Book VII (part 1)

p. 259 BOOK VII. PART I. SECTION VII. Ying Tî Wang 1 , or 'The Normal Course for Rulers and Kings 1 .' 1. Nieh Khüeh 2 put four questions to Wang Î 2 , not one of which did he know (how to answer). On this Nieh Khüeh leaped up, and in great delight walked away and informed Phû-î-dze 3 of it, who said to him, 'Do you (only) now know it? He of the line of Yü 4 was not equal to him of the line of Thâi 5 . He of Yü still kept in himself (the idea of) benevolence by which to constrain (the submission of) men; and he did win men, but he had not begun to proceed by what did not belong to him as a man. He of the line of Thâi would sleep tranquilly, and awake in contented simplicity. He would consider himself now (merely) as a horse, and now (merely) as an ox 6 . His knowledge was real and untroubled p. 260 by doubts; and his virtue was very true:--he had not begun to proceed by what belonged to him as a man. 2. Kien Wû 1 went to see the mad (recluse), Khieh-yü 2 , who said to him, 'What did Zäh-kung Shih 3 tell you?' The reply was, 'He told me that when rulers gave forth their regulations according to their own views and enacted righteous measures, no one would venture not to obey them, and all would be transformed.' Khieh-yd said, 'That is but the hypocrisy of virtue. For the right ordering of the world it would be like trying to wade through the sea and dig through the Ho, or employing a musquito to carry a mountain on its back. And when a sage is governing, does he govern men's outward actions? He is (himself) correct, and so (his government) goes on;--this is the simple and certain way by which he secures the success of his affairs. Think of the bird which flies high, to avoid being hurt by the dart on the string of the archer, and the little mouse which makes its hole deep under Shän-khiû 4 to avoid the danger of being smoked or dug out;-are (rulers) less knowing than these two little creatures?' 3. Thien Kän 5 , rambling on the south of (mount) Yin 6 , came to the neighbourhood of the Liâo-water. p. 261 Happening there to meet with the man whose name is not known 1 , he put a question to him, saying, 'I beg to ask what should be done 2 in order to (carry on) the government of the world.' The nameless man said, 'Go away; you are a rude borderer. Why do you put to me a question for which you are unprepared 3 ? I would simply play the part of the Maker of (all) things 4 . When wearied, I would mount on the bird of the light and empty air, proceed beyond the six cardinal points, and wander in the region of nonentity, to dwell in the wilderness of desert space. What method have you, moreover, for the government of the world that you (thus) agitate my mind?' (Thien Kän), however, again asked the question, and the nameless man said, 'Let your mind find its enjoyment in pure simplicity; blend yourself with (the primary) ether in idle indifference; allow all things to take their natural course; and admit no personal or selfish consideration:--do this and the world will be governed.' 4.