Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1He is but a follower of those others, approving and dis- 1 We can hardly tell whether this paragraph should be understood as a continuation of Khih-4ang’s remarks, or as from Kwangze himself. The meaning here is that every one feels that this opinion is right, without pausing to reason about it. 2 See the Yt King, Appendix III, ii, 15, where this letting his robes hang down is attributed to Shun. Ought we to infer from this that in this paragraph we have A/ih-Aang still speaking about and against the common opinion of Shun’s superiority to king Wa? PT. II, SECT. V. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 327 approving as they do, and yet he will not say that he is one of them. This is the height of stupidity. He who knows his stupidity is not very stupid ; he who knows that he is under a delusion is not greatly deluded. He who is greatly deluded will never shake the delusion off; he who is very stupid will all his life not become intelligent. If three men be walking together, and (only) one of them be under a delusion (as to their way), they may yet reach their goal, the deluded being the fewer; but if two of them be under the delusion, they will not do so, the deluded being the majority. At the present time, when the whole world is under a delusion, though I pray men to go in the right direction, I cannot make them do so ;—is it not a sad case ? Grand music does not penetrate the ears of villagers; but if they hear ‘The Breaking of the Willow,’ or ‘The Bright Flowers!, they will roar with laughter. So it is that lofty words do not remain in the minds of the multitude, and that perfect words are not heard, because the vulgar words predominate. By two earthenware instruments the (music of) a bell will be confused, and the pleasure that it would afford cannot be obtained, At the present time the whole world is under a delusion, and though I wish to go in a certain direction, how can I succeed in doing so? Knowing that I cannot do so, if I were to try to force my way, that would be another delusion. Therefore my best course is to let my purpose go, and no more pursue it. If I do not pursue it, whom shall I have to share in my sorrow ?? 1 The names of two songs, favourites with the common people. 2 T shall only feel the more that I am alone without any to sympathise with me, and be the more sad. — = a rr ere 0 eee . —_ -e | | 328 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, XII. If an ugly man? have a son born to him at midnight, he hastens with a light to look at it. Very eagerly he does so, only afraid that it may be like himself. 15%, From a tree a hundred years old a portion shall be cut and fashioned into a sacrificial vase, with the bull figured on it, which is ornamented further with green and yellow, while the rest (of that portion) is cut away and thrown into a ditch. If now we compare the sacrificial vase with what was thrown into the ditch, there will be a difference between them as respects their beauty and ugliness ;
2If now we compare the sacrificial vase with what was thrown into the ditch, there will be a difference between them as respects their beauty and ugliness ; but they both agree in having lost the (proper) | nature of the wood. So in respect of their practice of righteousness there is a difference between (the robber) Aih on the one hand, and 3ang (Shan) or Shih (8hid) on the other; but they all agree in having lost (the proper qualities of) their nature. Now there are five things which produce (in men) the loss of their (proper) nature. The first is (their fondness for) the five colours which disorder the eye, and take from it its (proper) clearness of vision ; the second is (their fondness for) the five notes (of music), which disorder the ear and take from it its , jira mn should perhaps be translated ‘a leper.’ The illustration is edited by Kido Hung and others as a paragraph by itself. They cannot tell whether it be intended to end the paragraph that precedes or to introduce the one that follows. ? This paragraph must be our author’s own. hih-Aang, of the time of king WA, could not be criticising the schemes of life propounded by Mo and Yang, whose views were so much later in time. It breathes the animosity of Lao and A wang against all schemes of learning and culture, as contrary to the simplicity of life according to the Tao. ota ee se = PT,11,SECT.V. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 329 (proper) power of hearing; the third is (their fondness for) the five odours which penetrate the nostrils, and produce a feeling of distress all over the forehead ; the fourth is (their fondness for) the five flavours, which deaden the mouth, and pervert its sense of taste; the fifth is their preferences and dislikes, which unsettle the mind, and cause the nature to go flying about. These five things are all injurious to the life; and now Yang and Mo begin to stretch forward from their different standpoints, each thinking that he has hit on (the proper course for men). But the courses they have hit on are not what I call the proper course. What they have hit on (only) leads to distress;—can they have hit on what is the right thing? If they have, we may say that the dove in a cage has found the right thing for it. Moreover, those preferences and dislikes, that (fondness for) music and colours, serve but to pile up fuel (in their breasts); while their caps of leather, the bonnet with kingfishers’ plumes, the memorandum tablets which they carry, and their long girdles, serve but as restraints on their persons. Thus inwardly stuffed full as a hole for fuel, and outwardly fast bound with cords, when they look quietly round from out of their bondage, and think they have got all they could desire, they are no better than criminals whose arms are tied together, and their fingers subjected to the screw, or than tigers and leopards in sacks or cages, and yet thinking that they have got (all they could wish). woes cee eee ee cee ec a a a ee ae eee ees -
