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

The attempt, with what is not even, to produce what is even will only produce an uneven result; the attempt, with what is uncertain, to make the uncertain certain will leave the uncertainty as it {fn. 1. Compare paragraph 8. But Lin again denies the genuineness of this.} {fn. 2. Compare XVII, par. 11.} {fn. 3. We do not know whether Kwang-dze was buried according to his own ideal or not. In the concluding sentences we have a strange descent from the grandiloquence of what precedes.} {p. 213} was. He who uses only the sight of his eyes is acted on by what he sees; it is the (intuition of the) spirit, that gives the assurance of certainty. That the sight of the eyes is not equal to that intuition of the spirit is a thing long acknowledged. And yet stupid people rely on what they see, and will have it to be the sentiment of all men;--all their success being with what is external:--is it not sad? {file "Book XXXIII. Thien Hsiâ"} {p. 214} BOOK XXXIII. PART III. SECTION XI. Thien Hsiâ{fr. 1}. 1. The methods employed in the regulation of the world{fr. 2} are many; and (the employers of them) think each that the efficiency of his own method leaves nothing to be added to it. But where is what was called of old 'the method of the Tâo{fr. 2}?' We must reply, 'It is everywhere.' But then whence does the spiritual{fr. 3} in it come down? and whence does the intelligence{fr. 4} in it come forth? There is that which gives birth to the Sage, and that which gives his perfection to the King:--the origin of both is the One{fr. 5}.