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Zhuangzi was walking in the mountains when he saw a huge tree with branches full of luxuriant foliage. A lumberjack had stopped next to it, but wasn't attempting to cut it down. When Zhuangzi asked the lumberjack the reason, he responded: "There's nothing useful about that tree." Zhuangzi said: "This tree is so worthless it's been able to live out its natural lifespan." After coming out of the mountains, Zhuangzi stayed overnight in the home of an old friend. His friend was so delighted that he ordered his young servant to slaughter a goose so they could have it for dinner. The young servant politely asked: "One of them can cackle, and one of them can't cackle. Please tell me which one I should slaughter?" The host responded: "Kill the one that can't cackle." The next day one of his disciples asked Zhuangzi: "Yesterday when we were in the mountains and came across that tree, it was able to live out its natural lifespan because it was worthless. Now our host has ordered the goose to be killed because it's worthless. Master, which is the better position?" Zhuangzi laughed and said: "All around, I'd say the better position would be somewhere between being of worth and being worthless. Being somewhere between being of worth and being worthless might seem like the best place to be, but it's actually not. That's because one hasn't yet gotten rid of being tied to some idea. But that wouldn't be true if you could mount on the chariot of Dao and virtue and float about on it: "Without praise, without disapproval; "In one moment a dragon, in one moment a snake. "Changing in unison with the times; "And never consenting to act in one specified way. "In one moment above, in one moment below; "Using harmony as a measuring stick. "Floating about with the ancestor of all living things; "Allowing things to be things, but not making things out of things. "Then how would one be tied to anything? "This was the method used by Shen Nong and Huang Di. But that's not truly the sentiments of most creatures who pass concepts of human ethics on to humanity: "Joining together, then separating; "Constructing, then destroying; "Appearing to be honest, then back stabbing; "Glorifying, then criticizing; "Making promises, then backing down; "Acting virtuous, then scheming; "Deeming unworthy, then deceiving. "Is there anything to be certain of? "Yes, it's sad. But remember, my disciples, the only place to find a comfortable home is in Dao and virtue." Yi Liao of Shi Nan went to see the Marquis of Lu. The Marquis of Lu had a sad look on his face. Master Yi Liao said: "You look worried. Why is that?" The Marquis of Lu said: "I've studied the Dao of the earliest kings and worked through the methods used by the rulers who preceded me. I show respect to the ghosts of those who have died, honor those of great worth, behave properly to my family and don't take a break from that for a minute. Even so, I can't seem to avoid disasters. That's why I look so worried." The Master from Shi Nan said: "The techniques you're using to avert disasters are superficial. The richly furred fox and the elaborately patterned leopard make their homes deep in mountain forests in caves and alcoves - to be left alone. They prowl in the night and rest in the daytime - to protect themselves. Although hungry and thirsty they carefully hide themselves away, only venturing forth to peer from above the rivers and lakes searching for food - to keep a keen eye out. Even so, they can't completely avoid snares, nets and traps or prevent disaster from coming to them. How can they possibly be blamed for what happens to them? It's because of their pelts that they meet with such misfortune. Now, isn't the state of Lu like your own pelt? I wish you could strip away your form and discard your pelt, dispense with your mind and discard your desires, and float in the wilderness without concern for other people. "In southern Yue there's a city named Jian De Zhi Guo (Nation of Established Virtue). The people who live there are stupid and simple, rarely think of themselves and have few desires. They know how to make what they need but don't have any concept of hiding things from each other since they share everything and don't ask for repayment for what they've done. They don't have ideas about what would be considered righteous behavior, nor do they know anything about taking part in rituals. Their behavior appears to be savage, crazy and reckless, but that's the only way their dance can be unhindered. Their birth is considered a time of happiness, and their death is considered a time for burial. I wish you could leave this country, give up on its customs and engage in a true connection with Dao - actually go there." The monarch (Marquis of Lu) said: "The Dao you're speaking about is distant and hard to reach, and there are rivers and mountains along the way. I don't have a boat or a vehicle, so how could I ever get there?" The Master from Shi Nan said: "If you're without a form that needs to be transported and without a place that needs to be departed from, then you use that as your vehicle." The monarch said: "The Dao you're speaking about is so remote, secluded and without any people. Would there be anyone I could take as a traveling companion? I'm without provisions or food. How could I safely arrive there?" The Master from Shi Nan said: "Diminish your expenditures, lessen your desires, and even though you're without provisions you'll find you have enough. When you