--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reserved as he [Confucius] was about the…" description: "\"Reserved as he [Confucius] was about the supernatural, he was not without it; somewhere in the universe there was a power that was on the side of right..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/huston-smith-2415_confucius_reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-s_2077306.png" --- # Reserved as he \[Confucius\] was about the supernatural, he… ![“Reserved as he [Confucius] was about the supernatural, he was not without it; somewhere in the universe there was a power that was on the side of right.” quote by Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/huston-smith-2415_confucius_reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-s_2077306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/huston-smith-2415_confucius_reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-s_2077306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/huston-smith-2415_confucius_reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-s_2077306.png) > “Reserved as he \[Confucius\] was about the supernatural, he was not without it; somewhere in the universe there was a power that was on the side of right.” [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Confucius is skeptical of the supernatural yet acknowledges a universal moral power that supports righteousness. **In simple terms:** Even skeptics see a right‑side cosmic force. Key Takeaway Recognize moral order beyond visible evidence. Themes ethics spirituality skepticism Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political decision - personal decisions - social activism Key Concepts moral realism cosmic justice philosophical inquiry Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports a universal moral power? - How does this belief affect daily choices? A Different Perspective The claim may be too vague to guide concrete action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confucius/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [There are a lot of things you do in a supernatural universe that can toe the line and cross the line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/there-are-a-lot-of-things-you-do-in-a-supernatural-universe-that-can/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [There's something about a supernatural universe that you would think would actually make it easier to create tension and build conflict and have big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/there-s-something-about-a-supernatural-universe-that-you-would-think/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [In the instant of our first breath, we are infused with the single greatest force in the universe--the power to translate the possibilities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-braden/in-the-instant-of-our-first-breath-we-are-infused-with-the-single/) [Gregg Braden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-braden/) > [“all the education and good intentions in the world couldn’t help plug up the holes in the universe or give you the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-the-education-and-good-intentions-in-the-world-couldn-t-help-plug/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The greatest power in the universe is the power of unity, of oneness. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/thirdly-in-other-parts-where-they-have-a-written-language-as-in-the/) [William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/) > [I can imagine the writers of China, England and France, crippled and unsure of themselves when they feel that the ghosts of Confucius, Mencius,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-sionil-jos/i-can-imagine-the-writers-of-china-england-and-france-crippled-and/) [F. Sionil Jose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-sionil-jos/) > [“Confucius say if man want to grow one row of corn, first must shovel one ton of shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/confucius-say-if-man-want-to-grow-one-row-of-corn-first-must-shovel/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More by Huston Smith > [“The Transcendent was my morning meal, we had the Eternal at lunch, and I ate a slice of the Infinite at dinner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-transcendent-was-my-morning-meal-we-had-the-eternal-at-lunch-and/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [The first koan do not have rational answers. They are techniques devised over the millennia for triggering an actual experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-first-koan-do-not-have-rational-answers-they-are-techniques/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [We all carry it within us: supreme strength, the fullness of wisdom, unquenchable joy. It is never thwarted, and cannot be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/we-all-carry-it-within-us-supreme-strength-the-fullness-of-wisdom/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [A nation can assume that the addition of the words "under God" to its pledge of allegiance gives evidence that its citizens actually believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/a-nation-can-assume-that-the-addition-of-the-words-under-god-to-its/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [“Some friends accused me of whoring after the Infinite. 