Gong Sun Chou I · 孟子 2A.2

Passage 02

公gōng孫sūn丑chǒu問wèn曰yuē：「夫fū子zǐ加jiā齊qí之zhī卿qīng相xiāng，得dé行háng道dào焉yān，雖suī由yóu此cǐ霸bà王wáng不bú異yì矣yǐ。如rú此cǐ則zé動dòng心xīn否fǒu乎hū？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「否fǒu，我wǒ四sì十shí不bú動dòng心xīn。」曰yuē：「若ruò是shì則zé夫fū子zǐ過guò孟mèng賁bì遠yuǎn矣yǐ。」曰yuē：「是shì不bù難nán。告gào子zǐ先xiān我wǒ不bú動dòng心xīn。」曰yuē：「不bú動dòng心xīn有yǒu道dào乎hū？」曰yuē：「有yǒu。北běi宮gōng黝yǒu之zhī養yǎng勇yǒng也yě，不bù膚fū橈ráo，不bú目mù逃táo。思sī以yǐ一yì豪háo挫cuò於wū人rén，若ruò撻tà之zhī於wū市shì朝cháo。不bú受shòu於wū褐hè寬kuān博bó，亦yì不bú受shòu於wū萬wàn乘chéng之zhī君jūn。視shì刺cì萬wàn乘chéng之zhī君jūn若ruò刺cì褐hè夫fū。無wú嚴yán諸zhū侯hóu。惡è聲shēng至zhì，必bì反fǎn之zhī。孟mèng施shī舍shè之zhī所suǒ養yǎng勇yǒng也yě，曰yuē：『視shì不bú勝shèng猶yóu勝shèng也yě。量liáng敵dí而ér後hòu進jìn，慮lǜ勝shèng而ér後hòu會huì，是shì畏wèi三sān軍jūn者zhě也yě。舍shè豈qǐ能néng為wéi必bì勝shèng哉zāi？能néng無wú懼jù而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。』孟mèng施shī舍shě似sì曾céng子zǐ，北běi宮gōng黝yǒu似sì子zǐ夏xià。夫fū二èr子zǐ之zhī勇yǒng，未wèi知zhī其qí孰shú賢xián，然rán而ér孟mèng施shī舍shě守shǒu約yuē也yě。昔xī者zhě曾céng子zǐ謂wèi子zǐ襄xiāng曰yuē：『子zǐ好hǎo勇yǒng乎hū？吾wú嘗cháng聞wén大dà勇yǒng於wū夫fū子zǐ矣yǐ：自zì反fǎn而ér不bù縮suō，雖suī褐hè寬kuān博bó，吾wú不bú惴zhuì焉yān；自zì反fǎn而ér縮suō，雖suī千qiān萬wàn人rén吾wú往wǎng矣yǐ。』孟mèng施shī舍shě之zhī守shǒu氣qì，又yòu不bù如rú曾céng子zǐ之zhī守shǒu約yuē也yě。」曰yuē：「敢gǎn問wèn夫fū子zǐ之zhī不bú動dòng心xīn與yǔ告gào子zǐ之zhī不bú動dòng心xīn，可kě得dé聞wén與yǔ？」「告gào子zǐ曰yuē：『不bù得dé於wū言yán，勿wù求qiú於wū心xīn；不bù得dé於wū心xīn，勿wù求qiú於wū氣qì。』不bù得dé於wū心xīn，勿wù求qiú於wū氣qì，可kě；不bù得dé於wū言yán，勿wù求qiú於wū心xīn，不bù可kě。夫fū志zhì，氣qì之zhī帥shuài也yě；氣qì，體tǐ之zhī充chōng也yě。夫fū志zhì至zhì焉yān，氣qì次cì焉yān。故gù曰yuē：持chí其qí志zhì，無wú暴bào其qí氣qì。」「既jì曰yuē『志zhì，至zhì焉yān；氣qì，次cì焉yān』，又yòu曰yuē『持chí其qí志zhì，無wú暴bào其qí氣qì』者zhě，何hé也yě？」曰yuē：「志zhì壹yī則zé動dòng氣qì；氣qì壹yī則zé動dòng志zhì也yě。今jīn夫fū蹶juě者zhě趨qū者zhě是shì氣qì也yě而ér反fǎn動dòng其qí心xīn。」「敢gǎn問wèn夫fū子zǐ惡è乎hū長cháng？」曰yuē：「我wǒ知zhī言yán，我wǒ善shàn養yǎng吾wú浩hào然rán之zhī氣qì。」「敢gǎn問wèn何hé謂wèi浩hào然rán之zhī氣qì？」曰yuē：「難nán言yán也yě。其qí為wéi氣qì也yě至zhì大dà至zhì剛gāng，以yǐ直zhí養yǎng而ér無wú害hài，則zé塞sāi于yú天tiān地dì之zhī間jiàn。其qí為wéi氣qì也yě配pèi義yì與yǔ道dào，無wú是shì餒něi也yě。是shì集jí義yì所suǒ生shēng者zhě，非fēi義yì襲xí而ér取qǔ之zhī也yě。行xíng有yǒu不bú慊qiè於wū心xīn則zé餒něi矣yǐ。我wǒ故gù曰yuē：告gào子zǐ未wèi嘗cháng知zhī義yì。以yǐ其qí外wài之zhī也yě。必bì有yǒu事shì焉yān而ér勿wù正zhèng，心xīn勿wù忘wàng，勿wù助zhù長cháng也yě。無wú若ruò宋sòng人rén然rán。宋sòng人rén有yǒu閔mǐn其qí苗miáo之zhī不bù長cháng而ér揠yà之zhī者zhě，芒máng芒máng然rán歸guī，謂wèi其qí人rén曰yuē：『今jīn日rì病bìng矣yǐ！予yǔ助zhù苗miáo長cháng矣yǐ！』其qí子zǐ趨qū而ér往wǎng視shì之zhī，苗miáo則zé槁gǎo矣yǐ！天tiān下xià之zhī不bú助zhù苗miáo長cháng者zhě寡guǎ矣yǐ。以yǐ為wéi無wú益yì而ér舍shè之zhī者zhě，不bù耘yún苗miáo者zhě也yě。助zhù之zhī長cháng者zhě，揠yà苗miáo者zhě也yě，非fēi徒tú無wú益yì，而ér又yòu害hài之zhī。」「何hé謂wèi知zhī言yán？」曰yuē：「詖bì辭cí知zhī其qí所suǒ蔽bì，淫yín辭cí知zhī其qí所suǒ陷xiàn，邪xié辭cí知zhī其qí所suǒ離lí，遁dùn辭cí知zhī其qí所suǒ窮qióng。生shēng於wū其qí心xīn，害hài於wū其qí政zhèng；發fā於wū其qí政zhèng，害hài於wū其qí事shì。聖shèng人rén復fù起qǐ，必bì從cóng吾wú言yán矣yǐ。」「宰zǎi我wǒ、子zǐ貢gòng善shàn為wéi說shuō辭cí，冉rǎn牛niú、閔mǐn子zǐ、顏yán淵yuān善shàn言yán德dé行xíng；孔kǒng子zǐ兼jiān之zhī，曰yuē：『我wǒ於wū辭cí命mìng，則zé不bù能néng也yě。』然rán則zé夫fū子zǐ既jì聖shèng矣yǐ乎hū？」曰yuē：「惡è！是shì何hé言yán也yě！昔xī者zhě子zǐ貢gòng問wèn於wū孔kǒng子zǐ曰yuē：『夫fū子zǐ聖shèng矣yǐ乎hū？』