Analects criticism of the Daoists.
The writing of the Analects began at the death of Confucius
(479 B.C.), but new chapters were continually added to it during the next
two centuries. The Dao De Jing [Tao-te-ching] was probably begun around 350
B.C. and was gradually composed up till 250 B.C. (Dating:
The Original Analects)
So it is not surprising to find some indirect criticism
of the Daoists in the later chapters (15-20) of the Analects that were written
after 300 B.C.
"The Master said: 'A man can broaden a Way; it is
not the Way that broadens man." (Analects 15:29) |
|
Dao De Jing |
Analects response |
"The softest (rou) things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world." (DDJ 43, Chan) |
"Confucius said: 'What is helpful is Three befriendings,
and what is harmful is Three Befriendings. To befriend the upright,
to befriend the candid, to befriend those who have heard much: these
are helpful. To befriend the partisan, to befriend those who prize weakness (rou),
to befriend the glib: these are harmful." (16:4) |
"To requite malice use kindness." (DDJ 63) |
"Someone said: 'Use
kindness to requite malice, how about that?'
The Master said: 'With what then will you return kindness? Requite
malice with uprightness; requite kindness with kindness." (14:34)
[A saying that was interpolated back into
the earlier chapter 14] |
"A large state is the lower
reaches of a river (xia liu) - The place where
all streams of the world unite" (DDJ 61) |
"Zigong said: 'Does the Gentleman too have his hates?'
The Master said: 'He has his hates. He hates those who speak of
the bad points of others, he hates those who dwell downstream (xia liu) and criticize
those above..." 17:22 (Brooks) |