The Three Principle Texts of Daoism translated by ... - Bad Request

“But now, having discovered that your disciples weredeceiving me, my inner man is thrown into a state ofdoubt and perplexity, while outwardly my senses of sightand hearing re-assert themselves. When I reflect that Ihave just had a providential escape from being drownedand burned to death, my heart within me freezes withhorror, and my limbs tremble with fear. I shall neveragain have the courage to go near water or fire."From that time forth, when Mr Fan's disciples happenedto meet a beggar or a poor horse-doctor on the road, sofar from jeering at him, they would actually dismountand offer him a humble salute.Tsai Wo heard this story, and told it to Confucius.“Is this so strange to you? was the reply. “The man ofperfect faith can extend his influence to inanimatethings and disembodied spirits; he can move heaven andearth, and fly to the six cardinal points withoutencountering any hindrance. [1] His powers are notconfined to walking in perilous places and passingthrough water and fire. If Shang Ch'iu K'ai, who put hisfaith in falsehoods, found no obstacle in external matter,how much more certainly will that be so when bothparties are equally sincere! Young man, bear this inmind."In Shang Ch'iu K'ai's case, though he himself wassincere, his Master Fan Tzu Hua was merely an impostor.notes[1] Compare the familiar passage in the Bible (Matt. xvii. 20).