孔kǒng子zǐ曰yuē：『聖shèng則zé吾wú不bù能néng，我wǒ學xué不bú厭yàn而ér教jiào不bú倦juàn也yě。』子zǐ貢gòng曰yuē：『學xué不bú厭yàn，智zhì也yě；教jiào不bú倦juàn，仁rén也yě。仁rén且qiě智zhì，夫fū子zǐ既jì聖shèng矣yǐ。』夫fū聖shèng，孔kǒng子zǐ不bù居jū，是shì何hé言yán也yě？」「昔xī者zhě竊qiè聞wén之zhī：子zǐ夏xià、子zǐ游yóu、子zǐ張zhāng皆jiē有yǒu聖shèng人rén之zhī一yī體tǐ，冉rǎn牛niú、閔mǐn子zǐ、顏yán淵yuān則zé具jù體tǐ而ér微wēi，敢gǎn問wèn所suǒ安ān？」曰yuē：「姑gū舍shè是shì。」曰yuē：「伯bó夷yí、伊yī尹yǐn何hé如rú？」曰yuē：「不bù同tóng道dào。非fēi其qí君jūn不bú事shì，非fēi其qí民mín不bù使shǐ，治zhì則zé進jìn，亂luàn則zé退tuì，伯bó夷yí也yě。何hé事shì非fēi君jūn？何hé使shǐ非fēi民mín？治zhì亦yì進jìn，亂luàn亦yì進jìn，伊yī尹yǐn也yě。可kě以yǐ仕shì則zé仕shì，可kě以yǐ止zhǐ則zé止zhǐ，可kě以yǐ久jiǔ則zé久jiǔ，可kě以yǐ速sù則zé速sù，孔kǒng子zǐ也yě。皆jiē古gǔ聖shèng人rén也yě。吾wú未wèi能néng有yǒu行xíng焉yān，乃nǎi所suǒ愿yuàn，則zé學xué孔kǒng子zǐ也yě。」「伯bó夷yí、伊yī尹yǐn於wū孔kǒng子zǐ，若ruò是shì班bān乎hū？」曰yuē：「否fǒu，自zì有yǒu生shēng民mín以yǐ來lái，未wèi有yǒu孔kǒng子zǐ也yě。」曰yuē：「然rán則zé有yǒu同tóng與yǔ？」曰yuē：「有yǒu。得dé百bǎi里lǐ之zhī地dì而ér君jūn之zhī，皆jiē能néng以yǐ朝cháo諸zhū侯hóu，有yǒu天tiān下xià。行xíng一yí不bú義yì、殺shā一yí不bù辜gū而ér得dé天tiān下xià，皆jiē不bù為wéi也yě。是shì則zé同tóng。」曰yuē：「敢gǎn問wèn其qí所suǒ以yǐ異yì？」曰yuē：「宰zǎi我wǒ、子zǐ貢gòng、有yǒu若ruò，智zhì足zú以yǐ知zhī聖shèng人rén；污wū，不bú至zhì阿ā其qí所suǒ好hǎo。宰zǎi我wǒ曰yuē：『以yǐ予yǔ觀guān於wū夫fū子zǐ，賢xián於wū堯yáo、舜shùn遠yuǎn矣yǐ。』子zǐ貢gòng曰yuē：『見jiàn其qí禮lǐ而ér知zhī其qí政zhèng，聞wén其qí樂lè而ér知zhī其qí德dé。由yóu百bǎi世shì之zhī後hòu，等děng百bǎi世shì之zhī王wáng，莫mò之zhī能néng違wéi也yě。自zì生shēng民mín以yǐ來lái，未wèi有yǒu夫fū子zǐ也yě。』有yǒu若ruò曰yuē：『豈qǐ惟wéi民mín哉zāi！麒qí麟lín之zhī於wū走zǒu獸shòu，鳳fèng凰huáng之zhī於wū飛fēi鳥niǎo，泰tài山shān之zhī於wū丘qiū垤dié，河hé海hǎi之zhī於wū行xíng潦liáo，類lèi也yě。聖shèng人rén之zhī於wū民mín，亦yì類lèi也yě。出chū於wū其qí類lèi，拔bá乎hū其qí萃cuì。自zì生shēng民mín以yǐ來lái，未wèi有yǒu盛shèng於wū孔kǒng子zǐ也yě。』」

Gong Sun Chou asked Mencius, saying, 'Master, if you were to be appointed a high noble and the prime minister of Qi, so as to be able to carry your principles into practice, though you should thereupon raise the ruler to the headship of all the other princes, or even to the royal dignity, it would not be to be wondered at. In such a position would your mind be perturbed or not?' Mencius replied, 'No. At forty, I attained to an unperturbed mind.' Chou said, 'Since it is so with you, my Master, you are far beyond Meng Ben.' 'The mere attainment,' said Mencius, 'is not difficult. The scholar Gao had attained to an unperturbed mind at an earlier period of life than I did.' Chou asked, 'Is there any way to an unperturbed mind?' The answer was, 'Yes. Bei Gong You had this way of nourishing his valour: He did not flinch from any strokes at his body. He did not turn his eyes aside from any thrusts at them. He considered that the slightest push from any one was the same as if he were beaten before the crowds in the market-place, and that what he would not receive from a common man in his loose large garments of hair, neither should he receive from a prince of ten thousand chariots. He viewed stabbing a prince of ten thousand chariots just as stabbing a fellow dressed in cloth of hair. He feared not any of all the princes. A bad word