○二○ ○二年七月二十一日 人也孰能得無為哉○ 故曰○天地無為也而無不為也○ ○而無有象乎○萬物職職○皆從無為殖○ 皆化生○芒乎芴為乎○而無從出乎○芴乎芒乎 以之清○地無為以之寧○故兩無為相合○萬物 ○至樂活身○唯無為幾存○請嘗試言之○天無 天下是非果未可定也○雖然○無為可以定是非 故曰○至樂無樂○至譽無譽○ 吾以無為誠樂矣○又俗之所大苦也○ 吾未之樂也○亦未之不樂也○果有樂無有哉○ 舉群趣者○誙誙然如將不得已○而皆曰樂者○ 知樂之果樂邪○果不樂邪○吾觀夫俗之所樂○ 誠有善無有哉○今俗之所為與其所樂○吾又未 故夫子胥爭之○以残其形○不爭○名亦不成○ 故曰○忠諫不聽○蹲循勿爭○ 不足活身○以為不善矣○足以活人○ 吾未知善之誠善邪○誠不善邪○若以為善矣○ 矣○烈士為天下見善矣○未足以活身○ 壽者惛惛○久憂不死○何苦也○其為形也亦遠 人之生也○與憂俱生○ 貴者○夜以継日○思慮善否○其為形也亦疏矣 作○多積財而不得尽用○其為形也亦外矣○夫 大憂以惧○其為形也亦愚哉○夫富者○苦身疾 服○目不得好色○耳不得音聲○若不得者○則 所苦者○身不得安逸○口不得厚味○形不得美 厚味美服好色音聲也○所下者○貧賤殀惡也○ 夫天下之所尊者○富貴壽善也○所樂者○身安 奚為奚据○奚避奚處○奚就奚去○奚樂奚惡○ 天下有至樂無有哉○有可以活身者無有哉○今 莊子

南華經

第十八章

至樂

乎○ 肌肤○反子父母○妻子○閭里○知識○子欲之 莊子不信○曰○吾使司命复生子形○為子骨肉 過也○ 之事○從然以天地為春秋○雖南面王樂○不能 髑骽曰○死○無君於上○無臣於下○亦無四時 莊子曰○然○ 累也○死則無此矣○子欲聞死之說乎○ 曰○向子之談者似辯士○視子所言○皆生人之 於是語卒○援髑骽○枕而卧○夜半○髑骽見梦 餒之患而為此乎○將子之春秋故及此乎○ 之行○愧遺父母妻子之丑而為此乎○將子有凍 有亡國之事○斧鋮之誅而為此乎○將子有不善 因而問之○曰○夫子貪生失理而為此乎○將子 莊子之楚○見空髑骽○髐然有形○撽以馬捶○ 化而化及我○我又何惡焉○ 而生生者○尘垢也○死生為昼夜○且吾與子觀 滑介叔曰○亡○予何惡○生者○假借也○假之 ○支離叔曰○子惡之乎○ 帝之所休○俄而柳生其左肘○其意蹶蹶然惡之 支離叔與滑介叔觀於冥伯之丘○昆崙之虛○黄 命○故止也○ 於巨室○而我噭噭然随而哭之○自以為不通乎 死○是相與為春秋冬夏四時行也○人且偃然寝 有氣○氣變而有形○形變而有生○今又變而之 非徙無形也○而本無氣○雜乎芒芴之間○變而 然察其始而本無生○非徒無生也○而本無形○ 莊子曰○不然○是其始死也○我獨何能無概○ 足矣○又鼓盆而歌○不亦甚乎○ ○惠子曰○與人居○長子○老○身死○不哭亦 莊子妻死○惠子吊之○莊子則方箕踞鼓盆而歌
○二○ ○二年七月二十一日 錯字筍上筍下子 錯字骽左骨右婁髏 有錯字請通知我 於機○萬物皆出於機○皆入於機○ 青寧○青寧生程○程生馬○馬生人○人又反入 九猷○瞀芮生乎腐蠸○羊奚比乎不筍○久竹生 斯弥○斯弥為食醯○頤輅生乎食醯○黄軦生乎 鴝掇千日為鳥○其名為乾餘骨○乾餘骨之沫為 而為虫○生於灶下○其狀若脫○其名為鴝掇○ ○鳥足之根為蠐螬○其叶為胡蝶○胡蝶胥也化 衣○生於陵屯則為陵舄○陵舄得郁栖則為鳥足 种有幾○得水則為継○得水土之際則為蛙蠙之 乎○予果歡乎○ 曰○唯予與汝知而未嘗死○未嘗生也○若果養 列子行○食於道○從見百歲髑髏○攓蓬而指之 是之謂條達而福持○ 不一其能○不同其事○名止於實○義設於适○ 水而死○彼必相與異○其好惡故異也○故先聖 人卒聞之○相與還而觀之○魚處水而生○人處 ○鳥聞之而飛○獸聞之而走○魚聞之而下入○ 以夫譊譊為乎○咸池九韶之樂○張之洞庭之野 随行列而止○逶迤而處○彼唯人言之惡聞○奚 栖之深林○游之壇陸○浮之江湖○食之鰍鰷○ 鳥也○非以鳥養養鳥也○夫以鳥養養者○鳥宜 食一脔○不敢飲一杯○三日而死○此以己養養 以為樂○具太牢以為膳○鳥乃眩視憂悲○不敢 者海鳥止於魯郊○魯侯御而觴之於廟○奏九韶 得○不得則惑○人惑則死○且女獨不聞邪○昔 ○而重以燧人○神農之言○彼將內求於己而不 不可損益○吾恐回與齊侯言堯○舜○黄帝之道 ○夫若是者○以為命有所成而形有所适也○夫 ○曰○褚小者不可以怀大○綆短者不可以汲深 孔子曰○善哉汝問○昔者管子有言○丘甚善之 小子敢問○回東之齊○夫子有憂色○何邪○ 顏渊東之齊○孔子有憂色○子貢下席而問曰○ 間之勞乎○ 髑骽深顰蹙額曰○吾安能棄南面王樂而复為人

