Page:Zhuang Zi - translation Giles 1889.djvu/155

CAP. XI.] leisure can they have had for adapting themselves to the natural conditions of their existence?

Besides, over-refinement of vision leads to debauchery in colour; over-refinement of hearing leads to debauchery in sound; over-refinement of charity leads to confusion in virtue;


 * Here again the manifestation of . See p. 45.

over-refinement of duty towards one's neighbour leads to perversion of principle;


 * The eternal principles which are of and not of man.

over-refinement of ceremonial leads to divergence from the true object; over-refinement of music leads to lewdness of thought; over-refinement of wisdom leads to an extension of mechanical art; and over-refinement of shrewdness leads to an extension of vice.


 * As shown in the preceding chapter.

If people adapt themselves to the natural conditions of existence, the above eight


 * Vision, hearing, charity, duty to one's neighbour, ceremonial, music, wisdom, and shrewdness.

may be or may not be; it matters not. But if people do not adapt themselves to the natural conditions of existence, then these eight become hindrances and spoilers, and throw the world into confusion.