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Zhuangzi Chapter 33 ~ The World |
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There are many people who've come up with ideas about the best method to govern the world, and all of them believe they have the ultimate answer. Those in ancient times called this method Dao. What exists as a result of it? There isn't anything that doesn't exist because of it. How did the spirits descend into everything? How did brightness exude from everything? The sage finds his place in living life and the king finds his place in accomplishing things. All things originally arose from the same source. One who doesn't depart from their ancestors is called a heavenly person. One who doesn't depart from their own essence is called a spiritual person. One who doesn't depart from what is genuine is called a perfected person. One who takes the heavens as their ancestor, virtue as their roots, Dao as their gateway, and is able to foresee that changes will transform things is called a sage. One who takes benevolence as an imperative, righteousness as a mandate, rituals as proper etiquette, music as a means for creating harmony and who has an aura of kindness and benevolence is called a gentleman. One who uses laws as a means of discrimination, notoriety as a model, conduct as a measuring stick, observable faults as a means for severing relationships and places everything into categories of how valuable they are can be likened to the hundreds of officials who are constantly gnashing at each other. To see their affairs as being ordinary, to see clothing and food as their mainstay, to have children, to raise animals, to store up their harvests, to care for the old, weak, orphaned and widowed while making sure everyone has sufficient nourishment are the principles most people live by. The people in ancient times were fully equipped with everything they needed. They blended the spiritual and the intellectual, retained the purity of the heavens and the earth, tended to all living things and brought harmony to the world. Good fortune extended to all the various families. Understanding existed between those who came from different genealogies. Bonds were formed between those who couldn't contribute anything and those who contributed a lot. They were unimpeded in the six directions while mastering the four seasons. Small or large, refined or rough around the edges - they were all carried along together since there wasn't anything that didn't exist because of it (Dao). Those who found clarity and uses for the various theories passed down the methods used through the generations and caused many others to have great esteem for them. In the states of Zhou and Lu there are scholars wearing belts pinching their robes in at the waist (common garb to denote a scholar from the rest of the people) who study under many masters who have the ability to decipher the texts of the Shi, Shu, Li and Yue. The Shi (Shi Jing "Book of Odes") explains the aspirations of the emotions. The Shu (Shu Jing "Book of History") explains historical records. The Li (Li Ji "Book of Rites") explains proper behavior and etiquette. The Yue (Yue Jing "Book of Music") explains how to use music to create harmony. The Yi (Yi Jing "Book of Changes") explains the transformations of Yin and Yang. The Chun Qui ("Spring and Autumn Annals") explains the hierarchy of official positions. They've spread these teachings throughout the world and set up practices involving them within China. Hundreds of philosophical schools have sprung up over time and many of them follow what's included in those books. The world is in a state of great chaos, the worthy and the wise can bring no clarity, and Dao and virtue have been separated. Throughout the world most people latch on to one way of seeing things and use it to promote themselves over others. As an analogy: The ears, eyes, nose and mouth each impart something to the rest of the body, but they can't impart things to each other. And yet the hundred different schools with their various methods all claim to have the best doctrine and look for the opportunity to show how useful they are. With all this going on you wouldn't be able to find a single one of them anywhere who might admit they're wrong about anything they believe. They criticize the inherent goodness of the heavens and the earth, divide and analyze the principles of all living things, and go into great detail inspecting how perfect the ancient people might have been. Few of them have the ability to find the goodness in the heavens and the earth or to tolerate the insights inherent in their own spirits. That's why those who have wisdom keep it within while submitting to the control of the rulers around them. They hide their insights and tightly prevent them from issuing forth while the rest of the people in the world go about fulfilling their own desires and claiming their way is the only way. It's so sad that the hundred schools keep on expanding without taking a look back and won't shut up! The scholars in future generations unfortunately won't be able to see the pure simplicity of the heavens and earth, nor the great system followed by the ancient people. Instead those who become skillful expounding on Dao will shatter the world. Not to pass on the necessity for extravagances to future generations, not to disregard any of the other living things in this world, not to try to evaluate everything through one's own perceptions of weighing out their value, to restrain oneself with codes of conduct and to be prepared for the anxieties that might occur in the future. The ancients thought this was a completely adequate method to move