Li Lou II · Passage 24 / 33 · 孟子 4B.24

Mencius 4B.24: Yi bore blame for Pang Meng

Mencius refuses to stop with the betrayer alone. He asks why a destructive skill was fully transmitted to someone whose moral character could not bear it.

逢蒙學射於羿，盡羿之道，思天下惟羿為愈己，於是殺羿。孟子曰：「是亦羿有罪焉。」公明儀曰：「宜若無罪焉？」曰：「薄乎云爾，惡得無罪？鄭人使子濯孺子侵衛，衛使庾公之斯追之。子濯孺子曰：『今日我疾作，不可以執弓，吾死矣夫！』問其僕曰：『追我者誰也？』其僕曰：『庾公之斯也。』曰：『吾生矣。』其僕曰：『庾公之斯，衛之善射者也，夫子曰「吾生」，何謂也？』曰：『庾公之斯學射於尹公之他，尹公之他學射於我。夫尹公之他，端人也，其取友必端矣。』庾公之斯至，曰：『夫子何為不執弓？』曰：『今日我疾作，不可以執弓。』曰：『小人學射於尹公之他，尹公之他學射於夫子。我不忍以夫子之道，反害夫子。雖然，今日之事，君事也，我不敢廢。』抽矢叩輪，去其金、發乘矢而後反。」

féng méng xué shè wū yì， jìn yì zhī dào， sī tiān xià wéi yì wéi yù jǐ， wū shì shā yì。 mèng zǐ yuē：「shì yì yì yǒu zuì yān。」 gōng míng yí yuē：「yí ruò wú zuì yān？」 yuē：「báo hū yún ěr， è dé wú zuì？ zhèng rén shǐ zǐ zhuó rú zǐ qīn wèi， wèi shǐ yǔ gōng zhī sī zhuī zhī。 zǐ zhuó rú zǐ yuē：『jīn rì wǒ jí zuò， bù kě yǐ zhí gōng， wú sǐ yǐ fū！』 wèn qí pú yuē：『zhuī wǒ zhě shuí yě？』 qí pú yuē：『yǔ gōng zhī sī yě。』 yuē：『wú shēng yǐ。』 qí pú yuē：『yǔ gōng zhī sī， wèi zhī shàn shè zhě yě， fū zǐ yuē 「wú shēng」， hé wèi yě？』 yuē：『yǔ gōng zhī sī xué shè wū yǐn gōng zhī tā， yǐn gōng zhī tā xué shè wū wǒ。 fū yǐn gōng zhī tā， duān rén yě， qí qǔ yǒu bì duān yǐ。』 yǔ gōng zhī sī zhì， yuē：『fū zǐ hé wéi bù zhí gōng？』 yuē：『jīn rì wǒ jí zuò， bù kě yǐ zhí gōng。』 yuē：『xiǎo rén xué shè wū yǐn gōng zhī tā， yǐn gōng zhī tā xué shè wū fū zǐ。 wǒ bù rěn yǐ fū zǐ zhī dào， fǎn hài fū zǐ。 suī rán， jīn rì zhī shì， jūn shì yě， wǒ bù gǎn fèi。』 chōu shǐ kòu lún， qù qí jīn、 fā chéng shǐ ér hòu fǎn。」

Pang Meng learned archery of Yi. When he had acquired completely all the science of Yi, he thought that in all the kingdom only Yi was superior to himself, and so he slew him. Mencius said, 'In this case Yi also was to blame. Gong Meng Yi indeed said, "It would appear as if he were not to be blamed," but he thereby only meant that his blame was slight. How can he be held without any blame? The people of Chang sent Zi Zhuo Ru to make a stealthy attack on Wei, which sent Yu Gong Zhi to pursue him. Zi Zhuo Ru said, "To-day I feel unwell, so that I cannot hold my bow. I am a dead man!" At the same time he asked his driver, "Who is it that is pursuing me?" The driver said, "It is Yu Gong Si," on which, he exclaimed, "I shall live." The driver said, "Yu Gong Si is the best archer of Wei, what do you mean by saying 'I shall live?'" Yu replied, "Yu Gong Si learned archery from Yin Gong Tuo, who again learned it from me. Now, Yin Gong Tuo is an upright man, and the friends of his selection must be upright also." When Yu Gong Si came up, he said, "Master, why are you not holding your bow?" Yu answered him, "To-day I am feeling unwell, and cannot hold my bow." On this Si said, "I learned archery from Yin Gong Tuo, who again learned it from you. I cannot bear to injure you with your own science. The business of to-day, however, is the prince's business, which I dare not neglect." He then took his arrows, knocked off their steel points against the carriage-wheel, discharged four of them, and returned.