Chapter 12 5. Self-transcendence

When it comes to heroes, think of heroes.There is a saying that "a man who knows the current affairs is a hero". Some people think that this statement is a bit speculative.But the heroes mentioned in "Mencius" have a different concept. Mencius said: "Those who wait for King Wen to prosper are ordinary people. If they are heroes, they will prosper even if there is no King Wen." Mencius said: "It is ordinary people who wait for the appearance of King Wen of Zhou to cheer up." .As for the really outstanding people, even if there is no King Wen of Zhou, they can still work hard.”

In traditional society, ordinary people lack autonomy due to limited knowledge and environment. Therefore, from state affairs to personal decisions, they must rely on outstanding leaders, just like a flock of sheep waiting for the instructions of the shepherd.Therefore, Mencius's so-called "those who wait for King Wen to prosper later are ordinary people" can be regarded as a very objective description.But what did King Wen of Zhou do to cheer up the common people?Carry out benevolent government. During the Shang Zhou Dynasty, King Zhou was tyrannical and innocent, and the people were in dire straits.If most people don't join forces with Shang Zhou, they will be discouraged, thinking that there is no fairness and justice in the world, and there is no proper retribution for good and evil.So at that time, many people hid among the people, fled to the seaside, and even hid in the mountains, waiting for a benevolent leader to come out and lead the country back on the right track.King Wen of Zhou implemented many policies to take care of the common people, so he had a good reputation.He made good deeds be rewarded and those who did evil were punished. It is mentioned in "Mencius" that he is especially kind to the elderly and has implemented many old-age care measures.Therefore, many people cheered up when they heard that King Wen of Zhou practiced benevolent government.

Mencius believed that it was only ordinary people who cheered up like this, not heroes.A real hero is one who has to cheer himself up even if there is no King Wen of Zhou.why?Because there is a basic principle of Confucianism, that is, everyone is a moral subject, and a moral subject has an inner strength, which is not only sincerity, but also a kind of moral courage, which can cheer oneself up and do what one should do Things, unaffected by external currents.Therefore, a real hero is one who can stand on his own feet no matter whether the times are bright or dark, and whether there are sages or not.He is responsible for himself, and he wants to cultivate his personality to a perfect state. With his wisdom and love, he will work hard to create an ideal situation for himself and the country.This kind of hero who created the era is worthy of our admiration and emulation.However, just doing this, Mencius thought it was not enough, what else should be done?

Living in the vastness of the world.Stand the right place in the world.Walk the avenue of the world.Success.Free it with the people.Unwilling, walk alone.Wealth and honor cannot be promiscuous, poverty and lowliness cannot be moved, and might cannot be subdued. This is called a real man. ("Mencius Teng Wen Gong Xia") Live in the most spacious house in the world, stand in the most correct position in the world, and walk on the widest road in the world; if you can realize your ambition, you will walk on the right path with the people; if you cannot realize your ambition, you will walk on the right path alone.Riches and honors cannot make him indulge, poverty and lowliness cannot make him betray, and mighty power cannot make him submit. Only in this way can he be called a real man.

Living widely in the world is benevolence; establishing the right position in the world is propriety; walking the great way of the world is righteousness.Mencius believed that as long as a person has achieved benevolence, propriety, and righteousness, he can stand firm anywhere in the world.Why?Confucius said: "Virtue is not alone, there must be neighbors." A virtuous person will not be alone, and there must be someone to support him.Because human nature is good, people everywhere in ancient and modern China and abroad are the same.Then, when you are successful, that is to say, scholars have the opportunity to become an official, you can walk on the right path together with the common people; "Being alone" doesn't mean that I don't associate with others, but that I cultivate myself first and wait for the time to come.

The next three sentences, "Wealth and honor cannot be promiscuous, poverty and lowliness cannot be moved, and power cannot be subdued" have been talked about by Chinese people through the ages. "Wealth and nobility should not be promiscuous" means that in the midst of wealth and honor, one should not confuse one's will.Achievements in the world are easy to confuse people, and they get deeper and deeper. "Poverty and lowliness cannot be moved" is the opposite. When I am poor and helpless, should I give up or change my principles of life?Absolutely, human integrity can be tested and proved most in times of hardship and peril. We should seize this opportunity to taste the fun that Confucius and Yan Hui said. "Mighty and unyielding" means that when faced with power and violence, can it make me yield?cannot.As long as I "shrink myself" and am sure that I am on the side of justice, I must stand my ground and let justice be done because of my actions.

