When Yan He was appointed tutor to the heir to the throne at the court of the Wei king Ling Gong, he asked Qu Boyu:
“Let’s imagine that next to us lives a man whom Heaven has endowed with a passion for murder. If I behave without restraint in his presence, I will endanger my kingdom, and if I behave with restraint, I will endanger myself. He is smart enough only to know the mistakes of others, but he has no idea about the real reasons for these mistakes. How should I deal with such a person?
Qu Boyu replied:
- How well you asked! Always be careful, be attentive! Be impeccable in your behavior. The main thing in our actions is to be timely, the main thing in our feelings is to be in harmony. True, both give rise to their own difficulties. When you act in a timely manner, you still do not want to be drawn into worldly affairs, and when you are in harmony, you do not want the peace in your heart to slip out. If you find yourself involved in worldly affairs, you will be overwhelmed by discord and destructive passions. If you allow spiritual harmony to slip out, it will turn into vulgar glory and deceit.
If he wants to play with the child, play with him. If he wants to gallop through the fields, gallop with him. If he wants to swim on the surface of the waters, swim with him. Understand his character thoroughly and follow in him what is not corrupted. Have you ever seen a praying mantis? He furiously knocks his paws in front of the cart rolling towards him, not knowing that he cannot withstand the weight of the wheels. And all because he has too noble a character. Be careful, be attentive! If you expose to him qualities that anyone would be proud of, you won't last long.
Don't you know what people do who tame tigers? They do not give live animals to tigers, because tigers become ferocious when they kill them. They do not give tigers whole carcasses of animals, because tigers become ferocious, tearing these carcasses to pieces. Knowing when tigers are hungry and when they are full, they know how to tame their fury. Tigers are creatures of a different kind than people, but they are also affectionate towards the one who feeds them. This happens because a person pleases their natural inclinations. If they are fierce, it is only because a person goes against their nature.
A rider who dotes on his horse will humbly collect the manure and urine of his pet. But if a mosquito lands on a horse and the owner accidentally swats it, the horse will kick its hooves and, lo and behold, break its owner’s skull. No matter how good the intentions of the horse's owner, the outcome of this incident would have been the saddest.
So is it possible not to be careful in this life?
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru