一切經音義 22.24

22.24

Zuanyang 鑽仰 [to bore through and look up to] (Zuan 鑽 is pronounced ze + guan [zuān]. The Analects says: 'When the Master saw someone in mourning garments, someone in ceremonial cap and robe, or someone blind, even if they were young, he would rise; when passing them, he would hurry.' Yan Yuan sighed deeply and said: 'Looking up to it, it seems ever higher; boring into it, it seems ever firmer.' He Yan's commentary says: 'This speaks of its inexhaustibility.' It means the Way is both lofty and firm, completely without boundary; looking up again, it becomes higher; boring in again, it becomes firmer).