| 家○ 上○ 下○ 二○ ○二年六月十八日 | 可以托天下○愛以身於為天下○則可以寄天下 | ○而后安其性命之情○故貴以身於為天下○則 | 故君子不得已而臨莅天下○莫若無為○無為也 | ○ | 以言之○跪坐以之○鼓歌以儛之○吾若是何哉 | 矣○天下之惑也○豈直過也而去之邪○乃齊戒 | 卷獊囊而亂天下也○而天下乃始尊之惜之○甚 | 也○天下將不安其性命之情○之八者○乃始脔 | 天下將安其性命之情○之八者○存可也○亡可 | 於疵也○ | 於淫也○說聖邪○是相於藝也○說知邪○是相 | 於理也○說禮邪○是相於技也○說樂邪○是相 | 於聲也○說仁邪○是亂於德也○說義邪○是悖 | 哉○而且說明邪○是淫於色也○說聰邪○是淫 | ○匈匈焉終以賞罰為事○彼何暇安其性命之情 | 不給○故天下之大不足以賞罰○自三代以下者 | 故舉天下以賞其善者不足○舉天下以罰其惡者 | 盗跖○曾○史之行○ | 中道不成章○於是乎天下始乔詰卓鷙○而后有 | 乎○使人喜怒失位○居處無常○思慮不自得○ | 毗○四時不至○寒暑之和不成○其反傷人之形 | 人大喜邪○毗於陽○大怒邪○毗於陰○陰陽并 | 而可長久者○天下無之○ | 性○是不愉也○夫不恬不愉○非德也○非德也 | 不恬也○桀之治天下也○使天下瘁瘁焉人苦其 | 昔堯之治天下也○使天下欣欣焉人樂其性○是 | ○天下不淫其性○不遷其德○有治天下者哉○ | 下之淫其性也○宥之也者○恐天下之遷其德也 | 聞有宥天下○不聞治天下也○在之也者○恐天 | 莊子
南華經 第十一章在宥 |
| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年六月十八日 | 谷○以養民人○吾又欲官陰陽以遂群生○為之 | 道○敢問至道之精○吾欲取天地之精○以佐五 | 於空同之山○故往見之○曰○我聞吾子達於至 | 黄帝立為天子十九年○令行天下○聞廣成子在 | ○而天下大治○ | 曾○史之不為桀○跖嚆矢也○故曰○絶聖弃知 | 不為桁椄槢也○仁義之不為桎梏鑿枘也○焉知 | 矣哉○其無愧而不知耻也甚矣○吾未知聖知之 | 也○而儒墨乃始離跂攘臂乎桎梏之間○意○甚 | 殊死者相枕攖也○桁楊者相推也○形戮者相望 | 嵁岩之下○而萬乘之君憂栗乎廟堂之上○今世 | ○天下脊脊大亂○罪在人心○故賢者伏處大山 | 竭矣○於是乎斤鋸制焉○繩墨殺焉○椎鑿决焉 | 德不同○而性命爛漫矣○天下好知○而百姓求 | 相欺○善否相非○誕信相譏○而天下衰矣○大 | 曾○史○而儒墨畢起○於是乎喜怒相疑○愚知 | 夫施及三王而天下大駭矣○下有桀○跖○上有 | 投三苗於三峗○流共工於幽都○此不勝天也○ | 法度○然猶有不勝也○堯於是放讙兜於崇山○ | 天下之形○愁其五藏以為仁義○矜其血氣以規 | 人之心○堯○舜於是乎股無胈○脛無毛○以養 | 不可系者○其唯人心乎○昔者黄帝始以仁義攖 | ○其居也○渊而静○其動也○縣而天○僨驕而 | 火○其寒凝冰○其疾俯仰之間而再撫四海之外 | 上下囚殺○淖約柔乎剛繮○廉劌雕琢○其熱焦 | 老聃曰○女慎○無攖人心○人心排下而進上○ | 崔瞿問於老聃曰○不治天下○安藏人心○ | 而萬物炊累焉○吾又何暇治天下哉○ | 而龍見○渊默而雷聲○神動而天随○從容無為 | ○故君子苟能無解其五藏○無擢其聰明○尸居 |
| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年六月十八日 | 雲將東游○過扶摇之枝而适遭鴻蒙○鴻蒙方將 | ○人其尽死○而我獨存乎○ | 月参光○吾與天地為常○當我緡乎○遠我昏乎 | 將去女○入無窮之門○以游無极之野○吾與日 | 而下為土○今夫百昌皆生於土而反於土○故餘 | 吾道者○上為皇而下為王○失吾道者○上見光 | 以為有終○彼其物無測○而人皆以為有极○得 | 廣成子曰○來○餘語女○彼其物無窮○而人皆 | 黄帝再拜稽首曰○廣成子之謂天矣○ | 吾形未常衰○ | 處其和○故我修身千二百歲矣○ | 陰陽有藏○慎守女身○物將自壯○我守其一以 | 於窈冥之門矣○至彼至陰之原也○天地有官○ | 女遂於大明之上矣○至彼至陽之原也○為女入 | 形乃長生○慎女內○閉女外○多知為敗○我為 | 無所見○耳無所聞○心無所知○女神將守形○ | 必清○無勞女形○無摇女精○乃可以長生○目 | 默默○無視無聽○抱神以靜○形將自正○必靜 | 至道○至道之精○窈窈冥冥○至道之极○昏昏 | 廣成子蹶然而起○曰○善哉問乎○來○吾語女 | 何而可以長久○ | 稽首而問曰○聞吾子達於至道○敢問○治身奈 | 廣成子南首而卧○黄帝順下風膝行而進○再拜 | 复往邀之○ | 黄帝退○捐天下○筑特室○席白茅閑居三月○ | 之心翦翦者○又奚足以語至道○ | 草木不待黄而落○日月之光益以荒矣○而佞人 | 者○物之残也○自而治天下雲氣不待族而雨○ | 廣成子曰○而所欲問者○物之質也○而所欲官 | 奈何○ |
| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年六月十八日 | 雲將曰○天降朕以德○示朕以默○躬身求之○ | 自生○ | 知之○乃是離之○無問其名○無窺其情○物固 | 各复其根而不知○渾渾沌沌○終身不離○若彼 | 解心釋神○莫然無魂○萬物云云○各复其根○ | 尔形体○吐爾聰明○倫與物忘○大同乎涬溟○ | 鴻蒙曰○意○心養○汝徒處無為而物自化○堕 | 雲將曰○吾遇天難○愿聞一言○ | 鴻蒙曰○意○毒哉○僊僊乎歸矣○ | 雲將曰○然則吾奈何○ | ○治人之過也○ | 獸之群而鳥皆夜嗚○灾及草木○禍及止虫○意 | 鴻蒙曰○亂天之經○逆物之情○玄天弗成○解 | 也不得已於民○今則民之放也○愿聞一言○ | 雲將曰○朕也自以為猖狂○而民随予所往○朕 | 又何知○ | 求○猖狂不知所往○游者鞅掌○以觀無妄○朕 | 再拜稽首○愿聞於鴻蒙○鴻蒙曰○浮游不知所 | 將大喜○行趋而進曰○天忘朕邪○天忘朕邪○ | 又三年○東游○過有宋之野○而适遭鴻蒙○雲 | 雲將不得問○ | 鴻蒙拊脾雀躍掉頭曰○吾弗知○吾弗知○ | 何○ | 時不節○今我愿合六氣之精以育群生○為之奈 | 雲將曰○天氣不和○地氣郁結○六氣不調○四 | 鴻蒙仰視而雲將曰○吁○ | 雲將曰○朕愿有問也○ | 鴻蒙拊脾雀躍不輟○對雲將曰○游○ | 曰○叟何人邪○叟何為此○ | 拊脾雀躍而游○雲將見之○倘然止○贄然立○ |
| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年六月十八日 | 辞○齊於法而不亂○恃於民而不輕○因於物而 | ○薄於義而不積○應於禮而不諱○接於事而不 | 成於德而不累○出於道而不謀○會於仁而不恃 | 而不可不為者○天也○故聖人觀於天而不助○ | 可不高者○德也○一而不可不易者○道也○神 | 廣者○仁也○節而不可不積者○禮也○中而不 | ○法也○遠而不可不居者○義也○親而不可不 | 也○匿而不可不為者○事也○粗而不可不陳者 | 賤而不可不任者○物也○卑而不可不因者○民 | ○天地之友○ | 無己○惡乎得有有睹有者○昔之君子○睹無者 | 日無始○頌論形躯○合乎大同○大同而無己○ | ○挈汝适复之○撓撓以游無端○出入無旁○與 | 之○尽其所怀○為天下配處乎無响○行乎無方 | 大人之教○若形之於影○聲之於响○有問而應 | ○ | 獨往獨來○是謂獨有○獨有之人○是謂至貴○ | 獨治天下百姓而已哉○出入六合○游乎九州○ | 而不物○故能物物○明乎物物者之非物也○豈 | 有土者○有大物也○有大物者○不可以物○物 | 成而萬有餘長矣○悲夫○有土者之不知也○夫 | 人之國也○無萬分之一○而長人之國也○一不 | 之國僥幸也○幾何僥幸而不喪人之國乎○其存 | 者○此攬乎三王之利而不見其患者也○此以人 | 因衆以寧所聞○不如衆技衆矣○而欲為人之國 | 為心也○夫以出乎衆為心者○曷常出乎衆哉○ | ○同於己而欲之○異於己而不欲者○以出乎衆 | 世俗之人○皆喜人之同乎己而惡人之异於己也 | 再拜稽首○起辞而行○ | 乃今得也○ |
| 家○ 上○ 下○ 二○ ○二年六月十八日 | 有錯字請通知我 | 也○相去遠矣○不可不察也○ | 主者○天道也○臣者○人道也○天道之與人道 | 無為而尊者○天道也○有為而累者○人道也○ | 於道者○悲夫○何謂道○有天道○有人道○ | 者○不純於德○不通於道者○無自而可○不明 | 不去○物者莫足為也○而不可不為○不明於天 |
Chapter 11 -- On Letting Alone
There has been such a thing as letting mankind alone; there has never been such a thing as governing mankind.
Letting alone springs from fear lest men's natural dispositions be perverted and their virtue laid aside. But if their natural dispositions be not perverted nor their virtue laid aside, what room is there left for government?
Of old, when Yao governed the empire, he caused happiness to prevail to excess in man's nature; and consequently the people were not satisfied. When Chieh governed the empire he caused sorrow to prevail to excess in man's nature; and consequently the people were not contented. Dissatisfaction and discontent are subversive of virtue; and without virtue there is no such thing for an empire as stability.
