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Kong Zi (Confucius) was traveling through a forest on Zi Wei Mountain. He stopped to rest on a platform beneath an apricot tree. His disciples were nearby reading their books while Kong Zi strummed his zither and sang a song. He hadn't gotten halfway through the song before an old fisherman appeared in the distance. He stepped out of his boat and approached them. The hair on his temples and eyebrows was pure white, his hair hung down over his shoulders and the sleeves of his robes flapped loosely at his sides. He walked up the embankment and stopped when he reached the top. He placed his left hand on his knee and cradled his chin in his right hand while he listened to the music. When the song ended he beckoned to Zi Gong and Zi Lu (two of Confucius' disciples), and both men went over to him. The visitor pointed to Kong Zi and asked: "What does that man do?" Zi Lu replied: "He's a nobleman from the state of Lu." When the visitor asked which family (nationality) he belonged to, Zi Lu said: "He's from the Kong family." The visitor asked: "What does Mr. Kong do?" Before Zi Lu could respond Zi Gong said: "Mr. Kong is a naturally faithful and loyal person who devotes himself to benevolence and righteousness. He takes great effort to sustain ancient rituals and music and to promote human ethics. When dealing with those in high positions he's loyal to the rulers of the times, and when dealing with those in lower positions he adapts to the normal standards of the people. That's because he wants to bring benefits to the whole world. That's what Mr. Kong does." The man continued with his questions: "Is he a nobleman in charge of a specific area of land?" Zi Gong said: "No." "Is he an adviser to a king or marquis?" Zi Gong said: "No." The visitor then laughed and turned to leave, saying as he was going: "If you say he's benevolent, then he must be benevolent. However, I'm afraid he won't be able to escape with his body in tact. By causing so much trouble to his heart and fatiguing his physical form he's putting his genuineness in danger. Unfortunately, he's moved very far away from Dao." Zi Gong went back and told Kong Zi about the conversation. Kong Zi pushed aside his musical instruments and got up, saying: "That man was a sage." He got down from his platform and went to look for the man. When he arrived at the riverbank the man was about to push his boat off from the shore with an oar. He looked up and saw Kong Zi, so he returned to the bank and stood next to him. Kong Zi took a few steps back, respectfully bowed twice, then moved closer to him. The visitor said: "What do you want from me?" Kong Zi said: "A little while ago you said just a few words then left. I'm such an unworthy numbskull that I haven't been able to figure out what you meant. If I could just eavesdrop on your words, standing downwind so some of the spittle from your mouth might reach me, then I might finally learn something from you." The visitor said: "Oh my! Your passion for learning is really extreme." Kong Zi bowed deeply twice and rose slowly saying: "From the time I was very young I pursued learning. Now here I am sixty-nine years old, and I still haven't heard the most enlightening teachings. I wouldn't dare to not keep my heart open at this point." The visitor said: "Those of similar types follow one another. Those who make similar sounds respond to one another. That's the natural course of the principles of the heavens. If I tried to explain my own position to you then I'd mislead you from your own path. What you've taken as your path is to be involved in the affairs of humans - emperors, noblemen, administrators and common people. People in these four groups who rectify themselves are thus good at governing. If people in those four groups abandoned their positions then nothing but chaos would prevail. If the officials stay within the bounds of their own duties and the common people see to their own affairs, then neither would cause difficulty to the other. "Therefore, if fields aren't tended, roofs are leaking, there isn't enough clothing or food, taxes can't be paid, wives and daughters-in-law don't get along, children and elders are out of accord with each other - these are the concerns of common people. Inability to fulfill their responsibilities, official business that's been neglected, deals that drag on without clear settlements, underlings that are incompetent and lazy, not having achieved beautiful results, not being able to hold onto rank and position - these are the concerns of administrators. The lack of loyal ministers in the royal court, chaos and disorder within the families of the state, an unskilled work force, contributions of tribute items (for the king) that are below par, being given a lower precedence at the spring and autumn meetings (with the ruler), being considered disobedient to the emperor - these are the concerns of the feudal dukes. Yin and Yang being discordant, the coolness of winter and the warmth of summer not arriving at the proper time causing damage to all things, feudal dukes revolting in chaos and attacking each