want. Zi Yue: "Sam! My way has always been consistent. Zeng Ziyi: "Only." The son came out, and the doorman asked, "What is it?" Zeng Zi said, "The way of the Master is only faithful and forgiving." ”
Confucius said: "A gentleman should push himself and others in three aspects: as a courtier, he cannot serve the monarch faithfully, and after becoming a monarch, he wants to drive his subjects at will, which is not in line with the way of loyalty and forgiveness; as a child, he cannot repay the parenting grace of his parents, and after becoming a parent, he demands filial piety from his children, which is not in line with the way of loyalty and forgiveness; as a younger brother, he cannot respect his elder brother, and after having a younger brother, he asks his younger brother to obey his words, which is not in line with the way of loyalty and forgiveness." If a scholar can push himself and others in these three aspects, his body and mind will be corrected. ”
Confucius said: "A gentleman has three aspects of the problem that must not be seriously considered: if he does not study when he is young, he will have no talent when he grows up; when he is old, he cannot teach others, and no one will miss him after he dies; when he is rich, he will not give alms, and when he is poor, there will be no one to help."
Therefore, when a gentleman thinks about what happens when he grows up, he will study hard; when he thinks about what happens after death in old age, he will teach future generations wholeheartedly; when he thinks about poverty when he is rich, he will know how to give alms.