Teachings Forgotten?

Reading the Analects isn't as fun as I expected. There was nothing that made you go 'Oh! I love this quote!' or 'Hey! I know this quote!'.

Well, at least that was until I read book 15.
There was the quote: "Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself." (Analects 15:24)
Hey! I know that! More commonly known as the golden rule, and used one million times every day by teachers. The 'don't-do-anything-to-others-that-you-don't-want-done-to-you rule. To say the truth, I didn't know that it originally came from Confucianism. Well, I guess it is, and everyone at least knows something from it.


It was interesting how the teachings in the book are divided into two: the useful and the we-don't-need-these-teachings. What do I mean? Although some teachings are taken into consideration (like the golden rule), some are just thrown away to the floor (like respecting the elders. Maybe you do, but it's very different from what Confucian people do).

It's too bad that the Confucian teachings are not being applied much around the world. The new generations are forgetting or not applying it to their lives. Now the teachings from the book are treated like some old Asian traditional teachings, even in Asian countries. Although reading it is sort of boring, I think it shouldn't be forgotten. At least in Asia, you know?

Confused ≠ Confucius

Let's start with how I'm already tired of this book after a few chapters (books, actually). Each line always (or most of the time) starts with 'The Master said' or something like that. This is so monotonous and tedious that I'm not sure if I can keep reading this. But nevertheless, the content and the teachings are not bad.

The Master said, "I will not open the door for a mind that is not already striving to understand, nor will I provide words to a tongue that is not already struggling to speak." (Analects 7.8)
Wow. That's just mean. If you're not ready, you won't get it. If you're confused, no Confucius stuff for you, mister. Aww. I guess I'm not ready for this yet. Well then, that's the end of this post.


Just kidding!

This reminded me of this video I saw in school. There was a woman being asked who Confucius was. She claimed it to be the people who invented confusion, whom happened to be Chinese and Japanese people. Wow. What are the limits for human ignorance anyways? Our class had a good laugh.

Anyways, until now, the book doesn't have any super-big special idea or anything. Nothing much interesting. Just a bunch of monotonous talking and teachings. I hope there will be a quote that will catch my eye sooner or later.

Asian Confucian Tradition

Here I am, reading the Analects. The Analect is basically a book with Confucius teaching in no particular order. The 'Master' is usually saying the teachings to the student, both of them whom we don't know.

It seems that the book is quite different from other books (like most other books I have read and analyzed on this blog). First of all, the fact that it doesn't matter from where you start reading from. It will still make sense. Another thing was that the whole book was sort of a conversation. Dialogues. This was a weird form a book could have, and it's one that I personally wouldn't use for books.

This book had many key terms and teachings, many that I was already fond with, just because I am Korean. You see, although many people in Korea are Christian (like me), Buddhists, etc., they still have the Confucius attitude and ways of doing things left in us from long ago. We consider it more as 'tradition' rather than 'beliefs' or 'religion'.

Back to what I was saying. The key terms seem to be very important in this particular book. See this sentence for example:
“Without Goodness no one can remain constant in adversary and cannot endure enjoying happiness.” (Analects 4.2)
Did you notice the 'Goodness' with a capital G? I'm not sure whether it is like that because it is very important, or because it was actually considered a proper noun or something when being translated.

I guess the book will be interesting.
Time to go back to the good ol' Asian religion.