other at random without authorization thus injuring innocent people, unrestrained and improper performance of rituals and music, deficient coffers in the treasury, deterioration of people's morals, the families in the state acting licentious and promiscuous - these are the concerns of the emperor's chancellors. "Now you've already taken a superior position for yourself without having the power of a prince, marquis or chancellor. You've also taken a lower position for yourself without having the office of a minister who's in charge of those affairs. Without authorization you try to adorn rituals and music, choose proper morals for the people and change the way they relate to each other. You're not creating peace in any of the areas where you put in your own two cents! "Furthermore, people have eight defects and their affairs are beset by four afflictions that they shouldn't ignore. "Meddling: Sticking your nose into other people's business that doesn't concern you. "Intruding: Pushing yourself into situations where you haven't been invited. "Currying favor: Praising someone because you want to get something from them. "Flattery: Paying no attention to what's right or wrong about someone you're trying to get on the better side of. "Slander: Saying bad things about another person. "Troublemaking: Trying to cause rifts between friends or family members. "Deceitfulness: Giving false kudos to someone while putting them down behind their backs. "Taking advantage: Not differentiating between acting kind or unkind, but thinking it's fine to be two-faced in order to prey on other people's desires. "One who engages in these eight defects causes disorder to others and harm to themselves. A nobleman wouldn't have someone like that as a friend nor would an enlightened ruler appoint them as a minister. "The four afflictions are: "Ambitious greed: To be constantly altering, amending or transforming what have already been accepted practices in order to try to further one's notoriety and fame. "Plagiarism: To adopt the concepts of others and claim them as your own in order to appear more intelligent and world-wise. "Conceit: To be told of your own shortcomings but rather than addressing them, not giving them a second thought. "Bigotry: Approving of someone who is the same as you, but rejecting those who aren't the same by claiming their good points are actually evils. "Those are the four afflictions. It's only by being able to get rid of the eight defects and not engage in the four afflictions can one begin to be taught what you're asking about." Kong Zi got a sad look on his face and sighed. He bowed twice and said as he was preparing to leave: "I've been twice kicked out of Lu, had all traces of me removed from Wei, had a drum tree chopped down on me in Song, and was detained between the states of Chen and Cai. I don't know why I've had to go through these losses and be slandered those four times. Do you?" The visitor became saddened then changed his expression and said: "How very hard it is for you to wake up. There was a man who was afraid of his shadow and he thought his footprints were the tracks of something evil following him. Every time he raised his foot to get away the number of footprints increased, and no matter how fast he ran the shadow remained right behind him. He thought he might be running too slowly so he ran faster and faster until his strength ran out and he died. He couldn't figure out that he would be able to rest in the shade of his shadow and that if he stayed still the footprints would stop. That's how extremely stupid he was! "You carefully examine what you consider to be benevolent and righteous, observe the boundaries which separate what's alike and what's dissimilar, contemplate the changes between movement and stillness, determine what's appropriate to give and receive, establish conditions on the principles of good and evil, restrict the acceptance of happiness and anger, and have barely been able to escape calamity. "If you sincerely cultivate your external self and carefully guard what's genuine within, things and people will evolve in their own way. Then there would be nothing to run you ragged. Now, by not cultivating your own external self but still expecting others to do it, aren't you just concerned with what's outside of your own self?" Kong asked with a sad look: "May I ask what you mean by 'genuine'?" The visitor said: "What's genuine comes from utmost naturalness and sincerity. What isn't natural or sincere doesn't have the ability to move anyone. Therefore, forced tears however much they express sorrow fail to sadden. A forced tantrum however severe it might be fails to cause alarm. Forced intimacy however much a person may smile fails to bring people in tune with each other. Genuine sorrow can sadden without uttering a sound. Genuine anger can cause alarm before any sign is given. Genuine intimacy can bring people in tune with each other before a smile appears. When genuineness exists within and is expressed outwardly through the spirit, that's the true value of genuineness. "The ways it's expressed when dealing with other people are: it's loving and