KEY CONCEPTS

TERMBASES

For One’s Own Sake

Think in terms of oneself. This is the fundamental concept of Yang Zhu of the Warring States Period. He felt that to oneself, the most important things were one’s body and one’s life. Hence the main consideration in “for one’s own sake”is how to protect one’s body and life. In Yang Zhu’s opinion, people should observe the principle of acting “for one’s own sake” in their words and deeds, and prioritize thinking about themselves. Not even the slightest harm to one’s own body or life should result from seeking personal wealth and status, or from seeking benefits for others or for the collective.

CITATION
1
Mencius said, “Yang Zhu believed in the principle of each man for himself. He would not pluck out a single hair to benefit the world.”
CITATION
2
Preserving one’s own life and not letting external objects affect one’s body – this is Yang Zhu’s position, and Mencius criticized him for it.
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