Universal Love I

The sage who takes governing the world as his responsibility must know where disorder arises in order to govern it; if he does not know where disorder arises, he cannot govern. For example, a physician treating a patient must know where the disease originates in order to cure it; if he does not know where the disease originates, he cannot cure it. How is governing disorder any different? One must know where disorder arises in order to govern it; if one does not know where disorder arises, one cannot govern.

The sage who takes governing the world as his responsibility cannot but examine the root of disorder. Let us try to examine where disorder arises. It arises from a lack of mutual love. When ministers and sons are unfilial toward their rulers and fathers, this is what is called disorder. A son loves himself but does not love his father, so he harms his father to benefit himself; a younger brother loves himself but does not love his elder brother, so he harms his elder brother to benefit himself; a minister loves himself but does not love his ruler, so he harms his ruler to benefit himself. This is what is called disorder. Even when a father is not kind to his son, an elder brother is not kind to his younger brother, or a ruler is not kind to his minister, this too is what the world calls disorder. A father loves himself but does not love his son, so he harms his son to benefit himself; an elder brother loves himself but does not love his younger brother, so he harms his younger brother to benefit himself; a ruler loves himself but does not love his minister, so he harms his minister to benefit himself. Why is this? It all arises from a lack of mutual love. Even the thieves and robbers of the world are like this. A thief loves his own household but does not love others' households, so he steals from others' households to benefit his own; a robber loves himself but does not love others, so he harms others to benefit himself. Why is this? It all arises from a lack of mutual love. Even when great officers encroach upon each other's domains and feudal lords attack each other's states, it is likewise. Each great officer loves his own domain but does not love others' domains, so he encroaches upon others' domains to benefit his own; each feudal lord loves his own state but does not love others' states, so he attacks others' states to benefit his own. All the disorder in the world is contained within these cases.

Examining where this disorder arises: it all arises from a lack of mutual love. If all people in the world could love one another, loving others as they love themselves, would there still be unfilial persons? Regarding father, elder brother, and ruler as oneself, how could one commit unfilial acts? Would there still be unkind persons? Regarding younger brother, son, and minister as oneself, how could one commit unkind acts? Thus, unkindness and unfilial conduct would disappear. Would there still be thieves and robbers? Regarding others' households as one's own, who would steal? Regarding others' bodies as one's own, who would harm? Thus, thieves and robbers would vanish. Would there still be great officers encroaching upon each other's domains and feudal lords attacking each other's states? Regarding others' domains as one's own, who would encroach? Regarding others' states as one's own, who would attack? Thus, the encroachment of great officers upon each other's domains and the attacks of feudal lords upon each other's states would cease. If all people in the world could love one another, states would not attack each other, domains would not encroach upon each other, thieves and robbers would disappear, and rulers, ministers, fathers, and sons would all be filial and kind. In this way, the world would be well governed.

Therefore, the sage who takes governing the world as his responsibility—how could he not forbid mutual hatred and encourage mutual love? For when all people in the world love one another, there is peace and order; when they hate one another, there is disorder. Hence, Master Mo said: One cannot but encourage love for others—the principle lies herein.