425. Zhuangzi said that Confucius was much worse than Lao Tzu

Lu has a vulture, Shushan has no toes, and he sees Zhongni.

There is also a person in Lu who was tortured and had his toes cut off, his name is Shushan, Shushan should be a clan, anyway, we have completely confused the surname and the first name, so we won't explain too much. This person came to see Confucius, and it is generally believed that it is because Shushan has no toes, so he can only use the roots of his feet when walking, so it is called heel see. I think this kind of explanation feels like it's a literal interpretation. I think it's more accurate to interpret the meaning of "heel" to rub shoulders. That is to say, it does not matter whether this person walks to see Confucius with the back of his feet, and it does not matter what method he uses, what matters is his form of following the same steps, which shows a person's anxious mood. Immediately following Confucius's heels, he chased after Confucius for advice. Otherwise, those who come by car to ask for a meeting can still be called "car meeting".

Zhong Ni said: "If the son is not careful, if he has committed trouble before." Even now, what is it! ”

Confucius said: "You were careless in the past, you were sentenced to death for breaking the law, and your toes were cut off, are you still too late to come here?" I don't know why Confucius reacted this way, but from the words and deeds of Confucius recorded in the Analects, this reaction should be taken for granted by Zhuangzi, or the storyline of Zhuangzi's article needs to be set in this way, so Confucius must be this reaction.

To say a few more words, it is recorded in the "Analects" that Confucius had a disciple named Gongye Chang who was also imprisoned, Confucius did not look down on this disciple, not only sympathized with Gongye Chang, thinking that Gongye Chang's imprisonment was completely unjustified, and finally married his daughter to him.

Wutoe said: "I don't know how to use my body lightly, I am dead." Now I have come, there are still those who are satisfied, and I am also the one who is complete. The husband and the sky are all overturned, and the earth is all loaded, I take the master as the heaven and the earth, and I know that the master is still the same! ”

Shushan said: "I was just cut off my toes because I was ignorant in the past and didn't know how to take care of my body, so I made a mistake. I'm here today because I know there's something more important than a toe, and I want to be able to preserve it. Everything in the world is covered by the heavens and carried by the earth, and I originally regarded you, Master, as a master who penetrates the heavens and the earth, but how do I know that you are such a person. ”

Disappointment! I asked for advice so sincerely, thinking that you were a supreme saint, but I didn't expect you to hold on to the mistakes I had made in the past, and why did you seem to look down on us who were tortured and physically disabled. Could it be that you said that "put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot" is not like Buddhism, and what you once said should be "easy to learn and almost know, practice to be almost benevolent, and shame to be almost brave", is it a lie? Maybe there was a little bit of caution when you came, and it would almost be thrown to Java.

Confucius said: "Qiu is ugly! The master is not indifferent? Tell us what you have heard. No toe out.

As soon as Confucius heard the words of Shushan without toes, he was a master! Reflecting on what I just said, it is not right. Quickly admit his mistake and say: "It's my Kong Qiu who is shallow and rude, I'm really embarrassed!" You see why you're still standing outside, come in and tell me what you've heard. ”

Confucius's attitude changed very quickly, knowing that he had a problem with his speech, he should admit his mistake and admit his mistake immediately, and the practice of "don't be afraid to change" is still in place.

There are many versions of "Toe Out" that are interpreted as after Toe No Left, and they also made up a lot of scenes of communication between the two of them. This should be to save face for Confucius. According to the analysis of the original meaning of Zhuangzi's article, Shushan Wutoe should have ignored the change in Confucius's attitude and went straight away. Qing Dynasty Xuanying's annotation "Jing go" should be accurate. If Shushan had a friendly and cordial meeting and conversation with Confucius, he left. Go to see Lao Tzu again, and say the words later, even become a two-faced and despicable villain, Taoist masters should disdain to do so.

Confucius said: "Disciple reluctant! The husband has no toes, and the vultures are also, and Judah learns to make up for the evil of the future, and the situation is full of virtue! ”

Seeing the master gradually drift away, Confucius turned around and taught his disciples a lesson, saying, "Children practice, no, this great sage is not the other great sage. Confucius should have said: "Students, you have to work hard, you look at other people's uncles who have no toes, their toes have been chopped off, and they still want to make up for their past mistakes through hard study, not to mention those of you who have not made mistakes?" ”

I feel that Confucius really has the heart of our senior high school teacher at this time, and he is ruthless and steely. Just say you look at other people's children! Why is it always someone else's child, when I was young, I always wondered why I didn't compare to other people's teachers? What about other people's parents? From this point of view, the tradition of teachers has a long history.

The toeless old man said: "Confucius is to the people, and it is not evil? Who is the guest of the student? He is known for his strange name, and he doesn't know that people think that he is shackled by himself? ”

When Shushan Wutoe later met Lao Tzu, or maybe he made a special trip to visit Lao Tzu, he mentioned his feelings about meeting Confucius, and said: "People say that Confucius is the most holy person of our time, not necessarily, I feel as if it is a little worse." (If he really reached the most holy level), why did he still so often teach his disciples as a task? And in order to make himself famous, he even taught some absurd, bizarre and strange content. Didn't he know that the Holy of Holies saw fame as a shackle to himself?

Many versions interpret "He Binbin is a student" as "why does he still come to you so often to ask for advice", I don't agree with this interpretation, according to this understanding, isn't this a face-to-face sycophant? To praise Lao Tzu by belittling Confucius. But the problem is that the latter sentence is "Qi is known for being weird and weird", is the result of asking Lao Tzu for advice is to go back and teach some messy things in order to gain fame? It's not a sycophant, it's a horse's hooves.

Lao Dan said: "Hu Buzhi makes him take life and death as a rule, and if he is consistent, he can relieve his shackles, what can he do? Wutoe said: "Heavenly punishment, An Ke can be solved!" ”

Lao Dan couldn't help but ask Shushan Wutoe and said: "(Since you have discovered this problem), why don't you tell him to face him that life and death are the same, right and wrong, and help him free his shackles, isn't it?" ”

Shushan was noncommittal, and said: "How can it be untied if its nature is subject to this shackle? ”

In fact, Shushan's toeless attitude is the orthodox attitude of Taoism, which conforms to the mandate of heaven. But I have always had a question, if you go to wake up, remind him, let others understand and change, who can say that this is not destiny? Maybe it's destiny for you to help him? But if you have to say that it is against the mandate of heaven to meddle by force. It's like an endless loop, no matter what!