feeling

One of the words that Confucius talked about God.
It was mandate of heaven.

"I was able to understand my mandate from heaven at 50-year-old."
Later life，he said so.
(He seems died in the middle of 70s.)

"This is a remark about God by Confucius."

However，we conclude easily that way.
It seems need to be careful.


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If I write this phrase in Chinese characters，it is "天命".

Modern Japanese pronunciation of this phrase is "Ten-Mei".
And literal translation of this phrase is "instruction from heaven". (命 from 天)
　
By the way，one chinese character have more than one meaning usually.

天 is no exception.
(命 is also no exception of course.)
　
Today，most general meaning of ”天” is ”Heaven”.
　
Incidentally the official designation of ”Heaven” is "天国”. (Ten-Goku)　
And literal translation of this term is "Kingdom of God". (国 of 天)　
　
Yes，meaning of ”天” in this case is ”God”.
(There is also a meaning of heaven of course.)

However，the era of Confucius，there was no such meaning in 天.
That possibility seems to exist.

　
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Although this may be to a little extended interpretation.
And although this may not be an exact match.

Besides this，"天” have a feeling of "The Sky".
And "天” also have a feeling of "The Universe".
"天" also holds feeling of "Nothing" further.
(Of course，chinese characters corresponding to them are present.)

And "天”命 that Confucius talked.
　
These feeling.
It seems to strong　
　
In short，meaning of God was retrofitted.
　
　
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Note:Confucius （551bc-479bc）
Buddha (565bc-486bc?/465bc-386bc? etc..)

They're contemporaries nearly.
　
And introduction of the concept of zero in India.
It seems to be later times a little more.
　
Zero was found in India.