The Master: the Historical Conditions and His Life

Abstract

Many of Confucius’ pupils followed their master loyally but only a few might actually be said to have understood him. Not unlike Schopenhauer’s saying above, Confucius’ disciple, Yan Yuan (see Confucius, 1992), appreciated his master’s doctrines as follows:

I looked up to them, and they seemed to become more high; I tried to penetrate them, and they seemed to become more firm; I looked at them before me, and suddenly they seemed to be behind. The Master, by orderly method, skillfully leads men on. He enlarged my mind with learning, and taught me the restraints of propriety. I wish to give over the study of his doctrines, I cannot do so, and having exerted all my ability, there seems something to stand right up before me; but though I wish to follow and lay hold of it, I really find no way to do so.

Genius is like the marksman who hits a target, as far as which others cannot even see. Therefore these others obtain information about genius only indirectly, and thus tardily, and even this they accept only on trust and faith.

Schopenhauer (1958 II:391)