come upon them wade across the rivers and swim across the oceans, gazing at them but not seeing their rough spots, going relentlessly forward yet not having any sense of exhaustion. All those who've traveled with you so far will reach the rough spots and turn back, and you'll find that you've traveled very far. "You see, those who possess others are inextricably involved, and those who are possessed by others worry all the time. That's why Yao never possessed anyone, nor was he possessed by anyone else. I wish you'd let go of being so involved, get rid of all your worrying, and by only connecting with Dao swim in the land of great nothingness. "If someone was maneuvering a large clumsy boat across a river and an empty abandoned boat bumped into it, even if the person was already a bit aggravated he wouldn't get angry about it. But if there was a person at the helm, he'd shout at him to get out of the way. If his first shout wasn't heeded, and his second shout wasn't heeded, then his third shout would be more aggressive. After that he'd break into a series of heated curses at the person. In the first instance there was no anger, but in the second instance there was. In the first instance the boat was empty, but in the second instance it was filled. If a person can empty themselves and float through the world around them, what would there be that could harm them?" Bei Gong She (Curator of the Northern Palace) was commissioned by Duke Ling of Wei to create an elaborate bell stand made from the contributions of the citizens. He built a large stand at the outer gate of the city, and within three months had succeeded in filling all the tiers with bells from around the area. When Prince Qing Ji saw it, he asked: "What special skills do you have to be able to create such a thing?" She said: "When the pieces were all being assembled, I wouldn't dare to interfere in its construction. I've heard this: 'What has already been carved and engraved will eventually return to its natural state.' To the ignorant I appear to have no sensibility. To the reckless I appear not to be slow and lazy. As a crowd gathers around or disperses, I escort them away when they leave and warmly greet them when they arrive. No one is prohibited from coming and no one is stopped from leaving. If they are forcefully adamant I allow them to vent. If they're bent on lecturing about their point of view I yield to them. If they plead poverty I empathize with them. That's how I'm able to keep collecting contributions day and night without ruffling anyone's feathers. How much more so would that apply to someone who had a great journey ahead of them!" When Kong Zi (Confucius) was detained between the small states of Chen and Cai, he went for seven days without any cooked food. (Note: Confucius wasn't welcome in either Chen or Cai so he had to wait in the wilderness until someone from the state of Chu eventually got him out of the mess.) Da Gong Ren (Impartial Observer) went to console him and said: "You're almost dead!" "That's true." "Do you dislike the idea of dying?" "Yes." Ren said: "Let me try to tell you about a way to not die. In the Eastern Sea there's a bird called the Yi Dai (Intentionally Lazy). It soars up then falls back down repeatedly as though it didn't have the ability to do otherwise. If it's jostled off its perch and forced to fly it'll flutter in the air, but if it's snuggling and allowed to stay it'll remain on its perch. When it goes forward it doesn't dare to be in the lead, and when it follows behind it doesn't dare to be last. When there's food around it doesn't take the first bite but goes for the leftovers. Because of its place in the pecking order it doesn't get rejected by those around it, and is at no risk of being harmed by strangers. That's how it's able to avoid worrying about anything. "A straight tree is the first to be cut down. A well with sweet water is the first to be used up. You pretend to be intelligent so as to stupefy the ignorant, keep your body fit so as to amaze the spoiled, and consider your behavior to be so brilliant and stunning that it would eclipse both the sun and the moon. That's why you can't escape. "Long ago I heard a greatly accomplished person say: 'One who attacks others doesn't accomplish anything. One who achieves success will eventually fall back down. One who achieves fame will eventually lose it.' Who can give up on ideas of achievement and fame and instead go back to connecting with the masses of ordinary people? He flows with Dao but doesn't sit and wallow in his clarity. His behavior achieves goals, but he doesn't become famous for it. He's so plain and ordinary that he could be compared to a crazy person. He leaves behind no trace of himself, relinquishes any sense of being influential and doesn't act with an eye for fame. Therefore he doesn't make demands on others, nor does he give in to others' demands. A perfected person isn't well known. Why would you take so much delight in it?" Kong Zi said: "Excellent!" He said goodbye to his friends and associates, dismissed his disciples, fled to a great marsh, wore hair cloth and coarse clothing, and ate acorns and chestnuts. He went among the animals without disturbing their herds, and went among birds without them taking notice of him. Since birds and animals weren't bothered by him, even less were people! Kong Zi (Confucius) asked Zi Sang Yu (Sir Mulberry Rainbow): "For the second time I've been kicked out of the state of Lu. I've had a drum tree chopped down on me in