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Daoism -> Zhuangzi -> Outer Chapters -> Tian Zi-fang -> 9

列御寇伯昏無人Lie Yu-Kou was exhibiting his archery to Bo-hun Wu-ren.
Having drawn the bow to its full extent,
with a cup of water placed on his elbow,
he let fly.
As the arrow was discharged, another was put in its place;
and as that was sent off, a third was ready on the string.
All the while he stood like a statue.
伯昏無人 Bo-hun Wu-ren said,
'That is the shooting of an archer,
but not of one who shoots without thinking about his shooting.
Let me go up with you to the top of a high mountain,
treading with you among the tottering rocks,
till we arrive at the brink of a precipice, 800 cubits deep,
?」 and (I will then see) if you can shoot.'
On this they went up a high mountain,
making their way among the tottering rocks,
till they came to the brink of a precipice 800 cubits deep.
Then Wu-ren turned round and walked backwards,
till his feet were two-thirds of their length outside the edge,
and beckoned Yu-kou to come forward.
He, however, had fallen prostrate on the ground,
with the sweat pouring down to his heels.
伯昏無人 Then the other said,
'The Perfect man
looks up to the azure sky above,
or dives down to the yellow springs beneath,
or soars away to the eight ends of the universe,
without any change coming over his spirit or his breath.
But now the trepidation of your mind appears in your dazed eyes;
!」 your inward feeling of peril is extreme!'


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