|
Wu Mazi questioned Mozi "Which are wiser, the ghosts and spirits or the sages?" Mozi said: The ghosts and spirits are wiser than the sages by as much as the sharp-eared and keen-sighted surpass the deaf and blind. In ancient times, Emperor Qi of Xia commissioned Fei Lian to dig minerals in mountains and rivers and cast tings at Kun Wu. He ordered Yi to kill the pheasant to invoke the tortoise of Boruo, saying: "Let the dings, when completed, be four-legged. Let them be able to cook automatically, without fire, to hide themselves without being lifted, and to move themselves without being carried. So that they may be used for the sacrifice at Kun Wu. May our offering be accepted!" Then the oracle was interpreted as saying: "I have accepted the offering. Profuse are the white clouds: one to the south, one to the north, one to the west, one to the east. When the nine dings have been completed, they shall be given over to three empires. When the emperor of Xia loses them the man of Yin will possess them; when the man of Yin loses them the man of Zhou will possess them." Now the transfer from the emperor of Xia to Yin and Zhou took many centuries. Even if the sage planned in counsel with his excellent ministers and superior assistants, could he foresee what would happen after many centuries? Yet the ghosts and spirits can. Therefore we say, the ghosts and spirits are wiser than the sages by as much as the sharp-eared and keen-sighted are than the deaf and blind. 1. 雉乙 : Inserted. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
2. 虛 : Originally read: "墟". Corrected by 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
3. 乙 : Inserted. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
4. 又 : Originally read: "人". Corrected by 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
| 
