Are "prudence and self-discipline" and "discipline" the same concept?

No.

The term "prudence and solitude" comes from the Confucian book "Rituals of the Middle Ages" written during the Qin and Han Dynasties: "There is nothing hidden, nothing obvious, so the gentleman is prudent in his solitude." The so-called prudence and solitude and self-discipline is to be able to act prudently when others cannot see, and to stay awake when others cannot hear.

Contemplation and discipline is a set of methods for cultivating one's moral character put forward by the Ming Dynasty thinker Wang Yangming, which refers to thinking and checking at every moment whether one's thoughts, words and deeds are in line with the moral requirements, and checking out the problems of one's own behavior and thoughts and overcoming and removing one's own bad faults through introspection.

Summary: prudence and self-discipline is in accordance with the established requirements in a person's time strict requirements for self, the province of investigation and restraint is through their own thoughts and behaviors of introspection and found that the problem and remediation.

Expanded Information

Alternative Interpretation of "Zhongyong":

"Zhongyong" is a record of the Confucian teachings recorded by Confucius's grandson, Zi Si. The first sentence of the Confucian teachings says "Nature, Way, and Teachings", which says that it is a method of cultivating nature and cultivating the way of Taoism.

The concepts of "gentleman" and "prudence" are very different from the original meaning, which is the key to understanding the original meaning. The term "gentleman" in the Meanwhile refers to a person who is taught according to the Way and who cultivates his mind and body. To be prudent refers to the prudent retention of unique insights (gained by one's own cultivation of the Way).

Originally:

The Way is not to be separated from it for a moment, but it is not the Way that can be separated from it. Therefore, a gentleman should be cautious of what he does not see, and fear what he does not hear. There is nothing that can be seen that is hidden, and nothing that can be seen that is not obvious; therefore, the gentleman is prudent in his solitude.

Translation:

The Way is the ability to generate thoughts that cannot be separated from life, and anything that life can be separated from cannot be called the Way. (The role of thinking and the activity of the mind, which never ceases in every human being, is the manifestation of the Tao in human life. That which gives rise to thinking and mindfulness is the Tao, the Divine Order, and the origin of life.)

So those who practice in accordance with the Way should maintain a cautious wariness and a respectful attitude of fear toward things they cannot hear or see. Although human ear and eye perception have their limitations, those who practice according to the Way are still able to perceive in the most secret places and subtleties what ordinary people are unable to perceive, and so the practitioner should be careful to maintain his or her unique knowledge (gained in the practice of the Way).

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