The Huainanzi
Page 75
3. These themes are found in many sections of the chapter: for example, 14.8, 14.11, 14.12, 14.23, 14.37, 14.38, 14.39, 14.46, 14.49, 14.51, 14.52, 14.53, 14.67, and 14.68.
4. See, for example, 14.7, 14.8, and 14.12.
5. Lüshi chunqiu 17/7.1, “No Duality” (Bu er) similarly states: “Where there is unity, order results; where there are differences, chaos ensues; where there is unity, security results; and where there are differences, danger arises” (Knoblock and Riegel 2000, 434). Lüshi chunqiu 17/8.1, “Upholding Unity” (Zhi yi), also states:
The true king by holding fast to the One makes the myriad things correct. An army must have a general, for he is what unifies it; a state must have a ruler, for he is what unifies it; and the world must have a Son of Heaven, for he is what unifies it. The Son of Heaven must hold fast to the One, for that is what makes him unique. Where there is unity, there is order; where there is duality, there is chaos. (Knoblock and Riegel 2000, 434)
6. See also WZ 5/26/12–13.
7. See, for example, 14.3, 14.23, 14.32, 14.40, 14.43, 14.64, 14.65, and 14.66.
8. Great King Danfu also appears in 12.15 and 20.9.
9. For a particularly illuminating discussion of the Grand One and its associations with the Laozi, see Sarah Allan, “The Great One, Water, and the Laozi: New Light from Guodian,” T ’oung Pao 89 (2003): 237–85.
Fourteen
14.1
Cavernous and undifferentiated Heaven and Earth, chaotic and inchoate Uncarved Block, not yet created and fashioned into things: this we call the “Grand One.”1
Together emerging from this unity, so that each acquired its distinctive qualities, there were birds, there were fish, there were animals: this we call the “differentiation of things.”
Regions became distinguished according to their categories;
things became differentiated according to their groupings.
Their natures and destinies were dissimilar; all acquired their physical forms in the realm of “Being.”
Separate and not interconnected, differentiated as the myriad things, none could return to their Ancestor.2 Thus,
when animated, things are said to be alive;
when dead, things are said to be expired.
In both cases, they are things. It is not that there was nothing that made things into things; rather, what made things into things is not among the myriad things. [14/132/10–13]
In antiquity, at the Grand Beginning,3 human beings came to life in “Non-being” and acquired a physical form in “Being.” Having a physical form, [human beings] came under the control of things. But those who can return to that from which they were born, as if they had not yet acquired a physical form, are called the “Genuine.”4 The Genuine are those who have not yet begun to differentiate from the Grand One. [14/132/15–16]
14.2
The sage
does not for the sake of a name become a corpse;
does not for the sake of stratagems store things up;
does not for the sake of affairs take on responsibility;
does not for the sake of wisdom become a ruler.5
[The sage]
dwells in the Formless,
moves in the Traceless,
and wanders in the Beginningless.
He does not initiate things for the sake of good fortune,
nor does he begin things to deal with misfortune.
He remains in Emptiness and Non-being
and moves when he cannot do otherwise.
For those who desire good fortune, sometimes suffer misfortune,
and those who desire benefit, sometimes suffer harm.6
Thus,
those who are secure through non-action become endangered when they lose that by which they are secure [i.e., non-action].
Those who are well ordered through nonintervention become disordered when they lose that by which they are well ordered. [14/132/18–20]
14.3
Stars arrayed in the heavens are bright. Therefore people point at them.
Rightness arrayed in one’s Moral Potency is obvious. Therefore people observe it.
What people point at has a manifestation because it moves;
what people observe leaves a trace because it acts.
When movements have manifestations, they will be criticized;
when actions have traces, they will be appraised.
Thus, the sage conceals his brilliance in the Formless and hides his traces in non-action. [14/132/20–22]
14.4
Prince Qingji7 perished by the sword;
Yi died by a cudgel made of peach wood;
Zilu was dismembered in Wey;
and Su Qin died because of his eloquence.
There are no people
who do not cherish their strengths
and despise their weaknesses.
Yet,
while they indulge their strengths,
their weaknesses become pronounced.
So that
while what they cherish assumes definite form;
what they despise [seems to] leave not a trace.
Thus,
the power of tigers and leopards attracts archers.
The agility of monkeys and apes invites pursuit.8
Those who can
cherish their weaknesses
and despise their strengths
can join in discussions of the highest principles. [14/132/24–28]
14.5
Those who trust themselves cannot be swayed by slander or flattery.
Those whose knowledge is sufficient cannot be enticed by power or profit.
