Analects 2.16 · Wei Zheng
“To devote oneself to heterodox teachings is harmful indeed.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
攻乎異端 斯害也已 (gōng hū yì duān, sī hài yě yǐ) means “To devote oneself to heterodox teachings is harmful indeed.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 16.
攻乎異端 斯害也已
- Pinyin
- gōng hū yì duān, sī hài yě yǐ
- Translation
- To devote oneself to heterodox teachings is harmful indeed.
- Source
- Analects, Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 16
What does this passage mean?
This short passage from the sixteenth chapter of Wei Zheng has been read in more than one way. The first character is usually taken to mean ‘to work at’ or ‘to study,’ and the term rendered as heterodox teachings refers to paths that diverge from the right Way; the sentence then means that devoting oneself to such paths is simply harmful. Others read the first character as ‘to attack,’ so that the sentence warns against assaulting views different from one’s own. Either way, what Confucius cautions against is losing balance by leaning to one side. He regarded avoiding extremes and holding to the mean as the heart of learning.
How can we apply it today?
The more information we have, the more easily we tip toward one side. Algorithms show us only what we already like, and we fall for a single theory or a single voice and try to explain the whole world through it. In health, investing, and politics, the voice that says ‘this alone is the answer’ is attractive and dangerous. Attacking every view that differs from ours is the same disease in reverse. Both readings point in the same direction: do not burrow into extremes, do not shut out other views, and keep the wide view.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Is there a single viewpoint you are currently absorbed in?
- ·What is your first reaction when you hear an opinion different from yours?
- ·When you sense you have lost your balance, what helps you regain it?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 攻 | gōng | attack; work at | 7 | 攴 (tap) |
| 乎 | hū | grammatical particle | 5 | 丿 (slash) |
| 異 | yì | different; heterodox | 11 | 田 (field) |
| 端 | duān | end | 14 | 立 (stand) |
| 斯 | sī | this | 12 | 斤 (axe) |
| 害 | hài | harm | 10 | 宀 (roof) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
| 已 | yǐ | already | 3 | 己 (self) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “To devote oneself to heterodox teachings is…” mean?
攻乎異端 斯害也已 (gōng hū yì duān, sī hài yě yǐ) means “To devote oneself to heterodox teachings is harmful indeed.” It comes from the Analects, Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 16.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 2.16: Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 16.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
The more information we have, the more easily we tip toward one side.