Q0405
“The Master said: I do not resent Heaven, nor blame men; I…” — Confucius (Analects 14.35)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Analects 14.35. Theme: self.
English
The Master said: I do not resent Heaven, nor blame men; I learn from below and reach upward.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Analects 14.35 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.
How to read this passage
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, learning.
Concepts in this quote
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
- Learning
- Learning is philosophy’s practical twin: how judgment is formed through study, error, dialogue, and habit.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Confucius. (n.d.). The Master said: I do not resent Heaven, nor blame men; I learn from below and reach upward. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0405
MLA: Confucius. “The Master said: I do not resent Heaven,….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0405.
Chicago: Confucius. “The Master said: I do not resent Heaven,….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0405.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The Master said: I do not resent Heaven,…”?
The passage is attributed to Confucius, Analects 14.35. The archive attributes this English wording to Analects 14.35 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 self?
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, learning.