THE DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN - Confucius

What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance withthis nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path iscalled Instruction. The path may not be left for an instant. If it could be left, itwould not be the path. On this account, the superior man does not waittill he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to beapprehensive. There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothingmore manifest than what is minute. Therefore the superior man iswatchful over himself, when he is alone. While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, themind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium. When thosefeelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, thereensues what may be called the state of Harmony. This Equilibrium isthe great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, andthis Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue. Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and ahappy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all thingswill be nourished and flourish. Chung-ni said, "The superior man embodies the course of the Mean;the mean man acts contrary to the course of the Mean. "The superior man's embodying the course of the Mean is because heis a superior man, and so always maintains the Mean. The mean man'sacting contrary to the course of the Mean is because he is a mean man,and has no caution."