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THE TEXTS OF TAOISM.
putrid. Hence it is said, "All under the sky there is one breath of life, and therefore the sages prized that unity 1."'
Knowledge said to Hwang-Ti2, I asked Dumb Inaction 2, and he did not answer me. Not only did he not answer me, but he did not know how to answer me. I asked Heedless Blurter, and while he wanted to tell me, he yet did not do so. Not only did he not tell me, but while he wanted to tell me, he forgot all about my questions. Now I have asked you, and you knew (all about them);-why (do you say that) you are not near doing so?' Hwang-Ti replied, Dumb Inaction was truly right, because he did not know the thing. Heedless Blurter 2 was nearly right, because he forgot it. I and you are not nearly right, because we know it.' Heedless Blurter2 heard of (all this), and considered that Hwang-Ti2 knew how to express himself (on the subject).
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60
BK. XXII.
2. (The operations of) Heaven and Earth proceed in the most admirable way, but they say nothing about them; the four seasons observe the clearest laws, but they do not discuss them; all things have their complete and distinctive constitutions, but they say nothing about them3.
The sages trace out the admirable operations of. Heaven and Earth, and reach to and understand the distinctive constitutions of all things; and thus it is that the Perfect Man (is said to) do nothing and the Greatest Sage to originate nothing, such language showing that they look to Heaven and Earth as
1 I have not been able to trace this quotation to its source.
2 See note 2, p. 57. 9 Compare Analects XVII, xix, 3.
Digitized by Google
| SR No. | 007682 |
| Book Title | Questions of King Milinda Part 02 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | T W Rhys Davids |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1894 |
| Total Pages | 2240 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 38 MB |