When man rejoices greatly he gravitates towards the positive pole. When he sorrows deeply he gravitates towards the negative pole. If the equilibrium of positive and negative is disturbed, the 4 seasons are interrupted, the balance of heat and cold is destroyed, and man himself suffers physically thereby.
Because men are made to rejoice and to sorrow and to displace their center of gravity, they lose their steadiness, and are unsuccessful in thought and action. And thus it is that the idea of surpassing others first came into the world, followed by the appearance of such men as Robber Che, Tseng, and Shih, the result being that the whole world could not furnish enough rewards for the good nor distribute punishments enough for the evil among mankind. And as this great world is not equal to the demand for rewards and punishments; and as, ever since the time of the Three Dynasties downwards, men have done nothing but struggle over rewards and punishments,-- what possible leisure can they have had for adapting themselves to the natural conditions of their existence?
Besides, over-refinement of vision leads to debauchery in color; over-refinement of hearing leads to debauchery in sound; over-refinement of charity leads to confusion in virtue; over-refinement of duty towards one's neighbor leads to perversion of principle; over-refinement of ceremonial leads to divergence from the true object; over-refinement of music leads to lewdness of thought; over-refinement of wisdom leads to an extension of mechanical art; and over-refinement of shrewdness leads to an extension of vice.
If people adapt themselves to the natural conditions of existence, the above eight may be or may not be; it matters not. But if people do not adapt themselves to the natural conditions of existence, then these eight become hindrances and spoilers, and throw the world into confusion.
