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TAN YUN-SHAN
"Bencs olence is the tranquil habitation of man, and righteousness is bia straight path."
"The bones olent man loves others. The man of propriety shows reapect to others."
"Jca or benci olence is men's heart, and Yi or righteousness is man's
patt."
"Bencroience subdues its opposite just as water subdues fire. Those, hometer, who nos-1-days practisc benevolence do it as if with one cup of Fater they could sauc a wholc wagon-load of fuel which was on fire, and when the flames cre not citinguished, were to say that water cannot subduc fire. This conduct, morcoyer, greatly encourages those who are not benevolent." (Thc Works of Mencius)
Lao-Tsu, another of the grcatcst saints of China, elder than Confucius, was perhaps the only Chinese who preferred to use the negative rather than the positive phrascology in discourses on his principles. He would like to Lay stress morc on the passive side of things rather than on the active side. For instancc, the Confucianists used to say: "The heart of Heaven 18 beneiolence and love," but he said.
"Heason and Larth are not benevolent, they treat all created things like straw dogs we usc at sacrifices The saint is not benevolent, he looks upon the people in the same way." (Lao-Tsu : Tao Te Ching.)
Again he said :
" Tad is cternally inactive, and yet at leaves nothing undone If kings and princes could but hold fast to this principle all thiggs would work out their own reformations If, having reformed, they still desired to act, I would have them restrained by the simplicity of the Nameless Tao. The simplicity of the Nameless Tao brings about an absence of desire. The absence of desire gives tranquillity and thus the Empire will rectify itself." (Lao-Tsu . Tao Te Ching)
Lao-Tsu was also perhaps the first sage, not only in China but in the world at large, who openly and strongly opposed the use of violent force and weapons and condemned war He said
"He who serves a ruler of men in harmony with Tao will not subdue the Empire by force of arms. Such a course is wont to bring retribution in its train.
"Where troops have been quartered, brambles and thorns spring up. In the track of great armies there must follow lean years.
" The good man wins a victory and then stops, he will not go on to acts