Confucius The Sage

Pu Shang once said to Confucius, “ What kind of Sage are you that you can say that Yen Hui excels you in straight forwardness ? That in clarifying things Tuan-mu Tz’u is superior to you ? That Chung Yu is more courageous than you ? And that Chuan-Sun is more dignified than you ? “

In his eagerness to get a reply Pu Shang moved to the edge of the mat and nearly fell off it. “If these things are true,” he said, “ then why are these four men your disciples?”

Confucius replied, ”Stay right where you are and I shall tell you. Yen Hui knows how to be straightforward, but he does not know how to be flexible without losing his straightforwardness. Tuan-mu Tz’u knows how to clarify things, but he does not know how to give a simple Yes or No for an answer. Chung Yu knows how to be dignified, but he does not know how to be unassuming. That is why these four men are glad to study under me.”

 Learnings

· We should try and be balanced persons

· An ideal combination of all qualities makes an ideal person

· Let us be aware of our strengths and weaknesses

Reflections

· What constitutes my personality ?

· What is my behavior pattern?

· How do I handle situations with balanced view point ?