The Doctrine of the Mean. Chapter 21.

When we have intelligence resulting from sincerity, this condition is to be ascribed to nature; when we have sincerity resulting from intelligence, this condition is to be ascribed to instruction. But given the sincerity, and there shall be the intelligence; given the intelligence, and there shall be the sincerity.

<€CH> The above is the twenty-first chapter. Tsze-sze takes up in it, and discourses the subject of "the way of Heaven" and "the way of men," mentioned in the preceding chapter. The twelve chapters that follow are all from Tsze-sze, repeating and illustrating the meaning of this one.

Text source: The Doctrine of the Mean. Translated by James Legge.

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China - Ancient - Philosophy - Chinese Confucians - Chinese translation