Sacred Books of the East Vol. 40 - Taoism Vol. 2

'These six conditions are the most deplorable in the world, but they forget them all, and have lost their faculty of judgment. When the evil comes, though they begged it with all the powers of their nature, and by the sacrifice of all their wealth, they could {p. 185} not bring back one day of untroubled peace. When they look for their reputation, it is not to be seen; when they seek for their wealth, it is not to be got. To task their thoughts, and destroy their bodies, striving for (such an end as) this;--is it not a case of great delusion?' {file "Book XXX. Yüeh Kien, or 'Delight in the Sword-fight.'"} {p. 186} BOOK XXX. PART III. SECTION VIII. Yüeh Kien, or 'Delight in the Sword-fight{fr. 1}.' Formerly, king Wän of Kâo{fr. 2} delighted in the sword-fight. More than three thousand men, masters of the weapon, appeared as his guests, lining the way on either side of his gate, and fighting together before him day and night. Over a hundred of them would die or be (severely) wounded in the course of a year, but he was never weary of looking on (at their engagements), so fond was he of them. The thing continued for three years, when the kingdom began to decay, and other states to plan measures against it. The crown-prince Khwei{fr. 3} was distressed, and laid the case before his attendants, saying, 'If any one can persuade the king, and put an end to these swordsmen, I will give him a thousand ounces of