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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1An old view of the Book was that Kwang-3ze intended himself by the great phang, ‘which,’ says LO Shd-Aih, ‘is wide of the mark.’ Book II. Kat WO Lun. Mr. Balfour has translated this title by ‘Essay on the Uniformity of All Things;’ and, the subject of the Book being thus misconceived, his translation of it could not fail to be very incorrect. The Chinese critics, I may say without exception, construe the title as I have done. The second and third characters, Wi Lun, are taken together, and mean ‘Discussions about Things,’ equivalent to our ‘Controversies.’ They are under the government of the first character K/i, used as a verb, with the signification of ‘Harmonising,’ or ‘Adjusting. Let me illustrate this by condensing a passage from the ‘Supplementary Commentary of a Mr. Kang, a sub-secretary of the Imperial Chancery,’ of the Ming dynasty (ie cs + ie at). He says, ‘ What Xwang-jze calls “Discussions about Things ” has reference to the various branches of the numerous schools, each of which has its own views, conflicting with BK.II. BRIEF NOTICES OF THE DIFFERENT BOOKS. 129 the views of the others.’ He goes on to show that if they would only adopt the method pointed out by A wang-3ze, ‘their controversies would be adjusted (iy Fl He), now using the first X/i in the passive voice. This then was the theme of our author in this Book. It must be left for the reader to discover from the translation how he pursues it. I pointed out a peculiarity in the former Book, that though the idea of the T4o underlies it all, the term itself is never allowed to appear. Not only does the same idea underlie this Book, but the name is frequently employed. The T4o is the panacea for the evils of controversy, the solvent through the use of which the different views of men may be made to disappear. That the T4o is not a Personal name in the conception of Kwang-jze is seen in several passages. We have not to go beyond the phenomena of nature to discover the reason of their being what they are; nor have we to go beyond the bigoted egoism and vaingloriousness of controversialists to find the explanation of their discussions, various as these are, and confounding like the sounds of the wind among the trees of a forest. To man, neither in nature nor in the sphere of knowledge, is there any other ‘Heaven’ but what belongs to his own mind. That is his only ‘ True Ruler. If there be any other, we do not see His form, nor any traces of His acting. Things come about in their proper course. We cannot advance any proof of Creation. Whether we assume that there was something ‘in the beginning’ or nothing, we are equally landed in contradiction and absurdity. Let us stop at the limit of what we know, and not try to advance a step beyond it.
2Things come about in their proper course. We cannot advance any proof of Creation. Whether we assume that there was something ‘in the beginning’ or nothing, we are equally landed in contradiction and absurdity. Let us stop at the limit of what we know, and not try to advance a step beyond it. Towards the end of the Book our author’s agnosticism seems to reach its farthest point. All human experience is spoken of as a dream or as ‘illusion.’ He who calls another a dreamer does not know that he is not dreaming himself. One and another commentator discover in such utterances something very like the Buddhist doctrine that all life is but so much illusion (FR). This notion has its consummation in the story with which the Book concludes. [39] K 130 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, IIT. Kwang-jze had dreamt that he was a butterfly. When he awoke, and was himself again, he did not know whether he, Kwang KAu, had been dreaming that he was a butterfly, or was now a butterfly dreaming that it was Kwang Kau. And yet he adds that there must be a difference between Kau and a butterfly, but he does not say what that difference is. But had he ever dreamt that he was a butterfly, so as to lose the consciousness of his personal identity as Kwang Kau? TI do not think so. One may, perhaps, lose that consciousness in the state of insanity ; but the language of Young is not sufficiently guarded when he writes of ‘Dreams, where thought, in fancy’s maze, runs mad.’ When dreaming, our thoughts are not conditioned by the categories of time and space; but the conviction of our identity is never lost. Book III. YANG SHANG Xb. ‘The Lord of Life’ is the Tao. It is to this that we are indebted for the origin of life and for the preservation of it. Though not a Personal Being, it is here spoken of as if it were,—‘the Lord of Life;’ just as in the preceding Book it is made to appear as ‘a True Governor, and ‘a True Ruler.” But how can we nourish the Tao? The reply is, By avoiding all striving to do so; bya passionless, unstraining performance of what we have to do in our position in life; simply allowing the Tao to guide and nourish us, without doing anything to please ourselves or to counteract the tendency of our being to decay and death. Par. 1 exhibits the injury arising from not thus nourishing the life, and sets forth the rule we are to pursue. Par. 2 illustrates the observance of the rule by the perfect skill with which the cook of the ruler Wan-hui of Wei cut up the oxen for his employer without trouble to himself, or injury to his knife. BK.IV. BRIEF NOTICES OF THE DIFFERENT BOOKS. I31 Par. 3 illustrates the result of a neglect of one of the cautions in par. I to a certain master of the Left, who had brought on himself dismemberment in the loss of one of his feet.