Chapter 18 -- Perfect Happiness

Is perfect happiness to be found on earth, or not? Are there those who can enjoy life, or not? If so, what do they do, what do they affect, what do they avoid, what do they rest in, accept, reject, like, and dislike?

What the world esteems comprises wealth, rank, old age, and goodness of heart. What it enjoys comprises comfort, rich food, fine clothes, beauty, and music. What it does not esteem comprises poverty, want of position, early death, and evil behavior. What it does not enjoy comprises lack of comfort for the body, lack of rich food for the palate, lack of fine clothes for the back, lack of beauty for the eye, and lack of music for the ear. If men do not get these, they are greatly miserable. Yet from the point of view of our physical frame, this is folly.

Wealthy people who toil and moil, putting together more money than they can possibly use,--from the point of view of our physical frame, is not this going beyond the mark?

Officials of rank who turn night into day in their endeavors to compass the best ends;--from the point of view of our physical frame, is not this a divergence?

Man is born to sorrow, and what misery is theirs whose old age with dulled faculties only means prolonged sorrow! From the point of view of our physical frame, this is going far astray.

Patriots are in the world's opinion admittedly good. Yet their goodness does not enable them to enjoy life; and so I know not whether theirs is veritable goodness or not. If the former, it does not enable them to enjoy life; if the latter, it at any rate enables them to cause others to enjoy theirs.

It has been said, "If your royal counsels are not attended to, depart quietly without resistance." Thus when Tzu Hsu resisted, his physical frame perished; yet had he not resisted, he would not have made his name. Is there then really such a thing as this goodness, or not?

As to what the world does and the way in which people are happy now, I know not whether such happiness be real happiness or not. The happiness of ordinary persons seems to me to consist in slavishly following the majority, as if they could not help it. Yet they all say they are happy.

But I cannot say that this happiness or that it is not happiness. Is there then, after all, such a thing as happiness?

I make true pleasure to consist in inaction, which the world regards as great pain. Thus it has been said, "Perfect happiness is the absence of happiness; perfect renown is the absence of renown."

Now in this sublunary world of ours it is impossible to assign positive and negative absolutely. Nevertheless, in inaction they can be so assigned. Perfect happiness and preservation of life are to be sought for only in inaction. Let us consider. Heaven does nothing; yet it is clear. Earth does nothing; yet it enjoys repose. From the inaction of these two proceed all the modifications of things. How vast, how infinite is inaction, yet without source! How infinite, how  vast, yet without form!

The endless varieties of things around us all spring from inaction. Therefore it has been said, "Heaven and earth do nothing, yet there is nothing which they do not accomplish." But among men, who can attain to inaction?

When Chuang Tzu's wife died, Hui Tzu went to console. He found the widower sitting on the ground, singing, with his legs spread out at a right angle, and beating time on a bowl.

(Meditating men will reach a stage whereby the mind does not stir. People die they are not sorrow. People celebrate in marriage, childbirth, they are not in happy mood. Their mind is tranquil. They don't pray to the dead and ancestors, idols, symbols etc.)

"To live with your wife," exclaimed Hui Tzu," and see your eldest son grow up to be a man, and then not to shed a tear over her corpse,--this would be bad enough. But to drum on a bowl, and sing; surely this is going too far."

"Not at all," replied Chuang Tzu. "When she died, I could not help being affected by her death. Soon, however, I remembered that she had already existed in a previous state before birth, without form, or even substance; that while in that unconditioned condition, substance was added to spirit; that this substance then assumed form; and that the next stage was birth. And now, by virtue of a further change, she is dead, passing from one phase to another like the sequence of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. And while she is thus lying asleep in Eternity, for me to go about weeping and wailing would be to proclaim myself ignorant of these natural laws. Therefore I refrain."

[Funeral rites are the invention of men. It is artificial. We have to be like Nature, the 4 seasons, rotations of sun and moon etc.]

