| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年六月二十四日 | 物采之○故形非道不生○生非德不明○存形窮 | 之本原而知通於神○故其德廣○其心之出○有 | 孰能定之○夫王德之人○素逝而耻通於事○立 | 石不得無以嗚○故金石有聲○不考不嗚○萬物 | 夫子曰○夫道○淵乎其居也○漻乎其清也○金 | 物一府○死生同狀○ | 為己私分○不以王天下為己處顯○顯則明○萬 | ○不哀夭○不荣通○不丑窮○不拘一世之利以 | 於山藏珠於淵○不利貸財○不近貴富○不樂壽 | 心之大也○沛乎其為萬物逝也○若然者○藏金 | 物挫志之謂完○君子明於此十者○則韜乎其事 | 德之謂紀○德成之謂立○循於道之謂備○不以 | 大○行不崖異之謂寬○有萬不同之謂富○故執 | 言之之謂德 ○愛人利物之謂仁○不同同之之謂 | 君子不可以不刳心焉○無為為之之謂天○無為 | 夫子曰○夫道○覆載萬物者也○洋洋乎大哉○ | 記曰○通於一而萬事畢○無心得而鬼神服○ | 萬物化○淵靜而百姓定○ | 故曰○古之畜天下者○無欲而天下足○無為而 | ○ | ○事兼於義○義兼於德○德兼於道○道兼於天 | 治人者○事也○能有所藝者○技也○技兼於事 | 故通於天地者○德也○行於萬物者○道也○上 | 應備○ | ○以道觀能而天下之官治○以道泛觀而萬物之 | 以道觀言而天下之君正○以道觀分而君之義明 | 故曰○玄古之君天下○無為也○天德而已矣○ | 人卒雖衆○其主君也○君原天德而成於天○ | 天地雖大○其化均也○萬物雖多○其始一也○ | 莊子
南華經 第十二章 天地 |
| 堯曰○辭○ | 使聖人多男子○ | 堯曰○辭○ | 使聖人富○ | 堯曰○辭○ | 使聖人壽○ | 堯觀乎華○華封人曰○嘻○聖人○請祝聖人○ | ○北面之禍也○南面之賊也○ | 可以為衆父而不可以為衆父父○治○亂之率也 | 始有恒○夫何足以配天乎○雖然○有族有祖○ | 且四願而物應○方且應衆宜○方且與物化而未 | 且尊知而火馳○方且為緒使○方且為物絯○方 | 天乎○彼且乘人而無天○方且本身而異形○方 | 天○彼審乎禁過○而不知過之所由生○與之配 | 明睿知○給數以敏○其性過人○而又乃以人受 | 許由曰○殆哉○圾乎天下○齧缺之為人也○聰 | 要之○ | 堯問於許由曰○齧缺可以配天乎○吾藉王倪以 | 王倪○王倪之師曰被衣○ | 堯之師曰許由○許由之師曰齧缺○齧缺之師曰 | 黄帝曰○異哉○象罔乃可以得之乎○ | 得之○ | 不得○使喫詬索之而不得也○乃使象罔○象罔 | ○遺其玄珠○使知索之而不得○使離朱索之而 | 黄帝游乎赤水之北登乎昆崙之丘而南望○還歸 | 求○時騁而要其宿○大小○長短○修遠○ | 又神而能精焉○故其與萬物接也○至無而供其 | 之中○獨聞和焉○故深之又深而能物焉○神之 | 冥冥○聽乎無聲○冥冥之中○獨見曉焉○無聲 | ○勃然動○萬物從之乎○此謂王德之人○視乎 | 生○立德明道○非王德者邪○蕩蕩乎○忽然出 |
| 夫子問於老聃曰○有人治道若相放○可不可○ | 順○ | 合○其合緡緡○若愚若昏○是謂玄德○同乎大 | 同乃虛○虛乃大○合喙嗚○喙嗚合○與天地為 | ○各有儀則謂之性○性修反德○德至同於初○ | 命○留動而生物○物成生理謂之形○形体保神 | ○物得以生謂之德未形者有分○且然無間謂之 | 泰初有無○無有無名○一之所起○有一而未形 | 俋俋乎耕而不願○ | 吾事○ | 此立○后世之亂自此始矣○夫子闔竿邪○無落 | 民畏○今子賞罰而民且不仁○德自此衰○刑自 | 子高曰○昔者堯治天下○不賞而民勸○不罰而 | 辞為諸侯而耕○敢問其故何也○ | 下○吾子立為諸侯○堯授舜○舜授予○而吾子 | 在野○禹趋就下風○立而問焉○曰○昔堯治天 | 禹○伯成子高辞為諸侯而耕○禹往見之○則耕 | 堯治天下○伯成子高立為諸侯○堯授舜○舜授 | 封人曰○退已○ | 封人去之○堯随之曰○請問○ | 身常無殃○則何辱之有○ | 去而上仙○乘彼白雲○至於帝鄕○三患莫至○ | 物皆昌○天下無道○則修德就閑○千歲厭世○ | ○鶉居而彀食○鳥行而無彰○天下有道○則與 | 惧之有○富而使人分之○則何事之有○夫聖人 | 天生萬民○必授之職○多男子而授之職○則何 | 封人曰○始也我以女為聖人邪○今然君子也○ | 是三者○非所以養德也○故辭○ | 堯曰○多男子則多惧○富則多事○壽則多辱○ | 不欲○何邪○ | 封人曰○壽○富○多男子○人之所欲也○女獨 |