dutiful when engaged in intimate relationships; it's loyal and steadfast when engaged in matters involving those in positions of authority; it's filled with joy and lightheartedness when drinking wine; it's sad and sorrowful when dealing with periods of mourning. The primary concern of loyalty and steadfastness is to be of beneficial service. The primary concern of drinking wine is to be lighthearted. The primary concern in times of mourning is feeling sad. The primary concern in intimate relationships is being in tune with each other. The beauty of succeeding at being of beneficial service is that it doesn't leave one trace behind. When people are in tune with each other in intimate relationships they don't have to try to figure out how it happened. If one is lighthearted when drinking wine they they don't put any thought into the selection of a proper wine glass. When one is overcome by sorrow in times of mourning they don't ask what's the proper etiquette to observe. Proper etiquette is a reflection of the society at the time, whereas genuineness is something that's received from the heavens. That kind of spontaneity can't be changed by the changing times. Therefore, a wise person models himself on what's natural, values what's genuine and doesn't restrain it by the customs of society. A stupid person does the opposite of that. Being unable to model himself on what's natural, he pities the plight of humans. Not having enough sense to value what's genuine, he makes notes on everything and allows himself to be transformed along with the customs of society. Therefore, he'll never be satisfied. "It's such a pity! You were deeply engrossed in the hypocrisy coming from people at such an early age, and only heard about great Dao at this late stage." Kong Zi again bowed twice and said as he straightened up: "Meeting you today has been like a stroke of luck from the heavens. Master, if you wouldn't be too ashamed of me as compared to the others who are your loyal servants, and take me on as a student, I'd dare to ask you where you live. Please consider accepting me in your school and educating me about the great Dao." The visitor said: "I've heard it said that if you come upon someone with whom you can walk on the Way, then go along with him into the mysterious Dao. If you come upon someone with whom you can't walk on the Way, who has no knowledge of this Dao, then be cautious and absolutely don't walk along with him. Only in that way can you remain blameless (for their own failings). You're going to have to do your own work yourself. I'm leaving you now! I'm leaving you now!" With that he shoved off his boat and left, wending his way between the reeds of the river. Yan Yuan brought around the carriage and Zi Lu reached out to hand him the strap for mounting the carriage, but Kong Zi ignored them. He stood there waiting for the ripples in the water to subside and for the sound of the man's poling through the river to vanish before he dared to board the carriage. Zi Lu stood at the side of the carriage and asked: "I've been your servant for a long time but I've never seen you so in awe of anyone you've ever met. When you've been in the presence of a king with ten thousand chariots or a prince with a thousand chariots, even though they offer you a seat in their royal hall, treat you as a peer and allow you to share in their rituals, you still maintain a haughty manner. Today a simple old fisherman leaning on his pole stood there obstinately and you bent over as though you were beating a low chime stone, bowing repeatedly before uttering a word. Isn't that going a bit too far? All your disciples thought that was very strange behavior for you. Why should an old fisherman be treated that way?" Kong Zi leaned over the handrail of the carriage, sighed, and said: "How very hard it is for you to change. You've been so deeply involved in looking into etiquette and righteousness, yet so far you haven't gone beyond having the simple mind of a scornful person. Come closer and I'll try to explain it to you. If you meet with an older person and don't show the proper respect then you're lacking in etiquette. If you meet a worthy person and don't show them proper honor then you're lacking in benevolence. If that man hadn't been an achieved person he wouldn't have been able to make others bow down to him. If you refused to bow down to him then you'd be opposing what's natural, not get closer to being genuine, and in that way cause injury to yourself for a long time. It's such a pity! There's no greater misfortune that could come to a person than to lack benevolence, but you alone fully choose that for yourself. "Furthermore, the source of all things is Dao. If any of those things lose it they die, and if they retain it they live. If their affairs are contrary to it then they fail, but if they are in accord with it they succeed. Since Dao supports existence a wise person has respect for it. Now, it can safely be said that the old fisherman has Dao. How could I dare not to show him respect?" | 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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