QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN READING THE ANALECTS (Lunyu 論語)

1.      According to Confucius and his followers, what kind of life should one lead or strive to lead?

2.      What guides should one use in conducting this life?

3.      Are there any suggestions in the Analects that human nature is good (i.e. that all people are originally or fundamentally good)?

4.      What is the Way (dao / tao) according to Confucius?

5.      What is religious about Confucius' thought?

KEY TERMS IN THE ANALECTS

(Terms in italics are those used by Raymond Dawson in his translation)

ren / jen 仁 humanity, humaneness, Goodness 
li 禮 ritual, ritual propriety
junzi / chün-tzu 君子 honorable person, Gentleman
xue / hsüeh 學 study/learning 
wen 文 culture
tian / t'ien 天 Heaven
tianming / t'ien-ming 天命 Mandate of Heaven, decrees of Heaven
de / te 德 virtue, moral power
dao / tao 道  the Way
yi / i 義 rightness
si / ssu 思 thinking, reflecting
zhi / chih 知 knowing, understanding
xin / hsin 信 trust, good faith, living up to one's word 
zhong / chung 忠 loyalty, being true to oneself
shu 恕 reciprocity, consideration
xiao / hsiao 孝 filiality, filial piety