In spite of this, the world reverences and cherishes them, thereby greatly increasing the sum of human error. And not as a passing fashion, but with admonitions in words, with humility in prostrations, and with the stimulus of music and song. What then is left for me?
Therefore, for the perfect man who is unavoidably summoned to power over his fellows, there is naught like Inaction.
By means of inaction he will be able to adapt himself to the natural conditions of existence. And so it is that he who respects the State as his own body is fit to support it, and he who loves the State as his own body, is fit to govern it. And if I can refrain from injuring my internal economy, and from taxing my powers of sight and hearing, sitting like a corpse while my dragon-power is manifested around, in profound silence while my thunder-voice resounds, the powers of heaven responding to every phase of my will, as under the yielding influence of inaction all things are brought to maturity and thrive,-- what leisure then have I to set about governing the world?
Ts'ui Chu asked Lao Tzu, saying, "If the empire is not to be governed, how are men's hearts to be kept in order?"
"Be careful," replied Lao Tzu, "not to interfere with the natural goodness of the heart of man. Man's heart may be forced down or stirred up. In each case the issue is fatal. By gentleness, the hardest heart may be softened. But try to cut and polish it,--'twill glow like fire or freeze like ice. In the twinkling of an eye it will pass beyond the limits of the Four Seas. In repose, profoundly still; in motion, far away in the sky. No bolt can bar, no bond can bind,-- such is the human heart.
"Of old, the Yellow Emperor first caused charity and duty to one's neighbor to interfere with the natural goodness of the heart of man. In consequence of which, Yao and Shun wore the hair off their legs in endeavoring to feed their people. They disturbed their internal economy in order to find room for charity and duty to one's neighbor. They exhausted their energies in framing laws and statutes. Still they did not succeed.
"Thereupon, Yao confined Huan Tou on Mount Tsung; drove the chief of San-miao and his people into San-wei, and kept them there; and banished the Minister of Works to Yu Island.
But they were not equal to their task, and through the times of the Three Princes, the empire was in a state of great unrest. Among the bad men were Chieh and Che; among the good were Tseng and Shih. By and by, the Confucianists and the Mihists arose; and then came exultation and anger of rivals, fraud between the virtuous and the evil, slander between the honest and the dishonest,--until decadence set in, men fell away from their original virtue, their natures became corrupt, and there was a general rush for knowledge.
"The next thing was to coerce by all kinds of physical torture, thus bringing utter confusion into the empire, the blame for which rests upon those who would interfere with the natural goodness of the heart of man.
"In consequence, virtuous men sought refuge in mountain caves, while rulers of States sat trembling in their ancestral halls. Then, when dead men lay about pillowed on each others' corpses, when cangue prisoners and condemned criminals jostled each other in crowd,--then the Confucianists and the Mihists, in the midst of gyres and fetters, stood forth to preach!
"Alas they know not shame, nor what it is to blush! Until I can say that the wisdom of Sages is not a fastener of cangues, and that charity of heart and duty to one's neighbor are not bolts for gyres, how should I know that Tseng and Shih are not the forerunners of Chieh and Che?
"Therefore I said, 'Abandon wisdom and discard knowledge, and the empire will be at peace.'"
The Yellow Emperor sat on the throne for 19 years, and his laws obtained all over the empire.
Hearing that Kuang Ch'eng Tzu was living on Mount K'ung-t'ung, he went thither to see him, and said, "I am told, Sir, that you are in possession of perfect Tao. May I ask in what perfect Tao consists? I desire to avail myself of the good influence of heaven and earth in order to secure harvests and feed my people. I should also like to control the 2 Powers of nature in order to seek the protection of all living things. How can I accomplish this?"
"What you desire to avail yourself of," replied Kuang Ch'eng Tzu, "is the primordial integrity of matter. What you wish to control are the disintegrators thereof. Ever since the empire has been governed by you, the clouds have rained without waiting to thicken, the foliage of trees has fallen without waiting to grow yellow, the brightness of the sun and moon has paled, and the voice of the flatterer is heard on every side. How then speak of perfect Tao?"
