鐔津文集 6.18

6.18

When the world speaks of blessings, it speaks exclusively of profit. When I speak of blessings, I speak exclusively of the Way. Profit and the Way divide blessings into two extremes. Blessings of profit are often possessed in abundance; blessings of the Way are often possessed in scarcity. "Abundance" refers to the multitude; "scarcity" refers to sages and worthies. Therefore it is said: the blessings of sages and worthies are what sages and worthies attain; the blessings of the multitude are what the multitude attains. What sages and worthies attain, sages and worthies rejoice in; what the multitude attains, the multitude desires. Because they desire it, the world competes for profit; because they rejoice in it, the world settles its nature. For this reason, among worldly people, those who do not rejoice in it do not consider it joy, and those who desire it do not consider it peace. Attaining what sages and worthies attain is regarded as weighty; attaining what the multitude attains is regarded as light. Valuing what is weighty is the means to lead the world to esteem the Way; discounting what is light is the means to teach the world to disdain profit. The wealth and nobility of the Lord of Qi and the Viscount of Chu could not be matched in the world. Yet when they used them to contend with and slaughter other lords, though called blessings, they were in truth disasters. The poverty and lowliness of Yan Hui and Yuan Xian were extreme in the world. Yet when they rejoiced in the Way, perfected virtue, and later generations admired their fine reputation, though called extremities, they were in truth blessings. Nowadays worldly people look at the noble person's joy while his condition is downcast, and say: "How are blessings found in sages and worthies?" Looking at families of high standing indulging their power and fulfilling their desires, they say: "Only this is blessing!" and willfully scheme for their wealth and nobility. Can this be called blessing? Causing the world to follow one another in turning their backs on the Way and hastening toward profit is the crime of those who say this! The blessings of sages and worthies are the root of blessings; the blessings of the multitude are the branch of blessings. Cultivating the root to attract the branch was practiced by the ancients; Shun was such a one. Using the branch to practice the root was practiced by the ancients; the Duke of Zhou was such a one. Just as our former sage said, "The Way is the foundation of blessings; it can be cultivated." Therefore, when the noble person possesses the Way without wealth and nobility, he calls it the times, and feels no discontent. When he possesses wealth and nobility without the Way, he calls it disgrace, and feels ashamed of it. When possessing wealth and nobility alongside the Way, the noble person broadens it. If later generations discard sages and worthies to follow the multitude, are they not holding the root lightly and esteeming the branch? When the root and branch are inverted, whom will Heaven enrich?