Thus,
those who fully comprehend the genuine qualities of their nature do not strive to accomplish what their nature cannot accomplish.
Those who fully comprehend the genuine qualities of their destiny do not concern themselves with what their destiny cannot control.
For those who fully comprehend the Way, things are not enough to disorder their inner harmony.9 [14/133/1–3]
14.6
Zhan He said:
“I have never heard of a ruler who was ordered in his person yet found his state disordered.
Nor have I heard of a ruler who was disordered in his person yet found his state to be well ordered.” [14/133/5]
14.7
If the carpenter’s square is not true, it cannot create a square.
If the compass is not true, it cannot create a circle.
Your person is the carpenter’s square and compass of all your undertakings. I have not heard that it was possible to correct others by perverting yourself. [14/133/5–6]
14.8
Trace to the source Heaven’s decree,
cultivate the techniques of the mind,
regulate likes and dislikes,
follow your disposition and nature,
and the Way of governing [oneself] will come through.
If you trace to the source Heaven’s decree, you will not be deluded by bad or good fortune.
If you cultivate the techniques of the mind, you will not be unrestrained in your happiness and anger.
If you regulate your likes and dislikes, you will not covet what is useless.
If you follow your disposition and nature, your desires will not exceed the appropriate limits.
If you are not deluded by bad or good fortune, your movement and stillness will comply with the inherent principles of things.
If you are not unrestrained in your happiness and anger, your rewards and punishments will not be partial.
If you do not covet what is useless, you will not allow your desires to harm your nature.
If your desires do not exceed the appropriate limits, you will nurture your nature and know contentment.
As a general rule, these four things cannot be sought after in what is outside the self nor can you bestow them on others. You can obtain them only by returning to the self.10 [14/133/7–11]
14.9
The world<
br />
cannot be acted on by knowledge;
cannot be discerned through perceptiveness;
cannot be governed by intervening;
cannot be subjugated through humaneness;
and cannot be vanquished through strength.
These five are all aspects of human talent. If your Potency does not flourish, you will not be able to perfect even one of them. Where Potency is established, these five will not be endangered. But where these five appear, Potency will not be established.
Thus,
if you grasp the Way, stupidity will be more than sufficient;
if you lose the Way, knowledge will be insufficient to the task. [14/133/13–15]
14.10
When crossing a river,
if you lack the technique11 of swimming, you will assuredly drown despite your strength.
If you possess the technique of swimming, you will assuredly cross to the other side despite your weakness.
Then again, how much better to rely on taking a boat! [14/133/17]
14.11
The root of governance lies in bringing security to the people.
The root of bringing security to the people lies in using them sufficiently.
The root of using them sufficiently lies in not taking them from their seasonal tasks.
The root of not taking them from their seasonal tasks lies in decreasing what they need to attend to.
The root of decreasing what they need to attend to lies in moderating their desire.
The root of moderating their desire lies in returning to their nature.
The root of returning to their nature lies in eradicating [what] burdens [their mind].
If you eradicate [what] burdens [their mind], they will become empty. Being empty, they will become balanced.
Balance is the beginning of the Way.
Emptiness is the abode of the Way. [14/133/19–21]
14.12
Those who can take possession of the world assuredly do not forfeit their states.
Those who can take possession of a state assuredly do not forfeit their families.
Those who can govern their family assuredly do not neglect their persons.
Those who can cultivate their persons assuredly do not forget their minds.
Those who can trace their minds to the source assuredly do not injure their natures.
Those who can keep their natures intact assuredly are not confused about the Way.
Thus the “Master of Broad Perfection”12 said:
“Reverently preserve what lies inside;
comprehensively shut out what lies outside.
Too much knowledge gives rise to defeat.
Do not look.
Do not listen.
Embrace the spirit by means of stillness,
and your physical form will correct itself.”13
To be unable to grasp it within yourself and yet to be able to know it in others—this has never been possible.
Thus the Changes says:
“Tie it up in a sack.
No blame, no praise.”14 [14/134/1–4]
14.13
Those who can succeed as hegemons and kings assuredly achieve victory.
Those who can vanquish their enemies assuredly are powerful.
Those who can be powerful assuredly use the strength of others.
Those who can use the strength of others assuredly win the people’s hearts.
Those who can win the people’s hearts assuredly understand their own hearts.
Those who can understand their own hearts assuredly are soft and weak.
Strength triumphs when others’ strength does not compare to your own. Should you encounter those whose strength is equal to your own, you will be resisted. But softness triumphs over those who exceed you [in strength], because its power is immeasurable. Thus, only the sage can accomplish great victories where most people would suffer defeat.15 [14/134/6–9]
14.14
Those who excel at swimming do not study how to move a boat with a pole yet find [boats] easy to use.16
Those who possess strong muscles do not study how to ride a horse yet find [horses] easy to mount.
