It is true that water will flow indifferently to east and west, but will it flow equally well up and down? Human nature is disposed toward goodness, just as water tends to flow downwards. There is no water but flows downwards, and no man but shows his tendency to be good. Now, by striking water hard, you may splash it higher than your forehead, and by damming it, you may make it go uphill. But, is that the nature of water? It is external force that causes it to do so. Likewise, if a man is made to do what is not good, his nature is being similarly forced.

He who exerts his mind to the utmost knows his nature.

The Tao is near and people seek it far away.

The way is One and only One. The way is close at hand, but men seek it afar.

I dislike death, however, there are some things I dislike more than death. Therefore, there are times when I will not avoid danger.

Kindly words do not enter so deeply into men as a reputation for kindness.

Evil exists to glorify the good. Evil is negative good. It is a relative term. Evil can be transmuted into good. What is evil to one at one time, becomes good at another time to somebody else.