CHAPTER VI
1. Mencius said, ＇All men have a mind which cannot bear to see the sufferings of others.
2. ＇The ancient kings had this commiserating mind, and they, as a matter of course, had likewise a commiserating government. When with a commiserating mind was practised a commiserating government, to rule the kingdom was as easy a matter as to make anything go round in the palm.
Observe the reciprocal influence of 其 in 率其子弟(＇son and younger brothers＇=children) and 攻其父母.天吏,—＇The minister or officer of Heaven＇. On this designation the commentator 饶式双峰 observes:—＇An officer is one commissioned by his sovereign; the officer of Heaven is he who is commissioned by Heaven. He who bears his sovereign＇s commission can punish men and put them to death. He may deal so with all criminals. He who bears the commission of Heaven, can execute judgment on men, and smite them. With all who are oppressing and misgoverning their kingdoms, he can deal so.＇
CHAPTER 6. THAT BENEVOLENCE,RIGHTEOUSNES S, PROPRIETY, AND KNOWLED GE B ELONG TO MAN A S NATURALLY AS HIS FOUR LIMBS, AND MAY AS EASILY BE EXERCISED.
The assertions made in this chapter are universally true, but they are to be understood as spoken here with special reference to the oppressive ways and government of the princes of Mencius＇s time.
1. 不忍 alone is used in Bk. I. Pt. I. vii. 4,5,6. 人 is added here, because the discourse is entirely of a man＇s feelings, as exercised towards other men. 心,—＇the mind＇, embracing the whole mental constitution. The备旨, after Châo Ch＇î, says that 不忍人 means—＇cannot bear to injure others＇. But it is not only cannot bear to inflict suffering, but also cannot bear to see suffering.The examples in Bk. I. Pt. I. vii, make this plain.
2. 斯,—used adverbially, as in Analects, X. x. i.
3. ＇When I say that all men have a mind which cannot bear to see the sufferings of others, my meaning may be illustrated thus:—even now-a-days, if men suddenly see a child about to fall into a well, they will without exception experience a feeling of alarm and distress. They will feel so, not as a ground on which they may gain the favour of the child＇s parents,nor as a ground on which they may seek the praise of their neighbours and friends, nor from a dislike to the reputation of having been unmoved by such a thing.
4. ＇From this case we may perceive that the feeling of commiseration is essential to man, that the feeling of shame and dislike is essential to man, that the feeling of modesty and complaisance is essential to man, and that the feeling of approving and disapproving is essential to man.
5. ＇The feeling of commiseration is the principle of benevolence.
运之,—之 must be taken generally, = ＇a thing＇, or as giving a passive signification to the verb. —＇The government of the kingdom could be made to go round＇, &c. Perhaps the latter construction is to be preferred. The whole is to be translated in the past sense, being descriptive of the ancient kings.
3. 孺, ＇an infant at the breast＇, here= ＇a very young child＇. 内, read as, and=纳. 内交, —＇to form a friendship with＇, ＇to got the favour of＇. 要,—the 1st tone,=求. 乡党,—compare Analects, VI. iii. 4. 今is to be joined to 人,—＇men of the present time＇, in opposition ＇to the former kings＇.
4. The two negatives 无—非 in the different clauses make the strongest possible affirmation. Literally,＇Without the feeling of commiseration there would not be man,＇&c., or ＇If a person be without this, he is not a mar,＇&c. 恻隐, ＇pain and distress＇, but as it is in illustration of the 不忍之心, we may render it by ＇commiseration＇. ＇Shame and dislike＇,—the shame is for one＇s own want of goodness, and the dislike is of the want of it in other men. ＇Modesty and complaisance＇—modesty is the unloosing and separating from one＇s self, and complaisance is outgiving to others. ＇Approving and disapproving＇,—approving is the knowledge of goodness,
The feeling of shame and dislike is the principle of righteousness. The feeling of modesty and complaisance is the principle of propriety. The feeling of approving and disapproving is the principle of knowledge.
6. ＇Men have these four principles just as they have their four limbs. When men, having these four principles, yet say of themselves that they cannot develop them, they play the thief with themselves, and he who says of his prince that he cannot develop them plays the thief with his prince.
7. ＇Since all men have these four principles in themselves, let them know to give them all their development and completion, and the issue will be like that of fire which has begun to burn, or that of a spring which has begun to find vent. Let them have their complete development, and they will suffice to love and protect all within the four seas.
and the approbation of it accordingly, and disapproving is the knowledge of what is evil, and disapprobation of it accordingly. Such is the account of the terms in the text, given by ChûHsi and others. The feelings described make up, he says, the mind of man, and Mencius ＇discouraging about commiseration goes on to enumerate them all＇. This seems to be the true account of the introduction of the various principles.They lie together, merely in opposition. In the 或问and 语类, however, ChûHsi labours to develop the other three from the first.—Observe that ＇the feeling of shame and dislike＇, &c., in the original, is—＇the mind that feels and dislike＇, &c.
5. 端 is explained by 端绪, ＇the end of a clue＇, that point outside, which may be laid hold of, and will guide us to all within. From the feelings which he has specified, Mencius reasons to the moral elements of our nature. It will be seen how to 智, ＇knowledge＇,＇wisdom＇, he gives a moral sense. Compare Gen. ii. 17,iii. 5, 6; Job xxxviii. 36.
6. 贼, —compare Bk. I. Pt. II. viii. 3, but we can retain its primitive meaning in the translation.
7. 凡有四端于我者, not ＇all who have＇, &c., but ＇all having＇, &c., 于我,—quasi dicat, ＇in their ego-ity＇. 知皆, —皆 belongs to the 扩 below, and refers to the 四端. —The 备旨 says:—知字重看, ＇the character 知 is to have weight attached to it＇.
Let them be denied that development, and they will not suffice for a man to serve his parents with.＇