the state of Song, had all traces of me removed from the state of Wei, was thrown into poverty in the states of Shang and Zhou, and was detained between the states of Chen and Cai. I've been persecuted by a number of disasters. My relationships and friendships have become increasingly few and far between, and my close friends and associates are keeping their distance from me. Why is all this happening?" Zi Sang Yu said: "Haven't you heard about the man who escaped from Jia? Lin Hui (Returned to the Forest) left behind a jade disk of office worth a thousand pieces of gold but snatched up an infant and hurried away carrying him on his back. Someone asked him: 'Did you do that for monetary value? A newborn can't be worth much. Did you do it because it was less exerting? A newborn requires much more exertion. Why did you leave behind a jade disk worth a thousand pieces of gold and rush off with a newborn?' Lin Hui said: 'That (the jade disk) would be used to bring me profit, but this (the infant) is like a natural extension of myself.' Those who use each other to bring themselves profit, when faced with poverty, misfortune, disasters or distress will abandon each other. Those who are united as though they were natural extensions of each other, when faced with poverty, misfortune, disasters or distress will gather more closely together. By sticking together they form a united front, but if they abandon each other they drift farther apart. Also, the relationships between people who are concerned for each other is as thin and tasteless as water, whereas the relationships between petty people is as thick and sticky as sweet wine. The thinness of those who are concerned about each other leads them to get closer, while the thickness of petty people leads them to become distasteful. Those who've found no reason to join together in the first place wouldn't be able to find any reason to remain together." Kong Zi said: "Thank you so much for the advice." Walking slowly and letting his arms drift playfully as though he was pretending to fly, he returned home. He abandoned his studies and put away his books. His disciples no longer bowed down in front of him, but their love and affection for him increased. At a later time Sang had something else to tell him: "When Shun was dying, he gave Yu these instructions: 'You must be warned about this! When it comes to your physical form, nothing is better than heeding its needs. When it comes to your emotions, nothing is better than facing them head on.' By paying attention to your body's necessities, it won't fail you. By dealing with your emotions, they won't cause you more trouble. When your body doesn't fail you and your emotions don't cause you more trouble, then you won't have to look for ways to embellish what you naturally are. When you don't have to look for ways to embellish what you naturally are, you definitely won't have to be waiting around for other things." Zhuangzi was wearing old threadbare patched clothing and shoes that were tied to his feet with crudely cut twine when he came upon the King of Wei. The King of Wei said: "What has caused you, Sir, to be so needy?" Zhuangzi said: "I may be poor, but I'm not needy. If a scholar has Dao and virtue but isn't able to put them into practice - that's being needy. Having worn out clothes and shoes with holes in them is due to poverty, but it doesn't mean the person's needy. He's just a little out of sync with present times. Has Your Majesty never watched a primate jumping through trees? When it takes hold of a cedar, catalpa, oak or camphor tree it swings on long vines from branch to branch and is in complete control of how long it takes to reach from one to the other. Even Yi and Peng Meng (famous archers) wouldn't be able to take aim at them. On the other hand, if they take hold of the branch of a cudrania, jujube, trifoliate orange or Chinese holly tree (trees whose bark or leaves have sharp thorns) it moves about cautiously always looking around while shaking and quivering with apprehension. That isn't because its muscles and bones have lost strength and quickness nor have become stiff. It's because it's found itself in a situation that doesn't allow it to use it's abilities properly. Now if I find myself situated in the midst of muddled superiors acting chaotically with each other and want to not become needy, how could that be done? Bi Gan found out about that when he had his heart cut out - there's the proof!" While Kong Zi (Confucius) was isolated without supplies in the wilderness between the small states of Chen and Cai and hadn't eaten any cooked food for seven days, he leaned his left hand on a withered tree and with his right hand beat time using one of the tree's withered branches while singing a song from the Yao clan included in the "Book of Songs". He used the branch as a drumstick but couldn't find the right tempo. His voice rang out but he couldn't find the right notes. The combination of the sound of the wood and a person's voice in the wilderness bore straight into the hearts of those who heard it. Yan Hui stood with his hands clasped over his chest and kept making furtive glances at him. Zhong Ni was afraid Yan Hui might think too highly of him and because of this love for him cause himself needless grief over their situation, so he said: "Hui, it's easy not to be affected by the limitations of the heavens, but it's difficult not to be affected by the relationships of mankind. What never began wouldn't have a reason to oppose coming