三教平心論 2.10

2.10

In *Origins of the Way*, he states that Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang transmitted the Way to each other, which is true. But after Yu died, four hundred years passed before Tang was born; to say that Tang received Yu's transmission is acceptable, yet Yu claimed: 'Yu transmitted it with this to Tang.' After Tang died, six hundred years passed before King Wen and King Wu emerged; to say that Wen and Wu received Tang's transmission is acceptable, yet Yu claimed: 'Tang transmitted it with this to Wen and Wu.' How could there be someone who, having already been dead for hundreds of years, could transmit the Way to others? [The classic] says: 'He died and did not obtain its transmission.' Yu also knew that upon death one cannot transmit the Way. Why then could the long-dead Yu and Tang transmit the Way to later generations? Yu's ignorance of the Way is also like this.