The Analects

Synopsis

'the master said, "if a man sets his heart on benevolence, he will be free from evil"'the analects are a collection of confucius's sayings brought together by his pupils shortly after his death in 497 bc. Together they express a philosophy, or a moral code, by which confucius believed everyone should live. Upholding the ideals of wisdom, self-knowledge, courage and love of one's fellow man, he argued that the pursuit of virtue should be every individual's supreme goal.