It can be seen from this that wealth, wealth, poverty, and power are all imposed on me from the outside, but I have a master in my heart, and I have a moral self-consciousness, so changes in the external situation will not affect me.Mencius called such a state "big man", that is, a real hero.Of course, "big men" are by no means only men. In ancient society, women had less opportunities to receive education and develop in society.Now the times are different, everyone is equal, regardless of gender, as long as a person can realize the inner dignity, face himself sincerely, and do things that are in line with benevolence, propriety, and righteousness, he will be indifferent in the three situations of wealth, poverty, and might. If you change your principles, you will be a real man and a hero.A man and a hero don’t necessarily want to make great achievements, but to be able to establish the subjectivity of one’s own life.

Confucianism likes to regard Yao and Shun as role models, especially Mencius.When Mencius arrived in the state of Qi, King Xuan of Qi had not seen him at that time, so he sent someone to see what Mencius looked like. Chu Zi said: "The king sent people to kill the master, is it different from others?" Mencius said: "Why are you different from others? Yao and Shun have the same ears as people." ("Mencius Li Louxia") Chu Zi said: "The king of Qi sent someone to spy on you, is there really something different from others?" Mencius said: "What is different from others? Yao and Shun are also like ordinary people."

King Qi wanted to know if Mencius, a world-renowned university student, had a special appearance, or whether his living habits were different from others, such as whether he had a dignified appearance and expressed benevolence, righteousness and morality when he spoke every day.As a result, Mencius said, How can I be different from others?Even Yao and Shun were like ordinary people.In other words, since saints like Yao and Shun are no different from ordinary people, everyone has the hope to become Yao and Shun. After hearing this, a man named Cao Jiao came to ask Mencius for advice.He said: "Everyone can become Yao and Shun. Is there such a saying?" Mencius said: "Yes!" Cao Jiao asked: "I heard that King Wen of Zhou was ten feet tall, and Shang Tang was nine feet tall. Both of them have become emperors, and I, Cao Jiao, is nine feet four inches tall, among these two people, how come I can only eat?" To be honest, everyone would feel dizzy when they heard this kind of question.What is the relationship between height and achievement?Not playing basketball.It can be seen that Cao Jiao is really cute and honest.How did Mencius answer him?

The way of Yao and Shun is nothing more than filial piety.The son who obeys Yao's clothes, recites Yao's words, and performs Yao's deeds is nothing more than Yao.The son obeys Jie's obedience, recites Jie's words, and acts in Jie's deeds, that is nothing more than Jie. ("Mencius Gaozi II") The right way of Yao and Shun is nothing but filial piety and brotherhood.You wear the clothes that Yao wore, say what Yao said, and do what Yao did, and thus become Yao.You put on the clothes that Jie wore, said what Jie said, and did what Jie did, and thus became Jie. Jie, is Xia Jie, one of the worst people in ancient times.Yao was a saint, one of the best.Mencius believed that when a person imitates others, no matter he learns from bad to learn from good, he starts from the external imitation, and then to his words and deeds.Cao Jiao is obviously not a person who likes to think very much, that's why he asked such a question.But Mencius’ answer was to tell him a simple way, which is to find a role model and follow him. What he did, I followed suit. As time passed, I forgot whether I learned it or did it myself.For example, after doing good deeds for a long time, I will forget whether I am doing good deeds to gain fame or because of inner requirements. Anyway, after doing them for a long time, it becomes a habit, and I will naturally do good deeds.It can be seen from this that Mencius attaches great importance to "habits", that is, as long as you study hard and practice hard, in the long run, your life will naturally be transformed.This is the same reason as the Westerners say "habit is second nature".

