Xunzi
“The sage accumulates good deeds and the people turn toward him as rivers flow to the sea.”
“If the mind is correct, the body will be at ease; if the mind is calm, the body will be well ordered.”
“A gentleman expands his mind through learning; a petty man expands his desires through learning.”
“Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.”
“The learning of the petty person enters through his ears and passes out his mouth.”
“In order to properly understand the big picture, everyone should fear becoming mentally clouded and obsessed by themselves.”
“Power and profit cannot sway him, the masses cannot shift him, and nothing in the world can shake him.”
“The straightening board was created because of warped wood; the rope line was made because of crooked timber.”
“A person who is shallow aspires to depth; one who is ugly aspires to beauty; one who is narrow aspires to breadth.”
“Ritual and rightness are always created by the conscious activity of the sages.”
“A person who is transformed by the instructions of a teacher and guided by ritual becomes a gentleman.”
“Therefore one must be transformed by the example of a teacher and guided by the way of ritual and rightness.”
“Not having heard of it is not as good as having heard of it; having heard of it is not as good as having seen it; having seen it is not as good as knowing it; knowing it is not as good as putting it into practice.”
“The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.”
“Human nature is evil; its goodness derives from conscious activity.”
“If an action involves little profit but much righteousness, do it. If it involves much profit but little righteousness, do not do it.”
“The gentleman makes things his servants. The petty man becomes the servant of things.”
“The gentleman knows that whatever is imperfect should be desired, whatever is perfect should be observed.”
“The learning of the gentleman enters through his ears and is stored in his heart.”
“Learning proceeds until death and only then does it stop.”