Those who look lightly upon [taking possession of] the world do not allow their person to become entangled by external things; thus they can occupy such a position.
When the Great King Danfu resided in Bin, the Dee people attacked him. He offered them skins, silks, pearls, and jades, but they did not heed him. Danfu then bid farewell to his elders and moved his residence to the foot of Mount Qi. Carrying their young and supporting their old, the common people followed Danfu, and subsequently he established a state there. By this principle, is it not fitting that the house of Zhou attained the world in four generations? Those who do nothing deliberately to take possession of the world assuredly are those who can rule the world.17 [14/134/11–15]
14.15
Frost, snow, rain, and dew bring life and death to the myriad things.
Heaven does not act deliberately in such matters,
yet Heaven is revered for accomplishing them.
Slaving over civil documents and worrying about legal decrees;
managing offices and keeping the people in order:
[such things are the tasks] of the officials.
The ruler does not intervene in such matters,
yet he is honored for accomplishing them.
The one who cultivated the fields and reclaimed the wastelands was Lord Millet;
the one who opened up the Yellow River and dredged the Yangzi was Yu;
the one who heard court cases and settled them appropriately was Gao Yao;
yet the one who enjoyed a sagely reputation for accomplishing them was Yao.
Thus if you rely on the Way in directing the world, even though you may be devoid of ability, you will invariably use those who are capable. But if you do not rely on the Way, though you may possess much skill and artistry, they will not bring you any benefit.18 [14/134/15–18]
14.16
Suppose you are crossing the river in a twin-hulled boat19 and an empty boat comes from another direction and crashes into your boat and overturns it. Even if you have a violent temper, you certainly will not exhibit an angry expression. [But] if there had been someone in the [other] boat, you might first have shouted, “Trim the sail,” and next, “Stay to one side.” And if you had called two or three times with no response, certainly a stream of insulting words would have followed in the wake of the boat.
[Thus], although in the former case you would not be angry, in the latter case you would be angry; although in the former case you would be empty [of emotion], in the latter case you would be full. But as for those who are able to empty themselves [of emotions] and drift through the world, who could criticize them?20 [14/134/20–22]
14.17
If you disregard the Way and rely on knowledge, invariably you will be endangered.
If you abandon technique and employ talent, invariably you will encounter difficulties.
There have been those who perished because their desires were numerous;
there have never been those who were endangered because they were free from desires.
There have been those who desired order but suffered disorder;
there have never been those who preserved what is constant and yet lost their state.
Thus,
while knowledge [alone] will not suffice for you to avoid trouble,
stupidity [alone] will not suffice to jeopardize your peace.
If you preserve these distinctions
and act in accordance with these principles,
when you lose, you will not feel vexed,
and when you succeed, you will not feel happy.
For when you accomplish something, it is not because you have acted deliberately,
and when you acquire something, it is not because you have sought after something.
What you receive, you take without [consciously] acce
pting;
what you give, you confer without [consciously] distributing.
If you [nourish] life in accordance with spring,
and you kill in accordance with autumn,
those to whom you grant life will not view you as exerting Moral Potency,
and those whom you subject to death will not view you as expressing anger.
[Thus] you will have come close to the Way. [14/134/24–28]
14.18
The sage does not do things that are wrong
yet does not hate those who do wrong to him.
He cultivates Moral Potency worthy of praise
yet does not seek the praise of others.
He cannot prevent ill fortune from arising
yet trusts that he personally will not summon it.
He cannot assure that good fortune will invariably befall him
yet trusts that he personally will not yield to it.
[Thus,]
if misfortune befalls him, because it is not something he sought to bring about, should he fail, he feels no anxiety.
If good fortune befalls him, because it is not something he sought to bring about, should he succeed, he feels no pride.
He knows that what determines bad and good fortune is beyond his control.
Thus, he is joyful abiding at his leisure and governs through non-action.21 [14/134/30–14/135/3]
14.19
The sage preserves what he already has
and does not seek after what he has not yet attained.
If he seeks after what he has not yet attained,
he will lose what he already has.
If he cultivates what he has within himself,
what he desires will be obtained.22
Thus,
those who employ an army
first make sure they cannot be defeated,
then await the enemy that can be defeated.
Those who rule a state,
first make sure that it cannot be captured,
then await the enemy that can be captured. [14/135/3–5]
14.20
Shun cultivated himself on Mount Li, and all within the Four Seas were transformed by his influence.