Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Ill, SECT. XI. THE WRITINGS OF XWANG-8ZE. 231 such was his practice. At the same time he would talk freely of himself, thinking himself the ablest among them, and saying, ‘In heaven or earth who is my match?’ Shih maintained indeed his masculine energy, but he had not the art (of controversy). In the south there was a man of extraordinary views, named Hwang Lido!, who asked him how it was that the sky did not fall nor the earth sink, and what was the cause of wind, rain, and the thunder’s roll and crash. Shih made no attempt to evade the | questions, and answered him without any exercise of thought, talking about all things, without pause, on and on without end; yet still thinking that his words were few, and adding to them the strangest observations. He thought that to contradict others was a real triumph, and wished to make himself famous by overcoming them; and on this account he was not liked by the multitude of debaters. He was weak in real attainment, though he might seem strong in comparison with others, and his way was narrow and dark. If we look at Hui Shih’s ability from the standpoint of Heaven and Earth, it was only like the restless activity of a mosquito or gadfly ; of what service was it to anything? To give its full development to any one capacity is a good thing, and he who does so is in the way to a higher estimation of the Tao; but Hui Shih could find no rest for himself in doing this. He diffused himself over the world of things without satiety, till in the end he had only the reputation of being a skilful debater. Alas! Hui Shih, with 1 Elsewhere unknown. 232 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BE. XXXII. all his talents, vast as they were, made nothing out; he pursued all subjects and never came back (with success). It was like silencing an echo by his shouting, or running a-race with his shadow. Alas! THE THAI-SHANG TRACTATE OF ACTIONS AND THEIR RETRIBUTIONS. Digitized by Google THE THAI-SHANG TRACTATE OF ACTIONS AND THEIR RETRIBUTIONS14. 1, The Thai-Shang (Tractate) says, ‘ There are no special doors for calamity and happiness (in men’s lot); they come as men themselves call them. Their recompenses follow good and evil as the shadow follows the substance®. 2. ‘Accordingly, in heaven and earth® there are Machi spirits that take account of men’s trans- achinery . . . tosecure gressions, and, according to the lightness retribution. . : or gravity of their offences, take away from their term of life‘. When that term is curtailed, men become poor and reduced, and meet with many sorrows and afflictions. All (other) men hate them; punishments and calamities attend them; good luck and occasions for felicitation shun them ; The Thesis. 1 See vol. xxxix, pp. 38-40.
2When that term is curtailed, men become poor and reduced, and meet with many sorrows and afflictions. All (other) men hate them; punishments and calamities attend them; good luck and occasions for felicitation shun them ; The Thesis. 1 See vol. xxxix, pp. 38-40. 3 This paragraph, after the first three characters, is found in the 30 Khwan, under the tenth and eleventh notices in the twenty-third year of duke Hsiang (8.c. 549),—part of an address to a young nobleman by the officer Min 3ze-m&. The only difference in the two: texts is in one character which does not affect the meaning. Thus the text of this TAoist treatise is taken from a source which cannot be regarded as T4oistic. ® This seems equivalent to ‘all through space.’ * The swan in the text here seems to mean ‘the whole of the allotted term of life.’ Further on, the same character has the special meaning of ‘a period of a hundred days.’ 236 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. evil stars send down misfortunes on them!. When their term of life is exhausted they die. ‘There also are the Spirit-rulers in the three pairs of the Thai stars of the Northern Bushel? over men’s heads, which record their acts of guilt and wickedness, and take away (from their term of life) periods of twelve years or of a hundred days. ‘ There also are the three Spirits of the recumbent body which reside within a man’s person *. As each kang-shin* day comes round, they forthwith ascend to the court of Heaven, and report men’s deeds of guilt and transgression. On the last day of the moon, the spirit of the Hearth does the same °. ‘In the case of every man’s transgressions, when they are great, twelve years are taken from his term of life ; when they are small, a hundred days. ‘Transgressions, great and small, are seen in several hundred things. He who wishes to seek for long life ® must first avoid these. * This and other passages show how T4oism pressed astrology into its service. * The Northern Peck or Bushel is the Chinese name of our constellation of the Great Bear, ‘the Chariot of the Supreme Ruler.’ The three pairs of stars, «, «; A, #3 », & are called the upper, middle, and lower Th4i, or ‘their three Eminences :’— see Reeves’s Names of Stars and Constellations, appended to Morrison’s Dictionary, part ii, vol. i. 5 The Khang-hstf Dictionary simply explains san shfh as ‘the name of a spirit;’ but the phrase is evidently plural. The names and places of the three spirits are given, and given differently. Why should we look for anything definite and satisfactory in a notion which is merely an absurd superstition ? * Kang-shan is the name of the fifty-seventh term of the cycle, indicating every fifty-seventh day, or year. Here it indicates the day. ® The name of this spirit of the fire-place is given by commentators with many absurd details which need not be touched on. * Long life is still the great quest of the Téoist. ACTIONS AND THEIR RETRIBUTIONS, 237
