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Zhuangzi Chapter 16 ~ Trying to Repair What's Natural

	Translation by Nina Correa Those who try to repair what's natural in themselves by conforming to society are simply learning about the customs of others in an attempt to reconnect with what was already in themselves to begin with. Those who try to cunningly make their desires conform to society think up all sorts of ways to show how bright they are. These are called the shabby and senseless methods used by people. Those in the past who allowed themselves to be managed by Dao used tranquility to nourish their knowledge of life, but didn't use their knowledge to motivate their actions. This was called using knowledge to nourish tranquility. When knowledge and tranquility are nourished together equally, then harmonious textures arise from what's natural. Virtue is in harmony with Dao as the texture. When virtue has nothing it doesn't tolerate, there is benevolence. When Dao has nothing it doesn't provide a texture for, there is righteousness. When righteousness shines brightly because it's based on intimacy, there is faithfulness. When there's purity and genuineness within based on acceptance of emotions, there is music. When trust is placed on embracing the essentials of life because they're accepted as necessary patterns, there are rituals. If rituals and music don't flow along in that way, then the world is in chaos. However, if those things are allowed to occur correctly with ignorance of what's thought of as virtue, then there'd be no reason to hide virtue. If it was hidden, then things would certainly lose their own nature. People in ancient times lived in the midst of uncertainty throughout their whole lives, but they remained tranquil and unconcerned about it. At that time Yin and Yang were in peaceful harmony, ghosts and spirits didn't cause trouble, the four seasons were properly proportioned, living things weren't in distress, and everything lived out its natural life span. Although the people had knowledge, there was no reason to use it. This is called perfect unity. At that time nothing was forced and everything followed its natural course. In an effort to capture virtue and subjugate it, Sui Ren and Fu Xi took control of the world and the people obeyed them, but they didn't feel any sense of unity with each other. In a later effort to capture virtue and subjugate it, Shen Nong and Huang Di took control of the world and made the people feel secure, but there was no one to offer guidance. In a later effort to capture virtue and subjugate it, King Yao of Tang and King Shun of Yu took control of the world, and they started the customs of reforming people through government. They diluted what was pure and dissipated simplicity. Their concept of goodness went against Dao and their behavior defiled virtue. After that they ignored their own nature and instead followed their minds. Minds joined together with other minds to get a sense of how to use their knowledge, but that wasn't enough to repair what was going on in the world. So then they added cultural pursuits and increased promotions. Cultural activities squashed natural dispositions, and promotions drowned sensitivity. After that the people began to feel deluded and misled, and weren't able to return to their natural dispositions nor were they able to revert back to what it had been like before. Observing what's happened, we can see that this age has withdrawn from Dao, and Dao has withdrawn from this age. Since they have both withdrawn from each other, how could a person of Dao arise in this age, and how could this age progress with Dao? Since Dao won't rise in this age and this age won't raise Dao, even if a sage came out of the mountains and forests into the midst of us, their virtue would remain hidden. It would remain hidden, but not because the sage chose to hide it. In the past there were those who were called hidden scholars, but not because their bodies were bent over in supplication as if they couldn't look anyone in the eye, nor because they kept their mouths shut and didn't utter a sound, nor because they concealed their knowledge and wouldn't express themselves. At the time, making oneself act that way would have been utterly absurd. If the times were favorable for them to make great strides in the world, they would have done that then returned whole to where they came from without leaving a trace. If the times were unfavorable, they'd detach themselves from the world, then plant deep roots while investigating the limits and wait. Either way, they'd be preserving their bodies. Those who preserved their bodies in ancient times didn't use their knowledge to get into arguments nor to make themselves appear intelligent. They didn't use their knowledge to detach from the world nor to detach from virtue. Even if they found themselves in a dangerous situation, they'd stay still and return to their own nature. What other action would they need to take! Petty actions aren't attuned to Dao, and petty perceptions aren't attuned to virtue. Petty actions injure the ability of Dao, and petty perceptions injure the ability of virtue. Therefore, it's been said: "Correct oneself and that's all. The happiness of being whole is called achieving one's own will." In the past, what they meant when they referred to those who had achieved their own will wasn't referring to those who had chariots and wore crowns, but to those who had no use for such benefits, but were happy nonetheless. Nowadays, what's meant when referring to those who have achieved their own will DOES refer to those with carriages and crowns. Carriages and crowns are accouterments for the body, but aren't related to one's inborn nature. Those things might be acquired and be depended on. They're dependable in the sense that they can't be prevented from coming and they can't be stopped from leaving. Therefore, they (those in the past) didn't build up expectations on whether or not they had carriages and crowns, nor were they quick to define themselves as vulgar if they had very little materially. Their happiness with whatever they did have was the same, and therefore they didn't have a reason to worry about it. Nowadays people try to depend on something that will eventually leave them, then they can't be happy. From that point of view, although they might be happy for the moment, it's just because they haven't yet come upon some disaster. Therefore, it's been said: "Those who give up themselves to other things and lose their naturalness through self-deprecation are called upside down people." | Zhuangzi Translation | Glossary/Index A to N | Glossary/Index P to Z | ZZ Links | | Return Home | Laozi's Dao De Jing | Your Dao De Jing | Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) | Links | Meditation | Dao (Tao) is Open Forum | Book List | Other Stuff |

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