| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年六月三十日 | 天地○刻雕衆形而不為巧○ | 澤及萬世而不為仁○長於上古而不為壽○覆載 | 莊子曰○吾師乎○吾師乎○韰萬物而不為戾○ | 天樂○ | 也○謂與人和者○謂之人樂○與天和者○謂之 | 大宗○與天和者也○所以均調天下○與人和者 | 能與之爭美○夫明白於天地之德者○此之大本 | 靜而聖○動而王○無為也而尊○朴素而天下莫 | 而撫世○則功大名顯而天下一也○ | 以此退居而閑游○江海山林之士服○以此進為 | 素王之道也○ | 以此處上○帝王天子之德也○以此處下○玄聖 | 堯之為君也○明此以北面○舜之為臣也○ | 南鄕○ | 夫虛靜恬淡寂漠無為者○萬物之本也○明此以 | ○憂患不能處○年壽長矣○ | 無為也○則任事者責矣○無為則俞俞○俞俞者 | 矣○虛則靜○靜則動○動則得矣○靜則無為○ | ○故帝王聖人休焉○休則虛○虛則實○實則倫 | 虛靜恬淡寂漠無為者○天地之平而道德之至也 | 聖人之心靜乎○天地之鍳也○萬物之鏡也○夫 | 猶明○而况精神○ | 水靜則明烛須眉○平中准○大匠取法焉○水靜 | 以撓心者○故靜也○ | 聖人之靜也○非曰靜也善○故靜也○萬物無足 | 為也○昧然無不靜者矣○ | 於天○通於聖○六通四辟於帝王之德者○其自 | ○故天下歸○聖道運而無所積○故海內服○明 | 天道運而無所積○故萬物成○帝道運而無所積 | 莊子
南華經 第十三章 天道 |
| 從○兄先而弟從○長先而少從○男先而女從○ | 人有之○而非所以先也君先而臣從○父先而子 | 之運○心術之動○然后從之者也○末學者○古 | 絰○隆殺之服○哀之末也○此五末者○須精神 | 也○鈡鼓之音○羽旄之容○樂之末也○哭泣衰 | 辟○教之末也○禮法度數○形名比詳○治之末 | 三軍五兵之運○德在末也○賞罰利害○五刑之 | 本在於上○末在於下○要在於主○詳在於臣○ | 而用人群之道也○ | 故曰○帝王之德配天地○此乘天地○馳萬物○ | 故曰○莫神於天莫富於地○莫大於帝王○ | 為而天下功○ | ○天不產而萬物化○地不長而萬物育○帝王無 | 雖雕萬物○不自說也○能雖窮海内○不自為也 | 故古之王天下者○知雖落天地○不自慮也○辩 | 下○下必有為為天下用○此不易之道也○ | 與下同道○上與下同道則不主○上必無為而用 | 上同德則不臣○下有為也○上亦有為也○是上 | 上無為也○下亦無為也○是下與上同德○下與 | 用而不足○故古之人貴夫無為也○ | 無為也○則用天下而有餘○有為也○則為天下 | 為為常○ | 夫帝王之德○以天地為宗○以道德為主○以無 | 天樂者○聖人之心以畜天下也○ | 言以虛靜推於天地○通於萬物○此之謂天樂○ | ○其鬼不祟○其魂不疲○一心定而萬物服○ | 故曰○其動也天○其靜也地○一心定而王天下 | 無天怨○無人非○無物累○無鬼責○ | 故知天樂者○ | 其死也物化○靜而與陰同德○動而與陽同波○ | 此之謂天樂○故曰○知天樂者○其生也天行○ |
| 舜曰○美則美矣○而未大也○ | 子而哀婦人○此吾所以用心已○ | 堯曰○吾不敖無告○不廢窮民○苦死者○嘉孺 | 昔者舜問於堯曰○天王之用心何如○ | 畜下也○ | 詳○古人有之○此下之所以事上○非上之所以 | 此之謂辯士○一曲之人也○禮法數度○形名比 | ○非知治之道○可用於天下○不足以用天下○ | ○安能治人○驟而語形名賞罰○此有知治之具 | 其始也○倒道而言○迕道而說者○人之所治也 | 驟而語形名○不知其本也○驟而語賞罰○不知 | 道者○五變而形名可舉○九變而賞罰可言也○ | 形名者○古人有之○而非所以先也○古之語大 | 故書曰○有形有名○ | ○ | 知謀不用○必歸其天○此之謂大平○治之至也 | 以此事上○以此畜下○以此治物○以此修身○ | 履位○仁賢不肖襲情○必分其能○必由其名○ | 已明而賞罰次之○賞罰已明而愚知處宜○貴賤 | 已明而原省次之○原省已明而是非次之○是非 | 已明而形名次之○形名已明而因任次之○因任 | 已明而仁義次之○仁義已明而分守次之○分守 | 是故古之明大道者○先明天而道德次之○道德 | 安取道哉○ | 道而非其序者○非其道也○語道而非其道者○ | 尚尊○鄕黨尚齒○行事尚賢○大道之序也○語 | 尊卑先后之序○而况人道乎○宗廟尚親○朝廷 | 盛衰之殺○變化之流也○夫天地至神矣○而有 | ○秋冬后○四時之序也○萬物化作○萌區有狀 | 故聖人取象焉○天尊地卑○神明之位也春夏先 | 夫先而婦從○夫尊卑先后○天地之行也○ |