3woes cee eee ee cee ec a a a ee ae eee ees - 330 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, XIIt. BOOK XIII. Part II. Section VI. Thien T4o, or ‘ The Way of Heaven!,’ 1. The Way of Heaven operates (unceasingly), and leaves no accumulation ? (of its influence) in any particular place, so that all things are brought to perfection by it; so does the Way of the Tis operate, and all under the sky turn to them (as their directors); so also does the Way of the Sages operate, and all within the seas submit to them. Those who clearly understand (the Way of) Heaven, who are in sympathy with (that of) the sages, and familiar through the universe and in the four quarters (of the earth) with the work of the Tis and the kings, yet act spontaneously from themselves :—with the appearance of being ignorant they are yet entirely still. The stillness of the sages does not belong to them as a consequence of their skilful ability *; all things are not able to disturb their minds ;—it is on this account that they are still. When water is still, its clearness shows the beard and eyebrows (of him * See pp. 144, 145. ? That is, its operation is universal. The Chinese critics generally explain ‘accumulation’ here by ‘rest,’ which is not quite the idea. 3 Such is the meaning here of the zee, as in the Tao Teh ing, chaps. 2, 8, and often. PT. Il, SECT.VI. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 331 who looks into it). It is a perfect Level, and the greatest artificer takes his rule from it. Such is the clearness of still water, and how much greater is that of the human Spirit! The still mind of the sage is the mirror of heaven and earth, the glass of all things. Vacancy, stillness, placidity, tastelessness, quietude, silence, and non-action ;—this is the Level of heaven and earth, and the perfection of the Tao and its characteristics’. Therefore the Tis, Kings, and Sages found in this their resting-place*. Resting here, they were vacant; from their vacancy came fullness ; from their fullness came the nice distinctions (of things). From their vacancy came stillness ; that stillness was followed by movement; their movements were successful. From their stillness came their non-action. Doing-nothing, they devolved the cares of office on theiremployés. Doing-nothing was accompanied by the feeling of satisfaction. Where there is that feeling of satisfaction, anxieties and troubles find no place; and the years of life are many. Vacancy, stillness, placidity, tastelessness, quietude, silence, and doing-nothing are the root of all things. When this is understood, we find such a ruler on the throne as Y4o, and such a minister as Shun. When with this a high position is occupied, we find the attributes of the Tis and kings,—the sons of Heaven ; with this in a low position, we find the mysterious 1 : . “ye . : PL here, is contracted in many editions into HE, which some have mistaken for YE.
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.
1He is but a follower of those others, approving and dis- 1 We can hardly tell whether this paragraph should be understood as a continuation of Khih-4ang’s remarks, or as from Kwangze himself. The meaning here is that every one feels that this opinion is right, without pausing to reason about it. 2 See the Yt King, Appendix III, ii, 15, where this letting his robes hang down is attributed to Shun. Ought we to infer from this that in this paragraph we have A/ih-Aang still speaking about and against the common opinion of Shun’s superiority to king Wa? PT. II, SECT. V. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 327 approving as they do, and yet he will not say that he is one of them. This is the height of stupidity. He who knows his stupidity is not very stupid ; he who knows that he is under a delusion is not greatly deluded. He who is greatly deluded will never shake the delusion off; he who is very stupid will all his life not become intelligent. If three men be walking together, and (only) one of them be under a delusion (as to their way), they may yet reach their goal, the deluded being the fewer; but if two of them be under the delusion, they will not do so, the deluded being the majority. At the present time, when the whole world is under a delusion, though I pray men to go in the right direction, I cannot make them do so ;—is it not a sad case ? Grand music does not penetrate the ears of villagers; but if they hear ‘The Breaking of the Willow,’ or ‘The Bright Flowers!, they will roar with laughter. So it is that lofty words do not remain in the minds of the multitude, and that perfect words are not heard, because the vulgar words predominate. By two earthenware instruments the (music of) a bell will be confused, and the pleasure that it would afford cannot be obtained, At the present time the whole world is under a delusion, and though I wish to go in a certain direction, how can I succeed in doing so? Knowing that I cannot do so, if I were to try to force my way, that would be another delusion. Therefore my best course is to let my purpose go, and no more pursue it. If I do not pursue it, whom shall I have to share in my sorrow ?? 1 The names of two songs, favourites with the common people. 2 T shall only feel the more that I am alone without any to sympathise with me, and be the more sad. — = a rr ere 0 eee . —_ -e | | 328 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, XII. If an ugly man? have a son born to him at midnight, he hastens with a light to look at it. Very eagerly he does so, only afraid that it may be like himself. 15%, From a tree a hundred years old a portion shall be cut and fashioned into a sacrificial vase, with the bull figured on it, which is ornamented further with green and yellow, while the rest (of that portion) is cut away and thrown into a ditch. If now we compare the sacrificial vase with what was thrown into the ditch, there will be a difference between them as respects their beauty and ugliness ;
