禪林寶訓 1.53

1.53

Zhu Shiying asked Huitang, ‘When a gentleman unfortunately has a minor error, people cannot point it out and look at it fast enough; but when a petty person commits evil all day long, people do not take it as significant. What is the reason for this?’ Huitang said, ‘The virtue of a gentleman is compared to fine jade: if a flaw arises inside, it must show on the outside; therefore, those who see it remark on its abnormality and cannot help but point it out and look. As for the petty person, his daily activities and deeds are nothing but errors and evil; what would be the use of speaking of them?’ (Zhangjiang Collection)