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138
THE TEXTS OF TÂOISM.
BK. XXVI.
man uses of it is only sufficient ground for his feet. If, however, a rent were made by the side of his feet, down to the yellow springs, could the man still make use of it?' Hui-zze said, 'He could not use it,' and K’wang-zze rejoined, 'Then the usefulness of what is of no use is clear 1.'
8. Kwang-gze said, 'If a man have the power to enjoy himself in any pursuit), can he be kept from doing so ? If he have not the power, can he so enjoy himself? There are those whose aim is bent on concealing themselves, and those who are determined that their doings shall leave no trace. Alas! they both shirk the obligations of perfect knowledge and great virtue. The (latter) fall, and cannot recover themselves; the (former) rush on like fire, and do not consider (what they are doing). Though men may stand to each other in the relation of ruler and minister, that is but for a time. In a changed age, the one of them would not be able to look down on the other. Hence it is said, “The Perfect man leaves no traces of his conduct."
'To honour antiquity and despise the present time is the characteristic of learners ? ; but even the disciples of Khih-wei 3 have to look at the present age; and who can avoid being carried along by its course ? It is only the Perfect man who is able to enjoy himself in the world, and not be deflected from the right,
1 See Bk. I. par. 6. and XXIV, par. 14. The conversations between our author and Hui-zze often turned on this subject.
* Does our author mean by learners' the literati, the disciples of Confucius ?
• Khih-wei, — see Bk. VI, par. 7. Perhaps the disciples of Khih-wei' are those who in our author's time called themselves such, but were not.
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