forward with Dao. Mo Di (Mozi) and Qin Gu Li (one of Mozi's closest disciples) learned of these practices and were delighted. However, they got very carried away with trying to add to what were already great concepts. Mozi wrote a piece called "Against Music" and made a definitive statement in "Moderation in Expenditure", saying that life should not be filled with song and there should be no special preparations made for death. (Note: Both "Against Music" and "Moderation in Expenditure" were aimed at criticizing the wealthy and the rulers for spending so much money on fancy musical instruments and expensive coffins and clothing for their corpses to the detriment of the rest of the people. Mozi went to the extreme of condemning all music and funeral rites.) Mozi exuded love and consideration for others and was against the idea of warfare. His Way was to not get angry, to have a fondness for learning and to express love universally. In that way he didn't differ from the ancient rulers and was similar to them in most respects, except for the fact that he tore down their rituals and music. Huang Di had his Xian Chi music, King Yao had his Da Zhang, King Shun had his Da Shao, King Yu had his Da Xia, King Tang had his Da Huo, and King Wen had the music of the Bi Yong, while King Wu and Zhou Gong fashioned the Wu music. Funeral ceremonies in ancient times prescribed the proper rituals for the eminent and the humble and the different regulations that applied to those who were superior and those who were inferior. The emperor was allotted seven layers of inner and outer coffins, the feudal dukes and princes were allotted five, high ministers were allotted three, and knights were allotted two. Now Mozi single-handedly tried to do away with all singing and all funeral rituals. Having a plain wooden coffin three inches thick with no outer coffins was what he considered should be set up as the rule. By telling others to do those things I'm afraid he really didn't love people, and by doing those things himself I doubt he had any love for himself either. In the end Mozi's Way was defeated because when people wanted to sing he wouldn't let them, when they wanted to shed tears he wouldn't let them, and when they wanted to listen to music he wouldn't let them. It makes you wonder which species of life he belonged to! To be weighted down with hardships in life, cast aside like rubbish at death and to be in constant fear of retribution along the way makes people depressed and pessimistic, and everything they go through seems fraught with disaster. I'm afraid this couldn't possibly be considered the path of a sage. To go counter to the hearts of those in the world is something the world just couldn't endure. Mozi himself may have been able to live that way, but who else in the world could do it? By removing himself so far from what was actually happening in the world, he was also very far away from being able to guide it in any way. Mozi made this statement of praiseworthy actions: "In ancient times Yu stopped the waters that were flooding the countryside by dredging new channels for the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers which allowed the waters to flow into the channels in four directions throughout China. This created three hundred rivers, three thousand streams and countless small rivulets. Yu personally carried baskets and dug with shovels in order to make trenches that would connect all the rivers in the world. The flesh was scraped off his calves and the hair was rubbed off his shins. Heavy rains washed through the hair on his head and strong winds combed it while he was working hard to set up the numerous small states. Yu was a great sage and the toils he went through to help the world can't be matched." And so it came to pass that those who followed Mozi's precepts went to the extreme by wearing untanned animal skins and coarse clothing, shuffling along on torn sandals, never stopping to take a rest day or night and driving themselves to the most excessive suffering. They say: "If we're not able to exemplify those things then we wouldn't be following Yu's Way and we'd be too lacking in effort to be called Mohists." The disciples of Xianli Qin, the followers of Wu Hou, and the Mohists of the south such as Ruo Huo, Yi Chi, Deng Linzi, and their like all recite the Mohist Canon, but they put each other down by citing their differences and claiming that the other sects aren't true Mohists. They slander each other with arguments about the "hard and white" and "sameness and difference". They responded to each other with comparisons of the incompatibility of "odds and evens". They each regarded their own Grand Master to be a sage, all of whom wished to be given the position of ultimate authority and hoped to be revered for centuries to come. Even to this time that issue hasn't been resolved. Modi (Mozi) and Qin Gu Li were right in their ideas but wrong in their practices. This caused later Mohists to feel that all they had to do was suffer to the extent of being without flesh on their calves and hair on their shins to prove they outshone others. Chaos reigned and order descended. Although Mozi had the best intentions in trying to help the world, he never attained what he was seeking. Although he became withered and worn in his pursuits, he never gave up trying. He definitely had the ability of a scholarly person. Not to accumulate a set of rules for others, not to adorn oneself with pretentious things, not to be without regard for other people, not to be jealous of what other people have, sincerely hoping for the world to be a safe place where everyone could live in peace, and to stop when nourishment