Zi said: A gentleman has no food to eat, no place to live, is sensitive to things and cautious in words, there is a way and righteousness, and it can be said that he is studious.
This passage deals mainly with the way to study.
First of all, the student should be simple in his diet and dwelling, and not in luxury. "Delicious" is generally adjacent to "lazy", once a person pursues food and clothing, how can he be in the mood to learn Xi tirelessly?Moreover, there is no need to worry about food and clothing, comfortable living, food and clothing, and then something else will be produced, and there will be no motivation to study Xi.
Secondly, it is necessary to have a keen insight into things. Some people think that "min" means to do things diligently, but I think this passage is mainly about learning Xi, so it should mean keenness and sensitivity. Keen insight will produce a unique understanding and feeling of things, and will not be the same as others, without assertiveness. But Confucius stressed the need to be cautious in what we say. Because people's understanding is limited, and with the growth of experience, they may have new understandings and feelings about the same thing, so he emphasized prudence, and there is actually another meaning under prudence, that is, more thinking.
Thirdly, Confucius emphasized that "there is a Tao", and that having a Tao is to be close to the talented virtuous, so as to seek advice nearby, and "correct" one's own mistakes and increase one's own strength. This is similar to the three migrations of Meng's mother. This point belongs to the category of making friends, and it is necessary to make friends with talents, so that you can be imperceptibly educated and constantly correct your shortcomings.
Confucius believed that if the above three points were achieved, one could be called a studious person.