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Live up to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-buddha-is-in-me-the-buddha-is-in-you-live-up-to-it/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [“How many planes there are, we do not know. The levels of nature that science discriminates give us no clue, for these all pertain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/how-many-planes-there-are-we-do-not-know-the-levels-of-nature-that/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [So always, if we look back, concern for face-to-face morality, and its modern emphasis on justice as well, have historically evolved as religious issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/so-always-if-we-look-back-concern-for-face-to-face-morality-and-its/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [All -isms end up in schisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/all-isms-end-up-in-schisms/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [Most of the book deals with things we already know yet never learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/most-of-the-book-deals-with-things-we-already-know-yet-never-learn/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) [Explore all 167 Huston Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) ## More Confucius quotes > [“Confucius say if man want to grow one row of corn, first must shovel one ton of shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/confucius-say-if-man-want-to-grow-one-row-of-corn-first-must-shovel/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I can imagine the writers of China, England and France, crippled and unsure of themselves when they feel that the ghosts of Confucius, Mencius,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-sionil-jos/i-can-imagine-the-writers-of-china-england-and-france-crippled-and/) [F. Sionil Jose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-sionil-jos/) > [“Thirdly, in other parts, where they have a written language, as in the East-Indies, China, Japan, &c. they know nothing of the gospel. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/thirdly-in-other-parts-where-they-have-a-written-language-as-in-the/) [William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/) > [Confucius say Aim high, not failure, but low aim is crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/confucius-say-aim-high-not-failure-but-low-aim-is-crime/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is a story told of one old wise man, whose name was Mencius. He was a follower of Confucius and he died when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagwan-shree-rajneesh/there-is-a-story-told-of-one-old-wise-man-whose-name-was-mencius-he/) [Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagwan-shree-rajneesh/) > [“Who said it? – probably Confucius – “I can’t beat a sculpture from a stone with a sledgehammer; I can’t free the soul of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-johnson/who-said-it-probably-confucius-i-can-t-beat-a-sculpture-from-a-stone/) [Denis Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-johnson/) > [“The provision is very inferior to the cities of refuge which were set apart by Moses for the manslayer to flee to from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-bertram-freeman-mitford/the-provision-is-very-inferior-to-the-cities-of-refuge-which-were-set/) [Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-bertram-freeman-mitford/) > [“Life is simple, but we insist on making it complicated. —Confucius”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-blount/life-is-simple-but-we-insist-on-making-it-complicated-confucius/) [Jeb Blount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-blount/) > [“Don’t complain about the snow on your neighbor’s roof,” said Confucius, “when your own doorstep is unclean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/don-t-complain-about-the-snow-on-your-neighbor-s-roof-said-confucius/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without. - Confucius”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/music-produces-a-kind-of-pleasure-which-human-nature-cannot-do/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Confucius said: “You are never in a position to learn unless you are totally confused.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-gibson/confucius-said-you-are-never-in-a-position-to-learn-unless-you-are/) Marcus Gibson > [“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." —Confucius”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erlend-bakke/it-does-not-matter-how-slowly-you-go-as-long-as-you-do-not-stop/) [Erlend Bakke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erlend-bakke/) > [“The palest ink is better than the most retentive memory” (Confucius).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-d-polchinski/the-palest-ink-is-better-than-the-most-retentive-memory-confucius/) Peter D. Polchinski > [“The implications for politics were immense. If instead of ruthlessly pursuing his own self-interest to the detriment of others, a ruler would "curb his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-implications-for-politics-were-immense-if-instead-of-ruthlessly/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“Confucius, the philosopher and politician who was born in the sixth century B.C.E. He acquired a place in Chinese history akin to that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-osnos/confucius-the-philosopher-and-politician-who-was-born-in-the-sixth/) [Evan Osnos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-osnos/) [Browse all 91 Confucius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confucius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Reserved as he [Confucius] was about the supernatural, he was not without it; somewhere in the universe there was a power that was on the side of right.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Huston Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-supernatural-he-was-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confucius" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-supernatural-he-was-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/huston-smith-2415_confucius_reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-s_2077306.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/huston-smith-2415_confucius_reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-s_2077306.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/huston-smith-2415_confucius_reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-s_2077306.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Reserved as he [Confucius] was about the supernatural, he was not without it; somewhere in the universe…” — Huston Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Huston Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Reserved as he [Confucius] was about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-supernatural-he-was-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/reserved-as-he-confucius-was-about-the-supernatural-he-was-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```