The Huainanzi
Page 76
King Wen cultivated himself on Mount Qi, and the world was moved by his example.
Had Shun hastened after the benefit [of ruling] the world,
had he abandoned the Way of Self-Cultivation,
he would not have been able to preserve himself. How then would he have been able to take possession of [even] an inch of territory?
Thus,
if your governance is not yet secure enough to avoid disorder, and yet you intervene to create order, you will certainly encounter danger.
If your conduct is not yet secure enough to avoid censure, and yet you anxiously seek to establish a reputation, you will certainly fail in your attempt to do so.
There is no good fortune greater than being free of calamity.
There is no benefit better than avoiding death.23 [14/135/5–8]
14.21
The thing about movement is
if you do not gain, you will lose;
if you do not succeed, you will fail;
if you do not benefit, you will suffer harm.
These things are dangerous; those who follow such a course are in peril.
Thus,
Qin won victory over the Rong [tribe] but was defeated at Mount Yao.
Chu won victory over the Central States but was defeated at Boju.
Thus,
the Way does not allow for seeking benefit through force
but does allow for avoiding harm through tranquillity.
Thus,
constantly avoid ill fortune,
but do not constantly seek good fortune.
Constantly avoid blame,
but do not constantly seek achievements.24 [14/135/8–10]
14.22
The sage has no conscious deliberations;
he has no fixed ideas.
He neither welcomes what arrives
nor sends off what departs.
Though others occupy positions north, south, east, and west,
he alone is established at the center.
Thus, he encounters various crooked ways, but he does not lose his rectitude; the world flows to and fro, but he alone does not leave his [ancestral] shrine and walled city.
Thus,
he does not encourage what he likes,
nor does he avoid what he dislikes;
he simply follows Heaven’s Way.
He does not initiate,
nor does he personally assume authority;
he simply complies with Heaven’s Principles.
He does not make plans in advance,
nor does he miss the opportune moment;
he simply complies with Heaven’s Times.
He does not seek to obtain things,
nor does he shun good fortune;
he simply goes along with Heaven’s Patterns.
He does not seek after what he does not possess,
nor does he lose what he has obtained.
Inwardly he experiences no unexpected misfortune;
outwardly he experiences no unexpected good fortune.
Since neither ill fortune nor good fortune arises,
how can others harm him?25 [14/135/10–14]
14.23
If you do good, you will be admired.
If you do ill, you will be criticized.
Admiration generates honor.
Criticism generates resentment.
Thus the Techniques of the Way
cannot be used to advance and seek a reputation
but can be used to retreat and cultivate one’s person.
They cannot be used to obtain benefit
but can be used to distance oneself from harm.
Thus the sage
does not rely on his conduct to seek a reputation,
does not rely on his knowledge to demonstrate his praiseworthiness.
He imitates and complies with the natural so that nothing interferes with him.26 [14/135/16–18]
14.24
Forethought is not superior to techniques;
acting is not superior to Potency;
intervening is not superior to the Way.
If you act deliberately, there will be things you do not achieve.
If you seek after things, there will be things you do not obtain.
Though human beings possess their limits,
there is nothing the Way does not penetrate.27
If you compete with the Way, you will suffer misfortune.
Thus the Odes says:
“Without recognizing them, without knowing them,
comply with the thearch’s regulations.”28 [14/135/20–21]
14.25
To have knowledge but not act purposively is at one with the Way of no-knowledge;
to have ability but not intervene is at one with the Potency of no-ability.
This knowledge is such that only when someone comes to report to him do we become aware that he has [already] acted.
This ability is such that only after someone comes to employ him do we become aware that he has already done it.
When having knowledge resembles no-knowledge,
when having ability resembles no-ability,
the Patterns of the Way are rectified.
Thus,
when your merit spreads over the world but does not evoke praise,
and when your beneficence extends to future ages but does not earn fame,
the Patterns of the Way will pervade [the world], and human artifice will be destroyed.29 [14/135/21–24]
14.26
Reputation and the Way cannot simultaneously be brilliant.
When humans cherish a reputation, the Way is of no use.
When the Way prevails over humans, reputation vanishes.
The Way and humans compete for priority. What embellishes the human diminishes the Way. When the human is embellished and the Way vanishes, danger is not far off. Thus, when an age enjoys a reputation for sageliness, the day of the Way’s decline has already arrived.30 [14/135/26–28]
14.27
One who desires to have a posthumous reputation invariably performs good deeds;
one who desires to perform good deeds invariably initiates various undertakings.
