Analects 11:8. When Yen Yuan died,
Confucius said, "Alas, Heaven is destroying me! Heaven is
destroying me!"
Analects 11:11. Chi-lu (Tzu-lu) asked about
serving the spiritual beings. Confucius said, "If we are not yet
able to serve man, how can we serve spiritual beings?" [Chi-lu
said,] "I venture to ask about death." Confucius said,
"If we do not yet know about life, how can we know about
death?"
Analects 11:15. Tzu-kung asked who was the
better man, Shih or Shang. Confucius said, "Shih goes too far and
Shang does not go far enough." Tzu-kung said, "Then is Shih
better?" Confucius said, "To go too far is the same as not to
go far enough."
Analects 11:21. Tzu-lu asked, "Should
one immediately practice what one has heard?" Confucius said,
"There are father and elder brother [to be consulted]. Why
immediately practice what one has heard?" Jan Yu (Jan Tzu) asked,
"Should one immediately practice what one has heard?"
Confucius said, "One should immediately practice what one has
heard." Kung-hsi Hua said, "When Yu [Tzu-lu] asked you,
'Should one immediately practice what one has heard?' you said, 'There
are father and elder brother.' When Ch'iu (Jan Yu) asked you, 'Should
one immediately practice what one has heard?' you said, 'One should
immediately practice what one has heard.' I am perplexed, and venture to
ask you for an explanation." Confucius said, "Ch'iu is
retiring; therefore I urged him forward. Yu has more than one man's
energy; therefore I kept him back."
Analects 11:25. Tzu-lu, Tseng Hsi, Jan
Yu, and Kuang-hsi Hua were in attendance. Confucius said, "You
think that I am a day or so older than you are. But do not think so. At
present you are out of office and think that you are denied recognition.
Suppose you were given recognition. What would you prefer?" Tzu-lu
promptly replied, "Suppose there is a state of a thousand chariots,
hemmed in by great powers, in addition invaded by armies, and as a
result drought and famine prevail. Let me administer that state. In
three years' time I can endow the people with courage and furthermore,
enable them to know the correct principles." Confucius smiled at
him [with disapproval]. "Ch'iu, how about you?" Jan Yu
replied, "Suppose there is a state the sides of which are sixty or
seventy li wide, or one of fifty or sixty li. Let me administer that
state. In three years' time I can enable the people to be sufficient in
their livelihood. As to the promotion of ceremonies and music, however,
I shall have to wait for the superior man." "How about you,
Ch'ih?" Kung-hsi Hua replied, "I do not say I can do it but I
should like to learn to do so. At the services of the royal ancestral
temple, and at the conferences of the feudal lords, I should like to
wear the dark robe and black cap (symbols of correctness) and be a
junior assistant." [Turning to Tseng Hsi,] Confucius said,
"How about you, Tien?" Tseng Hsi was then softly playing the
zither. With a bang he laid down the instrument, rose, and said,
"My wishes are different from what the gentlemen want to do."
Confucius said, "What harm is there? After all, we want each to
tell his ambition." Tseng Hsi said, "In the late spring, when
the spring dress is ready, I would like to go with five or six grown-ups
and six or seven young boys to bathe in the I River, enjoy the breeze on
the Rain Dance Alter, and then return home singing." Confucius
heaved a sigh and said, "I agree with Tien."
