THE SAYINGS OF CONFUCIUS - FULL AudioBook | Greatest AudioBooks | Eastern Philosophy

THE SAYINGS OF CONFUCIUS - FULL AudioBook | Greatest AudioBooks

Confucianism is an ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (孔夫子 Kǒng Fūzǐ, or K'ung-fu-tzu, lit. "Master Kong", 551--479 BC). Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han Dynasty. Following the abandonment of Legalism in China after the Qin Dynasty, Confucianism became the official state ideology of the Han. The disintegration of the Han in the second century C.E. opened the way for the spiritual and otherworldly doctrines of Buddhism and Daoism to dominate intellectual life and to become the ruling doctrines during the Tang dynasty. In the late Tang, Confucianism absorbed many of these challenging aspects and was reformulated Neo-Confucianism. This reinvigorated form was adopted as the basis of the imperial exams and the core philosophy of the scholar official class in the Song dynasty. Neo-Confucianism turned into sometimes rigid orthodoxy over the following centuries. In popular practice, however, the three doctrines of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism were often melded together.

The core of Confucianism is humanism, or what the philosopher Herbert Fingarette calls "the secular as sacred." The focus of spiritual concern is this world and the family, not the gods and not the afterlife. Confucianism broadly speaking does not exalt faithfulness to divine will or higher law. This stance rests on the belief that human beings are teachable, improvable and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor especially self-cultivation and self-creation. Confucian thought focuses on the cultivation of virtue and maintenance of ethics, the most basic of which are ren, yi, and li. Ren is an obligation of altruism and humaneness for other individuals within a community, yi is the upholding of righteousness and the moral disposition to do good, and li is a system of norms and propriety that determines how a person should properly act within a community. Confucianism holds that one should give up one's life, if necessary, either passively or actively, for the sake of upholding the cardinal moral values of ren and yi.

Cultures and countries strongly influenced by Confucianism include mainland China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Vietnam, as well as various territories settled predominantly by Chinese people, such as Singapore. Although Confucian ideas prevail in these areas, few people identify themselves as Confucian, and instead see Confucian ethics as a complementary guideline for other ideologies and beliefs, including democracy, Marxism, capitalism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. (Summary adapted from wiki)

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Chapter listing and length:

Introductory Note -- 00:03:43
Book 01 -- 00:05:26
Book 02 -- 00:07:06
Book 03 -- 00:09:58
Book 04 -- 00:05:25
Book 05 -- 00:07:58
Book 06 -- 00:09:39
Book 07 -- 00:12:19
Book 08 -- 00:08:34
Book 09 -- 00:11:04
Book 10 -- 00:08:07
Book 11 -- 00:10:27
Book 12 -- 00:10:12
Book 13 -- 00:08:33
Book 14 -- 00:15:27
Book 15 -- 00:11:11
Book 16 -- 00:11:23
Book 17 -- 00:12:39
Book 18 -- 00:08:43
Book 19 -- 00:09:16
Book 20 -- 00:04:45

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[joelfry]

My favorite one so far is, "Study without thought is vain.  Thought without study is dangerous."

[sparrowthesissy]

>Whole book is about respect.
>Whole comments section is disrespect.
Great job, folks. Keep representing that superior 21st century morality for all of subsequent history. You make us all look so very wise.

[davidsessera]

The introduction was read from a man who has a marvelous clear voice. I thought this is such a blessing. And then the reading began with an unpleasant voice of a woman that I could barely understand.

[Daniel-vxqt]

21:30
26:50 - love
34:50
35:50
46:08 - born
46:40 - 47:14 wisdom and love
51:25 - open
52:45 - success and passion
54:00
57:12
57:25
59:10
1:00:50 - mean
1:03:34 - death and truth
1:05:30 - 1:06:05
1:06:19
1:07:12 - policies
1:07:50 study
1:10:48 - sheldom spoken of - 1:11:55
1:11:55 -free of
1:50:55
1:57:05 - 1:58:00
2:03:58
2:16:50 - wisdom
2:18:15
2:19:40 - 2:20:50 gentleman
2:21:40 - 2:23:25
2:23:50 consistent
2:24:10 educated men
2:30:16 - 2:31:18 types of friends and good & evil
2:38:38 - wise and stupid men
2:59:59

[abishlee]

This is amazing with hard work! Thank you all for making this classic literary works for free! This helps us to appreciate Chinese literature and culture at the comfort of our fingertips.

[blessedhandsasmr]

Don't panic people, the whole book isn't read by the 2nd speaker. A smoother vocal begins in Book 2 at 9:10.