| 觀子非聖人也○鼠壤有餘蔬而棄妹○不仁也○ | 不辭遠道而來愿見○百舍重趼而不敢息○今吾 | 士成綺見老子而問曰○吾聞夫子聖人也○吾固 | 也○ | 仁義○若擊鼓而求亡子焉○意○夫子亂人之性 | 放德而行○遁遁而趋○已至矣○又何偈偈乎揭 | 列矣○離獸固有群矣○樹木固有立矣○夫子亦 | ○則天地固有常矣○日月固有明矣○星辰固有 | 無私焉○乃私也○夫子若欲使天下無失其牧乎 | 老聃曰○意○幾乎后言○夫兼愛○不亦迂夫○ | ○ | 孔子曰○中心物愷○兼愛無私○此仁義之情也 | 老聃曰○請問○何謂仁義○ | 義○真人之性也○又將奚為矣○ | 孔子曰○然○君子不仁則不成○義而不生○仁 | 老聃曰○請問○仁義○人之性邪○ | 孔子曰○要在仁義○ | 老聃中其說○曰○大謾○愿聞其要○ | 往見老聃○而老聃不許○於是繙十二經以說○ | 孔子曰○善○ | 因焉○ | 史有老聃者○免而歸居○夫子欲藏書○則試往 | 孔子西藏書於周室○子路謀曰○由聞周之征藏 | 故古之王天下者○奚為哉○天地而已矣○ | 共美也○ | 夫天地者○古之所大也○而黄帝○堯○舜之所 | 合也○ | 堯曰○胶胶扰扰乎○子○天之合也○我○人之 | 之有經○雲行而雨施矣○ | 舜曰○天德而出寧○日月照而四時行○若昼夜 | 堯曰○然則何如○ |
| 問桓公曰○敢問○公之所讀者○何言邪○ | 上○ | 桓公讀書於堂上○輪扁斫輪於堂下○釋椎鑿而 | 知○而世豈識之哉○ | 聲○果不足以得彼之情○則知者不言○言者不 | ○世人以形色名聲為足以得彼之情○夫形色名 | 者○形與色也○聽而可聞者○名與聲也○悲夫 | 我猶不足貴也○為其貴非其貴也○故視而可見 | 不可以言傳也○而世因貴言傳書○世雖貴之○ | 語之所貴者○意也○意有所随○意之所随者○ | 世之所貴道者○書也○書不過語○語有貴也○ | ○至人之心有所定矣○ | 有所困也○通乎道○合乎德○通仁義○賓禮樂 | 真○能守其本○故外天地○遺萬物○而神未嘗 | 柄而不與之偕○審乎無假而不與利遷○极物之 | 人有世○不亦大乎○而不足以為之累○天下奋 | 形德仁義○神之末也○非至人孰能定之○夫至 | 備○廣廣乎其無不容也○淵淵乎其不可測也○ | 夫子曰○夫道○於大不終○於小不遺○故萬物 | ○邊竟有人焉○其名為窃○ | 發也機○察而審○知巧而睹於泰○凡以為不信 | 口闞然○而狀義然○似系馬而止也○動而持○ | 老子曰○而容崖然○而目冲然○而顙頯然○而 | 士成綺雁行避影○履行遂進○而問修身若何○ | 也恒服○吾非以服有服○ | 苟有其實○人與之名而弗受○再受其殃○吾服 | 者子呼我牛也而謂之牛○呼我馬也而謂之馬○ | 老子曰○夫巧知神聖之人○吾自以為脫焉○昔 | 有剌於子○今吾心正郤矣○何故也○ | 老子漠然不應○士成綺明日复見○曰○昔者吾 | 生熟不尽於前○而積斂無崖○ |
| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年六月三十日 | 錯字韰○左姊去女○右上次右下韭 | 有錯字請通知我 | 則君之所讀者○古人之糟粕已夫○ | 七十而老斫輪○古之人與其不可傳也死矣○然 | 喻臣之子○臣之子亦不能受之於臣○是以行年 | 應於心○口不能言○有數存乎其間○臣不能以 | 不固○疾則苦而不入○不徐不疾○得之於手而 | 輪扁曰○臣也以臣之事觀之○斫輪○徐則甘而 | ○無說則死○ | 桓公曰○寡人讀書○輪人安得議乎○有說則可 | 曰○然則君之所讀者○古人之糟粕已夫○ | 公曰○已死矣○ | 曰○聖人在乎○ | 公曰○聖人之言也○ |
The Tao of God operates ceaselessly; and all things are produced. The Tao of the sovereign operates ceaselessly; and the empire rallies around him. The Tao of the Sage operates ceaselessly; and all within the limit of surrounding ocean acknowledge his sway. He who apprehends God, who is in relation with the Sage, and who recognizes the radiating virtue of the sovereign,--his actions will be to him unconscious, the actions of repose.
