Confucius saidThe chun tzu is multi-perspectived and not one-sided. The hsiao jen is one-sided and not multi-perspectived. The superior man is catholic and not partisan. The mean man is partisan and not catholic. L The nobler type of man is broad-minded and not prejudiced. The inferior man is prejudiced and not broad-minded. S impartial, not neutral. neutral but not impartial. K The great man is catholic-minded, and not one-sided. J The higher type of man is catholic in his sympathy and free from party bias; the lower type of man is biased and unsympathetic. G The Superior Man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing.(Charles Muller) |
CommentaryTao is comprehensive, constant, and includes all changes. It must be taken into account in its entirety and from all standpoints, and must not be beclouded or distorted due to one-sidedness, or obsession with one or several aspects of it. Anything that is not the comprehensive tao can bring beclouding. Tao is the only correct standard to measure all other things against. A person’s beclouding can mislead him into believing he has tao, when he is merely considering parts of it, taking those parts for more than they really are, and neglecting other parts of it. A person who is like this will be prone to being partial to what he has accumulated, unable accept the whole tao, unable to value things properly, and easily misled. Do not be hasty, one-sided, or severe with judgments. Terms such as yi , jen , hsueh, wen, and so on—these refer to very complete and broad ideals and concepts. Matters that have little or no connection with one another should not merely be united in a single conception. Avoid being misled by shallow superficial views. When seeing what seems beneficial or harmful, consider whether it could also come to bring the opposite, and weight the whole in order to determine its overall merit. |