3BK.IV. BRIEF NOTICES OF THE DIFFERENT BOOKS. I31 Par. 3 illustrates the result of a neglect of one of the cautions in par. I to a certain master of the Left, who had brought on himself dismemberment in the loss of one of his feet. Par. 4 shows how even Lao-3ze had failed in nourishing ‘the Lord of Life’ by neglecting the other caution, and allowing in his good-doing an admixture of human feeling, which produced in his disciples a regard for him that was inconsistent with the nature of the TAo, and made them wail for him excessively on his death. This is the most remarkable portion of the Book, and it is followed by a sentence which implies that the existence of man’s spirit continues after death has taken place. His body is intended by the ‘faggots’ that are consumed by the fire. That fire represents the spirit which may be transferred elsewhere. Some commentators dwell on the analogy between this and the Buddhistic transrotation of births; which latter teaching, however, they do not seem to understand. Others say that ‘the nourishment of the Lord of Life’ is simply acting as Yii did when he conveyed away the flooded waters ‘by doing that which gave him no trouble ;’—see Mencius, IV, ii, 26. _ In Kwang-jze there are various other stories of the same character as that about king Wan-hui’s cook,—e. g. XIX, 3 and XXII, 9. They are instances of the dexterity acquired by habit, and should hardly be pressed into the service of the doctrine of the T do. Book IV. ZAN XIEN SHIH. A man has his place among other men in the world ; he is a member, while he lives, of the body of humanity. And as he has his place in society, so also he has his special duties to discharge, according to his position, and his relation to others. Tdaoist writers refer to this Book as a proof of the practical character of the writings of Kwang-jze. K 2 o-—- +2 132 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. IV, They are right to a certain extent in doing so; but the cases of relationship which are exhibited and prescribed for are of so peculiar a character, that the Book is of little value as a directory of human conduct and duty. In the first two paragraphs we have the case of Yen Hui, who wishes to go to Wei, and try to reform the character and government of its oppressive ruler; in the third and fourth, that of the duke of Sheh, who has been entrusted by the king of KAO with a difficult mission to the court of K4%i, which is occasioning him much anxiety and apprehension ; and in the fifth, that of a Yen Ho, who is about to undertake the office of teacher to the son of duke Ling of Wei, a young man with a very bad natural disposition. The other four paragraphs do not seem to come in naturally after these three cases, being occupied with two immense and wonderful trees, the case of a poor deformed cripple, and the lecture for the benefit of Confucius by ‘ the madman of Kd.’ In all these last paragraphs, the theme is the usefulness, to the party himself at least, of being of no use.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1An old view of the Book was that Kwang-3ze intended himself by the great phang, ‘which,’ says LO Shd-Aih, ‘is wide of the mark.’ Book II. Kat WO Lun. Mr. Balfour has translated this title by ‘Essay on the Uniformity of All Things;’ and, the subject of the Book being thus misconceived, his translation of it could not fail to be very incorrect. The Chinese critics, I may say without exception, construe the title as I have done. The second and third characters, Wi Lun, are taken together, and mean ‘Discussions about Things,’ equivalent to our ‘Controversies.’ They are under the government of the first character K/i, used as a verb, with the signification of ‘Harmonising,’ or ‘Adjusting. Let me illustrate this by condensing a passage from the ‘Supplementary Commentary of a Mr. Kang, a sub-secretary of the Imperial Chancery,’ of the Ming dynasty (ie cs + ie at). He says, ‘ What Xwang-jze calls “Discussions about Things ” has reference to the various branches of the numerous schools, each of which has its own views, conflicting with BK.II. BRIEF NOTICES OF THE DIFFERENT BOOKS. 129 the views of the others.’ He goes on to show that if they would only adopt the method pointed out by A wang-3ze, ‘their controversies would be adjusted (iy Fl He), now using the first X/i in the passive voice. This then was the theme of our author in this Book. It must be left for the reader to discover from the translation how he pursues it. I pointed out a peculiarity in the former Book, that though the idea of the T4o underlies it all, the term itself is never allowed to appear. Not only does the same idea underlie this Book, but the name is frequently employed. The T4o is the panacea for the evils of controversy, the solvent through the use of which the different views of men may be made to disappear. That the T4o is not a Personal name in the conception of Kwang-jze is seen in several passages. We have not to go beyond the phenomena of nature to discover the reason of their being what they are; nor have we to go beyond the bigoted egoism and vaingloriousness of controversialists to find the explanation of their discussions, various as these are, and confounding like the sounds of the wind among the trees of a forest. To man, neither in nature nor in the sphere of knowledge, is there any other ‘Heaven’ but what belongs to his own mind. That is his only ‘ True Ruler. If there be any other, we do not see His form, nor any traces of His acting. Things come about in their proper course. We cannot advance any proof of Creation. Whether we assume that there was something ‘in the beginning’ or nothing, we are equally landed in contradiction and absurdity. Let us stop at the limit of what we know, and not try to advance a step beyond it.