for others and oneself is sufficient - all of these things depict a purified heart. The ancients thought this was a completely adequate method to move forward with Dao. Song Jian and Yin Wen learned of these practices and were delighted. They went about their business wearing hats in the shape of Mount Hua to distinguish themselves. (Note: Philosophers of different schools wore hats of various shapes to distinguish themselves from others, and it's been said that Song Jian and Yin Wen chose to wear a hat that was flat on top, like Mount Hua, to denote equality - that no one should be considered to be higher than another.) When dealing with all the living things they started out by accepting and forgiving those who felt alienated. They set forth the idea that "the heart is enduring" and instructed that the heart behaves naturally in that way. Feeling that anything entering the ears can bring cheerfulness and by transferring that feeling to whatever one comes across within the four seas (the world) they wanted to instigate an acceptance of those ideas as the law of the land. By getting the people to see that they didn't have to feel humiliated if someone insulted them they hoped to help people stop fighting with each other. By getting the people to stop attacking each other within the confines of their own homes they hoped to help future generations do away with war. They advanced these ideas by traveling throughout the world, speaking to those in positions of authority and teaching the common people. Even though their words weren't met with a warm reception in the world, they made a lot of noise and wouldn't abandon their mission. Therefore it was said about them: "The high and the lowly are sick of the sight of them and yet they still demand to be seen." Although they kept trying to do so many things for other people, they did very little for themselves. They'd say: "We'd be pleased to accept just five pints of rice. That's quite sufficient." The teachers probably never got their fill and surely their disciples went around hungry all the time, but they never forgot their zeal for helping the rest of the world and wouldn't stop to take a rest day or night, saying: "We must keep saving other's lives!" What high intentions these scholars had for rescuing future generations! They'd say: "A gentleman doesn't look to criticize others nor does he adorn himself with pretentious things." They figured that if someone was not bringing benefits to the rest of the world, they shone an inadequate light. Their outer work consisted of putting an end to aggression and warfare in others, and their inner work consisted of putting an end to desires and passions within. When dealing with small or large matters, with minor details or general theories, their whole existence revolved around those ideals and nothing more. Being impartial instead of favoring a specific ideal, to change easily instead of sticking to a previous perception, being independent instead of following the mandates of another, showing delight in things as they are without being two-faced, not trying to come to conclusions, not using cleverness to create schemes, and not showing favoritism between things - these things show an ability to join with anything. The ancients thought this was a completely adequate method to move forward with Dao. Peng Meng, Tian Pian and Shen Dao learned of these practices and were delighted. Their main gist was to equalize all the ten thousand things. They said: "The heavens is able to provide a cover for things but it isn't able to provide support from below. The earth is able to provide support from below for things but it isn't able to provide a cover. The great Dao is able to contain things and it isn't able to reject any of them." They knew that all things have that which they accept and that which they don't accept. Therefore they said: "By choosing one thing over another, something is cast aside. By sticking to one doctrine over another, something is missed. By connecting with Dao nothing is lost." So Shen Dao decided to give up on trying to understand anything, let go of his sense of self and follow along with whatever happened to occur. He just let things wash over him in an undisturbed way, considering that to be the basic principle of Dao. He said: "Those who think they know what they don't know have very shallow knowledge and will end up causing harm to themselves and everyone around them." Sparse with his words and actions, he accepted no position of authority and laughed at those who were esteemed as being worthy by the world. Setting himself free from restrictions, he didn't take on any specific demeanor and denied the authority placed in the sages by the world. Hammering and chopping away at what was already established as appropriate, he rolled and flowed along with other things. Abandoning all concepts of what is and what isn't, his indifference allowed him to avoid being involved in affairs. Not having a Master to set up as an exemplar and having no understanding of what should come first or last, he merely looked up to what came naturally. He'd respond if he was pushed and go along if he was dragged. He seemed like the wind floating in any direction, like a feather spinning, like a grinding stone revolving - perfectly attuned to the moment and not giving any opposition. He was never at fault whether he was in motion or keeping still, so he never got blamed for anything. How could that be? Because being without knowledge of anything, without establishing rules for oneself to cause anxiety and without using knowledge to try to tie everything together, whether one is still or in motion they don't depart from the