'"
The Master (turning to his disciples) said, "Sirs, what he says is
right: what I said just now was only in play."
Having received an invitation from Kung-shan Fuh-jau, who was in revolt
against the government and was holding to his district of Pi, the Master
showed an inclination to go.
Tsz-lu was averse to this, and said, "You can never go, that is certain;
how should you feel you must go to that person?"
"Well," said the Master, "he who has invited me must surely not have
done so without a sufficient reason! And if it should happen that my
services were enlisted, I might create for him another East Chow--don't
you think so?"
Tsz-chang asked Confucius about the virtue of philanthropy. His answer
was, "It is the being able to put in practice five qualities, in any
place under the sun."
"May I ask, please, what these are?" said the disciple.
"They are," he said, "dignity, indulgence, faithfulness, earnestness,
kindness. If you show dignity you will not be mocked; if you are
indulgent you will win the multitude; if faithful, men will place their
trust in you; if earnest, you will do something meritorious; and if
kind, you will be enabled to avail yourself amply of men's services."
Pih Hih sent the Master an invitation, and he showed an inclination to
go.
Tsz-lu (seeing this) said to him, "In former days, sir, I have heard you
say, 'A superior man will not enter the society of one who does not that
which is good in matters concerning himself'; and this man is in revolt,
with Chung-man in his possession; if you go to him, how will the case
stand?"
"Yes," said the Master, "those are indeed my words; but is it not said,
'What is hard may be rubbed without being made thin,' and 'White may be
stained without being made black'?--I am surely not a gourd! How am I to
be strung up like that kind of thing--and live without means?"
"Tsz-lu," said the Master, "you have heard of the six words with their
six obfuscations?"
"No," said he, "not so far.
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