Passages from The Analects of Confucius Essay - 1611 Words

Passages from The Analects of Confucius 128. Confucius said: â€Å"If your words are grand, you will find that it is difficult for your actions to measure up to them.† [14.21] This passage appears on page 14 in the text in the section on words and actions. The point that Confucius is trying to make here is that speaking in an exaggerated manner of yourself or your deeds is just as easy as speaking of them in any other way. But it is much harder to actually perform lofty actions than it is to perform relatively less difficult ones. Hence, it is considerably more functional to speak mildly of yourself or your actions if you intend uphold your statements in practice. Further, if you rarely speak, or even do not speak at all, your deeds and†¦show more content†¦This verse is from the section on filial piety, which means a devotion to and reverence for parents and family. To Confucius, the highest and deepest respect for parents and elders should take precedence over everything else. In the same section on filial piety, Confucius says, â€Å"When at home, a young man should serve his parents; when away from home, he should be respectful to his eldersï‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ (78). Although I doubt that Confucius was in favor of thievery, he p ut a greater importance on respect for parents, which meant not going against them. Again from the section on filial piety, Confucius says, â€Å"In serving your parents, you may disagree with them from time to time and seek to correct them gently. But if they will not go along with you, you must continue to respect and serve them without complaining.†(86). His values concerning filial piety seem to overshadow other basic morals. Although I think that Confucius was justified in his staunch adherence to the notion of ‘family first’, I disagree with the way in which he put it above other moral issue, particularly theft. His devotion seems blinding in that he may be morally righteous in his utter reverence for family and elders. But this does not mean that those he holds in such high esteem (family and elders) will share his flawless morals, thus causing him to sometimes support the immorality that springs from them. I feelShow MoreRelatedA Reflection On Confucius Philosophy1555 Words   |  7 Pagesthousand years ago, Chinese philosopher, Kongzi, also known as Confucius, taught his disciples how to follow the path to goodness. In The Analects, Confucius’s disciples describe the actions of their â€Å"Master,† and his journey to achieve goodness by performing rituals in his everyday life in order to break out of patterns. By taking steps to break out of the patterns of everyday life, one can more fully strive for goodness. 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