So, where should one learn from Yao and Shun?Mencius said: "The way of Yao and Shun is filial piety to younger brothers." Filial piety to parents and friendship to brothers and sisters is the smooth way for us to walk on the way of saints.Because filial piety comes from everyone's primitive and natural feelings.If we are not filial and fraternal, how can we go on to care for others and serve the society?How can we talk about the ideal of governing the country and the world?So Mencius encouraged Cao Jiao to learn from "filial piety". After hearing what Mencius said, Cao Jiao was very happy.He said, then I am going to meet Zou Jun.What's the meaning?Mencius was from the state of Zou, Cao Jiao was from the state of Cao, and was a relative of the monarch of the state of Cao, and Lord Zou was Duke Mu of Zou.Cao Jiao went to see Mr. Zou, hoping to borrow a place to study under Mencius.But Mencius seemed unwilling to accept this student, thinking that this person not only had a problem with his wisdom, but also his determination to do things.That's why Mencius said a word: If the way of the husband and the road are clear, how difficult is it to know?People don't ask for an ear when they are sick.If the son returns and asks for it, there will be more than one teacher. ("Mencius Gaozi II") The right path of life is like the main road, how can it be difficult to understand?As long as people don't look for it.You go back and look for it yourself, there are a lot of teachers. Why is "Tao" like a big road?Because "Tao" comes from people's inner conscience.As long as you face yourself sincerely, you will find that the conscience in your heart is constantly asking you to do good deeds, ask you to be filial to your parents, and to take care of your juniors, because filial piety is the most basic principle of being a human being.You can be filial to your parents, "the old and the old are the same as the old"; you can take care of the younger generation, "the young and the young are the young of the people"; then, what is so difficult about reaching the spiritual realm of a saint like Yao and Shun?The problem is that many people do not go back to their hearts at all, do not look into their own conscience, always pay attention to external achievements, envy the achievements of others, and even visit famous teachers everywhere, thinking that they can point out a bright future.Actually?In terms of knowledge and skills, we should learn from others with an open mind, and it is not difficult to achieve specific results.But in terms of the principles of life and the distinction between good and evil, you should first listen to the instructions of your inner conscience and try to follow them.If we persevere, everyone has the possibility to become Yao and Shun. Birds of a feather flock together.Man always chooses the group communication that suits him.With the growth of age and the increase of experience, the scope of making friends becomes wider and wider.Wherever you go, there are friends who respond with the same voice and seek the same spirit. This is a happy thing.But Mencius believed that this was not enough, one had to learn how to make friends with the ancients.why?Because sometimes people will inevitably feel that their ideals cannot find anyone who can echo them in reality. At this time, maybe the ancients who are like-minded can bring you a lot of comfort and encouragement. Mencius said to Wan Zhang: "The good men of one village will be friends with the good men of one town, the good men of one country will be friends with the good men of one country, and the good men of the world will be friends with the good men of the world. foot, and talk about the ancients. Praise his poems, read his books, don’t know him, is it possible? This is also to talk about his life. He is also a friend.” ("Mencius Ten Thousand Chapters") Mencius said to Wan Zhang: "The outstanding scholars in a township should be friends with the outstanding scholars in this township; the outstanding scholars in a country should be friends with the outstanding scholars in this country; the outstanding scholars in the world should be friends , to be friends with the best scholars in the world. Thinking that being friends with the best scholars in the world is not enough, I go back to history and comment on ancient figures. Sing their poems and read their books, but don’t know what they are, is it okay? ?So talk about what they were doing back then. That's making friends with the ancients." The "goodness" of "good people" refers to good performance in virtue, that is, to be a good person.To be a good person, there must be certain lofty ideals, certain principles that must be adhered to.At this time, if you can find like-minded friends in a town, a country, or even the whole world, it will undoubtedly be a very lucky thing.But if you can't find it, it doesn't matter.You can also make friends with the ancients.How to make friends?First of all, we should recite the poems they wrote and read the books they wrote; because the poems and books express their thoughts and record history.But reading poems and books is not enough, we also need to understand the era in which they lived and what they did in that environment.Just like we usually read novels, the first thing is to read who are the characters in the book and what happened; the second is to see whether these things are logical, especially the logic of