"It is better to be without wealth, Honor, body and livelihood; And it is better to let other virtues deteriorate, Rather than ever to let (the virtues of) the mind decline."
The Virtues of the Mind
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Virtue
Practice
"To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness."
The Common Man thinks of Comfort
"The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort."
The Beginning of Disorder
"When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder."
Realization
"To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect."
Order is Virtue
"Order is virtue. And order isn’t a thing to be cultivated; you can’t say 'I will be orderly', 'I will do this and I won’t do that'—then you are merely disciplining yourself, becoming more and more rigid, mechanical. Such a mind is totally incapable of coming upon...