University of Virginia Library

6[1]

King Ch`êng of Ch`u[2] was reading in the hall, and at work
below was Lun-pien,[3] who asked, "What is the book Your Highness
is reading?"

King Ch`êng said, "It is a book of the Former Sages."

Lun-pien said, "It is certainly only the dregs of the Former
Sages, and not their essence."

King Ch`êng said, "What grounds have you for saying that?"

Lun-pien said, "Let us put it in terms of the wheels I make.
With the compass I make them round, and with a square I make
them straight. These [techniques] I can pass on to my sons and

grandsons. But when it comes to bringing three pieces of wood
together, there is a response in the heart and a movement in the
body which there is no way to transmit. Hence what has been
transmitted is certainly nothing but the dregs. Thus it is possible
to examine[4] the methods of T`ang and Yü,[5] but there is no
attaining to their illumination of men's hearts. The Ode says,[6]
Who can attain to this?"