3Here it indicates the day. ® The name of this spirit of the fire-place is given by commentators with many absurd details which need not be touched on. * Long life is still the great quest of the Téoist. ACTIONS AND THEIR RETRIBUTIONS, 237 3. ‘Is his way right, he should go forward in it; is it wrong, he should withdraw from it. ‘He will not tread in devious by-ways ; he will not impose on himself in any secret apartment. He will amass virtue and accumulate deeds of The way of : : : a good man, merit. He will feel kindly towards (all) creatures. He will be loyal, filial, loving to his younger brothers, and submissive to his elder. He will make himself correct and (so) transform others. He will pity orphans, and compassionate widows ; he will respect the old and cherish the young. Even the insect tribes, grass, and trees he should not hurt. ‘He ought to pity the malignant tendencies of others; to rejoice over their excellences; to help them in their straits; to rescue them from their perils; to regard their gains as if they were his own, and their losses in the same way; not to publish their shortcomings ; not to vaunt his own superiorities; to put a stop to what is evil, and exalt and display what is good; to yield much, and take little for himself; to receive insult without resenting it, and honour with an appearance of apprehension ; to bestow favours without seeking for a return, and give to others without any subsequent regret :—this is what is called a good man. All other men respect him; Heaven in its course protects him; happiness and emolument follow him ; all evil things keep far from him; the spiritual Intelligences defend him; what he does is sure to succeed ?; 1 In its widest meaning :—Men, creatures, and all living things. 3 Here are the happy issues of doing good in addition to long life ;—-compare the Tao Teh Xing, ch. 50, et al. 238 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. he may hope to become Immaterial and Immortal '. He who would seek to become an Immortal of Heaven! ought to give the proof of 1300 good deeds ; and he who would seek to become an Immortal of Earth! should give the proof of three hundred. Happy issues of his course. 4. ‘But if the movements (of a man’s heart) are contrary to righteousness, and the (actions of his) conduct are in opposition to reason; if he regard his wickedness as a proof of his ability, and can bear to do what is cruel and injurious ; if he secretly harms the honest and good ; if he treats with clandestine slight his ruler or parents; if he is disrespectful to his elders and teachers?; if he disregards the authority of those whom he should serve; if he deceives the simple ; if he calumniates his fellow-learners; if he vent baseless slanders, practise deception and hypocrisy, The way of a bad man. Here there appears the influence of Buddhism on the doctrine of the Tao. The R7shis of Buddhism are denoted in Chinese by
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.
1Ill, SECT. XI. THE WRITINGS OF XWANG-8ZE. 231 such was his practice. At the same time he would talk freely of himself, thinking himself the ablest among them, and saying, ‘In heaven or earth who is my match?’ Shih maintained indeed his masculine energy, but he had not the art (of controversy). In the south there was a man of extraordinary views, named Hwang Lido!, who asked him how it was that the sky did not fall nor the earth sink, and what was the cause of wind, rain, and the thunder’s roll and crash. Shih made no attempt to evade the | questions, and answered him without any exercise of thought, talking about all things, without pause, on and on without end; yet still thinking that his words were few, and adding to them the strangest observations. He thought that to contradict others was a real triumph, and wished to make himself famous by overcoming them; and on this account he was not liked by the multitude of debaters. He was weak in real attainment, though he might seem strong in comparison with others, and his way was narrow and dark. If we look at Hui Shih’s ability from the standpoint of Heaven and Earth, it was only like the restless activity of a mosquito or gadfly ; of what service was it to anything? To give its full development to any one capacity is a good thing, and he who does so is in the way to a higher estimation of the Tao; but Hui Shih could find no rest for himself in doing this. He diffused himself over the world of things without satiety, till in the end he had only the reputation of being a skilful debater. Alas! Hui Shih, with 1 Elsewhere unknown. 232 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BE. XXXII. all his talents, vast as they were, made nothing out; he pursued all subjects and never came back (with success). It was like silencing an echo by his shouting, or running a-race with his shadow. Alas! THE THAI-SHANG TRACTATE OF ACTIONS AND THEIR RETRIBUTIONS. Digitized by Google THE THAI-SHANG TRACTATE OF ACTIONS AND THEIR RETRIBUTIONS14. 1, The Thai-Shang (Tractate) says, ‘ There are no special doors for calamity and happiness (in men’s lot); they come as men themselves call them. Their recompenses follow good and evil as the shadow follows the substance®. 2. ‘Accordingly, in heaven and earth® there are Machi spirits that take account of men’s trans- achinery . . . tosecure gressions, and, according to the lightness retribution. . : or gravity of their offences, take away from their term of life‘. When that term is curtailed, men become poor and reduced, and meet with many sorrows and afflictions. All (other) men hate them; punishments and calamities attend them; good luck and occasions for felicitation shun them ; The Thesis. 1 See vol. xxxix, pp. 38-40.
