Website owner: James Miller
The superior person
The following quotations on the superior man are from Confucius:
The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.
The object of the superior man is truth.
The virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit.
The gentleman understands what is right, whereas the petty man understands
profit.
The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
Fix your mind on truth, hold firm to virtue, rely on loving kindness, and find your recreation in
the Arts.
Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou
wilt go near the gods.
The way of the superior person is threefold; virtuous, they are free from anxieties; wise they are
free from perplexities; and bold they are free from fear.
If there were one word that could act as a standard of conduct for one's entire life, perhaps it
would be 'thoughtfulness'.
The demands that good people make are upon themselves; those that bad people make are upon others.
The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified
ease.
The superior man examines his heart, that there may be nothing wrong there, and that he may
have no cause for dissatisfaction with himself.
The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking
to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute
points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy.
There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth … lust. When he is strong … quarrelsomeness. When he is old … covetousness.
When the Superior Man eats he does not try to stuff himself; at rest he does not seek perfect comfort; he is diligent in his work and careful in speech.
The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.
The superior man...does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.
What the superior man seeks is in himself. What the mean man seeks is in others.
Men's natures are alike, it is their habits that carry them far apart.
To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.
Confucius
The following are from Buddha:
The teaching is simple. Do what is right. Be Pure.
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.
The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.
We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.
To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.
Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.
Set your heart on doing good. Do it over and over again, and you will be filled with joy.
If a traveller does not meet with one who is his better, or his equal, let him firmly keep to his solitary journey; there is no companionship with a fool.
The one who has conquered himself is a far greater hero than he who has defeated a thousand times a thousand men.
More than those who hate you, more than all your enemies, an undisciplined mind does greater harm.
Contentment is the greatest wealth.
Buddha
The first priority of the superior person is truth, justice, and doing the right thing. The first priority of the common person is pleasure, money, social acceptance, social status, etc. What is most important to the superior man is not what is most important to most people. What is most important to most people is not what is most important to the superior man. The quest for pleasure, money, etc. is what shapes and guides the thoughts of most people. The superior person seeks truth and understanding and pursues right, virtue, and goodness.
June 2014
On Self-sufficient Country Living, Homesteading
Topically Arranged Proverbs, Precepts, Quotations. Common Sayings. Poor Richard's Almanac.
Theory on the Formation of Character
People are like radio tuners --- they pick out and listen to one wavelength and ignore the rest
Cause of Character Traits --- According to Aristotle
We are what we eat --- living under the discipline of a diet
Avoiding problems and trouble in life
Role of habit in formation of character
Personal attributes of the true Christian
What determines a person's character?
Love of God and love of virtue are closely united
Intellectual disparities among people and the power in good habits
Tools of Satan. Tactics and Tricks used by the Devil.
The Natural Way -- The Unnatural Way
Wisdom, Reason and Virtue are closely related
Knowledge is one thing, wisdom is another
My views on Christianity in America
The most important thing in life is understanding
We are all examples --- for good or for bad
Television --- spiritual poison
The Prime Mover that decides "What We Are"
Where do our outlooks, attitudes and values come from?
Sin is serious business. The punishment for it is real. Hell is real.
Self-imposed discipline and regimentation
Achieving happiness in life --- a matter of the right strategies
Self-control, self-restraint, self-discipline basic to so much in life