The Yellow Emperor withdrew. He resigned the Throne. He built himself a solitary hut. He lay upon straw. For 3 months he remained in seclusion, and then went again to see Kuang Ch'eng Tzu.
The latter was lying down with his face to the south. The Yellow Emperor approached after the manner of an inferior, upon his knees. Prostrating himself upon the ground he said, "I am told, Sir, that you are in possession of perfect Tao. May I ask how my self may be preserved so as to last?"
Kuang Ch'eng Tzu jumped up with a start. "A good question indeed!" cried he. "Come, and I will speak to you of perfect Tao.
"The essence of perfect Tao is profoundly mysterious; its extent is lost in obscurity.
"See nothing; hear nothing; let your soul be wrapped in quiet; and your body will begin to take proper form. Let there be absolute repose and absolute purity; do not weary your body nor disturb your vitality,--and you will live for ever. For if the eye sees nothing, and the ear hears nothing, and the mind thinks nothing, the soul will preserve the body, and the body will live for ever.
"Cherish that which is within you, and shut off that which is without; for much knowledge is a curse. Then I will place you upon that abode of Great Light which is the source of the positive Power, and escort you through the gate of Profound Mystery which is the source of the negative Power. These Powers are the controllers of heaven and earth, and each contains the other.
[To place you upon: To Seal the Mark on the forehead, Hsuan Kuan or Mystic Portal.]
"Cherish and preserve your own self, and all the rest will prosper of itself. I preserve the original ONE, while resting in harmony with externals. It is because I have thus cared for my self now for 12 hundred years that my body has not decayed."
The Yellow Emperor prostrated himself and said, "Kuang Ch'eng Tzu is surely God......"
Whereupon the latter continued, "Come, I will tell you. That self is eternal; yet all men think it mortal. That self is infinite; yet all men think it finite. Those who possess Tao are princes in this life and rulers in the hereafter. Those who do not possess Tao, behold the light of day in this life and become clods of earth in the hereafter.
"Nowadays, all living things spring from the dust and to the dust return. But I will lead you through the portals of Eternity into the domain of Infinity. My light is the light of sun and moon. My life is the life of heaven and earth. I know not who comes nor who goes. Men may all die, but I endure for ever."
The Spirit of the Clouds when passing eastwards through the expanse of Air happened to fall in with the Vital Principle. The latter was slapping his ribs and hopping about; whereupon the Spirit of the Clouds said, "Who are you, old man, and what are you doing here?"
"Strolling!" replied the Vital Principle, without stopping.
"I want to know something," continued the Spirit of the Clouds.
"Ah!" uttered the Vital Principle, in a tone of disapprobation.
"The relationship of heaven and earth is out of harmony," said the Spirit of the Clouds, "the 6 influences do not combine, and the 4 seasons are no longer regular. I desire to blend the 6 influences so as to nourish all living beings. What am I to do?"
"I do not know!" cried the Vital Principle, shaking his head, while still slapping his ribs and hopping about; "I do not know!"
So the Spirit of the Clouds did not press his question; but three years later, when passing eastwards through the Yu-sung territory, he again fell in with the Vital Principle. The former was overjoyed, and hurrying up, said, "Has your Holiness forgotten me?"
He then prostrated himself, and desired to be allowed to interrogate the Vital Principle; but the latter said, "I wander on without knowing what I want. I roam about without knowing where I am going. I stroll in this ecstatic manner, simply awaiting events. What should I know?"
"I too roam about', answered the Spirit of the Clouds; "but the people depend upon my movements. I am thus unavoidably summoned to power; and under these circumstances I would gladly receive some advice."
"That the scheme of empire is in confusion," said the Vital Principle, "that the conditions of life are violated, that the will of God does not triumph, that the beasts of the field are disorganized, that the birds of the air cry at night, that blight reaches the trees and herbs, that destruction spreads among creeping things,-- this, alas! is the fault of government."
"True," replied the Spirit of the Clouds, "but what am I to do?"
"It it here," cried the Vital Principle, "that the poison lurks! Go back!"
"It is not often," urged the spirit of the Clouds, "that I meet with your Holiness. I would gladly receive some advice."
