Autumn Floods (3)

1 Confucius traveled to Kuang, a place in the State of Wei. Local people surrounded him and his disciples without any reason. The situation was very urgent and dangerous.

2 At that time all but Confucius felt nervous. He felt leisured and easy in the hotel, playing musical instrument and singing as if nothing had happen.

3 Feeling surprised, Zi Lu thought there must be something that made him act so. Hence he came into Confucius’s room and asked, “Sir. Everyone feel very nervous because we may lose our lives once the situation is out of control. However, you still sing and play alone in the room. Why should you be so easy?”

4 Confucius said drily, “Come. Sit here. Let me tell you the reason. In my life, I am discreet in keeping from any embarrassing circumstances but the embarrassing circumstances still befall to me frequently. This is my fate.

5 During these years, we traveled around many countries to carry out our ambitions, however, we always failed. Are we unskillful in knowledge and practice? Of course it is not the fact. The real reason is our opportunity is immature.

6 During Yao’s and Shun’s governance of the country, they made all people gain their share, live and work in peace and contentment. Did everyone stand to sense and have perfect virtue then? I don’t think so.

7 During Jie’s and Zhou’s governance, they made people suffer and live in destitution. Did all people lose their virtue? It is impossible.

8 What caused the clearly different results?

9 I believed that the opportunity and trend caused it. Yao, or Shun, or Jie, or Zhou couldn’t make so great changes alone.

10 Fishman’s courage is that he knows there is a dragon in the water but he still makes a living on the water. Hunter’s courage is that he is dauntless for the possibility of being attacked by the brute tiger when he travels alone in the wilderness. Warrior’s courage is that he is fearless to knife and sword, rushing forward when facing enemy in the battle.

11 The mastery of a man of perfect practice is: he knows that the fate and opportunity arrange fortune, richness, poverty, nobleness, humbleness, adversity and prosperity, instead of personal will. The personal will can’t strive for or ward off them, so he doesn’t feel worried and feared before catastrophe.

12 Zi Lu! Tell others not to feel nervous. My fate has been arranged. How it should be, the local people can’t change it.”

13 Before long, the troop that surrounded Confucius found it was a mistake. They sent an officer especially to make an apology to Confucius. They said, “My people mistook you as Yanghu, so we surrounded the hotel where you stayed. Later we made a close investigation and then knew it was a mistake. Therefore, I come here to explain and apologize to you. We will retreat immediately. Beg your pardon for any inconvenience.”