19 tsze-chang said, "the scholar, trained for public duty, seeing threateningdanger, is prepared to sacrifice his life. when the opportunity of gain ispresented to him, he thinks of righteousness. in sacrificing, his thoughts arereverential. in mourning, his thoughts are about the grief which he should feel.such a man commands our approbation indeed tsze-chang said, "when a man holds fast to virtue, but without seeking toenlarge it, and believes in right principles, but without firm sincerity, whataccount can be made of his existence or non-existence?" the disciples of tsze-hsia asked tsze-chang about the principles that shouldcharacterize mutual intercourse. tsze-chang asked, "what does tsze-hsia say onthe subject?" they replied, "tsze-hsia says: 'associate with those who canadvantage you. put away from you those who cannot do so.'" tsze-chang observed,"this is different from what i have learned. the superior man honors thetalented and virtuous, and bears with all. he praises the good, and pities theincompetent. am i possessed of great talents and virtue?-who is there among menwhom i will not bear with? am i devoid of talents and virtue?-men will put meaway from them. what have we to do with the putting away of others?" tsze-hsia said, "even in inferior studies and employments there is somethingworth being looked at; but if it be attempted to carry them out to what isremote, there is a danger of their proving inapplicable. therefore, the superiorman does not practice them." tsze-hsia said, "he, who from day to day recognizes what he has not yet, andfrom month to month does not forget what he has attained to, may be said indeedto love to learn." tsze-hsia said, "there are learning extensively, and having a firm andsincere aim; inquiring with earnestness, and reflecting with self-application:-virtue is in such a course." tsze-hsia said, "mechanics have their shops to dwell in, in order toaccomplish their works. the superior man learns, in order to reach to the utmostof his principles." tsze-hsia said, "the mean man is sure to gloss his faults." tsze-hsia said, "the superior man undergoes three changes. looked at from adistance, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heard tospeak, his language is firm and decided." tsze-hsia said, "the superior man, having obtained their confidence, maythen impose labors on his people. if he have not gained their confidence, theywill think that he is oppressing them. having obtained the confidence of hisprince, one may then remonstrate with him. if he have not gained his confidence,the prince will think that he is vilifying him." tsze-hsia said, "when a person does not transgress the boundary line in thegreat virtues, he may pass and repass it in the small virtues." tsze-yu said, "the disciples and followers of tsze-hsia, in sprinkling andsweeping the ground, in answering and replying, in advancing and receding, aresufficiently accomplished. but these are only the branches of learning, and theyare left ignorant of what is essential.-how can they be acknowledged assufficiently taught?" tsze-hsia heard of the remark and said, "alas! yen yu is wrong. according tothe way of the superior man in teaching, what departments are there which heconsiders of prime importance, and delivers? what are there which he considersof secondary importance, and allows himself to be idle about? but as in the caseof plants, which are assorted according to their classes, so he deals with hisdisciples. how can the way of a superior man be such as to make fools of any ofthem? is it not the sage alone, who can unite in one the beginning and theconsummation of learning?" tsze-hsia said, "the officer, having discharged all his duties, shoulddevote his leisure to learning. the student, having completed his learning,should apply himself to be an officer." tsze-hsia said, "mourning, having been carried to the utmost degree of grief,should stop with that." tsze-hsia said, "my friend chang can do things which are hard to be done,but yet he is not perfectly virtuous." the philosopher tsang said, "how imposing is the manner of chang! it isdifficult along with him to practice virtue." the philosopher tsang said, "i heard this from our master: 'men may not haveshown what is in them to the full extent, and yet they will be found to do so,on the occasion of mourning for their parents." the philosopher tsang said, "i have heard this from our master:-'the filialpiety of mang chwang, in other matters, was what other men are competent to, but,as seen in his not changing the ministers of his father, nor his father's modeof government, it is difficult to be attained to.'" the chief of the mang family having appointed yang fu to be chief criminaljudge, the latter consulted the philosopher tsang. tsang said, "the rulers havefailed in their duties, and the people consequently have been disorganized for along time. when you have found out the truth of any accusation, be grieved forand pity them, and do not feel joy at your own ability." tsze-kung said, "chau's wickedness was not so great as that name implies.therefore, the superior man hates to dwell in a low-lying situation, where allthe evil of the world will flow in upon him." tsze-kung said, "the faults of the superior man are like the eclipses of thesun and moon. he has his faults, and all men see them; he changes again, and allmen look up to him." kung-sun ch'ao of wei asked tszekung, saying. "from whom did chung-ni gethis learning?" tsze-kung replied, "the doctrines of wan and wu have not yet fallen to theground. they are to be found among men. men of talents and virtue remember thegreater principles of them, and others, not possessing such talents and virtue,remember the smaller. thus, all possess the doctrines of wan and wu. where couldour master go that he should not have an opportunity of learning them? and yetwhat necessity was there for his having a regular master?" shu-sun wu-shu observed to the great officers in the court, saying, "tsze-kung is superior to chung-ni." tsze-fu ching-po reported the observation to tsze-kung, who said, "let meuse the comparison of a house and its encompassing wall. my wall only reaches tothe shoulders. one may peep over it, and see whatever is valuable in theapartments. "the wall of my master is several fathoms high. if one do not find the doorand enter by it, he cannot see the ancestral temple with its beauties, nor allthe officers in their rich array. "but i may assume that they are few who find the door. was not theobservation of the chief only what might have been expected?" shu-sun wu-shu having spoken revilingly of chung-ni, tsze-kung said, "it isof no use doing so. chung-ni cannot be reviled. the talents and virtue of othermen are hillocks and mounds which may be stepped over. chung-ni is the sun ormoon, which it is not possible to step over. although a man may wish to cuthimself off from the sage, what harm can he do to the sun or moon? he only showsthat he does not know his own capacity. ch'an tsze-ch' in, addressing tsze-kung, said, "you are too modest. how canchung-ni be said to be superior to you?" tsze-kung said to him, "for one word a man is often deemed to be wise, andfor one word he is often deemed to be foolish. we ought to be careful indeed inwhat we say. "our master cannot be attained to, just in the same way as the heavenscannot be gone up by the steps of a stair. "were our master in the position of the ruler of a state or the chief of afamily, we should find verified the description which has been given of a sage'srule:-he would plant the people, and forthwith they would be established; hewould lead them on, and forthwith they would follow him; he would make themhappy, and forthwith multitudes would resort to his dominions; he wouldstimulate them, and forthwith they would be harmonious. while he lived, he wouldbe glorious. when he died, he would be bitterly lamented. how is it possible forhim to be attained to?" |
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