A hunchback and a one-legged man were looking at the tombs of departed heroes, on the K'un-lun Mountains, where the Yellow Emperor rests. Suddenly, ulcers broke out upon their left elbows, of a very loathsome description.

"Do you loathe this?" asked the hunchback.

"Not I," replied the other," why should I? Life is a loan with which the borrower does but add more dust and dirt to the sum total of existence. Life and death are as day and night; and while you and I stand gazing at the evidences of mortality around us, if the same mortality overtakes me, why should I loathe it?"

Chuang Tzu one day saw an empty skull, bleached, but still preserving its shape. Striking it with his riding whip, he said, "Wert thou once some ambitious citizen inordinate yearnings brought him to this pass?--some state-man who plunged his country in ruin and perished in the fray?--some wretch who left behind him a legacy of shame?-- some beggar who died in the pangs of hunger and cold? Or didst thou reach this state by the natural course of old age?"

When he had finished speaking, he took the skull, and placing it under his head as a pillow, went to sleep. In the night, he dreamt that the skull appeared to him and said, "You speak well, Sir; but all you say has reference to the life of mortals, and to mortal troubles. In death there are none of these. Would you like to hear about death?"

Chuang Tzu having replied in the affirmative, the skull began:--"In death, there is no sovereign above, and no subject below. The workings of the four seasons are unknown. Our existences are bounded only by eternity. The happiness of a king among men cannot exceed that which we enjoy."

Chuang Tzu however, was not convinced, and said, "Were I to prevail upon God to allow your body to be born again, and your bones and flesh to be renewed, so that you could return to your parents, to your wife, and to the friends of your youth,--would you be willing?"

At this, the skull opened its eyes wide and knitted its brows and said, "How should I cast aside happiness greater than that of a king, and mingle once again in the toils and troubles of mortality?"

When Yen Yuan went eastwards to the Ch'i State, Confucius was sad. Tzu Kung arose and said, "Is it, Sir, because Hui has gone east to Ch'i that you are sad?"

"A good question," replied Confucius. "There is a saying by Kuan Chung of old which I highly esteem: 'Small bags won't hold big things; short ropes won't reach down deep wells.' Thus, destiny is a pre-arrangement, just as form has its limitations. From neither, to neither, can you either take away or add. And I fear lest Hui, on his visit to the prince of Ch'i, should preach the Tao of Yao and Shun, and dwell on the words of Sui Jen and Shen Nung. The prince will then search within himself, but will not find. And not finding, he will doubt. And when a man doubts, he will kill.

"Besides, have you not heard that of old when a sea-bird alighted outside the capital of Lu, the prince went out to receive, and gave it wine in the temple, and had the Chiu Shao played to amuse it, and a bullock slaughtered to feed it? But the bird was dazed and too timid to eat or drink anything; and in three days it was dead. This was treating the bird like oneself, and not as a bird would treat a bird. Had he treated it as a bird would have treated a bird, he would have put it to roost in the deep forest, to wander over a plain, to swim in a river or lake, to feed upon fish, to fly in order, and to settle leisurely. When the bird was already terrified at human voices, fancy adding music! Play the Hsien Ch'ih or the Chiu Shao in the wilds of Tung-t'ing, and birds will fly away, beast will take themselves off, and fishes will dive down below. But men will collect to hear.

"Water, which is life to fishes, is death to man. Being differently constituted, their likes and dislikes are different. Therefore the Sages of the past favored not uniformity of skill or of occupation. Reputation was commensurate with reality; means were adapted to the end. This was called a due relationship with others coupled with advantages to oneself."

Lieh Tzu, being on a journey, was eating by the roadside, when he saw an old skull. Plucking a blade of grass, he pointed at it and said, "Only you and I know that there is no such thing as life and no such thing as death. Are you really at peace? Or am I really happy?

"Certain germs, falling upon water, become duck-weed. When they reach the junction of the land and the water, they become lichen. Spreading up the bank, they become the dog-tooth violet. Reaching rich-soil, they become wu-tsu, the root of which becomes grubs, while the leaves come from butterflies, or hsu. These are changed into insects, born in the chimney corner, which look like skeletons. Their name is ch'u-to. After a thousand days, the ch'u-to becomes a bird called kan-yu-ku, the spittle of which becomes the ssu-mi. The ssu-mi becomes a wine fly, and that comes from an i-lu. The huang k'uang produces the chiu-yu and the mou-jui produces the fire-fly. The yang ch'i grafted to an old bamboo which has for a long time put forth no shoots, produces the ch'ing-ning, which produces the leopard, which produces the horse, which produces man. (EVOLUTION - no one takes notice except for Darwin theory)

"Then man goes back into the great Scheme, from which all things come and to which all things return."

(here, another meaning is 'the world is a stage, we are only actors'. The great Scheme is the play which we are acting in.)

Edited on 9th June 2008

Back   Home   Chuang Tzu   Chapter 19