When people lack teachers, their tendencies are not corrected; when they do not have ritual and moral principles, then their lawlessness is not controlled.
XunziRead
When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote advises caution in pursuing desires, as they may lead to negative consequences over time.
Xunzi's quote emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and reflection in our pursuits. It suggests that while we may find certain things appealing or beneficial, we must recognize that they can also lead to undesirable outcomes or harm in the future. This duality serves as a reminder to approach our desires and benefits with a critical mindset, understanding the transient nature of both pleasure and pain.
Themes
DesireReflectionConsequencesPleasurePain
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a philosophy class discussion about the nature of desire.
More from Xunzi
All quotes →If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one's desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?
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A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned.
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If the gentleman has ability, he is magnanimous, generous, tolerant, and straightforward, through which he opens the way to instruct others.
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In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men's nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled.
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Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die.
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