human nature; What should I do with a certain character among them; for example, should I learn from Liu Bei or Zhuge Liang.Mencius said that only by studying in this way can we truly make friends with the ancients. Mencius himself liked to make friends with great ancient figures such as Yao, Shun, and Yu.In the book, Mencius even described the details of how Shun's father, stepmother and younger brother persecuted Shun very vividly, as if he himself saw it on the spot.Being able to have this kind of expressive force shows that Mencius fully understood Shun's situation, including the era in which he lived, his character, his principles of dealing with people, and so on.For example, after Shun became the emperor, he made his younger brother the king of Youyu.A student of Mencius asked, if Shun let a bad man like his younger brother become the king, wouldn't the people of that country be in trouble?Mencius said that Shun let his younger brother be the king, but did not give him actual power; tried to assign officials to be in charge of taxes, so that he would not touch money; tried to make officials in charge of laws, and did not let him intervene; Do bad things.Why such an arrangement?Because Shun is the Son of Heaven, it is an ancient tradition that the younger brother of the Son of Heaven should be enshrined as a king; but he cannot be allowed to spoil the people just because he is the king, so Shun came up with various methods to reduce and prevent his younger brother from doing harm. Harm caused by bad things.Mencius was able to put himself in Shun's shoes and understand his thoughts and actions, which shows that he did make friends with Shun. The same is true when we study Chinese culture today. It is not just about thinking about the past and telling the words of the ancients. We hope to be friends with great sages such as Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi, and even with Socrates, Plato, and Kant. Make friends with great Western philosophers, understand the era they live in, understand how they face and deal with problems, and imagine if you would choose the same as them or have different ideas if you were in the situation at that time.This is the benefit of reading, you can read the book and think about the person, and make friends with the ancients.For one must not only be able to see the present, but must also understand the past and the future.At this time, you will find that certain principles and ideals have remained unchanged for thousands of years. For example, we often say that human nature is good, and doing good is the happiest. Whether you like it or not, whether you agree or not, these are the common requirements of human nature. In fact, I really like making friends with ancient people myself.I once translated the book "Four Great Sages", which is also the book that influenced me the most.The four great sages are Confucius, Jesus, Socrates, and Sakyamuni.It is really impossible to find anyone like them in our time.Today, it is not easy to see people with connotation and depth. What is presented in the society is only public opinion, propaganda, and slogans. The goal of life is reality and utilitarianism.It wasn't until I got in touch with this book that I realized that they are all dragons and men above men, and they are the watershed of human beings, so I got a lot of experience and encouragement from it.Therefore, when you feel that the world is too poor and depraved, you might as well choose friends from the ancients and associate with them according to your personal preferences. This way you can uplift your ambitions, not be limited by time and space, and connect yourself with the ancients.This is a special ability of the human mind and should not be easily overlooked. "Promising is also true" is a saying we often use to encourage ourselves and others, which comes from a dialogue between Mencius and Teng Wengong.When Teng Wengong was the prince, he once went to the state of Chu and met Mencius while passing through the state of Song.When Mencius talked about the principle of human nature being good, he mentioned Yao and Shun in every sentence.The prince returned from Chu and came to see Mencius again.Mencius also cited the examples of Cheng Ju, a warrior of Qi State, and Yan Yuan, a student of Confucius, to encourage him. Cheng Yu called Qi Jinggong and said: "He is also a husband, and I am a husband; why should I fear him?" Yan Yuan said: "Who is Shun, who is he, and whoever is capable!" ") Cheng Yu said to Jing Gong: "He is a man; I am also a man. What am I afraid of him?" Yan Yuan said: "Shun, what kind of person? What kind of person am I? A person who can make a difference Will be like him." Warriors need to fight and compete. Sometimes when they see others taller than themselves, they feel fear and lose first.Cheng Jue said that others are alone, and I am also alone, so there is nothing to be afraid of being a man; psychologically give yourself a kind of confidence before you can show real kung fu.It's a physical aspect, and many athletes have a similar approach to motivation.Yan Yuan talked about the cultivation of virtue, taking Shun as a model to learn from.Shun was not born in an emperor's family, but in an ordinary family. In fact, it was a problematic family. However, Shun had great ambitions, and later performed outstandingly and became a saint in ancient times.Shun was also admired by Mencius.Mencius