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Gao Zi I · 孟子 6A.13

Passage 13

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「拱gǒng把bǎ之zhī桐tóng、梓zǐ，人rén茍jì欲yù生shēng之zhī，皆jiē知zhī所suǒ以yǐ養yǎng之zhī者zhě。至zhì於wū身shēn，而ér不bù知zhī所suǒ以yǐ養yǎng之zhī者zhě，豈qǐ愛ài身shēn不bú若ruò桐tóng、梓zǐ哉zāi？弗fú思sī甚shèn也yě。」

Mencius said, 'Anybody who wishes to cultivate the tong or the zi, which may be grasped with both hands, perhaps with one, knows by what means to nourish them. In the case of their own persons, men do not know by what means to nourish them. Is it to be supposed that their regard of their own persons is inferior to their regard for a tong or zi? Their want of reflection is extreme.'

First-principles reading

Begin with the words and context, expose the premise beneath the argument, then test the conditions and limits of the principle.