| 湯○其名為槔○ | 曰○鑿木為機○后重前輕○挈水若抽○數如泆 | 何○ | 見功多○夫子不欲乎○為圃者仰而視之曰○奈 | 子貢曰○有械於此○一日浸百畦○用力甚寡而 | 用力甚多而見功寡○ | 將為圃畦○鑿隧而入井○抱瓮而出灌○搰搰然 | 子貢南游於楚○反於晋○過漢陰○見一丈人方 | 之教民溟涬然弟之哉○欲同乎德而心居矣 | 為○而民不知其所由然○若然者○豈兄堯○舜 | 教易俗○舉滅其賊心而皆進其獨志○若性之自 | 季徹曰○大聖之治天下也○摇蕩民心○使之成 | ○雖然○愿先生之言其風也○ | 將閭葂覤覤然惊曰○葂也汒若於夫子之所言矣 | 衆○ | 是○則其自為處危○其觀台多物○將往投跡者 | 猶螳螂之怒臂以當車軼○則必不勝任矣○且若 | 季徹局局然笑曰○若夫子之言○於帝王之德○ | ○民孰敢不輯○ | 謂魯君曰○必服恭儉○拔出公忠之属而無阿私 | 不获命○既已告矣○未知中否○請嘗荐之○吾 | 將閭葂見季徹曰○魯君謂葂也曰○請受教○辭 | 忘己之人○是之謂入於天○ | ○有治在人○忘乎物○忘乎天○其名為忘己○ | 止也○其死生也○其廢起也○此又非其所以也 | 者衆○有形者與無形無狀而皆存者尽無○其動 | 不能聞與而所不能言○凡有首有趾○無心無耳 | 狗成思○猿狙之便自山林來丘○予告若○而所 | 老聃曰○是胥易技系○勞形怵心者也○執留之 | 則可謂聖人乎○ | 然不然○辯者有言曰○離堅白○若縣寓○若是 |
| 汝何足以識之哉○ | 世俗之間者○汝將固惊邪○且渾沌之術○予與 | 外○夫明白入素○無為复朴○体性抱神○以游 | 術者也○識其一○不識其二○治其内而不治其 | 反於魯○以告孔子○孔子曰○彼假修渾沌氏之 | 之謂風波之民○ | ○天下之非譽無益損焉○是謂全德之人哉○我 | 謷然不願○以天下非之○失其所謂○儻然不受 | 之○非其心不為○雖以天下譽之○得其所謂○ | 功利機巧必忘夫人之心○若夫人者○非其志不 | ○托生與民并行而不知其所之○汒乎淳備哉○ | 全者形全○形全者神全○神全者○聖人之道也 | 多者○聖人之道○今徒不然○執道者德全○德 | 吾聞之夫子○事求可○功求成○用力少○見功 | 曰○始吾以為天下一人耳○不知复有夫人也○ | 容失色○終日不自反邪○ | 其弟子曰○向之人何為者邪○夫子何故見之变 | 愈○ | 子貢卑陬失色○頊頊然不自得○行三十里而后 | 何暇治天下乎○子往矣○無乏吾事○ | 氣○墮汝形骸○而庶幾乎○而身之不能治○而 | 獨弦哀歌以賣名聲於天下者乎○汝方將忘汝神 | 為圃者曰○子非夫博學以拟聖○於於以盖衆○ | 曰○孔丘之徒也○ | 為圃者曰○子奚為者邪○ | 子貢瞞然慚○俯而不對○有間○ | ○ | 定者○道之所不載也○吾非不知羞而不為也○ | 中則純白不備○純白不備則神生不定○神生不 | 者必有機事○有機事者必有機心○機心存於胸 | 為圃者忿然作色而笑曰○吾聞之吾師○有機械 |
| 野鹿○端正而不知以為義○相愛而不知以為仁 | 至德之世○不尚賢○不使能○上如標枝○民如 | ○孝子操葯以修慈父○其色燋然○聖人羞之○ | 氏為○有虞氏之葯瘍也○秃而施髢○病而求醫 | 赤張滿稽曰○天下均治之為愿○而何計以有虞 | 后治之與○ | 門無鬼曰○天下均治而有虞氏治之邪○其亂而 | ○不及有虞氏乎○故離此患也○ | 門無鬼與赤張滿稽觀於武王之師○赤張滿稽曰 | 溟○ | 情○天地樂而萬事銷亡○萬物复情○此之謂混 | 曰○上神乘光○與形滅亡○是謂照曠○致命尽 | 愿聞神人○ | 所從○此謂德人之容○ | 財用有餘而不知其所自來○飲食取足而不知其 | 乎若嬰儿之失其母也○儻乎若行而失其道也○ | ○四海之内共利之之謂悦○共給之之謂安○怊 | 曰○德人者○居無思○行無慮○不藏是非美惡 | 愿聞德人○ | 謂聖治○ | 天下化○手撓願指○四方之民莫不俱至○此之 | 失其能○畢見其情事而行其所為○行言自為而 | 諄芒曰○聖治乎○官施而不失其宜○拔舉而不 | ○ | 苑風曰○夫子無意於横目之民乎○愿聞聖治○ | 竭○吾將游焉○ | 曰○夫大壑之為物也○注焉而不滿○酌焉而不 | 曰○奚為焉○ | 曰○將之大壑○ | 曰○子將奚之○ | 諄芒將東之大壑○适遇苑風於東海之滨○苑風 |
| 均也○ | 性一也○跖與曾○史○行義有間矣○然其失性 | 中○比牺尊於沟中之斷則美惡有間矣○其於失 | 百年之木○破為牺尊○青黄而文之○其斷在沟 | 而視之○汲汲然唯恐其似己也○ | 推○誰其比憂○厲之人○夜半生其子○遽取火 | 也而強之○又一惑也○故莫若釋之而不推○不 | 下惑○予雖有祈向○其庸可得邪○知其不可得 | 也○以二缶鈡惑○而所适不得矣○而今也以天 | 是故高言不止於衆人之心○至言不出○俗言勝 | 然而笑○ | 亦悲乎○大聲不入於里耳○折楊○皇誇○則嗑 | 而今也以天下惑○予雖有祈向○不可得也○不 | 二人惑則勞而不至○惑者勝也○ | 行而一人惑○所适者○猶可致也○惑者少也○ | 大惑者○終身不解○大愚者○終身不灵○三人 | 知其愚者○非大愚也○知其惑者○非不惑也○ | 衆人也○愚之至也○ | 自謂道諛○與夫人之為徒○通是非○而不自謂 | 飾垂衣裳○設采色○動容貌○以媚一世○而不 | 也○是終始本末不相坐○ | 色○而終身道人也○終身諛人也○合譬辭聚衆 | 謂己道人○則勃然作色○謂己諛人○則怫然作 | 之道諛之人也○然則俗故嚴於親而尊於君邪○ | 世俗之所謂然而然之○所謂善而善之○則不謂 | 肖臣○而未知此其必然邪○ | 子○君之所言而然○所行而善○則世俗謂之不 | ○親之所言而然○所行而善○則世俗謂之不肖 | 孝子不諛其親○忠臣不諂其君○臣○子之盛也 | 相使不以為賜○是故行而無跡○事而無傳○ | ○實而不知以為忠○當而不知以為信○蠢動而 |
| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年六月二十四日 | 錯字○誇字上艸下誇 | 有錯字請通知我 | 以為得矣○ | 内支盈於柴栅○臂歷指而虎豹在於囊檻○亦可 | 舍聲色以柴其内皮棄鷸冠搢笏紳修以約其外○ | ○則鳩鴞之在於籠也○亦可以為得矣○且夫趣 | 為得○非吾所謂得也○夫得者困○可以為得乎 | 此五者○皆生之害也○而楊○墨乃始離跂自以 | 心○使性飛揚○ | 中顙○四曰五味濁口○使口厲爽○五曰趣舍滑 | 曰五聲亂耳○使耳不聰○三曰五臭熏鼻○困惾 | 且夫失性有五○一曰五色亂目○使目不明○二 |
Vast as is the universe, its phenomena are regular. Countless though its contents, the laws which govern these are uniform. Many though its inhabitants, that which dominates them is sovereignty. Sovereignty begins in virtue and ends in God. Therefore it is called divine.
Of old, the empire was under the sovereignty of inaction. There was the virtue of God,--nothing more. Words being in accordance with Tao, the sovereignty of the empire was correct. Delimitation being in accordance with Tao, the duties of prince and subject were clear. Abilities being in accordance with Tao, the officials of the empire governed. The point of view being always in accordance with Tao, all things responded thereto.
Thus virtue was the connecting link between God and man, while Tao spread throughout all creation. Men were controlled by outward circumstances, applying their in-born skill to the development of civilized life. This skill was bound up with the circumstances of life, and these with duty, and duty with virtue, and virtue with Tao, and Tao with God.
Therefore it has been said, "As for those who nourished the empire of old, having no desires for themselves, the empire was not in want. They did nothing, and all things proceeded on their course. They preserved a dignified repose, and the people rested in peace."
The Record says, "By converging to ONE, all things may be accomplished. By the virtue which is without intention, even the supernatural may be subdued."
