by Chuang Tzu
Lao Lai Tzu said, ‘This is Confucius. Call him over here.’
Confucius came. Lao Lai Tzu said, ‘Confucius! Rid yourself of your pride and that smug look on your face and you could then become a nobleman.’
Confucius bowed and retreated and then a look of astonishment came over his face and he asked, ‘Do you think I could manage this?’
Lao Lai Tzu said, ‘You can’t bear the sufferings of this one generation, therefore you go and cause trouble for ten thousand generations to come. Do you set out to be this miserable, or don’t you realize what you are doing? You insist that people should only be joyful in a way you prescribe. The infamy of this will follow you all your life. This is the action of a nondescript type of person, one who wants to rule through fame, who enjoys plotting with others, praising Yao and criticizing Chieh, when really you should just forget them and silence your tendency to glorify. What is wrong cannot but harm and what is active cannot fail to be wrong. The sage is cautious and hesitates before any action, and so always succeeds. But really, what can I say about your actions? For ultimately they are only bragging!’
The Lord Yuan of Song dreamt in the middle of the night that a man with dishevelled hair peered in at him through the side door and said, ‘I have come from the depths of Tsai Lu and was on my way from the clear Yangtze as an ambassador to the Lord of the Yellow River, when a fisherman called Yu Chu caught me.’
Immediately Lord Yuan woke up and asked a diviner to find out what this meant.
‘This is a sacred turtle,’ said the diviner.
‘Is there a fisherman called Yu Chu?’ asked the Lord.
‘There is,’ he was told.
The Lord said, ‘Command that Yu Chu comes here.’
Next day, Yu Chu arrived and the ruler asked him, ‘What have you caught recently?’
He replied, ‘I have caught a white turtle in my nets recently. It is about five feet in circumference.’
‘Present your turtle,’ said the ruler.
When the turtle came, the ruler couldn’t decide whether to kill it or keep it. His heart was troubled, so he asked the diviner, who said, ‘Kill the turtle and use it to make divinations and receive an oracle.’ So the turtle had its shell removed and seventy-two holes drilled into its shell for divination.101 Not one of them failed to offer a good oracle.
Confucius said, ‘The sacred turtle could manifest itself in a dream to Lord Yuan but could not escape the nets of Yu Chu. It had sufficient wisdom to give seventy-two correct divinations, but it could not escape having its vital organs cut out. This is how it is, wisdom has its limits and even spirituality has something beyond its reach. Even perfect wisdom can be defeated by a multitude of scheming people.
‘Fish seem not to fear nets, they only seem to fear pelicans. Rid yourself of petty knowledge and allow great wisdom to enlighten you. Rid yourself of goodness, and goodness will naturally arise. When a child is born, it needs no great teacher; nevertheless it learns to talk as it lives with those who talk.’
Hui Tzu argued with Chuang Tzu and said, ‘What you say is useless!’
‘You have to understand what is useless, then you can talk about what is useful,’ said Chuang Tzu. ‘Heaven and Earth are vast indeed and yet human beings only use the tiny part of the universe on which they tread. However, if you dug away beneath your feet until you came to the Yellow Springs, could anyone make use of this?’
‘Useless,’ said Hui Tzu.
‘So indeed it is true that what is useless is clearly useful,’ said Chuang Tzu.
Chuang Tzu continued, ‘If someone has the itch to travel, what can stop him? But if someone does not wish to travel, then what can make him? The one who hides in conformity or the one who is distant and seeks oblivion, both fail to achieve perfect understanding and Virtue! They stumble and fall but do not recover. They crash ahead like fire and never look back. Even if they are a ruler with ministers, this too passes. These titles change with each generation and neither is better than the other. It is said that the perfect man leaves no trace of his actions.
‘To respect the past and despise the present, this is what scholars do. Even the followers of Chi Hsi Wei, who view this generation in that way, are swept along without choice. Only the perfect man is able to be in the world and not become partisan, can follow others and not get lost. He does not absorb their teachings, he just listens and understands without any commitment.
‘The eye that is penetrating can see clearly;
the ear that is acute hears well;
the nose that discriminates distinguishes smells;
the mouth with a keen sense of taste enjoys the flavours;
the heart that feels deeply has wisdom
and the wisdom that cuts to the quick is Virtue.
‘Through all that is, the Tao will not be blocked, for if it is blocked, it gasps, and if it gasps, chaos breaks through. Chaos destroys the life in all. Everything that lives does so through breath. However, if breath will not come, this cannot be blamed on Heaven. Heaven seeks to course breath through the body day in and day out without ceasing: it is humanity which impedes this. The womb has its chambers and the heart has its Heavenly journey. However, if rooms are not large enough, then mother-in-law and wife will argue. If the heart does not wander in Heaven, then the six openings of sensation will compete with each other. The great forests, the hills and mountains surpass humanity in their spirit because they cannot be overcome.
