The Book of Analects contains the sayings and teachings of Confucius presenting his ethical principles, which have played a great influence in the study of ancient philosophy.

Most of Confucius quotes in the book are related to Confucius’ description and fulfillment of the “Superior Man,” how a person becomes one, hence how to attain a kind of ideal system of living.

Parts of the Analects are about:

• Propriety
• the Truth
• Not shaming the Truth
• the Right
• Seeing but not doing the Right (Cowardice)
• Knowledge
• Contentment in learning the Right
• Not applying strength and mind with Virtue
• Loving Virtue and not external beauty]
• Words and Deeds
• Preparing for Work
• Accepting error or personal condition
• Trustworthiness
• Guarding against: lust in youth, combativeness in maturity, and ambition in old age
• Permanence in the supremely wise and the abysmally ignorant, and
• the Recognition of the Superior Man of a Divine Law

The Analects also exert some points about Governing and Education:

• Recognizing proper governance without stature
• Order by correctness of virtues, not by penalties
• Leading the able and instructing the ones who do not have the ability but who are determined, and
• the Importance of Learning

The Confucian Analects also teach about Understanding and Action:

• Knowing and Understanding humans and their True Selves
• Understanding real motives
• Contending, and
• Repaying kindness with kindness, justice with enmity, and reciprocity

Lastly, Confucius also touches on these subjects in the Analects:

• Profitableness
• the appointments of Heaven, and
• Perfect Virtue

The Three Fold Way of the Superior Man:

1. Virtuous, free from anxiety
2. Wise, free from perplexities
3. Bold, free from fear

Three Things which the Superior Man Stands in Awe:

1. of the Ordinance of Heaven
2. of Great Men
3. of the Words of Sages

Five Things to Practice towards Perfect Virtue:

1. Gravity
2. Generosity of Soul
3. Sincerity
4. Earnestness
5. Kindness

The Ultimate Steps to Perfect Virtue:

1. Look not,
2. Listen not,
3. Speak not, and
4. Make no movement to that which is contrary to propriety

A man cannot live with the birds and beasts. If I do not live with men, with whom shall I live?

He who is concerned only with the purity of his own life ruins the great human relations.

In their private lives [hermits] found purity; in their retirement they found what the circumstance demanded. I am different. For me there is nothing that is possible or impossible under all circumstances.

If the world was in order, there would be no need of me to change it.

If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others.

In teaching, there should be no distinction in classes.

Do to no one what you would not wish others to do to you.

Do not display to your inferiors what you hate in your superiors. Do not offer your neighbors on the left what you hate in your neighbors on the right.

What the Superior Man seeks is in himself. What the mean man seeks is in others.

Words must be set aright. What inheres in words should be brought out. The prince should be a prince, the father a father, the man a man. But language is constantly misused; words are employed for meanings that do not befit them. A separation arises between being and language. He who has the inner being also has the words; he who has words does not always have the inner being.

The Superior Man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.

When I was young, my condition was low, and therefore I acquired my ability in many things, but they were mean matters… By nature men are nearly alike, but by practice they get to be wide apart.

A transmitter and not a maker, believing and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself to the old P’ang… I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.

I do not open up the Truth to one who is not eager to get knowledge.

You think I have learned much and know much? No, I have [only] one thing by which to penetrate all.

No one can be regarded as a Superior Man who does not know the calling of Heaven; no one can be regarded as mature who does not know the laws of Conduct, no one can know men who does not understand their Words.

Heaven produced the virtue that is within me.

Confucius…

… is simply a man, who in his eager pursuit (of knowledge) forgets his food, who in the joy of its attainment forgets his sorrows, and who does not perceive that old age is coming on.

Alas! There is no one that knows me… I do not murmur against Heaven. I do not grumble against men. My studies lay low, and my penetration rises high… But there is Heaven – that knows me.

The Confucian Analects may just have been the start of Confucianism. (The Confucianism main principle is the doctrine of the middle (mean), also known as Confucius' "Golden Rule").

(c) Ae Dechavez

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