The Master said, "Tao covers and supports all things,"--so vast is its extent. Each man should prepare his heart accordingly. "To act by means of inaction is God. To speak by means of inaction is exemplification of Tao. To love men and care for things is charity. To recognize the unlike as the like is breadth of view. To make no distinctions is liberal. To possess variety is wealth. And so, to hold fast to virtue is strength. To complete virtue is establishment. To follow Tao is to be prepared. And not to run counter to the natural bias of things is to be perfect.
"He who fully realizes these 10 points, by storing them within enlarges his heart, and with this enlargement brings all creation to himself. Such a man will bury gold on the hillside and cast pearls into the sea. He will not struggle for wealth, nor strive for fame. He will not rejoice at old age, nor grieve over early death. He will find no pleasure in success, no chagrin in failure. He will not account a throne as his own private gain, nor the empire of the world as glory personal to himself. His glory is to know that all things are ONE, and that life and death are but phases of the same existence!"
The Master said, "How profound in its repose, how infinite in its purity, is Tao!
"If metal and stone were without Tao, they would not be capable of emitting sound. And just as they possess the property of sound but will not emit sound unless struck, so surely is the same principle applicable to all creation.
[Don't mistaken Tao in metal and stone is the same Tao in human.]
"The man of complete virtue remains blankly passive as regards what goes on around him. He is as originally by nature, and his knowledge extends to the supernatural. Thus, his virtue expands his heart, which goes forth to all who come to take refuge therein.
"Without Tao, form cannot be endued with life. Without virtue, life cannot endued with intelligence. To preserve one's form, live out one's life, establish one's virtue, and realize Tao,--is not this complete virtue?