addressed to him be always returned. Meng Shi She had this way of nourishing his valour: He said, "I look upon not conquering and conquering in the same way. To measure the enemy and then advance; to calculate the chances of victory and then engage - this is to stand in awe of the opposing force. How can I make certain of conquering? I can only rise superior to all fear." Meng Shi She resembled the philosopher Zeng. Bei Gong You resembled Zi Xia. I do not know to the valour of which of the two the superiority should be ascribed, but yet Meng Shi She attended to what was of the greater importance. Formerly, the philosopher Zeng said to Zi Xiang, "Do you love valour? I heard an account of great valour from the Master. It speaks thus: 'If, on self-examination, I find that I am not upright, shall I not be in fear even of a poor man in his loose garments of hair-cloth? If, on self-examination, I find that I am upright, I will go forward against thousands and tens of thousands.' Yet, what Meng Shi She maintained, being merely his physical energy, was after all inferior to what the philosopher Zeng maintained, which was indeed of the most importance.' Gong Sun Chou said, 'May I venture to ask an explanation from you, Master, of how you maintain an unperturbed mind, and how the philosopher Gao does the same?' Mencius answered, 'Gao says, "What is not attained in words is not to be sought for in the mind; what produces dissatisfaction in the mind, is not to be helped by passion-effort." This last, when there is unrest in the mind, not to seek for relief from passion-effort, may be conceded. But not to seek in the mind for what is not attained in words cannot be conceded. The will is the leader of the passion-nature. The passion-nature pervades and animates the body. The will is first and chief, and the passion-nature is subordinate to it. Therefore I say, Maintain firm the will, and do no violence to the passion-nature.' Chou observed, 'Since you say "The will is chief, and the passion-nature is subordinate," how do you also say, "Maintain firm the will, and do no violence to the passion-nature?"' Mencius replied, 'When it is the will alone which is active, it moves the passion-nature. When it is the passion-nature alone which is active, it moves the will. For instance now, in the case of a man falling or running, that is from the passion-nature, and yet it moves the mind.' 'I venture to ask,' said Chou again, 'wherein you, Master, surpass Gao.' Mencius told him, 'I understand words. I am skilful in nourishing my vast, flowing passion-nature.' Chou pursued, 'I venture to ask what you mean by your vast, flowing passion-nature!' The reply was, 'It is difficult to describe it. This is the passion-nature: It is exceedingly great, and exceedingly strong. Being nourished by rectitude, and sustaining no injury, it fills up all between heaven and earth. This is the passion-nature: It is the mate and assistant of righteousness