"Feed then your people," said the Vital Principle, "with your heart. Rest in inaction, and the world will be good of itself. Cast your slough. Spit forth intelligence. Ignore all differences. Become one with the infinite. Release your mind. Free your soul. Be vacuous. Be nothing!
"Let all things revert to their original constitution. If they do this, without knowledge, the result will be a simple purity which they will never lose; but knowledge will bring with it a divergence there from. Seek not the names nor the relations of things, and all things will flourish of themselves."
"Your Holiness," said the Spirit of the Clouds, as he prostrated himself and took leave, "has informed me with power and filled me with mysteries. What I had long sought, I have now found."
The men of this world all rejoice in others being like themselves, and object to others not being like themselves.
Those who make friends with their likes and do not make friends with their unlike, are influenced by a desire to differentiate themselves from others. But those who are thus influenced by a desire to differentiate themselves from others,--how will they find it possible to do so?
To subordinate oneself to the majority in order to gratify personal ambition, is not so good as to let that majority look each one after his own affairs. Those who desire to govern kingdoms, clutch at the advantages of the Three Princes without seeing the troubles involved. In fact, they trust to luck. But in thus trusting to luck not to destroy the kingdom, their chances of preserving it do not amount to one in ten thousand, while their chances of destroying it are ten thousand to nothing and even more. Such, alas! is the ignorance of rulers.
For, given territory, there is the great thing--Man. Given man, he must not be managed as if he were a mere thing; though by not managing him at all he may actually be managed as if he were a mere thing. And for those who understand that management of man as if he were a mere thing is not the way to manage him, the issue is not confined to mere government of the empire. Such men may wander at will between the 6 limits of space or travel over the continent of earth, unrestrained in coming and in going. This is to be distinguished from one's fellows, and this distinction is the highest attainable by man.
The doctrine of the perfect man is to him as shadow to form, as echo to sound. Ask and it responds, fulfilling its mission as the help-mate of humanity. Noiseless in repose, objectless in motion, it guides you to the goal, free to come and free to go for ever without end. Alone in its exits and its entrances, it rivals the eternity of the sun.
As for his body, that is in accordance with the usual standard. Being in accordance with the usual standard it is not distinguished in any way. But if not distinguished in any way, what becomes of the distinction by which he is distinguished?
Those who see what is to be seen, of such were the perfect men of old. Those who see what is not to be seen,--they are the chosen of the universe.
Low in the scale, but still to be allowed for,--matter. Humble, but still to be followed, mankind. Of others, but still to be attended to,--affairs. Harsh, but still necessary to be set forth,--the law. Far off, but still claiming our presence,--duty to one's neighbor. Near, but still claiming extension,--charity. Of sparing use, but still to be of bounteous store,--ceremony. Of middle course, but still to be of lofty scope,--virtue. One, but not to be without modification,--Tao. Spiritual, yet not to be devoid of action,--God.
Therefore the true Sage looks up to God, but does not offer to aid. He perfects his virtue, but does not involve himself. He guides himself by Tao, but makes no plans. He identifies himself with charity, but does not rely on it. He extends to duty towards his neighbor, but does not store it up. He responds to ceremony, without tabooing it.
He undertakes affair without declining them. He metes out law without confusion. He relies on his fellow-men and does not make light of them. He accommodates himself to matter and does not ignore it.
While there should be no action, there should be also no inaction. He who is not divinely enlightened will not be sublimely pure. He who has not clear apprehension of Tao will find this beyond his reach. And he who is not enlightened by Tao,--alas indeed for him!
What then is Tao?--There is the Tao of God, and the Tao of man. Inaction and compliance make the Tao of God: action and entanglement the Tao of man. The Tao of God is fundamental: the Tao of man is accidental. The distance which separates them is great. Let us all take heed thereto!
The End
Whether Chuang Tzu purposely wrote 女 for you, I am not too sure. See the original text then can know. If purposely, 女 symbolises the Mystic Portal. >< crossing each other. Symbolise squinted eyes focusing the Mystic Portal in between.
Body can be eternal when reached perfection. People like Elijah just flew into the sky when his time was ripe. Next perfection is resurrection like Jesus and Bodhidharma.
Edited on 9th June 2008