2Things come about in their proper course. We cannot advance any proof of Creation. Whether we assume that there was something ‘in the beginning’ or nothing, we are equally landed in contradiction and absurdity. Let us stop at the limit of what we know, and not try to advance a step beyond it. Towards the end of the Book our author’s agnosticism seems to reach its farthest point. All human experience is spoken of as a dream or as ‘illusion.’ He who calls another a dreamer does not know that he is not dreaming himself. One and another commentator discover in such utterances something very like the Buddhist doctrine that all life is but so much illusion (FR). This notion has its consummation in the story with which the Book concludes. [39] K 130 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, IIT. Kwang-jze had dreamt that he was a butterfly. When he awoke, and was himself again, he did not know whether he, Kwang KAu, had been dreaming that he was a butterfly, or was now a butterfly dreaming that it was Kwang Kau. And yet he adds that there must be a difference between Kau and a butterfly, but he does not say what that difference is. But had he ever dreamt that he was a butterfly, so as to lose the consciousness of his personal identity as Kwang Kau? TI do not think so. One may, perhaps, lose that consciousness in the state of insanity ; but the language of Young is not sufficiently guarded when he writes of ‘Dreams, where thought, in fancy’s maze, runs mad.’ When dreaming, our thoughts are not conditioned by the categories of time and space; but the conviction of our identity is never lost. Book III. YANG SHANG Xb. ‘The Lord of Life’ is the Tao. It is to this that we are indebted for the origin of life and for the preservation of it. Though not a Personal Being, it is here spoken of as if it were,—‘the Lord of Life;’ just as in the preceding Book it is made to appear as ‘a True Governor, and ‘a True Ruler.” But how can we nourish the Tao? The reply is, By avoiding all striving to do so; bya passionless, unstraining performance of what we have to do in our position in life; simply allowing the Tao to guide and nourish us, without doing anything to please ourselves or to counteract the tendency of our being to decay and death. Par. 1 exhibits the injury arising from not thus nourishing the life, and sets forth the rule we are to pursue. Par. 2 illustrates the observance of the rule by the perfect skill with which the cook of the ruler Wan-hui of Wei cut up the oxen for his employer without trouble to himself, or injury to his knife. BK.IV. BRIEF NOTICES OF THE DIFFERENT BOOKS. I31 Par. 3 illustrates the result of a neglect of one of the cautions in par. I to a certain master of the Left, who had brought on himself dismemberment in the loss of one of his feet.
3BK.IV. BRIEF NOTICES OF THE DIFFERENT BOOKS. I31 Par. 3 illustrates the result of a neglect of one of the cautions in par. I to a certain master of the Left, who had brought on himself dismemberment in the loss of one of his feet. Par. 4 shows how even Lao-3ze had failed in nourishing ‘the Lord of Life’ by neglecting the other caution, and allowing in his good-doing an admixture of human feeling, which produced in his disciples a regard for him that was inconsistent with the nature of the TAo, and made them wail for him excessively on his death. This is the most remarkable portion of the Book, and it is followed by a sentence which implies that the existence of man’s spirit continues after death has taken place. His body is intended by the ‘faggots’ that are consumed by the fire. That fire represents the spirit which may be transferred elsewhere. Some commentators dwell on the analogy between this and the Buddhistic transrotation of births; which latter teaching, however, they do not seem to understand. Others say that ‘the nourishment of the Lord of Life’ is simply acting as Yii did when he conveyed away the flooded waters ‘by doing that which gave him no trouble ;’—see Mencius, IV, ii, 26. _ In Kwang-jze there are various other stories of the same character as that about king Wan-hui’s cook,—e. g. XIX, 3 and XXII, 9. They are instances of the dexterity acquired by habit, and should hardly be pressed into the service of the doctrine of the T do. Book IV. ZAN XIEN SHIH. A man has his place among other men in the world ; he is a member, while he lives, of the body of humanity. And as he has his place in society, so also he has his special duties to discharge, according to his position, and his relation to others. Tdaoist writers refer to this Book as a proof of the practical character of the writings of Kwang-jze. K 2 o-—- +2 132 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. IV, They are right to a certain extent in doing so; but the cases of relationship which are exhibited and prescribed for are of so peculiar a character, that the Book is of little value as a directory of human conduct and duty. In the first two paragraphs we have the case of Yen Hui, who wishes to go to Wei, and try to reform the character and government of its oppressive ruler; in the third and fourth, that of the duke of Sheh, who has been entrusted by the king of KAO with a difficult mission to the court of K4%i, which is occasioning him much anxiety and apprehension ; and in the fifth, that of a Yen Ho, who is about to undertake the office of teacher to the son of duke Ling of Wei, a young man with a very bad natural disposition. The other four paragraphs do not seem to come in naturally after these three cases, being occupied with two immense and wonderful trees, the case of a poor deformed cripple, and the lecture for the benefit of Confucius by ‘ the madman of Kd.’ In all these last paragraphs, the theme is the usefulness, to the party himself at least, of being of no use.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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