Page 215 - 《孟子》（一）中·英对照版

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you, Master, surpass Gao.”
Mencius told him, “I understand words. I

am skilful in nourishing my vast, flowing passion-
nature.”

Chou pursued, “I venture to ask what you
mean by your vast, flowing passion-nature!”

The reply was, “It is difficult to describe it. This
is the passion-nature: —It is exceedingly great, and
exceedingly strong. Being nourished by rectitude,
and sustaining no injury, it fills up all between heaven
and earth. This is the passion-nature: —It is the mate
and assistant of righteousness and reason. Without
it, man is in a state of starvation. It is produced by
the accumulation of righteous deeds; it is not to be
obtained by incidental acts of righteousness. If the
mind does not feel complacency in the conduct, the
nature becomes starved. I therefore said, ‘Gao has
never understood righteousness, because he makes
it something external.’ There must be the constant

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