Confucius, also known as Kong Qui or K'ung Fu-Tzu, lived during 551-479 BC. He was a famous Chineses philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period, i.e., 771-476 BCE. He was also referred to as politician, advisor, teacher, prophet and reformer at different times of Chinese history. His teachings and philosophies are also called Confucianism and are present in the book, Analects. They are generally focused on building ethical, educational and moral standards in a society.
Some of the best Confucius quotes are-
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
One should not perceive failure as an end to their journey but should merely see it as a step closer to their goal. Each failure is anything but adversity as it brings a lot of lessons that can improve and make us more equipped for success. Each fall is a success story in itself only when we decide to not back down and rise again.
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
Best way to learn is through experience. Experience is better than any other teacher as a teacher could only teach us through sermon or making us witness the object. The former mostly get lost from our memory. The latter one, even though we are more likely to remember, we still can't completely understand it. But when we experience it, we become participants. In this, not just sight and hearing, but all our faculties participate in the experience and thus leads to better understanding.
He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
In the above quote, Confucius states the importance of critically examining every teaching or text they come across. As lack of comprehensive analysis defeats the purpose of learning. Whereas, idle thinking without learning the facts and truths is baseless and could be harmful as they can be further from reality.
The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
The process of personal excellence is dynamic and multileveled. The important components of the process are- a resolution to win, yearning to be successful and most importantly, the passion to be the perfect version of oneself. Without these qualities, it is rather difficult and almost impossible to excel.
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
Beauty is a subjective concept which is often misunderstood by many people. They generally have a very narrow definition of beauty, and they often disapprove whatever is inconsistent with society's standard. What is imperative is that one should redefine the concept. When this is done, one can finally see that beauty is omnipresent in everything we come across.
It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.
Love and hate are the most powerful feelings in the world. Hate comes easily while to be able to love someone needs a lot of courage. Similarly, all good things do not come easy to us and require constant efforts from our end. When we stop working for these things, by default sooner or later, we start slipping into worse circumstances.
To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.
Being aware of one's strengths and weaknesses are one of the most important knowledge. If you are aware of what your skills are, you will be able to choose your career path correctly. If you know the limitation of your knowledge, you will be wise enough not to take up work that you cant complete efficiently. Or at least you will first gain an understanding of the work, learn the required skills and then only get started with it.
The object of the superior man is truth.
In a world which often has some grey areas, it is easy for people to get deluded by lies. It is only a wise man who sets out for the truth and not for the lies. He doesn't make his goals around riches or fame but only for truth and its understanding.
Some more quotes by Confucius....
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
Diamonds are valuable even if they lack some lustre or are badly cut. On the other hand, even the most exquisitely cut pebble will still be a pebble and be less valuable than a diamond. He is trying to say that if you are as rare as a diamond, ie, you possess unique talents and skills, don't abandon it to conform to society. He is trying to say that it is better to be a high-quality person with high goals, and then fail rather than being ordinary with easy goals and succeeding.
Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
It means that no matter what you decide to do, do it with all your heart. Dedicate yourself completely, put your back into the work and do it passionately with love. Only then will you enjoy it. And only when you enjoy something, will you persevere in it. Perseverance is what gets you victory.
Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.
There are three qualities that every person should possess- wisdom, compassion and courage. He should be knowledgeable about the workings of the real world. He should be courageous enough to go for whatever he desires and able to sustain the hardships in his journey. He should be kind and loving towards others.
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
He says that there are three ways to learn something. First is the highest and most honourable way, which is through reflection. By pondering over whatever is happening around you, its pros and cons, its effects on the present as well as future, and introducing your own insights to the topic to deduce better understanding, is reflection. Second is the easiest method of imitating others. By following other wise men, copying whatever they are saying and doing, you can be wise too. The third is the harshest route through experience. By participating in the events around you, facing the repercussions, learning the lessons, an experience can lead to unwavering wisdom.
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
In the above quote, he reinstates the importance of respect for others. It is the cardinal rule of the society that we should not mistreat others as we wouldn't want the same kind of treatment for ourselves. This is what humanity is all about. One beautiful feature of this universe is that the love and respect that we give generally gets reciprocated too.
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
Humbleness is the accessory that a wise man wears. It is his actions that count as they supersede his promises.
Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.
This is a very famous quote of Confucius which has been subjected to different kinds of interpretations. Most popular being, the one related to the allegory of sword dancing. Sword dancing was a popular art form in ancient times. He is saying not to hand over a sword to a person who is not skilled enough in sword dancing as he could easily end up injuring himself or others. In other words, he is suggesting not to put someone in charge of something that he doesn't understand or has no experience of. It can only be detrimental.
The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.
A person of high values understands what is right and wrong and directs his actions based on it. While a person with not enough wisdom will think about what will be more profitable. His actions will be targeted at getting more monetary and other superficial gains.
They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
To be always happy, you need to continuously adapt. Time will pass, and with it conditions around you will change. It would help if you were flexible enough that you can learn and unlearn whenever required.
Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbours.
A virtuous man will always attract others. He who is kind, honest, compassionate and wise will always enjoy other's company.
Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.
The fact that old age is inevitable can lead to apprehension and worry as it brings a lot of physical, mental and emotional issues. One such issue is that our professional and social role in society is generally taken over by someone else. This can make us feel inefficient and futile. Confucius says that instead of feeling scared and questioning your abilities, take pride in your life's work and enjoy observing others.
To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
According to Confucius, the perfect virtue is adherence to five qualities in every situation. First is, the seriousness of the matter should not get lost on you. You should not take important things lightly or in jest. Secondly, you should have a spirit that makes you happy when you freely interact and share with others. You should willingly and openly share your gifts with others without expecting anything in return. Third, you should be genuine and talk and act according to your true feelings. Fourth, you should show conviction and dedication in your work. Lastly, you should always be kind to others.
Conclusion
In this article, we have read some of the best Confucius quotes on Life, Relationships, Love and Success.
Co-author: Shreya Arya
A digital marketing enthusiast with experience in HR and hospital management, Shreya has wide interests ranging from philosophy, psychology to latest trends in automation. She is also a freelance content writer and loves lending beautiful words to ideas and feelings.