principles of nature. In that way they can spend their whole lives not being praised for anything. Therefore Shen Dao said: "If I can merely be someone who has no knowledge of anything, then I'd have no use for worthiness or sagehood. A lump of earth doesn't lose Dao." The powerful and talented scholars would get together and laugh at him, saying: "The Dao of Shen Dao goes contrary to the behavior of a living person and is more suited for the conduct of a dead person." It's no wonder he's been regarded as strange. Tian Pian was on a similar path. He studied under Peng Meng, but what he received wasn't a teaching at all. Peng Meng's teacher would say: "The people of Dao in ancient times reached the pinnacle where nothing was right and nothing was wrong and saw no need to go any further." They (Tian Pian and Peng Meng) were like wind blowing through a cavernous space. What more could they say? People were always coming up with opposing viewpoints, and since they wouldn't take one side over another they couldn't avoid having their own theories carved up like old fish. Anything they claimed to be Dao was discredited as not being Dao and since they couldn't say they were right they couldn't avoid being considered wrong. Tian Pian, Peng Meng and Shan Dao did have a knowledge of Dao, but even so, those who hear about their theories take it all with a grain of salt. To take the root as being perfect and the things which arise from it as being unrefined, to consider accumulation as a lack, and to be indifferent to anything other than residing with insights into the spirit. The ancients thought this was a completely adequate method to move forward with Dao. Guan Yin and Lao Dan (Laozi) learned of these practices and were delighted. They established their theories on the concept that there was a constant vacuity in existence, made their primary ideal that of a Great Unity, used as their model suppleness, weakness, humility and ineptness, and retained a sense of emptiness so as not to destroy the true nature of any living thing. Guan Yin said: "By not being self-absorbed, all things will reveal themselves. When in motion be like water, when keeping still be like a mirror and when responding be like the natural sounds emanating from all around. Be without a trace, as though having vanished. Be still and silent like water in an undisturbed pond. One who is adaptable experiences harmony. One who grasps experiences loss. Never be at the lead but always stay behind." Lao Dan said: "Know the ways in which you act aggressively but guard your passivity. Become a conduit in the world. Know the ways in which you receive honor but guard your disgrace. Become a valley to the world." Everyone else tried to take the lead, but he alone trailed at the rear, saying that he would accept the dregs of the world. Everyone else tried to grasp the Truth, but he alone remained in vacuity without filling up his internal storehouses. In that way he had more than enough of everything and was quite secure in having more than enough. The movements of his body were slow and relaxed, not expending excess energy, as he was without any specific goals and he laughed at the idea of being clever. Everyone else was busy seeking their fortunes, but he alone by being flexible remained whole, saying that naturally reacting to what happens in each moment allows one one to avoid being blamed for anything. He penetrated deeply to the roots of things and restrained himself from discipline, saying that what's hard will be smashed into powder and what's sharp will be filed down. He was always tolerant toward things and didn't manipulate people. It can be said that he'd reached the pinnacle. Guan Yin and Lao Dan found the abundance of those in the past and were the most genuine among people! To be indistinct and boundless without a form while transforming and changing without consistency, to join as easily with death as with life, to join equally with the heavens and earth, to join in moving along with both the spirit and intelligence, and to absentmindedly forget why things are the way they are and have no sense of a destination while realizing that all things are naturally grouped together effortlessly. The ancients thought this was a completely adequate method to move forward with Dao. Zhuang Zhou (Zhuangzi) learned of these practices and was delighted. With his exaggeratedly drawn-out stories, his absurd and light-hearted words and his unevenly irregular phrases he continuously spoke freely and openly without regard to favoring anyone yet he didn't promote extremely unorthodox opinions about anything. Since he thought the world was so mired in the mud that they wouldn't be able to understand serious language, he used words that were gracefully redundant, repeatedly reiterating what would ring true and told fables most people could find a way to relate to. He took only the heavens and earth to be the pure spirits that flow in and out among us, but didn't treat the rest of the living things as inept infants who were barely able to walk and didn't scold anyone for being right or wrong. In that way he left room for future generations to expand. His writings, although rare and precious, and continuously seem to be lashing out at something, don't actually cause damage. His phrases, although uneven and irregular and seem to be giving advice, can be observed from many angles. So, what he says can be fully substantiated as his own writings and not as referring to what has already been said by others. Above he wanders with creation, and below he makes friends with what's outside the realms of life and death and without a beginning or an end. As to the source, he penetrates