There are 2 classic sayings of Mencius:
1. If you don't follow the rules, you won't be Fiona Fang.
comments: without compasses and square rulers, you can't draw standard squares and circles. Metaphor to be a man should abide by the code of conduct, to do things according to industry rules, and not to be willful.
2. People do not do things, and then they can do things.
comment: if you don't do something, you can do something. Only by knowing right and wrong and not doing the wrong thing can we do the right thing.
3. If it is sharp, it will be slow.
comments: anyone who bravely advances will often retreat quickly.
4. Born in sorrow and died in happiness.
Comments: A worrying environment can often stimulate people's potential and make them stronger; Comfortable environment, often make people degenerate, retrogress, and even happy to death.
5. The benevolent is invincible.
Comments: A benevolent person loves others as himself, has no enemies and resentment in his heart, and will never be against others.
6. I want fish and bear's paw. You can't have both, and you can take the bear's paw instead of the fish. Life is what I want, and righteousness is what I want. You can't have both, and those who give up life for righteousness are also.
Comments: Nine times out of ten, things in life are not satisfactory, and no one can have everything, so we should learn to choose. Life is very important, and morality is more important. If you can only choose one, you would rather give up life than morality.
7. Old people are old; Young, young and young.
comments: each of us loves our old people and children, and we all share the same feelings, so we should think that we should treat other people's old people and children equally.
8. Those who gain the Tao will be helped more, while those who lose the Tao will be helped less.
Comments: Anything that conforms to morality will get the help of many people; Anything that goes against morality will rarely get help from others.
9. The weather is not as good as the geographical position, and the geographical position is not as good as people.
Comments: Although people are United, Mount Tai moves, weather and geographical location are all important, the most important thing is people's heart. If everyone is alienated from Germany, nothing can be done.
1. The people are the most important, followed by the country, and the monarch is the least important.
comments: in a country, the common people are the most important, in fact, it is the country, the monarch is the last, and the monarch is the lightest.
11. Everyone can think of Yao Shun.
Comments: All sentient beings have Buddha's nature, and everyone's self-nature has all wisdom and virtue, but it is stained by acquired habits and cannot be revealed. Therefore, in essence, each of us can become a saint like Yao Shun.
12. The wife will insult herself, and then others will insult her; Home will destroy itself, and then people will destroy it; The country will cut itself, and then people will cut it.
comments: to gain the respect of others, we must first know how to respect ourselves. A family, a country, is often not destroyed by other people's attacks, but by our own hands.
13, wealth can't be lewd, poverty can't be moved, and power can't be bent. This is called a gentleman.
Comments: When you are rich, you are not complacent and extravagant; If you are poor, you will not lose your fighting spirit and change your ambition; In the face of threats, he will not give in and lose his integrity. Such a person is the real gentleman.
14. He who asks for both good and bad.
comment: everyone hopes that they will be blessed and far away, but they don't know the source of the blessings. In fact, whether it is a disaster or a blessing, it has nothing to do with others, has nothing to do with gods and buddhas, and is inspired by oneself.
15. A gentleman doesn't complain.
Comments: A gentleman is happy to be a gentleman, but a villain is wronged to be a villain. A gentleman knows the truth that "there is no door to misfortune and happiness, but only people call themselves", so "those who do not do well are self-seeking" and will certainly not complain about the sky, let alone blame others.
16, nourishing the heart is not good at lust.
Comment: Zhuge Liang said in the Book of Commandments: "If you are not quiet, you will not be far away, and if you are not indifferent, you will not be able to be clear." The best way to cultivate one's mind is to be content with less, and live a simple life. If one's desire is too heavy, one's mind becomes a slave to desire, and one's mind will be confused.
17. A respectful person does not insult others, and a frugal person does not take away others.
Comments: People who treat others respectfully will never insult others; People who live frugally will never rob others of their wealth.
18. Those who love others will always love them; Those who respect others will always respect them.
Comments: The theory of "mirror reflection" in physics is also applicable to human affairs. You will get as much love as you give. If you can respect others, you will be respected by others.
19. If a promising person digs a well, digging a well for nine days is not as good as a spring, but it is still abandoning a well.
comment: doing one thing is like digging a well. You must persevere and stick to it. No matter how deep you dig a well, as long as you don't see the spring, it is an abandoned well. If you give up halfway, it will be a waste of time. Careful reflection, how many "abandoned wells" have we had in our life?
2. If you are poor, you will be alone, and if you are good, you will be good at the world.
Comments: If you are poor and frustrated, you should stick to moral integrity and strive to improve your personal cultivation; If you are successful in life, you must be mindful of the world and make contributions to the society and the public.