[FengtasticCAE]

I'm as interested in the people that listen and try to put into practice things like this as the sage who wrote it :) This is awesome thanks for the reading and putting this in the public

[proudbpagan]

Confucius say "He who stands on toilet is high on pot"

[Themultimediaguy]

2:06:00
If the tongue hath no fear, words are hard to make good.

2:17:00
A workman bent on good work will first sharpen his tools.

2:18:30
It is finished. I have met no one who loves good as he loves women.

3:00:00
The vulgar always gloss their faults

3:02:30
Mourning should stretch to grief and stretch no further.

3:11:30
A man who is blind to doom can be no gentleman. Without a knowledge of courtesy we must want foothold. Without a knowledge of words there is no understanding men.

End of Book


The Sayings of Confucius

[Red_Proton]

why switch speakers? big mistake to switch speakers.

[dj_smacks_]

This book is spiritually and physically healing

[realistdm]

These sayings are my personal favourites:

Book I, 2. Yu-tzu said: "A dutiful son and brother is seldom fond of thwarting those over him: a man unwilling to thwart those over him is never given to crime. A gentleman nurses the roots: when the root has taken, the truth will grow; and what are the roots of love, but the duty of son and brother?"

Book I, 6. The Master said: "The young should be dutiful at home, modest abroad, heedful and true, full of goodwill for the many, close friends with love; and should they have strength to spare, let them spend it upon the arts."

Book I, 8. The Master said: "Of a gentlemen who is frivolous none stand in awe, nor can his learning be sound. Make faithfulness and truth thy masters; have no friends unlike thyself: be not ashamed to mend thy faults."

Book I, 9. Tseng-tzu said: "Respect death and recall forefathers, the good in men will again grow sturdy."

Book I, 11. The Master said: "As long as his father lives a son should study his wishes; after he is dead, he should study his life. If for three years he do not forsake his father's ways, he may be called dutiful."

Book I, 13. Yu-tzu said: "If promises hug the right, word can be kept: if attentions are bounded by courtesy, shame will be banished: heroes may be worshiped, if we choose them aright."

Book I, 16. The Master said: "Not to be known should not grieve you: grieve that ye know not men."

Book II, 3. The Master said: "Guide the people by law, subdue them by punishment; they may shun crime, but will be void of shame. Guide them by example, subdue them by courtesy; they will learn shame, and come to be good."

Book II, 5. Meng Yi asked the duty of a son. The Master said: "Obedience." As Fan Ch'ih was driving him, the Master said: "Meng-sun asked me the duty of a son; I answered 'Obedience.'" "What did ye mean?" said Fan Ch'ih. "To serve our parents with courtesy whilst they live, " said the Master; "to bury them with all courtesy when they die; and to worship them with all courtesy."

Book II, 6. Meng Wu asked the duty of a son. The Master said: "What weighs on your father and mother is concern for your health."

Book II, 13-14.Tzu-kung asked, What is a gentleman? The Master said: "He puts words into deed first, and sorts what he says to the deed."

Book II, 16. The Master said: "Work on strange doctrines does harm."

Book III, 7. The Master said: "A gentleman has no rivalries--except perhaps in archery; and then, as bowing he joins the winners, or steps down to see the loser drink, throughout the struggle he is still the gentleman."

Book III, 17. Tzu-kung wished to do away with the sheep offering at the new moon. The Master said: "Thou lovest the sheep, Tzu: I love the rite."

Book III, 18-19. The Master said: "Treat the king with all courtesy, men call it fawning." Duke Ting asked how a king should behave with courtesy to his ministers; how ministers should serve their king? Confucius answered: "A king should behave with courtesy to his ministers; ministers should serve their king faithfully."

Book III, 26. The Master said: "Rank without bounty; ritual without reverence; mourning without grief, why should I cast them a glance?"

Book IV, 2. The Master said: "Loveless men cannot bear need long, they cannot bear fortune long. Loving hearts find peace in love; clever heads find profit in it."

Book IV, 3. The Master said: "Love can alone love others, or hate others."

Book IV, 6. The Master said: "A friend to love, a foe to evil, I have yet to meet. A friend to love will set nothing higher. In love's service, a foe to evil will let no evil touch him. Were a man to give himself to love, but for one day, I have seen no one whose strength would fail him. Such men there may be, but I have not seen one."

Book IV, 9. The Master said: "A scholar in search of truth who is ashamed of poor clothes and poor food it is idle talking to."

Book IV, 14. The Master said: "Be not concerned at want of place; be concerned that thou stand thyself. Sorrow not at being unknown, but seek to be worthy of note."

Book IV, 17. The Master said: "At sight of worth, think to grow like it. When evil meets thee, search thine own heart."

