Analects 6:5

Confucius said, “About Hui (Yen Yüan), for three months there would be nothing in his mind contrary to humanity.  The others could (or can) attain to this for a day or a month at most.”  [Analects 6:5]

Today, I would try to interpret the above analect.

In this analect, Confucius is trying to teach us how to tell whether a person is sincere in accomplishing his will. In here, he says that when a man is focused on his goal and is sincere in achieving it, then he cannot be easily swayed by some external force. He can go on for months or up until he reaches his goal, but if the man is not sincere and not focused on the goal, then he will just go on for days. Whenever the person feels tired or distracted by some things, he will eventually give up on it or withdraw for the moment.

Confucius is saying that the man with a mission or purpose must stick to his mission or purpose. For example, if the man wanted to be a superior man, then one of his characteristic must be a man of humanity. In order to achieve this, the person must know first his purpose in doing for him to be motivated. After that, he must know how eager he is in attaining his goal. The eagerness drives the will to be sincere and focused for it is when the person is in his eager-ness stage that the want-ness to attain the goal is still flaming. When someone is on that stage, all his focus is diverted to things he will do just to reach the end point. If a person wanted to be a superior man, then he will be a man for humanity. All his actions, mind settings must not be contrary to humanity. The person strives hard for him to follow these in order to be a superior man. If the person is eager to achieve his goal, then he will do the necessary things and avoid the unnecessary just for him to be a superior man. If he is that determined, then he can go on for months without being swayed by some distractions. Since he has a mission or purpose, then he must stick to it to remind the self of the victory to be sought if he reaches his goal.