Share
×
Inspirational Quotes
Authors
Professions
Topics
Tags
Quote
Pride and excess bring disaster for man.
Xunzi
Share
Change background
T
T
T
Change font
Original
TAGS & TOPICS
Xunzi
Excess
Disaster
Pride
Bring
Men
More quotes by Xunzi
Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.
Xunzi
Sacrifice is a state of mind in which our thoughts turn with longing [toward Heaven, the Ancestors], It is the supreme expression of loyalty, love, and respect.
Xunzi
They are done merely for ornament. ... the common people regard them as supernatural.
Xunzi
Therefore, a person should first be changed by a teacher's instructions, and guided by principles of ritual. Only then can he observe the rules of courtesy and humility, obey the conventions and rules of society, and achieve order.
Xunzi
Human nature is what Heaven supplies.
Xunzi
Since the nature of people is bad, to become corrected they must be taught by teachers and to be orderly they must acquire ritual and moral principles.
Xunzi
If the quickness of the mind and the fluency of the tongue are too punctilious and sharp, moderate them in your activity and rest.
Xunzi
In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men's nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled.
Xunzi
Now it is human nature to want to eat to ones fill when hungry, to want to warm up when cold, to want to rest when tired. These all are a part of people's emotional nature.
Xunzi
Misery is evil quarreling, a misfortune. There is only one possibility of avoiding both: a clear division of society. [Otherwise] the strong tyrannize the weak, the intelligent frighten the stupid, the inferior resist the superior, and the young mock the old.
Xunzi
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?
Xunzi
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.
Xunzi
Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving.
Xunzi
If you wish to see the thousand years, look at today if you wish to understand the millionfold, then look at the one or the two.
Xunzi
Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.
Xunzi
Men of all social stations live together: they are equal in their desires, yet vary in their methods they are equal in their passions, yet different in their intelligence that is their nature-given vitality.
Xunzi
If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony.
Xunzi
Quarreling over food and drink, having neither scruples nor shame, not knowing right from wrong, not trying to avoid death or injury, not fearful of greater strength or of greater numbers, greedily aware only of food and drink - such is the bravery of the dog and boar.
Xunzi
The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.
Xunzi
Man's nature is evil goodness is the result of conscious activity.
Xunzi