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For the Confucian, the specialistic expert could not be raised to truly positive dignity, no mater what his social usefulness. The decisive factor was that the "cultured man" (gentleman) was "not a tool"; that is, in his adjustment to the world and in his self-perfection he was an end unto himself, not a means for any functional end. This core of Confucian ethics rejected professional specialization, modern expert bureaucracy, and special training; above all, it rejected training in economics for the pursuit of profit.

— Max Weber Religion of China (1915)

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The more a religion is aware of its opposition in principle to economic rationalization as such, the more apt are the religion’s virtuosi to reject the world, especially its economic activities.

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What interests us here is the assimilative power of the Hindu life order due to its legitimation of social rank.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Max Weber (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.