He Used Himself Coarse Food And Drink, But
Displayed The Utmost Filial Piety Towards The Spirits.
His ordinary
garments were poor, but he displayed the utmost elegance in his
sacrificial cap and apron.
He lived in a low mean house, but
expended all his strength on the ditches and water-channels. I can
find nothing like a flaw in Yu.'
BOOK IX. TSZE HAN.
CHAP. I. The subjects of which the Master seldom spoke
were - profitableness, and also the appointments of Heaven, and
perfect virtue.
CHAP. II. 1. A man of the village of Ta-hsiang said, 'Great
indeed is the philosopher K'ung! His learning is extensive, and yet
he does not render his name famous by any particular thing.'
2. The Master heard the observation, and said to his disciples,
'What shall I practise? Shall I practise charioteering, or shall I
practise archery? I will practise charioteering.'
CHAP. III. 1. The Master said, 'The linen cap is that prescribed
by the rules of ceremony, but now a silk one is worn. It is
economical, and I follow the common practice.
2. 'The rules of ceremony prescribe the bowing below the hall,
but now the practice is to bow only after ascending it. That is
arrogant. I continue to bow below the hall, though I oppose the
common practice.'
CHAP. IV. There were four things from which the Master was
entirely free. He had no foregone conclusions, no arbitrary
predeterminations, no obstinacy, and no egoism.
CHAP. V. 1. The Master was put in fear in K'wang.
2. He said, 'After the death of King Wan, was not the cause of
truth lodged here in me?
3. 'If Heaven had wished to let this cause of truth perish, then
I, a future mortal, should not have got such a relation to that cause.
While Heaven does not let the cause of truth perish, what can the
people of K'wang do to me?'
CHAP. VI. 1. A high officer asked Tsze-kung, saying, 'May we
not say that your Master is a sage? How various is his ability!'
2. Tsze-kung said, 'Certainly Heaven has endowed him
unlimitedly. He is about a sage. And, moreover, his ability is
various.'
3. The Master heard of the conversation and said, 'Does the
high officer know me? When I was young, my condition was low,
and therefore I acquired my ability in many things, but they were
mean matters. Must the superior man have such variety of ability?
He does not need variety of ability.'
4. Lao said, 'The Master said, "Having no official employment,
I acquired many arts."'
CHAP. VII. The Master said, 'Am I indeed possessed of
knowledge? I am not knowing. But if a mean person, who appears
quite empty-like, ask anything of me, I set it forth from one end to
the other, and exhaust it.'
CHAP. VIII. The Master said, 'The FANG bird does not come;
the river sends forth no map: - it is all over with me!'
CHAP. IX. When the Master saw a person in a mourning dress,
or any one with the cap and upper and lower garments of full
dress, or a blind person, on observing them approaching, though
they were younger than himself, he would rise up, and if he had to
pass by them, he would do so hastily.
CHAP. X. 1. Yen Yuan, in admiration of the Master's doctrines,
sighed and said, 'I looked up to them, and they seemed to become
more high; I tried to penetrate them, and they seemed to become
more firm; I looked at them before me, and suddenly they seemed
to be behind.
2. 'The Master, by orderly method, skilfully leads men on. He
enlarged my mind with learning, and taught me the restraints of
propriety.
3. 'When I wish to give over the study of his doctrines, I
cannot do so, and having exerted all my ability, there seems
something to stand right up before me; but though I wish to follow
and lay hold of it, I really find no way to do so.'
CHAP. XI. 1. The Master being very ill, Tsze-lu wished the
disciples to act as ministers to him.
2. During a remission of his illness, he said, 'Long has the
conduct of Yu been deceitful! By pretending to have ministers when
I have them not, whom should I impose upon? Should I impose
upon Heaven?
3. 'Moreover, than that I should die in the hands of ministers,
is it not better that I should die in the hands of you, my disciples?
And though I may not get a great burial, shall I die upon the road?'
CHAP. XII. Tsze-kung said, 'There is a beautiful gem here.
Should I lay it up in a case and keep it? or should I seek for a good
price and sell it?' The Master said, 'Sell it! Sell it! But I would wait
for one to offer the price.'
CHAP. XIII. 1. The Master was wishing to go and live among
the nine wild tribes of the east.
2. Some one said, 'They are rude. How can you do such a
thing?' The Master said, 'If a superior man dwelt among them, what
rudeness would there be?'
CHAP. XIV. The Master said, 'I returned from Wei to Lu, and
then the music was reformed, and the pieces in the Royal songs and
Praise songs all found their proper places.'
CHAP. XV. The Master said, 'Abroad, to serve the high
ministers and nobles; at home, to serve one's father and elder
brothers; in all duties to the dead, not to dare not to exert one's self;
and not to be overcome of wine: - which one of these things do I
attain to?'
CHAP. XVI. The Master standing by a stream, said, 'It passes
on just like this, not ceasing day or night!'
CHAP.
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