"Issuing forth spontaneously, moving without premeditation, all things following in his wake,--such is the man of complete virtue! He can see where all is dark. He can hear where all is still. In the darkness he alone can see light. In the stillness he alone can detect harmony. He can sink to the lowest depths of materialism. To the highest heights of spirituality he can soar. This because he stands in due relation to all things. Though a mere abstraction, he can minister to their wants, and ever and anon receive them into rest,--the great, the small, the long, the short, for ever without end."
The Yellow Emperor traveled to the north of the Red Lake and ascended the K'un-lun Mountains. Returning south he lost his magic pearl. He employed Intelligence to find it, but without success. He employed Sight to find it, but without success. He employed Speech to find it, but without success. Finally, he employed Nothing, and Nothing got it.
"Strange indeed," quoted the Emperor, "that Nothing should have been able to get it!"
Yao's tutor was Hsu Yu. The latter's tutor was Yeh Ch'ueh, and Yeh Ch'ueh's tutor was Wang I, whose tutor was Pei I.
Yao enquired of Hsu Yu, saying, "Would Yeh Ch'ueh do to be emperor? I am going to get Wang I to ask him."
"Alas!" cried Hsu Yu, "that would be bad indeed for the empire. Yeh Ch'ueh is a clever and capable man. He is by nature better than most men, but he seeks by means of the human to reach the divine. He strives to do no wrong; but he is ignorant of the source from which wrong springs. Emperor forsooth! He avails himself of the artificial and neglects the natural. He lacks unity in himself. He worships intelligence and is always in a state of ferment. He is a slave to circumstances and to things. Wherever he looks, his surrounding respond. He himself responds to his surroundings. He is always undergoing modifications and is wanting in fixity. How should such a one be fit for emperor? Still every clan has its elder. He may be leader of a clan, but not a leader of leaders. A captain who has been successful in suppressing rebellion, as minister is a bane, as sovereign, a thief."
Yao went to visit Hua. The border-warden of Hua said, "Ha! a Sage. My best respects to you, Sir. I wish you a long life."
"Don't!" replied Yao.
"And many sons," added he.
"Don't! replied Yao.
"Long life, plenty of money, and many sons, "cried the warden, "these are what all men desire. How is it you alone do not want them?"
"Many sons," answered Yao, "are many anxieties. Plenty of money means plenty of trouble. Long life involves much that is not pleasant to put up with. These 3 gifts do not advance virtue; therefore I declined them."
"At first I took you for a Sage," said the warden, "but now I find you are a mere man. God, in sending man into the world, gives to each his proper function. If you have many sons and give to each his proper function, what cause have you for anxiety?
"And similarly, if you have wealth and allow others to share it, what trouble will you have? The true Sage dwells like the quail and feeds like a fledgling. He travels like the bird, leaving no trace behind. If there is Tao in the empire, he and all things are in harmony. If there be no Tao, he cultivates virtue in retirement. After a thousand years of this weary world, he mounts aloft, and riding upon the white clouds passes into the kingdom of God, whither the 3 evils do not reach, and where he rests secure in eternity. What is there to put up with in that?"
Thereupon the border-warden went off, and Yao followed him, saying, "May I ask----,"to which the warden only replied "Be gone!"
When Yao was Emperor, Poh Ch'eng Tzu Kao was one of his vassals. But when Yao handed over the empire to Shun, and Shun to the Great Yu, Poh Ch'eng Tzu Kao resigned his fief and betook himself to agriculture.
The Great Yu going to visit him, found him working in the fields; whereupon he approached humbly, saying, "When Yao was emperor, you, Sir, were a vassal; but when Yao handed over the empire to Shun, and Shun to me, you resigned your fief and betook yourself to agriculture. May I enquire the reason of this?"
"When Yao ruled the empire," said Tzu Kao, "the people exerted themselves without reward and behaved themselves without punishment. But now you reward and punish them, and yet they are not good. From this point virtue will decline, the reign of force will begin, and the troubles of after ages will date their rise. Away with you! Do not interrupt my work." And he quietly went on ploughing as before.
