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On Confucius

Indranil Sarkar

 

Confucius  (551-479 BCE )

Confucius was a Chinese teacher, politician, philosopher and writer. !th has

that Confucius was "orn as a "lessin# to his parents$ pra!er at a sacred h

na%ed &'i$. he ter% Confucius literall! %eans aster *on#+. e lied

"etween 551 and 479 C/. his is known toda! as the &Sprin# and 0utu%n perio

in Chinese istor!. Confucius$ ancestors had %i#rated fro% the Son# State

the u State three #enerations "efore his "irth. Confucius was a descendant

the Shan# d!nast! *in#s.

Confucius was the founder of the Ru School of Chinese thou#ht. is teachin#

had "eco%e the s!ste% of philosoph! called Confucianis%. Confucius2s wisdo

still lies on and trul! speakin#, %ost releant for a happ! and di#ni3e

indiidual and social life. Confucius hi#hli#hted the doctrine of o not do

others what !ou do not want done to !ourself. his was an earl! ersion of th

6olden ule.

8un# u-lan, one of the #reat :;thcentur! authorities on the histor! of Chines

thou#ht, co%pares Confucius2 in

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is ti%e-tested aphoristic sentences re%ind us of the &dispersed %editations$

8rancis acon. Confucius2 teachin#s and his conersations and e>chan#es wi

his disciples were recorded in the Lunyu  or  Analects %ost pro"a"l! in :

centur!.

he philosoph! of Confucius e%phasi?ed personal and #oern%ental %oralit

correctness of social relationships, @ustice and sincerit!. Confucius represente

his teachin#s as lessons trans%itted fro% antiAuit!. e clai%ed that he was

trans%itter and not a %aker+.

0 hall%ark of Confucius2 thou#ht was his e%phasis on education and stud!.

dispara#ed those who professed faith in natural understandin# or intuition an

ar#ued that the onl! real understandin# of a su"@ect co%es fro% lon# an

careful stud!. Stud!, for Confucius, %eant 3ndin# a #ood teacher and i%itatin

his words and deeds. 0 #ood teacher was characteri?ed as so%eone older an

possessin# ancient wisdo%.

e hated and disliked s!cophants and sno"s.

Confucius has "een lauded with arious na%es. In 10, he was #ien the na%

auda"l! eclara"le ord 'i. In 15B;, he was declared as the />tre%e

Sa#e eparted eacher. e was also acclai%ed separatel! as the 6re

Sa#e, 8irst eacher, and odel eacher for en housand 0#es. =ikipediaD

inks E eferencesF-

i. www.wikipedia.or#

ii. Gnline Stanford /nc!clopedia of Hhilosoph!.