and reason. Without it, man is in a state of starvation. It is produced by the accumulation of righteous deeds; it is not to be obtained by incidental acts of righteousness. If the mind does not feel complacency in the conduct, the nature becomes starved. I therefore said, "Gao has never understood righteousness, because he makes it something external." There must be the constant practice of this righteousness, but without the object of thereby nourishing the passion-nature. Let not the mind forget its work, but let there be no assisting the growth of that nature. Let us not be like the man of Song. There was a man of Song, who was grieved that his growing corn was not longer, and so he pulled it up. Having done this, he returned home, looking very stupid, and said to his people, "I am tired to-day. I have been helping the corn to grow long." His son ran to look at it, and found the corn all withered. There are few in the world, who do not deal with their passion-nature, as if they were assisting the corn to grow long. Some indeed consider it of no benefit to them, and let it alone - they do not weed their corn. They who assist it to grow long, pull out their corn. What they do is not only of no benefit to the nature, but it also injures it.' Gong Sun Chou further asked, 'What do you mean by saying that you understand whatever words you hear?' Mencius replied, 'When words are one-sided, I know how the mind of the speaker is clouded over. When words are extravagant, I know how the mind is fallen and sunk. When words are all-depraved, I know how the mind has departed from principle. When words are evasive, I know how the mind is at its wit's end. These evils growing in the mind, do injury to government, and, displayed in the government, are hurtful to the conduct of affairs. When a Sage shall again arise, he will certainly follow my words.' On this Chou observed, 'Zai Wo and Zi Gong were skilful in speaking. Ran Niu, the disciple Min, and Yan Yuan, while their words were good, were distinguished for their virtuous conduct. Confucius united the qualities of the disciples in himself, but still he said, "In the matter of speeches, I am not competent." Then, Master, have you attained to be a Sage?' Mencius said, 'Oh! what words are these? Formerly Zi Gong asked Confucius, saying, "Master, are you a Sage?" Confucius answered him, "A Sage is what I cannot rise to. I learn without satiety, and teach without being tired." Zi Gong said, "You learn without satiety - that shows your wisdom. You teach without being tired - that shows your benevolence. Benevolent and wise - Master, you ARE a Sage." Now, since Confucius would not allow himself to be regarded as a Sage, what words were those?' Chou said, 'Formerly, I once heard this: Zi Xia, Zi You, and Zi Zhang had each one member of the Sage. Ran Niu, the disciple Min, and Yan Yuan had all the members, but in small proportions. I venture to ask, With which of these are you pleased to rank yourself?' Mencius replied, 'Let us drop speaking about these, if you please.' Chou then asked, 'What do you say of Bo Yi and Yi Yin?' 