Q0141
“The Master said: The gentleman seeks it in himself; the petty person…” — Confucius (Analects 15.21)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Analects 15.21. Theme: responsibility.
English
The Master said: The gentleman seeks it in himself; the petty person seeks it in others.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Analects 15.21 and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Confucius
Confucius (Kong Qiu, 551–479 BCE) taught in the late Spring and Autumn period amid the Zhou order’s political fragmentation. Born in the state of Lu, he briefly held local office and then spent years seeking rulers who would adopt ritual-based, virtue-centered government.
Interpretation
Confucius is drawing a contrast about where the cause is located. The exemplary person looks to themselves when something fails; the petty person looks to others. The claim is not that others are never at fault but that the location of the search determines whether anything can be done about it. In the Analects this is one of several passages making self-direction the mark of the person worth emulating.
Why it matters
It is a reliable diagnostic in practice: notice where you look first when something goes wrong. That reflex determines what you can do next.
Concepts in this quote
- Responsibility
- Responsibility asks what we answer for—our choices, omissions, institutions, and the futures we help create.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Confucius. (n.d.). The Master said: The gentleman seeks it in himself; the petty person seeks it in others. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0141
MLA: Confucius. “The Master said: The gentleman seeks it in….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0141.
Chicago: Confucius. “The Master said: The gentleman seeks it in….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0141.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The Master said: The gentleman seeks it in…”?
The passage is attributed to Confucius, Analects 15.21. The archive attributes this English wording to Analects 15.21 and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Confucius mean by responsibility?
Philosophical debates cover free will, blame, collective responsibility, and duties to distant others. Technology and AI revive the question of who is accountable when systems act. This passage enters that discussion through responsibility.