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suffering is yet to come； and that it will be concomitant with the period of
the greatest possible pressure of population。 Among other results of that
long stress； I understand that there will be a vast increase in human
intelligence and sympathy； and that this increases of intelligence will be
effected at the cost of human fertility。 But this decline in reproductive
power will not； we are told； be sufficient to assure the very highest of
social conditions： it will only relieve that pressure of population which has
been the main cause of human suffering。 The state of perfect social
equilibrium will be approached； but never quite reached； by mankind
Unless there be discovered some means of solving economic problems；
just as social insects have solved them； by the suppression of sex…life。
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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
Supposing that such a discovery were made； and that the human race
should decide to arrest the development of six in the majority of its
young； so as to effect a transferrence of those forces； now demanded by
sex…life to the development of higher activities； might not the result be
an eventual state of polymorphism； like that of ants？ And； in such event；
might not the Coming Race be indeed represented in its higher types；
through feminine rather than masculine evolution； by a majority of
beings of neither sex？
Considering how many persons； even now； through merely unselfish
（not to speak of religious） motives； sentence themselves to celibacy； it
should not appear improbably that a more highly evolved humanity would
cheerfully sacrifice a large proportion of its sex…life for the common weal；
particular ly in view of certain advantages to be gained。 Not the least of
such advantages always supposing that mankind were able to control
sex…life after the natural manner of the ants would be a prodigious
increase of longevity。 The higher types of a humanity superior to sex
might be able to realize the dream of life for a thousand years。
Already we find lives too short for the work we have to do； and with
the constantly accelerating progress of discovery； and the never…ceasing
expansion of knowledge； we shall certainly find more and more reason to
regret； as time goes on； the brevity of existence。 That Science will ever
discover the Elixir of the Alchemists' hope is extremely unlikely。 The
Cosmic Powers will not allow us to cheat them。 For every advantage
which they yield us the full price must be paid： nothing for nothing is the
everlasting law。 Perhaps the price of long life will prove to be the price
that the ants have paid for it。 Perhaps； upon some elder planet； that price
has already been paid； and the power to produce offspring restricted to a
caste morphologically differentiated； in unimaginable ways； from the rest
of the species。。。
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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
VII
But while the facts of insect…biology suggest so much in regard to the
future course of human evolution； do they not also suggest something of
largest significance concerning the relation of ethics to cosmic law？
Apparently； the highest evolution will not be permitted to creatures
capable of what human moral experience has in all areas condemned。
Apparently； the highest possible strength is the strength of unselfishness；
and power supreme never will be accorded to cruelty or to lust。 There may
be no gods； but the forces that shape and dissolve all forms of being would
seem to be much more exacting than gods。 To prove a 〃dramatic tendency〃
in the ways of the stars is not possible； but the cosmic process seems
nevertheless to affirm the worth of every human system of ethics
fundamentally opposed to human egoism。
…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋…
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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
Notes
THE STORY OF MIMI…NASHI…HOICHI ＇1＇ See my Kotto； for a
description of these curious crabs。 ＇2＇ Or； Shimonoseki。 The town is also
known by the name of Bakkan。 ＇3＇ The biwa； a kind of four…stringed lute；
is chiefly used in musical recitative。 Formerly the professional minstrels
who recited the Heike…Monogatari； and other tragical histories； were
called biwa…hoshi； or 〃lute…priests。〃 The origin of this appellation is not
clear； but it is possible that it may have been suggested by the fact that
〃lute…priests〃 as well as blind shampooers； had their heads shaven； like
Buddhist priests。 The biwa is played with a kind of plectrum； called bachi；
usually made of horn。 （1） A response to show that one has heard and is
listening attentively。 ＇4＇ A respectful term； signifying the opening of a gate。
It was used by samurai when calling to the guards on duty at a lord's gate
for admission。 ＇5＇ Or the phrase might be rendered； 〃for the pity of that
part is the deepest。〃 The Japanese word for pity in the original text is
〃aware。〃 ＇6＇ 〃Traveling incognito〃 is at least the meaning of the original
phrase； 〃making a disguised august…journey〃 （shinobi no go…ryoko）。 ＇7＇
The Smaller Pragna…Paramita…Hridaya…Sutra is thus called in Japanese。
Both the smaller and larger sutras called Pragna…Paramita （〃Transcendent
Wisdom〃） have been translated by the late Professor Max Muller； and can
be found in volume xlix。 of the Sacred Books of the East （〃Buddhist
Mahayana Sutras〃）。 Apropos of the magical use of the text； as described
in this story； it is worth remarking that the subject of the sutra is the
Doctrine of the Emptiness of Forms； that is to say； of the unreal character
of all phenomena or noumena。。。 〃Form is emptiness； and emptiness is
form。 Emptiness is not different from form； form is not different from
emptiness。 What is form that is emptiness。 What is emptiness that is
form。。。 Perception； name； concept； and knowledge； are also emptiness。。。