Lesser doubts change the rule of life; greater doubts change man's nature.
How do we know this? By the fact that ever since the time when Shun bid for charity and duty to one's neighbour in order to secure the empire, men have devoted their lives to the pursuit thereof. Is it not then charity and duty to one's neighbour which change the nature of man?
Therefore I have tried to show that from the time of the Three Dynasties it has always been the external which has changed the nature of man. If a mean man, he will die for gain. If a superior man, he will die for fame. If a man of rank, he will die for his ancestral honours. If a Sage, he will die for the world. The pursuits and ambitions of these men differ, but the injury to their natures involved in the sacrifice of their lives is the same.
Tsang and Ku were shepherds, both of whom lost their flocks. On inquiry, it appeared that Tsang had been engaged in reading, while Ku had gone to take part in some trials of strength. Their occupations had been different, but the result was in each case loss of the sheep.
Poh I died for fame at the foot of Mount Shou-yang.
See [ch. vi].
Robber Chê died for gain on Mount T'ai.
Robber Chê has a chapter to himself, from which, though spurious, it may be gathered that he was a very remarkable personage in his day.
Mount T'ai has been mentioned in [ch. i].
Their deaths were not the same, but the injury to their lives and natures was in each case the same. How then can we applaud the former and blame the latter?