‘Virtue overflows into fame and desire for fame overflows into excess. Plans arise from a crisis and knowledge comes through argument. Obstinacy fuels resolution and official actions arise from the desires of all. When spring comes, the rains come along with the sunshine, the plants surge into life and harvesting tools are made ready again. Half of all that has fallen begins to sprout, and no one knows why for sure.
‘Quietude and silence are healing for those who are ill;
massage is beneficial to the old;
peaceful contemplation can calm the distressed.
To be sure, it is only the disturbed person who needs these.
Someone who is at ease and is untroubled by such things has no need of this.
The sage reforms everything below Heaven, but the spiritual man does not enquire how.
The worthy person improves his generation, but the sage does not enquire how.
The ruler governs the country, but the worthy person does not enquire how.
The petty man makes do in these times, but the ruler does not enquire how.
‘The gatekeeper of Yen Gate had a father who died and the gatekeeper was praised for the extremities of self-deprivation he inflicted on himself, and was honoured by the title of Model Officer. Some others in the area also underwent such extremities, and half of them died. Yao offered the country to Hsu Yu and Hsu Yu fled from him. Tang offered the kingdom to Wu Kuang and Wu Kuang became angry. Chi To heard this and retreated with his followers to the waters of the Kuan, where the local nobles came and commiserated with him for three years. For the same reason, Shen Tu Ti threw himself into the Yellow River. A fish trap is used to catch fish, but once the fish have been taken, the trap is forgotten. The rabbit trap is used to snare rabbits, but once the rabbit is captured, the trap is ignored. Words are used to express concepts, but once you have grasped the concepts, the words are forgotten. I would like to find someone who has forgotten the words so I could debate with such a person!’
CHAPTER 27
Supposed Words
Supposed words constitute nine-tenths of discourse, quotes make up seven tenths and flowing words are brought forth every day, refined by the influence of Heaven.
Supposed words which constitute nine-tenths are similar to people who are brought in from outside. For example, no father is used as a reference for his son, for the father cannot be as objective as someone not of the family. It is not my fault but the fault of other people (who otherwise wouldn’t listen to me), for otherwise people would only pay attention to what they alr
eady know and dismiss anything else. Thus they say that whatever agrees with them is right, but whatever they dislike they call wrong.
Quotes make up seven-tenths and are there to stop arguments, which they do because they are respected as the words of sagacious elders. However, those who are old but have not grasped the warp and weft, the root and branch of things cannot be quoted as sagacious elders. A person like this hasn’t understood the Tao. Nor has he understood the Tao of humanity. He is just a sad remnant of another time.
Flowing words are spoken every day and they harmonize through the influence of Heaven, continuing for ever and so extending my years. If nothing is said about them, they remain in agreement, and agreement is not affected by words: words are in agreement but agreement is not words. So it is said, ‘say nothing’. Words say nothing, so you can talk all your life and say nothing. In contrast you can live your life without speaking and have said things of worth.
There is that which makes things acceptable and that which makes things unacceptable.
There is that which makes things certain and that which makes things uncertain.
How is this?
Because it is.
How is this not so?
It is not so, because it is not so.
How does this occur?
Because it occurs.
How does this not occur?
It does not occur, because it does not occur.
Everything is defined by what is right and everything is defined by what is possible. If there is nothing, then it cannot be. If there is nothing, then it cannot occur. If there are no flowing words every day, influenced by Heaven, then how could all this persist? All forms of life arise from the same base and in their diverse forms they succeed each other. They begin and end like an unbroken circle, and none can say why. This is the influence of Heaven. This influence of Heaven is the harmony of Heaven.
Chuang Tzu asked Hui Tzu, ‘In reaching the age of sixty, Confucius has changed his views sixty times, so what he once held to be right he now holds to be wrong. So who knows now whether what he once called right he hasn’t fifty-nine times called wrong?’
Hui Tzu said, ‘Confucius sincerely tries to pursue understanding and tries to act in accord with this.’
‘Confucius has abandoned that,’ said Chuang Tzu, ‘but he doesn’t talk about it. Confucius said, “We all received our abilities from the Great Origin, and we should try to show them in our lives.” Our singing should accord with the chords and our speech should be an example. But you parade profit and righteousness before us, and your likes and dislikes, and what you approve and disapprove, and you produce nothing more than servile agreement. To ensure people’s hearts submit, so that they dare not resist, that would make everyone under Heaven rest secure. Dear oh dear! I have no chance of managing all this!’
Tseng Tzu twice held power but twice he changed his heart, saying, ‘At first, when I was caring for my parents, my salary was three fu of rice, but I was happy. The second time I received three thousand chung of rice, but my parents were gone and I was sad.’
One of the followers of Confucius said, ‘Surely Tseng Tzu can be described as being free from the folly of entanglement?’
‘But he was already entangled,’ replied Confucius. ‘If he had been free, why should he have been so sad? He would have viewed both his three fu and his three thousand chung as just so many sparrows or mosquitoes flying in front of him.’