Book IV, 22. The Master said: "Men of old were loth to speak; lest a word that they could not make good should shame them."

Book IV, 23. The Master said: "Who contains himself goes seldom wrong."

Book IV, 24. The Master said: "A gentleman wishes to be slow to speak and quick to act."

Book V, 1. Of Kung-yeh Ch'ang the Master said: "A girl might marry him. In him was no crime, though he has been in bonds." He gave him his daughter to wife. Of Nan Jung the Master said: "When right prevails, he will not be neglected: when wrong prevails, he will escape law and punishment." He gave him his brother's daughter to wife.

Book V, 9. Tsai Yü slept in the daytime. The master said: "Rotten wood cannot be carved, nor are dung walls plastered. Why chide with Yü?" The Master said: "In my first dealings with men, I hearkened to their words, and took their deeds on trust. Now, in dealing with men, I hearken to their words, and watch their deeds. I righted this on Yü."

Book V, 13. Until Tzu-lu could carry out what he heard, he only dreaded to hear more.

Book V, 15. Of Tzu-chán the Master said: "In four ways he was a gentleman. His own life was modest; he honoured the man whom he served; he was kind in rearing the people; he was just in his calls upon them."

Book V, 19. Chi Wen thought thrice before acting. On hearing this, the Master said: "Twice, that is enough."

Book V, 22. The Master said: "As Po-yi and Shu-ch'i never recalled past wickedness the foes they made were few."

Book V, 25. As Yen Yüan and Chi-lu were sitting with him, the Master said: "Why not each of you tell me his wishes?" Tzu-lu said: "Carriages and horses I would have, and robes of fine fur to share with my friends, and would wear them out all free from care." Yen Yüan said: "To make no boast of talent, nor show of merit, were my wish." Tzu-lu said: "We should like to hear your wishes, Sir." The Master said: "To make the old folk happy, to be true to friends, to have a heart for the young."

Book V, 27. The Master said: "In a hamlet of ten households there must be men faithful and true as I: why is there no one as fond of learning?"

Book VI, 1. The Master said: "Yung might fill the seat of a prince." "And might Tzu-sang Po-tzu?" asked Chung-kung. "Yes, " said the Master: "but he is lax." "To be lax in his claims on the people might be right, " said Chung-kung, "were he stern to self; but to be lax to self and lax to others must surely be over-lax." The Master said: "What Yung says is true."

Book VI, 2. Duke Ai asked which disciples were fond of learning. Confucius answered: "Yen Hui loved learning. His anger fell not astray; he made no mistake twice. By ill-luck his life was cut short. Now that he is gone, I hear of no one who is fond of learning."

Book VI, 5. The Master said: "For three months together Hui's heart never sinned against love. The others may hold out for a day, or a month; but no more."

Book VI, 9. The Master said: "What a man was Hui! A dish of rice, a gourd of water, in a low alleyway; no man can bear such misery! Yet Hui never fell from mirth. What a man he was!"

Book VI, 10. Jan Ch'iu said: "Pleasure in the Master's path I do not lack: I lack strength." The Master said: "Who lacks strength faints by the way; thou puttest a curb upon thee."

Book VI, 11. The Master said to Tzu-hsia: "Read to become a gentleman; do not read as the vulgar do."

Book VI, 15. The Master said: "Who can go out except by the door? Why is it no one keeps to the way?"

Book VI, 16. The Master said: "Nature outweighing art begets roughness; art outweighing nature begets pedantry. Art and nature well blent make a gentleman."

Book VI, 19. The Master said: "To men above the common we may speak of things above the common. To men below the common we must not speak of things above the common."

Book VI, 24. Tsai Wo said: "Were a man who loves told there is a man in a well, would he go in after him?" The Master said: "Why should he? A gentleman might be brought to the well, but not entrapped into it. He may be cheated; he is not to be fooled."

Book VI, 25. The Master said: "By breadth of reading and the ties of courtesy a gentleman will also keep from error's path."

[muhammadameen]

That's why men is protector of women

[gypsyjew]

I cannot get enough of this audio book thank you for the upload

[SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

Sending gratitude from a Daoist monastery near Seattle (USA)!

[plipogamez]

This is a poor tribute to a supposed wise man.  This reading should be done by someone with a substantial voice and confident delivery.

[zakp]

Sagacious Wisdom! we need this taught in all schools in Africa

[mickallen]

Confucious say, "Man with hole in pocket, walk around feeling cocky all day"

[fadiadaghestani]

A gentleman nurses the roots
When the root has taken the truth will grow

[JoseGarcia-fqcp]

Thank you for posting this video, show what great advancements in social and coexistance thinking existed millenia ago.