CHAPTER 5

The Master said, "Such was Hwuy that for three months there would be nothing in his mind contrary to perfect virtue. The others may attain to this on some days or in some months, but nothing more."

4. THE VICES OF A FATHER SHOULD NOT DISCREDIT A VIRTUOUS SON. The father of Chung-kung (see V.2) was a man of bad character, and some would have visited this upon his son, which drew forth Conf. remark. The rules of the Chow dyn. required that sacrifice. victims should be red, and have good horns. An animal with those qual., tho' it might spring from one not possessing them, would certainly not be unacceptable on that account to the spirits sacrificed to. I translate子by 'calf', but it is not implied that the victim was young. 舍, up.2d tone,=捨, 'to lay aside', 'to put away'. 其舍诸=其舍之乎.

5. THE SUPERIORITY OF HWUY TO THE OTHER DISCIPLES. It is impossible to say whether we should translate here about Hwuy in the past or present tense. 违 here is not 违背, 'to oppose', but 违去, 'to depart from'. 日月至, 'come to it', i.e., the line of perfect virtue, 'in the course of a day, or a month'. 日月may also be, 'for a day or a month'. So in the 注疏.