it right to its roots, going recklessly into its vast bowels. As for the ancestors, it could be said that he made adjustments to what they deemed was proper and went beyond what they were satisfied with. Besides that, he comfortably responded to change and easily separated himself from things. The concepts he presents are inexhaustible and what he brings to the table can't be ignored. His sharpness may be difficult to get to the bottom of, but one would never stop trying. Hui Shi had many different ways of looking at things, and his writings could fill five chariots. His path was to oppose and contradict, and his words were meant to throw people off their mark. He would try to elaborate on the ideas of others by saying things like: "What's called the biggest of all things is so large that nothing exists outside of it. What's called the smallest of all things is so small that nothing exists inside of it. "What's without depth can't accumulate anything even though it's a thousand miles across. "The heavens are as low as the earth and the tops of mountains are level with swamplands. "When the sun reaches its apex it starts to descend, and when a thing is born it starts to die. "On a grand scale things are quite similar but on a smaller scale things are different, so when viewed from the smallest scale things are quite different. If all living things gradually develop similarities and differences, then when seen from a larger scale things eventually become quite different. "Going in a southerly direction one would eventually come to the end of the earth, but there actually is no end to the earth. So one could go to Yue today and could be said have arrived yesterday. "A concentric circle has a starting point and an ending point. "We know the world has a central point, as a bird that flies to the north will end up in the south. "Since all things revolve around a common love, the heavens and earth are made of one substance." Hui Shi thought these statements were great, and when the rest of the world took heed of them it opened up a whole new area for disagreements. Those who enjoyed debates had a great time adding some of their own: An egg has hair. Chickens have three feet. The whole world is contained within the city of Ying. A dog can be considered to be a sheep. Horses lay eggs. Toads have tails. Fire isn't hot. Mountains arose from holes. Wheels don't spin on the ground. Eyes don't see. Fingers can't touch anything. What is touched can't be released. A tortoise is as long as a snake. A t-square doesn't make a right angle. A compass can't be used to draw a circle. A chisel can't penetrate a piece of wood. The shadow of a bird in flight never moves. The metal tip of a swiftly moving arrow can at the same time be going forward and staying still. Not all dogs are dogs. A yellow horse and a black ox make three. A white dog is black. An orphaned colt never had a mother. A stick measuring one foot in length can be broken in half every day and in a thousand years some of it will still remain. The debaters of the times could join in discussions about these things with Hui Shi for their whole lives without getting tired of it. Huan Tuan and Gong Sun Long were debaters like that. They could dazzle people's minds and change their outlooks, but even though they were able to out-talk anyone with their cleverness they weren't able to reach into their hearts. That was the limitation of those kinds of debaters. Hui Shi could go all day debating with others using his cleverness, and he used his special abilities to debate even the strangest things with anyone in the world. That was as deep as he went. Nevertheless, he kept chattering and considered himself to be an extremely worthy person because of that ability and would say that he was as magnificent as the heavens and earth! Shi was pretty outspokenly aggressive, but he was without any real skills. Down in the south there was an eccentric person named Huang Liao who asked why the heavens don't fall down, why the earth doesn't collapse and what caused there to be wind, rain and thunderstorms. Hui Shi didn't shrink from the challenge to give a response. He didn't hesitate for a moment before offering up answers. He went on a tirade about all the ten thousand things, going on and on without taking a break. Even though he thoroughly covered so many issues, he thought he might have missed a few, so he went on talking about other things that hadn't even been brought up. He contradicted the things others believed in order to get a reputation for himself, and there wasn't a single group of people who didn't find him offensive. His virtue was so weak and his bombasity was so strong that what he came out with was muddy and difficult to understand. If we look at Hui Shi's abilities from the perspective of the way of the heavens and earth it could be compared to the labors of a single mosquito or house fly. How could they possibly be of use to do anything! He was quite adequate in the one area for which he was praised, but it could be said that if he'd paid more attention to Dao he would have gone much further. Hui Shi wasn't able to be satisfied within himself with what he was doing, so he went on continuously trying to take apart everything and ended up simply getting a reputation as a good debater. The poor guy! Hui Shi spent most of his time displaying his talents like a show horse who doesn't really get anywhere. He just ran around in circles looking to contradict everything. He energetically tried to outshout his own echo and move faster than his own shadow. How sad! | 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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