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| Scope: On Ghosts III Request type: Paragraph |
| Condition 1: References "鬼神者，固無有" Matched:3. |
| Total 3 paragraphs. Page 1 of 1. |
《明鬼下 - On Ghosts III》 | English translation: W. P. Mei [?] | Library Resources |
| 2 | 明鬼下: |
今執無鬼者曰：「鬼神者，固無有。」旦暮以為教誨乎天下， 之1疑天下之眾，使天下之眾皆疑惑乎鬼神有無之別，是以天下亂。是故子墨子曰：「今天下之王公大人士君子，實將欲求興天下之利，除天下之害，故當鬼神之有與無之別，以為將不可以 不2明察此者也。既以鬼神有無之別，以為不可不察已。」 |
| On Ghosts III: |
Those who deny the existence of spirits proclaim: "Of course there are no spirits." And from morning till evening they teach this doctrine to the people of the empire. They bewilder the people, causing them all to doubt the existence of ghosts and spirits. In this way the empire becomes disorderly. Therefore Mozi said: If the rulers and the gentlemen of the world really desire to procure benefits for the empire and remove its calamities they must understand whether ghosts and spirits exist or not. 1. 之 : Deleted. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》 | |
| 12 | 明鬼下: | 古者聖王必以鬼神為，其務鬼神厚矣，又恐後世子孫不能知也，故書之竹帛，傳遺後世子孫；咸恐其腐蠹絕滅，後世子孫不得而記，故琢之盤盂，鏤之金石，以重之；有恐後世子孫不能敬莙以取羊，故先王之書，聖人一尺之帛，一篇之書，語數鬼神之有也，重有重之。此其故何？則聖王務之。今執無鬼者曰：『鬼神者，固無有。』則此反聖王之務。反聖王之務，則非所以為君子之道也！」 |
| On Ghosts III: | Deep was their own interest in the welfare of ghosts and spirits. Yet they were afraid their descendants might not understand it. Thus they recorded it on bamboos and silk to bequeath to them. Fearing that these might rot and disappear so that the descendants might not learn it, they engraved it on plates and cups and cut it in metals and stones. They feared also that the descendants might not be reverent and obtain blessing, and so among the books of the ancient kings and the records of sages testimonies to the existence of ghosts and spirits occur time and again even on a single foot of silk or a single sheet in the books. Why was this? Because the sage-kings were interested in it. Those who deny the existence of spirits, saying "Ghosts and spirits just do not exist", are opposing the interest of the sage-kings. Opposing the interest of the sage-kings is not the way of the superior man. | |
| 19 | 明鬼下: |
今執無鬼者曰：「意不忠親之利，而害為孝子乎？」子墨子曰：「古之今之為鬼，非他也，有天鬼，亦有山水鬼神者，亦有人死而為鬼者。今有子先其父死，弟先其兄死者矣，意雖使然，然而天下之陳物曰『先生者先死』，若是，則先死者非父則母，非兄而姒也。今絜為酒醴粢盛，以敬慎祭祀，若使鬼神請有，是得其父母姒兄而飲食之也，豈非厚利哉？若使鬼神請亡，是乃費其所為酒醴粢盛之財耳。自夫費之， 非1特注之汙壑而棄之也，內者宗族，外者鄉里，皆得如具飲食之。雖使鬼神請亡，此猶可以合驩聚眾，取親於鄉里。」今執無鬼者言曰：「鬼神者固請無有，是以不共其酒醴粢盛犧牲之財。吾非乃今愛其酒醴粢盛犧牲之財乎？其所得者臣將何哉？」此上逆聖王之書，內逆民人孝子之行，而為上士於天下，此非所以為上士 之2道 也3。是故子墨子曰：「今吾為祭祀也，非直注之汙壑而棄之也，上以交鬼之福，下以合驩聚眾，取親乎鄉里。若神有，則是得吾父母弟兄而食之也。則此豈非天下利事也哉！」 |
| On Ghosts III: |
Those who deny the existence of spirits say, "If one does not work for the blessing of one's parents but work for their destruction, would one still be a filial son?" Mozi explained: The ghosts and spirits of all times may be divided into spirits of Heaven, spirits of hills and rivers, and ghosts of men after their death. It is true that there are sons who die before their fathers, and younger brothers before their elder brothers. But, as the saying in the world goes: "He who is born first dies first." So then those who die first would be the mother if not the father, and the elder sister if not the elder brother. At any rate, we should prepare clean cakes and wine reverently to do sacrifice. If ghosts and spirits do exist, then it is to serve father and mother, elder sisters and elder brothers with food and drink. Is not this a great blessing? If ghosts and spirits did not exist it would seem to be a waste of the material for the cakes and wine. But such use is not just to throw it into the ditch or gully. For the relatives from the clan and friends from the village and district can yet eat and drink them. So, even if there were really no ghosts and spirits, a sacrifice will yet gather together a party and the participants can enjoy themselves and befriend the neighbours. Those who hold there are no ghosts say: "Of course there are no ghosts and spirits and therefore I should not expend my wealth on the cakes and wine and victims. This is not because I am miserly about my wealth on the cakes and wine and victims. But (because I do not see) what I can accomplish with it." This is opposed to the records of the sage-kings above and opposed to the practice among the filial sons among the people. Yet they claim to be superior men in the empire. This is no way to be superior men. But Mozi said: For me to offer sacrifice is not to throw it into the ditch or the gully. It is to bless the ghosts above and gather a party and enjoy ourselves and befriend the neighbours below. And if spirits exist, I would be serving my father and mother and brother with food. Is this not a great blessing in the world? 1. 非 : Inserted. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》 |
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