If undertakings are initiated, then
you will abandon the public good and pursue self-interest
and will spurn techniques and rely on yourself.
Desiring to solicit praise for good deeds
and establish a reputation for worthiness,
your governance will not comply with precedent,
and your undertakings will not be in accord with the seasons.
When governance does not comply with precedent,
it will elicit numerous criticisms.
When undertakings do not accord with the seasons,
they will not be meritorious.
When criticisms are numerous and merit rare, and you do not possess the means to stop such tendencies, then
you will incite recklessness, even though you strive for what is appropriate,
and you will act recklessly, [even] though you seek to hit the mark.
Should your undertakings eventually succeed, it will not suffice to stop the criticisms;
should your undertakings eventually fail, it will suffice to cause you distress.31
Thus, if
you value doing what is approved
equally with doing what is disapproved,
you will have come close to the Way. [14/136/1–5]
14.28
It is not the case that the world lacks trustworthy men.
It is just that in the management of goods and the distribution of wealth, when you invariably seek to make calculations and determine distributions accordingly, you should consider that intending to be fair does not compare with being without intentions altogether.
It is not the case that the world is devoid of honest men.
It is just that in preserving valuable and precious things, as you invariably secure the doors and seal in the valua
ble and precious goods, you should consider that the desire to be honest does not compare with being without desires altogether. [14/136/7–9]
14.29
If a person points out your flaws, you will despise that person.
But should a mirror reveal your imperfections, you will praise the mirror.
Those who can interact with things and not take them personally can thus avoid encumbrances. 14/136/11]
14.30
Gongsun Long was gifted with words but bought his way to fame;
Deng Xi was a clever disputer but confounded the laws;
Su Qin excelled at offering persuasions but lost his life.
If you follow the Way, you will excel at not being conspicuous;
if you comply with its principles, you will be skillful at not gaining fame.
Thus,
those who rely on cleverness to compete for supremacy start out in yang but always end up in yin.32
Those who rely on intelligence to govern a state start out in order but always end up in disorder.
If you allow water to flow downward, who cannot regulate it? But should you force it to flow upward, without [exceptional] skill, you will not be able to do so.
Thus,
when outer ornamentation prevails, inner substance is concealed.
When artful depravity succeeds, uprightness is blocked. [14/136/13–16]
14.31
Moral Potency can be used to cultivate oneself, but it cannot be used to make others tyrannical.
The Way can be used to order oneself, but it cannot be used to make others disorderly.
Although you possess the inner qualities of a worthy or sage, if you do not encounter a tyrannical or disorderly age, you can perfect your person, but you cannot become a hegemon or king. Kings Tang and Wu encountered the tyranny of Jie and Djou. Jie and Djou were not tyrannical on account of Tang’s and Wu’s worthiness, but Tang and Wu encountered the tyranny of Jie and Djou and so became kings. Thus, however worthy, whether a person becomes king invariably depends on encountering an opportune moment. Encountering an opportune moment means obtaining something by happening upon the right moment. It is not something you can seek and perfect with your knowledge and ability.33 [14/136/18–21]
14.32
The Superior Man cultivates his conduct yet makes certain that his goodness does not bring him fame.
He extends his kindness yet makes certain that his humaneness does not bring him notice.
Thus,
the scholars practice goodness but do not know the source of their goodness.
The people enjoy the benefits [they receive] but do not know the origins of their benefits.
Thus,
if you do not act, things will become regulated by themselves.
If your goodness becomes manifest, functionaries will compete [to establish] reputations.
If your benefits [are seen to] have a basis, the people will vie with one another to obtain them.
When these two types of competition arise, [even] though you are a worthy ruler, you will not be able to govern. Thus, the sage
hides his tracks when doing good
and conceals his reputation when acting humanely. [14/136/23–25]
14.33
Associating with foreign states to seek assistance
and serving large states to seek security
do not compare with
establishing order within your borders
and waiting for the opportune moment.
As a general rule, when serving others,
if you do not rely on jade and silk,
you will surely use humble speech.
If you serve others by means of jade and silk, once the goods have been given away, [their] desires may not be satiated.
If you humble yourself and use servile speech, once the phrases have been spoken, the relationship may not be clinched.
If you conclude a treaty and swear an oath, once the treaty has been established, it may be abrogated that very day.