2If now we compare the sacrificial vase with what was thrown into the ditch, there will be a difference between them as respects their beauty and ugliness ; but they both agree in having lost the (proper) | nature of the wood. So in respect of their practice of righteousness there is a difference between (the robber) Aih on the one hand, and 3ang (Shan) or Shih (8hid) on the other; but they all agree in having lost (the proper qualities of) their nature. Now there are five things which produce (in men) the loss of their (proper) nature. The first is (their fondness for) the five colours which disorder the eye, and take from it its (proper) clearness of vision ; the second is (their fondness for) the five notes (of music), which disorder the ear and take from it its , jira mn should perhaps be translated ‘a leper.’ The illustration is edited by Kido Hung and others as a paragraph by itself. They cannot tell whether it be intended to end the paragraph that precedes or to introduce the one that follows. ? This paragraph must be our author’s own. hih-Aang, of the time of king WA, could not be criticising the schemes of life propounded by Mo and Yang, whose views were so much later in time. It breathes the animosity of Lao and A wang against all schemes of learning and culture, as contrary to the simplicity of life according to the Tao. ota ee se = PT,11,SECT.V. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 329 (proper) power of hearing; the third is (their fondness for) the five odours which penetrate the nostrils, and produce a feeling of distress all over the forehead ; the fourth is (their fondness for) the five flavours, which deaden the mouth, and pervert its sense of taste; the fifth is their preferences and dislikes, which unsettle the mind, and cause the nature to go flying about. These five things are all injurious to the life; and now Yang and Mo begin to stretch forward from their different standpoints, each thinking that he has hit on (the proper course for men). But the courses they have hit on are not what I call the proper course. What they have hit on (only) leads to distress;—can they have hit on what is the right thing? If they have, we may say that the dove in a cage has found the right thing for it. Moreover, those preferences and dislikes, that (fondness for) music and colours, serve but to pile up fuel (in their breasts); while their caps of leather, the bonnet with kingfishers’ plumes, the memorandum tablets which they carry, and their long girdles, serve but as restraints on their persons. Thus inwardly stuffed full as a hole for fuel, and outwardly fast bound with cords, when they look quietly round from out of their bondage, and think they have got all they could desire, they are no better than criminals whose arms are tied together, and their fingers subjected to the screw, or than tigers and leopards in sacks or cages, and yet thinking that they have got (all they could wish). woes cee eee ee cee ec a a a ee ae eee ees -
3woes cee eee ee cee ec a a a ee ae eee ees - 330 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, XIIt. BOOK XIII. Part II. Section VI. Thien T4o, or ‘ The Way of Heaven!,’ 1. The Way of Heaven operates (unceasingly), and leaves no accumulation ? (of its influence) in any particular place, so that all things are brought to perfection by it; so does the Way of the Tis operate, and all under the sky turn to them (as their directors); so also does the Way of the Sages operate, and all within the seas submit to them. Those who clearly understand (the Way of) Heaven, who are in sympathy with (that of) the sages, and familiar through the universe and in the four quarters (of the earth) with the work of the Tis and the kings, yet act spontaneously from themselves :—with the appearance of being ignorant they are yet entirely still. The stillness of the sages does not belong to them as a consequence of their skilful ability *; all things are not able to disturb their minds ;—it is on this account that they are still. When water is still, its clearness shows the beard and eyebrows (of him * See pp. 144, 145. ? That is, its operation is universal. The Chinese critics generally explain ‘accumulation’ here by ‘rest,’ which is not quite the idea. 3 Such is the meaning here of the zee, as in the Tao Teh ing, chaps. 2, 8, and often. PT. Il, SECT.VI. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 331 who looks into it). It is a perfect Level, and the greatest artificer takes his rule from it. Such is the clearness of still water, and how much greater is that of the human Spirit! The still mind of the sage is the mirror of heaven and earth, the glass of all things. Vacancy, stillness, placidity, tastelessness, quietude, silence, and non-action ;—this is the Level of heaven and earth, and the perfection of the Tao and its characteristics’. Therefore the Tis, Kings, and Sages found in this their resting-place*. Resting here, they were vacant; from their vacancy came fullness ; from their fullness came the nice distinctions (of things). From their vacancy came stillness ; that stillness was followed by movement; their movements were successful. From their stillness came their non-action. Doing-nothing, they devolved the cares of office on theiremployés. Doing-nothing was accompanied by the feeling of satisfaction. Where there is that feeling of satisfaction, anxieties and troubles find no place; and the years of life are many. Vacancy, stillness, placidity, tastelessness, quietude, silence, and doing-nothing are the root of all things. When this is understood, we find such a ruler on the throne as Y4o, and such a minister as Shun. When with this a high position is occupied, we find the attributes of the Tis and kings,—the sons of Heaven ; with this in a low position, we find the mysterious 1 : . “ye . : PL here, is contracted in many editions into HE, which some have mistaken for YE.
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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