Jin Xin I · Passage 26 / 46 · 孟子 7A.26

Mencius 7A.26: holding to the middle without weighing

Mencius criticizes not only Yang and Mo, but also a false moderation that clings to a middle point without the power of concrete judgment.

孟子曰：「楊子取『為我』，拔一毛而利天下，不為也。墨子『兼愛』，摩頂於踵利天下，為之。子莫『執中』，執中為近之。執中無權，猶執一也。所惡執一者，為其賊道也，舉一而廢百也。」

mèng zǐ yuē：「yáng zǐ qǔ 『wéi wǒ』， bá yì máo ér lì tiān xià， bù wéi yě。 mò zǐ 『jiān ài』， mó dǐng wū zhǒng lì tiān xià， wéi zhī。 zǐ mò 『zhí zhōng』， zhí zhōng wéi jìn zhī。 zhí zhōng wú quán， yóu zhí yī yě。 suǒ è zhí yì zhě， wéi qí zéi dào yě， jǔ yī ér fèi bǎi yě。」

Mencius said, 'The principle of the philosopher Yang was "Each one for himself." Though he might have benefited the whole kingdom by plucking out a single hair, he would not have done it. The philosopher Mo loves all equally. If by rubbing smooth his whole body from the crown to the heel, he could have benefited the kingdom, he would have done it. Zi Mo holds a medium between these. By holding that medium, he is nearer the right. But by holding it without leaving room for the exigency of circumstances, it becomes like their holding their one point. The reason why I hate that holding to one point is the injury it does to the way of right principle. It takes up one point and disregards a hundred others.'