At the beginning of beginning, even Nothing did not exist. Then came the period of the Nameless. When One came into existence, there was ONE, but it was formless. When things got that by which they came into existence, it was called their virtue. That which was formless, but divided, though without interstice, was called destiny.
Then came the movement which gave life, and things produced in accordance with the principles of life had what is called form. When form encloses the spiritual part, each with its own characteristics, that is its nature. By cultivating this nature, we are carried back to virtue; and if this is perfected, we become as all things were in the beginning. We become unconditioned, and the unconditioned is great. As birds join their beaks in chirping, and beaks to chirp must be joined,--to be thus joined with the universe without being more conscious of it than an idiot, this is divine virtue, this is accordance with the eternal fitness of things.
[Study these 2 paragraphs above carefully. Nature here is the same as Hui Neng's Essence of Mind. If One is Tao, living thing got IT and come into existence which is called virtue 'te' (de). Tao then is formless but divided (yin yang) and is called Destiny. When form encloses the Spiritual Soul, this Soul gives its individual characteristics that is called Nature. Cultivation is to reverse the process - a return to the source.]
Confucius asked Lao Tzu, saying, "There are persons who cultivate Tao according to fixed rules of possible and impossible, fit and unfit, just as the schoolmen speak of separating hardness from whiteness as though these could be hung up on different pegs. Could such persons be termed sages?"
"That," replied Lao Tzu, "is but the skill of the handicraftsman, wearing out body and soul alike. The powers of the hunting-dog involve it in trouble; the cleverness of the monkey brings it down from the mountain. Ch'iu, what I mean you cannot understand, neither can you put it into words. Those who have a head and feet, but no mind nor ears, are many. Those who have a body without a body or appearance of one, and yet there they are,--are none. Movement and rest, life and death, rise and fall, are not at the beck and call of man. Cultivation of self is in his own hands. To be unconscious of objective existences and of God, this is to be unconscious of one's own personality. And he who is unconscious of his own personality, combines in himself the human and the divine."
Chiang Lu Mien went to see Chi Ch'e, and said, "The Prince of Lu begged me to instruct him, but I declined. However, he would take no refusal, so I was obliged to do so. I don't know if I was correct in my doctrine or not. Please note what I said. I told him to be decorous and thrifty; to advance the public-spirited and loyal, and to have no partialities. Then, I said, no one would venture to oppose him."
Chi Ch'e sniggered and said, "Your remarks on the virtues of Princes may be compared with the mantis stretching out its feelers and trying to stop a carriage,--not likely to effect the object proposed. Besides, he would be placing himself in the position of a man who builds a lofty tower and makes a display of his valuables where all his neighbors will come and gaze at them."
"Alas! I fear I am but a fool," replied Chiang Lu Mien. "Nevertheless, I should be glad to be instructed by you in the proper course to pursue."
"The government of the perfect Sage," explained Chi Ch'e, "consists in influencing the hearts of the people so as to cause them to complete their education, to reform their manners, to subdue the rebel mind, and to exert themselves one and all for the common good. This influence operates in accordance with the natural disposition of the people, who are thus unconscious of its operation. He who can so act has no need to humble himself before the teachings of Yao and Shun. He makes the desires of the people coincident with virtue, and their hearts rest therein."
When Tzu Kung went south to the Ch'u State on his way back to the Chin State, he passed through Han-yin. There he saw an old man engaged in making a ditch to connect his vegetable garden with a well. He had a pitcher in his hand, with which he was bringing up water and pouring it into the ditch,--great labor with very little result.
"If you had a machine here," cried Tzu Kung, "in a day you could irrigate a hundred times your present area. The labor required is trifling as compared with the work done. Would you not like to have one?"
"What is it?" asked the gardener.
"It is a contrivance made of wood," replied Tzu Kung, "heavy behind and light in front. It draws up water as you do with your hands, but in a constantly overflowing stream. It is called a well-sweep."
Thereupon the gardener flushed up and said, "I have heard from my teacher that those who have cunning implements are cunning in their dealings, and that those who are cunning in their dealings have cunning in their hearts, and that those who have cunning in their hearts cannot be pure and incorrupt, and that those who are not pure and incorrupt are restless in spirit, and that those who are restless in spirit are not fir vehicles for Tao. It is not that I do not know of these things. I should be ashamed to use them."