The repose of the Sage is not what the world calls repose. His repose is the result of his mental attitude. All creation could not disturb his equilibrium: hence his repose.
When water is still, it is like a mirror, reflecting the beard and the eyebrows. It gives the accuracy of the water-level, and the philosopher makes it his model. And if water thus derives lucidity from stillness, how much more the faculties of the mind? The mind of the Sage being in repose becomes the mirror of the universe, the speculum of all creation.
Repose, tranquility, stillness, inaction,--these were the levels of the universe, the ultimate perfection of Tao.
Therefore wise rulers and Sages rest therein. Resting therein they reach the unconditioned, from which springs the conditioned; and with the conditioned comes order. Again, from the unconditioned comes repose, and from repose comes movement, and from movement comes attainment. Further, from repose comes inaction, and from inaction comes potentiality of action. And inaction is happiness; and where there is happiness no cares can abide, and life is long.
Repose, tranquility, stillness, inaction,--these were the source of all things. Due perception of this was the secret of Yao's success as a ruler, and of Shun's success as his minister. Due perception of this constitutes the virtue of sovereigns on the throne, the Tao of the inspired Sage and of the uncrowned King below. Keep to this in retirement, and the lettered denizens of sea and dale will recognize your power. Keep to this when coming forward to pacify a troubled world, and your merit shall be great and your name illustrious, and the empire united into one. In your repose you will be wise; in your movements, powerful. By inaction you will gain honor; and by confining yourself to the pure and simple, you will hinder the whole world from struggling with you for show.
