Mencius

Mencius Mencius believes that it is our nature and mind that determine what we are. It is our fate that governs our fortunes and determines our lease on life. Fate was originally a patent to a fief-holder, given by the Son of Heaven as Heaven's deputy to a feudatory. In extended usage it became our lot in life - the fate ordained by heaven. While people guard their minds and determine their conduct, they cannot determine their fate, which is in Heaven's hands. So, Mencius believed that though all humans are innately good, the realization of that good comes with self-cultivation and self-knowledge. Hsun-tzu could not accept Mencius idealistic view of human nature, nor did he believe that Heaven was the sole arbiter of human behavior. He believed that the importance of humankind in the universe is equal to but different from the importance of Heaven and Earth: "Heaven has its seasons, Earth has its riches and man has his culture. This is what is meant by the Trinity." Humanity's function is to utilize the resources of Heaven and Earth to create its heaven, nature, human, mencius, fate, life, heaven's, good, earth, determine, view, social, self-cultivation, religious, people, organization, mandate, lot, importance, hsun-tzu, culture, believes, believed, because, yi, wise, whose, while, views, very, utilize, usage, universe, two, trinity, traditions