At this Tzu Kung was much abashed, and said nothing. Then the gardener asked him who he was, to which Tzu Kung replied that he was a disciple of Confucius.
"Are you not one who extends his learning with a view to being a Sage; who talks big in order to put himself above the rest of mankind; who plays in a key to which no one can sing so as to spread his reputation abroad? Rather become unconscious of self and shake off the trammels of the flesh,--and you will be near. But if you cannot govern your own self, what leisure have you for governing the empire? Be gone! Do not interrupt my work."
Tzu Kung changed color and slunk away, being not at all pleased with this rebuff; and it was not before he had traveled some 30 li that he recovered his usual appearance.
"What did the man we met do," asked a disciple, "that you should change color and not recover for such a long time?"
"I used to think there was only one man in all the world," replied Tzu Kung. "I did not know that there was also this man. I have heard the Master say that the test of a scheme is its practicability, and that success must be certain. The minimum of effort with the maximum of success,-- such is the way of the Sage. Not so this manner of man. Aiming at Tao, he perfects his virtue. By perfecting his virtue he perfects his body, and by perfecting his body he perfects his spiritual part. And the perfection of the spiritual part is the Tao of the Sage. Coming into life he is as one of the people, knowing not whither he is bound. How complete is his purity? Success, profit, skill,--these have no place in his heart. Such a man, if he does not will it, he does not stir; if he does not wish it, he does not act. If all the world praises him, he does not heed. If all the world blames him, he does not repine.
"The praise and the blame of the world neither advantage him nor otherwise. He may be called a man of perfect virtue. As for me, I am but a mere creature of impulse."
So he went back to Lu to tell Confucius. But Confucius said, "That fellow pretends to a knowledge of the science of the ante-mundane. He knows something, but not much. His government is of the internal, not of the external. What is there wonderful in a man by clearness of intelligence becoming pure, by inaction reverting to his original integrity, and with his nature and his spiritual part wrapped up in a body, passing through this common world of ours? Besides, to you and to me the science of the ante-mundane is not worth knowing."
As Chun Mang was starting eastwards to the ocean, he fell in with Yuan Feng on the shore of the eastern sea.
"Whither bound?" cried the latter.
"I am going to the ocean," replied Chun Mang.
"What are you going to do there?" asked Yuan Feng.
"The ocean," said Chun Mang, "is a thing you cannot fill by pouring in, nor empty by taking out. I am simply on a trip."
"But surely you have intentions with regard to the straight-browed people?... Come, tell me how the Sage govern."
"Oh, the government of the Sage," answered Chun Mang. "The officials confine themselves to their functions. Ability is secure of employment. The voice of the people is heard, and action is taken accordingly. Men's words and deeds are their own affairs, and so the empire is at peace. A beck or a call, and the people flock together from all sides. This is how the Sage governs."
"Tell me about the man of perfect virtue," said Yuan Feng.
"The man of perfect virtue," replied Chun Mang, "in repose has no thoughts, in action no anxiety. He recognizes no right, nor wrong, nor good, nor bad. Within the 4 Seas, when all profit--that is his pleasure; when all share-- that is his repose. Men cling to him as children who have lost their mothers; they rally round him as wayfarers who have missed their road. He has wealth and to spare, but he knows not whence it comes. He has food and drink more than sufficient, but knows not who provides it. Such is a man of virtue."
"And now," said Yuan Feng, "tell me about the divine man."
"The divine man," replied Chun Mang, "rides upon the glory of the sky where his form can no longer be discerned. This is called absorption into light. He fulfils his destiny. He acts in accordance with his nature. He is at one with God and man. For him all affairs cease to exist, and all things revert to their original state. This is called envelopment in darkness."
[1st class of meditation is fly to the sky the day they die or expire.]
Men Wu Kuei and Ch'in Chang Man Chi were looking at Wu Wang's troops.
"He is not equal to the Great Yu," said the latter; and consequently, "we are involved in all these troubles."
