This page has been validated.
311
CHAPTER XXIV.
Hsü Wu Kuei.
Argument:—Tao is passionless—Immorality of the moral—Obstructions to natural virtue—The evils of action—Too much zeal—The outward and visible—The inward and spiritual—Illustrations.
HSÜ WU KUEI, introduced by Nü Shang, went to see Wu Hou of Wei.
- A hermit, a minister, and a prince, respectively.
The Prince greeted him sympathisingly, and said, "You are suffering. Sir. You must have endured great hardships in your mountain life that you should be willing to leave it and visit me."
"It is I who should sympathise with your Highness, not your Highness with me," answered Hsü Wu Kuei. "If your Highness gives free play to passion and yields to loves and hates, then the natural conditions of your existence will suffer.
- Internally.
And if your Highness puts aside passion and abjures loves and hates, then your senses of sight and hearing will suffer.
- Externally.
It is I who should sympathise with your Highness, not your Highness with me."