To fully apprehend the scheme of the universe, this is called the great secret of being in accord with God, whereby the empire is so administered that the result is accord with man. To be in accord with man is human happiness; to be in accord with God is the happiness of God.
Chuang Tzu said, "O my exemplar! Thou who destroyest all things, and dost not account it cruelty; thou who benefitest all time, and dost not account it charity; thou who art older than antiquity and dost not account it age; thou who supportest the universe, shaping the many forms therein, and dost not account it skill;--this is the happiness of God!"
Therefore it has been said, "Those who enjoy the happiness of God, when born into the world, are but fulfilling their divine functions; when they die, they do but undergo a physical change. In repose, they exert the influence of the Negative; in motion, they wield the power of the Positive."
Thus, those who enjoy the happiness of God have no grievance against God, no grudge against man. Nothing material injures them; nothing spiritual punishes them. Accordingly it has been said, "Their motion is that of heaven; their repose is that of earth. Mental equilibrium gives them the empire of the world. Evil spirits do not harass them without; demons do not trouble them within. Mental equilibrium gives them sovereignty over all creation." Which signifies that in repose to extend to the whole universe and to be in relation with all creation,--this is the happiness of God. This enables the mind of the Sage to cherish the whole empire.
For the action of the wise ruler is modeled upon the universe, is guided by Tao, and is ever occupied in inaction. By inaction, he administers the empire, and has energy to spare; but by action he finds his energy inadequate to the administration of the empire. Therefore the men of old set great store by inaction.
But if rulers practice inaction and the ruled also practice inaction, the ruled will equal the rulers, and will not be as their subjects. On the other hand, if the ruled practice action and rulers also practice action, rulers will assimilate themselves to the ruled, and will not be as their masters. Rulers must practice inaction in order to administer the empire. The ruled must practice action in order to sub-serve the interests of the empire. This is an unchangeable law.
Thus, the men of old, although their knowledge did not extend throughout the universe, were not troubled in mind. Although their intellectual powers beautified all creation, they did not rejoice. Although their abilities exhausted all things within the limits of ocean, they did not act.
Heaven has no parturitions, yet all things are evolved. Earth knows no increment, yet all things are nourished. The wise ruler practices inaction, and the empire applauds him. Therefore it has been said, "There is nothing more mysterious than heaven, nothing richer than earth, nothing greater than the wise ruler." Wherefore also it has been said, "The virtue of the wise ruler makes him the peer of heaven and earth." Charioted upon the universe, with all creation for his team, he passes along the highway of mortality.
The essential is in the ruler; the accidental in the ruled. The ultimate ratio lies with the prince; representation is the duty of the minister.
Appeal to arms is the lowest form of virtue. Rewards and punishments are the lowest form of education. Ceremonies and laws are the lowest form of government. Music and fine clothes are the lowest form of happiness. Weeping and mourning are the lowest form of grief. These 5 should follow the movements of the mind.
The ancients indeed cultivated the study of accidentals, but they did not allow it to precede that of essentials. The prince precedes, the minister follows. The father precedes, the son follows. The elder brother precedes, the younger follows. Seniors precede, juniors follow. Men precede, women follow. Husbands precede, wives follow. Distinctions of rank and precedence are part of the scheme of the universe, and the Sage adopts them accordingly. In point of spirituality, heaven is honorable, earth is lowly. Spring and summer precede autumn and winter: such is the order of the seasons. In the constant production of all things, there are phases of existence. There are the extremes of maturity and decay, the perpetual tide of change. And if heaven and earth, most divine of all, admit of rank and precedence, how much more man?
In the ancestral temple, parents rank before all; at court, the most honorable; in the village, the elders; in matters to be accomplished, the most trustworthy. Such is the order which appertains to Tao. He who in considering Tao disregards this order, thereby disregards Tao; and he who in considering Tao disregards Tao,-- whence will he secure Tao?