"May I ask," replied Men Wu Kuei, "if the empire was under proper government when the Great Yu began to govern it, or had he first to quell disorder and then to proceed to government?"
"If the empire had all been under proper government," said the other, "what would there have been for the Great Yu to do? He was as ointment to a sore. Only bald men use wigs; only sick people want doctors. And the Sage blushed when a filial son, with anxious look, administers medicine to cure his loving father. In the Golden Age, good men were not appreciated; ability was not conspicuous. Rulers were mere beacons, while the people were free as the wild deer. They were upright without being conscious of duty to their neighbors. They loved one another without being conscious of charity. They were true without being conscious of loyalty. They were honest without being conscious of good faith. They acted freely an all things without recognizing obligations to any one. Thus, their deeds left no trace; their affairs were not handed down to posterity.
"A filial son does not humor his parents. A loyal minister does not flatter his prince. This is the acme of filial piety and loyalty. To assent to whatever a parent or a prince says, and to praise whatever a parent or a prince does, this is what the world calls un-filial and disloyal conduct, though apparently unaware that the principle is of universal application. For though a man assents to whatever the world says, and praises whatever the world does, he is not dubbed a toady; from which one might infer that the world is severer than a father and more to be respected than a prince!
"If you tell a man he is a wheedle, he will not like it. If you tell him he is a flatterer, he will be angry. Yet he is everlastingly both. But all such sham and pretence is what the world likes, and consequently people do not punish each other for doing what they do themselves. For a man to arrange his dress, or make a display, or suit his expression so as to get into the good graces of the world, and yet not to call himself a flatterer; to identify himself in every way with the yeas and nays of his fellows, and yet not call himself one of them;--this is the height of folly.
"A man who knows that he is a fool is not a great fool. A man who knows his error is not greatly in error. Great error can never be shaken off; a great fool never becomes clear-headed. If 3 men are traveling and one man makes a mistake, they may still arrive at their destination, error being in the minority. But if 2 of them make a mistake, then they will not succeed, error being in the majority. And now, as all the world is in error, I, though I know the true path, am alas! unable to guide.
"Grand music does not appeal to vulgar ears. Give them the Che-yang or the Huang-hua, and they will roar with laughter. And likewise great truths do not take hold of the hearts of the masses. And great truths not finding utterance, common-places carry the day. 2 earthen instruments will drown the sound of 1 metal one; and the result will not be melodious.
"And now, as all the world is in error, I, though I know the true path,--how shall I guide? If I know that I cannot succeed and yet try to force success, this would be but another source of error. Better, then, to desist and strive no more. But if I strive not, who will?
"An ugly man who has a son born to him in the middle of the night will hurry up with a light, in dread lest the child should be like himself.
"An old tree is cut down to make sacrificial vessels, which are then ornamented with color. The stump remains in the ditch. The sacrificial vessels and the stump in the ditch are very differently treated as regards honor and dishonor; equally, as far as destruction of the wood's original nature is concerned. Similarly, the acts of Robber Che and of Tseng and Shih are very different; but the loss of original nature is in each case the same.
"The causes of this loss are 5 in number; viz,--The 5 colors confuse the eye, and the eyes fail to see clearly. The 5 sounds confuse the ear, and the ear fails to hear accurately. The 5 scents confuse the nose, and obstruct the sense of smell. The 5 tastes cloy the palate, and vitiate the sense of taste. Finally, likes and dislikes cloud the understanding, and cause dispersion of the original nature.
"These 5 are the banes of life; yet Yang and Mih regarded them as the summum bonum. They are not my summum bonum. For if men who are thus fettered can be said to have attained the summum bonum, then pigeons and owls in a cage may also be said to have attained the summum bonum!
"Besides, to stuff one's inside with likes and dislikes and sounds and colors; to encompass one's outside with fur caps, feather hats, the carrying of tablets, or girding of sashes--full of rubbish inside while swathed in magnificence without--and still to talk of having attained the summum bonum;--then the prisoner with arms tied behind him and fingers in the squeezer, the tiger or the leopard which has just been put in a cage, may justly consider that they too have attained the summum bonum!"
Edited on 9th June 2008