said that Shun lived in the mountains when he was young, lived among trees and stones, played with wild boars and deer, and was no different from ordinary country people; , Immediately there is a power to be good in the heart, "there is no way to resist", and it can't be stopped. I use all the good words and deeds of others to practice in myself, so I have achieved great virtues. We all know the principle of "taking the law is the best". A person's achievement depends on his ambition when he was young.There are many such examples in history.For example, when Wang Yangming, a great Confucian in the Ming Dynasty, was twelve years old, one day he asked his teacher, what is the best thing in the world?The teacher said that studying for the number one scholar is the first priority.But Wang Yangming actually said, not necessarily.The teacher was taken aback, wondering if this twelve-year-old kid had any special insights?Ask him, what do you think?Wang Yangming said that the number one thing in the world should be to study and become a saint.What is the difference between champion and saint?The champion is only tested once every few years, and there is only one at a time.If a person defines his own success in terms of social competition, the consequences must be very tragic. The so-called "one will succeed and ten thousand will die", how many people fail when one person succeeds!Therefore, Wang Yangming said that the goal of becoming a sage by studying is good, because everyone can become a sage, and instead of competing with each other, sages will help each other. "Those who are promising are the same", Wang Yangming's ambition was so high when he was a child, so his later achievements were far above the champion. Of course, human abilities are limited, not everything in the world can be done by you, but some things are obviously within your ability, but you can’t do it, because you don’t want to do it, you don’t want to do it, in fact Once you do it, you will succeed.What kind of thing? Said: "Take Taishan to surpass the North Sea, and the speaker said: 'I can't.' It is true that it is impossible. To break a branch for the elders, the speaker said: 'I can't.' It is not to do it, it must not be." (" Mencius · King Hui of Liang Part I") Mencius said: "Cross Mount Tai with your arms and jump over the North Sea, and say to others: 'I can't do it. .’ It’s about not doing it, not about not being able to do it.” Mencius' words are sometimes exaggerated. He jumped over the North Sea with Mount Tai in his arms. It sounds like a myth. How could it be possible?So it's not that I don't want to do it, but it's simply impossible to do it.But respecting one's elders and bowing to the elders are things that everyone can do. "Broken branch" means to bend down and bow. In ancient times, the "branch" of a tree branch was the same as the "limb" of a limb.We often say that you should respect your elders. In the words of Mencius, it means "the elder Xu Xinghou". Walking slowly behind the elders shows that you respect him.Anyone can do this, and if you say you can't do it, you are making excuses.In fact, living in this world, not everyone can succeed in some things, such as getting promoted and getting rich, but in terms of cultivating virtue, as long as you are willing to do it, you will definitely be successful.Because no one can say that I can't be filial, I can't be trustworthy.As long as you want to do this kind of thing, you can do it.So we often have to ask ourselves, is it my "not doing" or "can't" in this matter, if I can't, others will understand; if I don't do it, then it is my responsibility. When it comes to "a great mission from heaven", many people think that it has nothing to do with them. Anyway, I am not one of those emperors, generals, heroes, so why bother to think about it.But when Mencius mentioned this sentence, he extended it to everyone's life.He cited many ancient leaders as examples. Mencius said: "Shun was raised among the farms, Fu Yue was held among the boards, Jiao Ke was held among the fish and salt, Guan Yiwu was held among the scholars, Sun Shu'ao was held in the sea, and Baili Xi was held in the city. To be entrusted with great responsibilities is a human being, who must first suffer from his will, exhaust his muscles and bones, starve his body, deprive him of his body, and disturb his behavior, so he has to move his heart and tolerance, which has benefited what he cannot do." ("Mencius Gaozi") Down") Mencius said: "Shun was raised from the fields, Fu Yue was raised from prison, Chiao Ke from amongst the fish and salt merchants, Guan Zhong from prison, Sun Shuao from the sea, Bailixi was promoted from the market. Therefore, when God was going to entrust this man with a major task, he must first torture his mind, tire his muscles and bones, starve his stomach, exhaust his physical strength, and make his actions If you can't do what you want, you can shake his mind, strengthen his character, and increase his lack of talent." Shun's family was poor. When he was young, he farmed in Mount Li and fished in Lei Ze, and traveled around to support his family.Fu Shuo was the sage dreamed by King Wuding of the Shang Dynasty. At that time, he was tortured and built a wall. Later, he became the prime minister and ruled the Shang Dynasty.Jiao Ge was once a minister of Shang Zhou, and it is said that he was discovered by King Wen of Zhou.Guan Yiwu (Guan Zhong) was imprisoned by the State of Lu after failing to correct with the son, and later recommended by Bao Shuya to become the prime minister of Duke Huan of Qi.Sun Shuao was promoted to the imperial court from the seaside where he lived in seclusion, and later served as Lingyin (Prime Minister) of Chu State.Bailixi was poor in his early years and lived in exile. He later served as a doctor of the state of Qin.These people suffered terribly at the beginning, they couldn’t do what they wanted to do, and they endured all kinds of torture and tests. The purpose was to inspire their resolve, persevere their character, and make them do what they didn’t know before.In the end, the body and mind are fully developed after being tempered, just like iron is made into steel. If it is not tormented and beaten in the fire, it will be a pile of scrap iron after all; but as long as it passes the trials, it can be reborn and become a durable weapon. There is a saying in Taiwan that it is good to suffer.It is definitely a good thing to endure hardship when you are young, because you can develop your potential.The human body grows naturally, given proper food and exercise; but the human mind does not grow naturally, it needs some tempering.It is impossible to develop one's own potential without tempering it.American psychologist William James said that the potential developed by a person in his life is often only one tenth of his potential.In other words, no matter what achievements a person has today, he may only show one-tenth of his ability, and the other nine-tenths is wasted.The Soviet Union conducted a study and believed that if a person fully develops his potential, he can finish all the courses in a university and learn at least a dozen languages.But sometimes we also think, life is so tiring, why bother?Of course, we don't need to really do these things, but at least we must know that our potential is very large.When we were students, we studied every day and made progress every day. From elementary school to middle school to university, the progress is very obvious.It is a pity that people who enter the society after graduating from university and have special skills can be employed, but they often stop seeking knowledge at this time. If a person does not want to waste his life in vain, but wants to live a full and fulfilling life, constantly improve himself, and feel the true meaning of life, he must pay attention to at least two aspects. One is to keep learning and reading to increase one's knowledge; , understand that human nature is good, try to choose the good and be persistent, in order to achieve the ultimate good.We often envy or even admire certain people in our hearts. We may not be able to learn the talents of these people, but good performance in virtue is something everyone can do.For example, everyone can be filial, everyone can keep promises, and everyone can be righteous.If you really practice these virtues, your whole life will change. It’s like climbing a mountain. The higher you climb, the higher you get. When you reach the top of the mountain, you will find that you may have been too attached to some things in the past, and you can actually let go of some things. After letting go, your Life can have real freedom and real joy. Therefore, Mencius's "Heavenly General's Great Responsibility" is not only considered by great people, but also by every ordinary person, because everyone has to be responsible for themselves.The so-called "mandate of heaven" in ancient times was only possessed by a few political leaders, but since Confucius' "know the destiny at fifty", everyone has their own destiny.Destiny includes destiny and mission. Everyone has a destiny in this world, that is to say, you cannot choose some encounters; but at the same time, people also have a mission, that is, you can choose what goals I want to achieve. Responsible for yourself.Even if we don't have a big mission, we have our own small ones.Otherwise, how can most people affirm the value of their own lives if they only look at the great achievements of some great people? Therefore, each of us should learn self-education, recognize our own weaknesses, and make painstaking criticisms in order to change our appearance.At the same time, we have to learn on the job, even the smallest details, we must give our all.Doing a small thing well is far more meaningful than doing a big one badly.We grow up at work, and when the time is right, there will naturally be a day when we will take on the big responsibility. A philosopher must pass the double verification, on the one hand, his theory must be justified, and on the other hand, he must be happy.Otherwise, after you have talked for a long time, it will be very painful for others to practice, and they will not be able to bear it.Who wants to read such a philosophy?Whoever read it is unlucky. Mencius was the national advisor of Qi State. He had a high status and was valued by many princes, but after all, he had no chance to truly practice his ideal of "benevolent governance".Once, on the way of traveling around the world, a student of Mencius asked, "Teacher, you seem to be a little unhappy. Didn't you say that Confucius said before, "Don't blame the sky, don't favor others", why don't you look happy? ?Mencius said, I have nothing to be unhappy about. "Heaven did not want to rule the world; if it wants to rule the world, who can