Therefore, those of old who apprehended Tao, first apprehended God. Tao came next, and then charity and duty to one's neighbor, and then the functions of public life, and then forms and names, and then employment according to capacity, and then distinction of good and bad, and then discrimination between right and wrong, and then rewards and punishments. Thus wise men and fools met with their dues; the exalted and the humble occupied their proper places. And the virtuous and the worthless being each guided by their own natural instincts, it was necessary to distinguish capabilities, and to adopt a corresponding nomenclature, in order to serve the ruler, nourish the ruled, administer things generally, and elevate self. Where knowledge and plans are of no avail, one must fall back upon the natural. This is perfect peace, the acme of good government. Therefore it has been written "Wherever there is form, there is also its name." Forms and names indeed the ancients had, but did not give precedence to them.
[Above - Tao came next should be Tao virtue, Dao de. Why 'sky' tien or God is always mentioned? It is to confuse readers. God should be Tao.]
Thus, those of old who considered Tao, passed through 5 phases before forms and names were reached, and 9 before rewards and punishments could be discussed. To rise per saltum to forms and names is to be ignorant of their source; to rise per saltum to rewards and punishments is to be ignorant of their beginning. Those who invert the process of discussing Tao, arguing in a directly contrary sense, are rather to be governed by others than able to govern others themselves.
To rise per saltum to forms and names and rewards and punishments, this is to understand the instrumental part of government, but not to understand the great principle of government. This is to be of use in the administration of the empire, but not to be able to administer the empire. This is to be a Scio-list, a man of narrow views.
Ceremonies and laws were indeed cultivated by the ancients; but they were employed in the service of the rulers by the ruled. Rulers did not employ them as a means of nourishing the ruled.
Of old, Shun asked Yao, saying, "How does your Majesty employ your faculties?'
"I am not arrogant towards the defenceless," replied Yao. "I do not neglect the poor. I grieve for those who die. I pity the orphan. I sympathize with the widow. Beyond this, nothing."
"Good indeed!" cried Shun, "but yet not great."
"How so?" inquired Yao.
"Be passive," said Shun, "like the virtue of God. The sun and moon shine; the four seasons revolve; day and night alternate; clouds come and rain falls."
"Alas!" cried Yao, "what a muddle I have been making. You are in accord with God; I am in accord with man."
Of old, heaven and earth were considered great; and the Yellow Emperor and Yao and Shun all thought them perfection. Consequently, what did those do who ruled the empire of old? They did what heaven and earth do; no more.
When Confucius was going west to place his works in the Imperial library of the House of Chou, Tzu Lu counseled him, saying, "I have heard that a certain librarian of the Cheng department, by name Lao Tan, has resigned and retired into private life. Now as you, Sir, wish to deposit your works, it would be advisable to go and interview him."
"Certainly," said Confucius; and he thereupon went to see Lao Tzu. The latter would not hear of the proposal; so Confucius began to expound the doctrines of his 12 canons, in order to convince Lao Tzu.
"This is all nonsense," cried Lao Tzu, interrupting him. "Tell me what are your criteria?"
"Charity," replied Confucius, "and duty towards one's neighbor."
"Tell me, please," asked Lao Tzu, "are these part of man's original nature?"
"They are," answered Confucius. "Without charity, the superior man could not become what he is. Without duty to one's neighbor, he would be of no effect. These 2 belong to the original nature of a pure man. What further would you have?"
"Tell me," said Lao Tzu, "in what consist charity and duty to one's neighbor?"
"They consist," answered Confucius, "in a capacity for rejoicing in all things; in universal love, without the element of self. These are the characteristics of charity and duty to one's neighbor."
"What stuff!" cried Lao Tzu. "Does not universal love contradict itself? Is not you elimination of self a positive manifestation of self? Sir, if you would cause the empire not to lose its source of nourishment,--there is the universe, its regularity is unceasing; there are the sun and moon, their brightness is unceasing; there are the stars, their groupings never change; there are birds and beasts, they flock together without varying; there are trees and shrubs, they grow upwards without exception. Be like these; follow Tao; and you will be perfect. Why then these vain struggles after charity and duty to one's neighbor, as though beating a drum in search of a fugitive. Alas! Sir, you have brought much confusion into the mind of man."
Shih Ch'eng Ch'i visited Lao Tzu, and addressed him, saying, "Having heard, Sir, that you were a Sage, I put aside all thought of distance to come and visit you. Traveling many stages, the soles of my feet thickened, but I did not venture to rest. And now I see you are not a Sage. While rats feasted off your leavings, you turned your sister out of doors. This is not charity. Though you have no lack of food, raw and cooked, you are stingy beyond all bounds."
At this Lao Tzu was silent and made no reply; and the next day Shih Ch'eng Ch'i came again and said, "Before, I was rude to you; now, I am sorry. How is this?"
[Don't offend a spiritual master. You will be punished for your misdeed.]
"I have no pretension," replied Lao Tzu, "to be possessed of cunning knowledge nor of divine wisdom. Had you yesterday called me an ox, I should have considered myself an ox. Had you called me a horse, I should have considered myself a horse. For if men class you in accordance with truth, and you reject the classification, you only double the reproach. My humility is natural humility. It is not humility for humility's sake."
Shih Ch'eng Ch'i move respectfully away. Then he advanced again, also respectively, and said, "May I ask you about personal cultivation?"
Lao Tzu said, "Your countenance is a strange one. Your eyes protrude. Your jaws are heavy. Your lips are parted. Your demeanor is self satisfied. You look like a man riding on a tethered horse. You are too confident. You are too hasty. You think too much of your own powers. Such men are not trusted. Those who are found on the wrong side of a boundary line are called thieves."
Lao Tzu said, "Tao is not too small for the greatest, nor too great for the smallest. Thus all things are embossomed therein; wide indeed its boundless capacity, unfathomable its depth. Form, and virtue, and charity, and duty to one's neighbor, they are the accidentals of the spiritual. Except he be a perfect man, who shall determine their place? The world of the perfect man, is not that vast? And yet it is not able to involve him in trouble. All struggle for power, but he does not join. Though discovering nothing false, he is not tempted astray. In spite of the utmost genuineness, he still confines himself to essentials.
"He thus places himself outside the universe, beyond all creation, where his soul is free from care. Apprehending Tao, he is in accord with virtue. He leaves charity and duty to one's neighbor alone. He treats ceremonies and music as adventitious. And so the mind of the perfect man is at peace.
"Books are what the world values as representing Tao. But books are only words, and the valuable part of words is the thought therein contained. That thought has a certain bias which cannot be conveyed in words, yet the world values words as being the essence of books. But though the world values them, they are not of value; as that sense in which the world values them is not the sense in which they are valuable.
"That which can be seen with the eye is form and color; that which can be heard with the ear is sound and noise. But alas! the people of this generation think that form, and color, and sound, and noise, are means by which they can come to understand the essence of Tao. This is not so. And as those who know, do not speak, while those who speak do not know, whence should the world derive its knowledge?"
Duke Huan was one day reading in his hall, when a wheelwright who was working below, flung down his hammer and chisel, and mounting the steps said, "What words may your Highness be studying?"
"I am studying the words of the Sages," replied the Duke.
"Are the Sages alive?" asked the wheelwright.
"No," answered the Duke, "they are dead."
"Then the words your Highness is studying," rejoined the wheelwright, "are only the dregs of the ancients."
"What do you mean, sirrah!" cried the Duke, "by interfering with what I read? Explain yourself, or you shall die."
"Let me take an illustration," said the wheelwright, "from my own trade. In making a wheel, if you work too slowly, you can't make it firm; if you work too fast, the spokes won't fit in. You must go neither too slowly nor too fast. There must be co-ordination of mind and hand. Words cannot explain what it is, but there is some mysterious art herein. I cannot teach it to my son; nor can he learn it from me. Consequently, though 70 years of age, I am still making wheels in my old age. If the ancients, together with what they could not impart, are dead and gone, then what your Highness is studying must be the dregs."
Edited on 9th June 2008