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Daoism -> Zhuangzi -> Miscellaneous Chapters -> The Robber Zhi -> 3.2

Dissatisfied rejoined,
'But riches are in every way advantageous to man.
With them his attainment of the beautiful and mastery of every art
become what the perfect man cannot obtain
nor the sagely man reach to;
his appropriation of the bravery and strength of others enables him to exercise a powerful sway;
his availing himself of the wisdom and plans of others makes him be accounted intelligent and discriminating;
his taking advantage of the virtues of others makes him be esteemed able and good.
Though he may not be the holder of a state, he is looked to with awe as a ruler and father.
Moreover, music, beauty, with the pleasures of the taste and of power,
are appreciated by men's minds and rejoiced in without any previous learning of them;
the body reposes in them without waiting for the example of others.
Desire and dislike, avoidance and pursuit,
do not require any master
- this is the nature of man.
天下 Though the world may condemn one's indulgence of them,
!」 who can refrain from it?'
Know-the-Mean replied,
'The action of the wise
is directed for the good of the people,
but they do not go against the (proper) rule and degree.
Therefore when they have enough, they do not strive (for more);
they have no further object, and so they do not seek for one.
When they have not enough, they will seek for it;
they will strive for it in every quarter, and yet not think of themselves as greedy.
If they have (already) a superfluity, they will decline (any more);
天下they will decline the throne, and yet not think of themselves as disinterested:
the conditions of disinterestedness and greediness
are (with them) not from the constraint of anything external.
Through their exercise of introspection,
天子their power may be that of the sovereign, but they will not in their nobility be arrogant to others;
天下their wealth may be that of the whole kingdom, but they will not in their possession of it make a mock of others.
They estimate the evils to which they are exposed,
and are anxious about the reverses which they may experience.
They think how their possessions may be injurious to their nature,
and therefore they will decline and not accept them
- but not because they seek for reputation and praise.
Yao and Shun were the sovereigns, and harmony prevailed.
天下It did so, not because of their benevolence towards the people
- they would not, for what was (deemed) admirable, injure their lives.
許由Shan Juan and Xu You might have been the sovereigns, but they would not receive the throne
- not that they declined it without purpose,
but they would not by its occupancy injure themselves.
These all followed after what was advantageous to them,
and declined what was injurious,
天下 and all the world celebrates their superiority.
Thus, though they enjoy the distinction,
。」they did what they did, not for the sake of the reputation and praise.'


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