I give up in today's world?" In this era, who else is there besides me?Why should I be unhappy?In other words, the happiness of Mencius lies in his self-confidence, believing that as long as you give me a chance, I can make the world peaceful.But in many cases, you don't have the opportunity to do it.Every country has various complicated interests. No matter how good you are as a scholar, if you harm the interests of others, no one will give you a chance.So Confucius traveled around the world without ambition, and so did Mencius. To be a Confucian scholar, sometimes because your ideals are too high, others will not be able to believe you; or even if you are asked to do it, others will not be sure of the result.On the surface, Mencius was very unhappy, and even the students thought he was unhappy, but the words he said could be described as bold and free-spirited, very confident and free and easy.God wants to bring order to the world, "In today's world, who else can I have?" When scholars read this kind of words, they will feel very courageous.It’s like Confucius said after Kuang was besieged: “Heaven has not lost its culture, so what should Kuang people do?” ("The Analects of Confucius·Zihan") If God does not want our cultural traditions to perish, Kuang people will What can you do to me?On behalf of Confucius, he believed that he had a destiny and was the inheritor of culture.But don't forget that even if you have such a high ideal, and you really believe that you can achieve it, you still need to wait for the opportunity to cooperate.What if the time does not come?Do a good job in education and let this ideal be passed on from generation to generation. I hope that one day in the future young people will have the opportunity to realize it.This is what Confucian scholars do.But what is Mencius' real happiness? Mencius said: "Everything is prepared for me. There is no greater joy in turning back and being honest. If you forgive and act, there is nothing close to asking for benevolence." ("Mencius: Dedication") Mencius said: "Everything is ready in me. If you reflect on yourself and be completely sincere, there is no greater happiness than this. If you work hard to practice the way of forgiveness that extends yourself to others, there is no closer path to benevolence." "All things are prepared for me", scholars of the Song Dynasty explained this sentence, adding two words after all things, called "the principle of all things", the principles and principles of all things are all ready in my heart.To be honest, this explanation is too forced.If the principles of all things are ready in my heart, I have to wait for an opportunity before I can understand them.For example, I have never seen an airplane, but the principle of an airplane is in my heart. When I see an airplane one day, this principle will appear.Speaking in this way, it becomes as if Mencius is thinking about knowing everything outside all day long.In my opinion, there is a gap with the original intention. In fact, Mencius said it very simply, "Everything is ready for me" means that everything I have is enough, and I lack nothing.Because my heart has "four ends": a heart of compassion, a heart of shame, a heart of modesty, and a heart of right and wrong.When these four kinds of hearts are expanded and enriched, it is like water starts to flow and fire starts to burn, and you will naturally be able to do good deeds.Doing good is to be "reflective and sincere". "Sincerity" means that my heart is not covered and distorted.why?Because thousands of words talk about Confucianism, the last word is two words: sincerity.Mencius said: "There is a way to be honest and honest, but if you don't understand goodness, you can't be honest with yourself. Therefore, those who are honest are the way of heaven; those who think about sincerity are the way of man." As long as people sincerely reflect on themselves, they will realize What is good; similarly, if you understand what is good, you can sincerely reflect on yourself; sincerity is the mode of operation of heaven, and the pursuit of sincerity is the correct way for people.Therefore, in Confucianism, "goodness" and "sincerity" are often linked together.If a person can be "reflective and sincere", happiness will come from within and flow endlessly. The last sentence is "Forgiveness is forcible, and there is nothing close to seeking benevolence."The relationship between forgiveness and benevolence is: "forgiveness" is implemented between people and me, so we should extend ourselves to others; "benevolence" is out of requirements for ourselves, and we should respond to the everlasting compassion.The two are fundamentally inseparable. Confucius also had a similar saying, which is called "to be able to get close to an analogy can be described as a way of benevolence." ("The Analects of Confucius Yong Ye") "Analects" is an analogy, compare your heart to your heart, what would I do if I were you.Only when a person can be considerate of himself and others, and put himself in the shoes of others, can he achieve "don't do to others what you don't want done to you".From this we can see that, on the one hand, Mencius's happiness comes from his self-confidence, thinking that if he wants to heal the world, who else can I in today's world?On the other hand, he can preserve and expand his innate goodness, and be a real person, the source of happiness in life is not outside.