Even though you diminish your state by a zi or a chui34 to serve others and do not follow the Way of self-reliance, it will not suffice to keep your state intact. If you stop pursuing foreign policy schemes and truly attend to cultivating the affairs within your state, fully developing the resources of your land to increase the state reserves, exhorting your people to avoid death by repairing their city walls, [so that]
superior and subordinates are of one mind,
and ruler and ministers are of one will,
so that together with your ministers you preserve the altars of the soil and grain and the people are inspired to remain within the state even when facing death, then
those who aspire to establish a reputation will not punish the innocent,
and those who endeavor to bring benefit will not attack those who are difficult to defeat.
Surely this is the Way of keeping [one’s state] intact. [14/136/27–14/137/3]
14.34
The people have a Way that they will uniformly follow;
the people have laws that they will uniformly uphold.
Rightness cannot make the people secure with one another;
coercion cannot make the people be bound to one another.
Thus a ruler is established to unify the people.
When the ruler grasps the One, there is order;
when he lacks constancy, there is disorder.35 [14/137/5–6]
14.35
The Way of Rulership is not the means by which one acts;
it is the means by which one does not act.36
What does “non-action” mean? [It means that]
the wise do not avail themselves of their position to intervene;
the courageous do not avail themselves of their position to engage in violence;
and the humane do not avail themselves of their position to confer kindness.
This may be called “non-action.” Through non-action, you can grasp the One. The One is the root of the myriad things. It is the Way that is unopposed. [14/137/6–8]
14.36
As a general rule, human nature
is glittering and unruly when young,
is violent and vigorous when mature,
and loves what brings it benefit when elderly.
In the course of one’s life, a person undergoes these several alterations. How much more is it the case that rulers change the laws countless times and that states change their rulers! If people rely on their position in life to satisfy their likes and dislikes, they will not be able to bring order to [those who take] the “low road.” Thus, when the ruler loses the One and there is chaos, it is worse than when there is no ruler at all.37
Thus, the Odes states:
“Do not err. Do not forget.
Follow the ancient regulations.”38
That expresses it. [14/137/8–11]
14.37
When the ruler favors knowledge,
he will turn his back on timeliness and rely on himself;
he will abandon technique and rely on forethought.
Since the things of the world are extensive while knowledge is limited, it is not possible to rely on what is limited to tend to what is extensive. When the ruler relies solely on knowledge, his mistakes will invariably multiply. Thus, favoring knowledge is an inferior policy.
When the ruler favors courage,
he will underestimate the enemy and be lax with his defensive preparations;
he will rely on himself and dismiss the assistance of others.
When he confronts a powerful enemy with the strength of [only] his one person and does not avail himself of the multitudes but instead relies solely on his own capabilities, invariably he will not survive. Thus, favoring courage is a dangerous policy.
When the ruler favors charity,
he will lack a fixed standard for making distributions
When there is no fixed standard of distribution above,
resentments will not cease below.39
If he increases taxes and fills the storehouses with surplus, the people he is helping will despise him. If he appropriates little and gives much, the quantity of his surplus will not be sufficient. Thus, favoring charity is a Way that only gives rise to resentment.
Humaneness, knowledge, courage, and strength40 constitute the outstanding capacities of human beings, yet none suffices to rule the world. Considering the matter from this perspective,
it will not suffice to rely on the worthy and capable.
Yet it is possible to follow the Techniques of the Way.
This is clear.41 [14/137/13–18]
14.38
The sage makes his mind victorious;
the ordinary person makes his desires victorious.
The Superior Man disseminates upright qi;
the small man disseminates noxious qi.
That which
inwardly suits nature
outwardly accords with Rightness,
complies with Patterns when acting,
and is not burdened by external things
is upright qi.
That which is
attracted by succulent aromas and tastes,
excited by sounds and colors,
moved by happiness and anger,
and unmindful of the dangers that lie ahead
is noxious qi.
Noxious qi and upright qi injure each other;
desires and nature harm each other.
They cannot both stand.
Uphold one and the other falls.
Thus the sage rejects desires and follows his nature.
The eyes being fond of color,
the ears being fond of sounds,
the mouth being fond of taste,
coming into contact with them [i.e., color, sound, and taste], they delight in them without understanding the benefit or harm that lies therein. [These are] the desires.
When eating is not good for the body,
when hearing does not accord with the Way,
when seeing does not suit nature,
and when the three sense organs [of taste, hearing, and sight] are in conflict with one another, what relies on Rightness to bring them under control is the mind.