Analect 20.3 (ES)

  Book 20 is comprised of only three analects, with the first two being of decent length, while the third and

last analect in Confucius's analects is short in comparison, yet at the same time quite interesting. In analect

20.3 Confucius tells us that, "One who does not understand fate lacks the means to become a gentleman.

One who does not understand ritual lacks the means to take his place. One who does not understand words

lacks the means to evaluate others". I am not positive in what order Confucius would want someone to 

accomplish these tasks. Should one first understand fate or understand words or ritual first? Better yet

it almost seems like Confucius is going backwards to the beginning. First you understand words only then

can you understand let alone practice the rites and ancients. After having comprehended words and the 

rites one would be able to resign themselves to fate and become a gentleman.This seems like the order

Confucius either wants or is asking for. I am not positive on that but over the course of numerous books

Confucius has stated and explained how understanding and practicing ritual is what allows one to become 

a gentleman and complete person. And if one cannot understand the words they are being told how can 

they hope to understand the rites? With out first understanding words, they can be no hope for becoming

a gentleman to begin with and you would be better off not wasting your time and effort. Thus I can only

conclude that the proper order here is starting with understanding words, leading to understanding ritual, 

which culminates into understanding fate and becoming a gentleman.       

Comments

  1. Krishnan VenkateshApril 5, 2022 at 10:44 AM

    Or can you imagine all three happening simultaneously? A child learns all three concurrently; one cannot separate them.

    ReplyDelete

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