_The Master Induced to Take Office--Nature and Habit_
Yang Ho was desirous of having an interview with Confucius, but on the latter's failing to go and see him, he sent a present of a pig to his house. Confucius went to return his acknowledgments for it at a time when he was not at home. They met, however, on the way.
He said to Confucius, "Come, I want a word with you. Can that man be said to have good-will towards his fellow-men who hugs and hides his own precious gifts and allows his country to go on in blind error?"
"And can he be said to be wise who, with a liking for taking part in the public service, is constantly letting slip his opportunities?"
"And the days and months are passing; and the years do not wait for us."
"True," said Confucius; "I will take office."
It was a remark of the Master that while "by nature we approximate towards each other, by experience we go far asunder."
Again, "Only the supremely wise and the most deeply ignorant do not alter."
The Master once, on his arrival at Wu-shing, heard the sound of stringed instruments and singing. His face beamed with pleasure, and he said laughingly, "To kill a cock--why use an ox-knife?"
Tsz-yu, the governor, replied, "In former days, sir, I heard you say, 'Let the superior man learn right principles, and he will be loving to other men; let the ordinary person learn right principles, and he will be easily managed.'"
The Master (turning to his disciples) said, "Sirs, what he says is right: what I said just now was only in play."
Having received an invitation from Kung-shan Fuh-jau, who was in revolt against the government and was holding to his district of Pi, the Master showed an inclination to go.
Tsz-lu was averse to this, and said, "You can never go, that is certain; how should you feel you must go to that person?"
"Well," said the Master, "he who has invited me must surely not have done so without a sufficient reason! And if it should happen that my services were enlisted, I might create for him another East Chow--don't you think so?"
Tsz-chang asked Confucius about the virtue of philanthropy. His answer was, "It is the being able to put in practice five qualities, in any place under the sun."
"May I ask, please, what these are?" said the disciple.