2When that term is curtailed, men become poor and reduced, and meet with many sorrows and afflictions. All (other) men hate them; punishments and calamities attend them; good luck and occasions for felicitation shun them ; The Thesis. 1 See vol. xxxix, pp. 38-40. 3 This paragraph, after the first three characters, is found in the 30 Khwan, under the tenth and eleventh notices in the twenty-third year of duke Hsiang (8.c. 549),—part of an address to a young nobleman by the officer Min 3ze-m&. The only difference in the two: texts is in one character which does not affect the meaning. Thus the text of this TAoist treatise is taken from a source which cannot be regarded as T4oistic. ® This seems equivalent to ‘all through space.’ * The swan in the text here seems to mean ‘the whole of the allotted term of life.’ Further on, the same character has the special meaning of ‘a period of a hundred days.’ 236 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. evil stars send down misfortunes on them!. When their term of life is exhausted they die. ‘There also are the Spirit-rulers in the three pairs of the Thai stars of the Northern Bushel? over men’s heads, which record their acts of guilt and wickedness, and take away (from their term of life) periods of twelve years or of a hundred days. ‘ There also are the three Spirits of the recumbent body which reside within a man’s person *. As each kang-shin* day comes round, they forthwith ascend to the court of Heaven, and report men’s deeds of guilt and transgression. On the last day of the moon, the spirit of the Hearth does the same °. ‘In the case of every man’s transgressions, when they are great, twelve years are taken from his term of life ; when they are small, a hundred days. ‘Transgressions, great and small, are seen in several hundred things. He who wishes to seek for long life ® must first avoid these. * This and other passages show how T4oism pressed astrology into its service. * The Northern Peck or Bushel is the Chinese name of our constellation of the Great Bear, ‘the Chariot of the Supreme Ruler.’ The three pairs of stars, «, «; A, #3 », & are called the upper, middle, and lower Th4i, or ‘their three Eminences :’— see Reeves’s Names of Stars and Constellations, appended to Morrison’s Dictionary, part ii, vol. i. 5 The Khang-hstf Dictionary simply explains san shfh as ‘the name of a spirit;’ but the phrase is evidently plural. The names and places of the three spirits are given, and given differently. Why should we look for anything definite and satisfactory in a notion which is merely an absurd superstition ? * Kang-shan is the name of the fifty-seventh term of the cycle, indicating every fifty-seventh day, or year. Here it indicates the day. ® The name of this spirit of the fire-place is given by commentators with many absurd details which need not be touched on. * Long life is still the great quest of the Téoist. ACTIONS AND THEIR RETRIBUTIONS, 237
3Here it indicates the day. ® The name of this spirit of the fire-place is given by commentators with many absurd details which need not be touched on. * Long life is still the great quest of the Téoist. ACTIONS AND THEIR RETRIBUTIONS, 237 3. ‘Is his way right, he should go forward in it; is it wrong, he should withdraw from it. ‘He will not tread in devious by-ways ; he will not impose on himself in any secret apartment. He will amass virtue and accumulate deeds of The way of : : : a good man, merit. He will feel kindly towards (all) creatures. He will be loyal, filial, loving to his younger brothers, and submissive to his elder. He will make himself correct and (so) transform others. He will pity orphans, and compassionate widows ; he will respect the old and cherish the young. Even the insect tribes, grass, and trees he should not hurt. ‘He ought to pity the malignant tendencies of others; to rejoice over their excellences; to help them in their straits; to rescue them from their perils; to regard their gains as if they were his own, and their losses in the same way; not to publish their shortcomings ; not to vaunt his own superiorities; to put a stop to what is evil, and exalt and display what is good; to yield much, and take little for himself; to receive insult without resenting it, and honour with an appearance of apprehension ; to bestow favours without seeking for a return, and give to others without any subsequent regret :—this is what is called a good man. All other men respect him; Heaven in its course protects him; happiness and emolument follow him ; all evil things keep far from him; the spiritual Intelligences defend him; what he does is sure to succeed ?; 1 In its widest meaning :—Men, creatures, and all living things. 3 Here are the happy issues of doing good in addition to long life ;—-compare the Tao Teh Xing, ch. 50, et al. 238 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. he may hope to become Immaterial and Immortal '. He who would seek to become an Immortal of Heaven! ought to give the proof of 1300 good deeds ; and he who would seek to become an Immortal of Earth! should give the proof of three hundred. Happy issues of his course. 4. ‘But if the movements (of a man’s heart) are contrary to righteousness, and the (actions of his) conduct are in opposition to reason; if he regard his wickedness as a proof of his ability, and can bear to do what is cruel and injurious ; if he secretly harms the honest and good ; if he treats with clandestine slight his ruler or parents; if he is disrespectful to his elders and teachers?; if he disregards the authority of those whom he should serve; if he deceives the simple ; if he calumniates his fellow-learners; if he vent baseless slanders, practise deception and hypocrisy, The way of a bad man. Here there appears the influence of Buddhism on the doctrine of the Tao. The R7shis of Buddhism are denoted in Chinese by
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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