Unfortunately his allotted time was short, and he died, and
now his like is not to be found; I have never heard of one so devoted to
learning."
While Tsz-hwa, a disciple, was away on a mission to Ts'i, the disciple
Yen Yu, on behalf of his mother, applied for some grain. "Give her three
pecks," said the Master. He applied for more. "Give her eight, then."
Yen gave her fifty times that amount. The Master said, "When Tsz-hwa
went on that journey to Ts'i, he had well-fed steeds yoked to his
carriage, and was arrayed in light furs. I have learnt that the
'superior man' should help those whose needs are urgent, not help the
rich to be more rich."
When Yuen Sz became prefect under him, he gave him nine hundred measures
of grain, but the prefect declined to accept them.[14] "You must not,"
said the Master. "May they not be of use to the villages and hamlets
around you?"
Speaking of Yen Yung again, the Master said, "If the offspring of a
speckled ox be red in color, and horned, even though men may not wish to
take it for sacrifice, would the spirits of the hills and streams reject
it?"
Adverting to Hwui again, he said, "For three months there would not be
in his breast one thought recalcitrant against his feeling of good-will
towards his fellow-men. The others may attain to this for a day or for a
month, but there they end.
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