to an end. Humankind and the heavens are connected as one. Now, as for the song, who was singing it?" Hui said: "I'd like to ask what you mean by 'It's easy not to be affected by the limitations of the heavens'." Zhong Ni said: "Hunger and thirst, hot and cold, poverty and physical restrictions - these are the natural occurrences of the heavens and earth as they transport things through evolution. What I'm saying can also be likened to simply flowing along with everything that happens. One who pledges their devotion to another person wouldn't dare to desert them. If it's possible for someone to hold on to that type of devotion, how much more so could they get from waiting to see what the heavens would bring?" "What do you mean by 'It's difficult not to be affected by the relationships of mankind'?" Zhong Ni said: "If at the beginning of your employment everything runs smoothly and you receive promotions and rank, thus avoiding poverty, it's because things have settled into a phase of profitability, but not because of anything you did. My own fate is something quite outside of myself. A considerate person doesn't take advantage of others, and a virtuous person doesn't steal from others. Why would I be seen as someone who had taken anything from anyone else? Therefore it's said that of birds none is smarter than the pigeon. If it spots a place that's unsuitable for building a nest it doesn't give it a second glance. Even if it's dropped a seed, it'll just leave it there and move on. It may be afraid of people, but it manages to carry on amidst them the way it did before the people arrived. It can continue to exist in the turrets and eaves of the temples and palaces." "What do you mean by 'What never began wouldn't have a reason to oppose coming to an end'?' Zhong Ni said: "All living things evolve, but we don't know what it is that causes them to change the way they do. So, how could we know when anything has reached an end? How can we know when anything new will begin? All we can do is carry on and wait to see what happens - that's all." "What do you mean by 'Humankind and the heavens are connected as one'?" Zhong Ni said: "That there are people is due to the heavens. That there is the heavens is also due to the heavens. That the heavens isn't due to people is because it's not in their natures to do so. The sage calmly drifts with the realization that when the essentials for his life fade away, the ending will come." Zhuang Zhou (Zhuangzi) was wandering inside the fenced area of Diao Ling when he spotted a lone unusual looking magpie approaching from the south side of the hill. Its wing span was about seven feet and its eyes were about one inch in diameter. It brushed Zhou's forehead then descended into a group of chestnut trees. Zhuang Zhou said: "What kind of bird is this! It beats its huge wings but doesn't fly very high. It has enormous eyes but doesn't seem to have good vision." Obstructed by his long skirt he stumbled over to get as close as he could to it and waited with his crossbow at the ready. He noticed a lone cicada that had just found a nice spot in the shade and had forgotten about its vulnerability. A praying mantis raised its front legs and grabbed it, apparently forgetting about the vulnerability of its own form as well. The unusual looking magpie was so engaged in the scene and trying to figure out how it could best take advantage of the situation that by concentrating so intently on how it could gain benefits it lost sense of its own well being. Zhuang Zhou got a cold chill from watching all this and said: "Phew! Things certainly can affect each other when two different species come into contact with each other." As he discarded his crossbow and headed for home, a game warden chased him yelling curses at him. When Zhuang Zhou returned home, he didn't venture further than his own courtyard for three days. His attendant, Lin Qie (Temporary Houseboy), asked: "Master, what happened that's made you not want to go further than your own yard?" Zhuang Zhou said: "I've been guarding my outer appearance, but forgot about what can happen to me. That's like concentrating on the turbid water above but losing sight of the clear depths below. Furthermore, I've heard the masters say: 'When you enter a place where specific customs prevail, follow their rules.' Then when I was wandering through Diao Ling and I forgot about what could happen to me there, an unusual looking magpie brushed across my forehead. I wandered into the chestnut grove and lost sense of my own well being. The game warden in the chestnut grove thought I was a poacher. That's why I haven't ventured beyond my own courtyard." When Yang Zi was on his way to the state of Song, he spent a night in a local inn. The inn keeper had two concubines, one beautiful and one ugly. The ugly one was highly valued while the beautiful one was treated like dirt. When Yang Zi asked him why this was so, the young male servant at the inn replied: "The beautiful one sees herself as beautiful but we don't pay attention to her beauty. The ugly one sees herself as ugly but we don't pay attention to her ugliness." Yang Zi said: "Remember this, my disciples: Behave in a virtuous manner, but get rid of any idea that you're behaving virtuously - then where could you go that you wouldn't be loved?" | Zhuangzi Translation | Glossary/Index A to N | Glossary/Index P to Z | ZZ Links | ZZ Books | | 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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