'Their ways were different from mine,' said Mencius. 'Not to serve a prince whom he did not esteem, nor command a people whom he did not approve; in a time of good government to take office, and on the occurrence of confusion to retire - this was the way of Bo Yi. To say "Whom may I not serve? My serving him makes him my ruler. What people may I not command? My commanding them makes them my people." In a time of good government to take office, and when disorder prevailed, also to take office - that was the way of Yi Yin. When it was proper to go into office, then to go into it; when it was proper to keep retired from office, then to keep retired from it; when it was proper to continue in it long, then to continue in it long - when it was proper to withdraw from it quickly, then to withdraw quickly - that was the way of Confucius. These were all sages of antiquity, and I have not attained to do what they did. But what I wish to do is to learn to be like Confucius.' Chou said, 'Comparing Bo Yi and Yi Yin with Confucius, are they to be placed in the same rank?' Mencius replied, 'No. Since there were living men until now, there never was another Confucius.' Chou said, 'Then, did they have any points of agreement with him?' The reply was, 'Yes. If they had been sovereigns over a hundred li of territory, they would, all of them, have brought all the princes to attend in their court, and have obtained the throne. And none of them, in order to obtain the throne, would have committed one act of unrighteousness, or put to death one innocent person. In those things they agreed with him.' Chou said, 'I venture to ask wherein he differed from them.' Mencius replied, 'Zai Wo, Zi Gong, and You Ruo had wisdom sufficient to know the sage. Even had they been ranking themselves low, they would not have demeaned themselves to flatter their favourite. Now, Zai Wo said, "According to my view of our Master, he was far superior to Yao and Shun." Zi Gong said, "By viewing the ceremonial ordinances of a prince, we know the character of his government. By hearing his music, we know the character of his virtue. After the lapse of a hundred ages I can arrange, according to their merits, the kings of a hundred ages - not one of them can escape me. From the birth of mankind till now, there has never been another like our Master." You Ruo said, "Is it only among men that it is so? There is the Qi-lin among quadrupeds, the Feng-huang among birds, the Tai mountain among mounds and ant-hills, and rivers and seas among rain-pools. Though different in degree, they are the same in kind. So the sages among mankind are also the same in kind. But they stand out from their fellows, and rise above the level, and from the birth of mankind till now, there never has been one so complete as Confucius."'