original text

Mencius said, "Confucius climbed the East Mountain but was small, and climbed Mount Tai but was smaller than the world. Therefore, it is difficult for people who look at the sea to find water. People who swim at the Sage's Gate think so. If you have the ability to watch water, you must watch it. The sun and moon are bright, and the light will shine. Running water is also a thing, but it is not a mirror; The ambition of a gentleman is also in the Tao, and it cannot reach the chapter. " ⑤

To annotate ...

(1) Dongshan and Taishan: both of them are in the territory of Shandong, and "Taishan" means Taishan, which is higher than "Dongshan". Small: used as a verb, Shandong and the world are very small. 2 difficult: not enough. Mencius compared the so-called "gate of saints" to "sea". People who have seen the sea think that there is not enough water in ordinary gullies and ponds. Those who enter the "gate of saints" feel that "the words of one family" are not enough. ③ Operation: Methods. Lan: Taber. The characteristics of waves are: the back waves push the front waves, and Sina replaces the old waves, unwilling to stay up late and keep moving forward. It is a magnificent seascape, which means that the "Sage's Gate" is rich in content and brilliant in literary talent. 4 "Sun and Moon" sentence: Mencius compared the glory of saints to "Sun and Moon". Glory: The gap is small. The light of the sun and the moon shines on every corner. ⑤ Four sentences of "flowing water": A gentleman tends to the Tao, just as flowing water tends to the sea. After running water flows through, the empty place must be filled up before it can become popular. A gentleman must learn the Tao step by step, and can't wait for quick success. Branch: empty. Chapter: Achievements with certain scale and content. There is no chapter to reach: without gradual performance, it is impossible to develop into great achievements.

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Mencius said, "Confucius felt that Lu was small when he climbed Dongshan, and that the world was small when he climbed Mount Tai. Therefore, it is difficult for people who have seen the sea to be attracted by water, and it is difficult for people who have studied saints to be attracted by generalities. There is a way to look at the water, depending on its grandeur from time to time. The sun and the moon have incomparable brilliance, even a small gap can shine in. Running water won't run away unless it is full of puddles. The gentleman's ambition to pursue the road does not achieve certain achievements. "