Yen Cheng Tzu Yu said to Tzu Chi of the Eastern Suburb. ‘When I listened to your words, Master, the first year I was just a country bumpkin. The second year I was happy to be led. The third year I began to journey with you. The fourth year I was just a thing. The fifth year I began to progress. The sixth year the ghosts came into me. The seventh year Heaven’s perfection came. The eighth year I could not understand death nor life. The ninth year I achieved the great mystery.
‘When life completes its purpose, death results. What is, follows, and each of us has to contemplate death, for it’s the path we tread. That which lives in yang is without a path. Is this certain? How does all this happen? Why is it not so here? Heaven has its time and space and Earth has its calculating peoples. Yet how can I discern all this? We have no idea when and how life will end. But how can we try and decide that they are not destined? Given that we have no idea how and when they began, how can we try and decide that they are destined? Given that there is something there, how is it possible to claim that there are no ghosts? If there is nothing there, how can we possibly claim that there are ghosts?’
The Outline asked the Shadow, ‘A few minutes ago you were looking down, now you are looking up; a few minutes ago your hair was piled up, now it is hanging down; a few minutes ago you were sitting down, now you are standing up; a few minutes ago you were walking, now you are standing still. Why?’
Shadow said, ‘Petty! Petty! Why do you ask me about all this? This is all true to me but I haven’t a clue why I do it. I am like the shell of a cicada or the shed skin of a snake: something which seems real but is not. In the sunlight I appear, in darkness I disappear. However, do you think I arise from these? For they are themselves dependent upon others. When it comes, I come also. When it goes, I go with it. If they arise from the mighty yang, so do I. However, there is no point in asking about the mighty yang!’
Yang Tzu Chu travelled south to Pei, Lao Tzu went west to Chin but Yang asked him to go to the border at Liang where they met. Lao Tzu stood in the middle of the road, gazed up to Heaven and said with a sigh, ‘At first I thought you could be taught, but now I know it is not possible.’
Yang Tzu Chu said nothing. Later they arrived at the inn and he went to fetch water in order to wash his teacher, and a towel and a comb. Removing his shoes outside the door, he crawled across the floor and said, ‘Earlier, Master, your follower wanted to ask you about what you said, but you were busy and I did not dare to. Now, it seems an appropriate time, so I would like to ask what I’ve done wrong.’
Lao Tzu said, ‘Such pride and arrogance, such elevation and certainty; who could bear being with you? The greatest purity is soiled, overflowing virtue is not enough.’
Yang Tzu Chu, when he first arrived at the inn, was greeted by the people there. The innkeeper brought out a mat, his wife brought towels and a comb. Others in the inn respectfully moved aside from their mats. However, when he came back, everyone tried to shove him off his very own mat!
CHAPTER 28
Abdication
Yao wanted to abdicate the country to Hsu Yu, but Hsu Yu would not accept. He then offered it to Tzu Chou Chih Fu. Tzu Chou Chih Fu said, ‘You wish me to be the Son of Heaven, which is fine. But unfortunately I suffer from a deep-rooted and painful disease which I am currently trying to overcome. As I need to use all my energy to deal with this, I am unable to rule the country.’
The country is of course of tremendous significance, yet he would not put his life at risk, so why do so for even less important things? Someone who doesn’t wish to rule the country is exactly the person to ask to do so.
Shun wanted to abdicate the country to Tzu Chou Chih Po, but Tzu Chou Chih Po said, ‘At this time I have an unpleasant and disturbing illness and I am using all my energy to deal with it, which means I have no time to rule the country.’
It is said that the country is the greatest of ventures, but he would not risk his life for it, which shows how those who have the Tao are very different from the ordinary person.
Shun tried to abdicate in favour of Shan Chuan, but Shan Chuan said, ‘Here I am in the midst of space and time. During the winter I wear skins and furs, in summer I wear vine leaves and linen. In the spring I plough and plant and my body is exercised by this. In the autumn I harvest and pile up and then I rest and eat. When the sun rises I wake up and work, while at sunset I rest. I journey where I will between Heaven and Earth to my heart’s desire. So why would I want to rule the country? Alas, Sire, you do not understand!’ So he said no and went away, deep into the mountains, and n
o one knew where he went.
Shun wanted to abdicate the country to his friend the farmer of Shih Hu. The farmer of Shih Hu said, ‘But you have such strength and endurance, my Lord!’ Realizing that Shun’s Virtue would not be enough, he collected his wife, took hold of his son’s hand and went off into the islands of the coast. He never ever came back.102
The great king Tan Fu103 lived in Pin, and the Ti peoples invaded. He tried to pay them off with skins and silks but this did not satisfy them. He tried to appease them with dogs and horses, but they didn’t like that. He offered them pearls and jade but they didn’t like that, for the Ti peoples were only interested in his lands.
Great King Tan Fu said, ‘To live here with the older brothers, to despatch the younger brothers to death, to live amongst the fathers and despatch the sons to death – I cannot do it! My children, stay here! Does it really matter whether I rule you or the Ti people do? I have heard people say that you should not use that by which you care for the people, to harm the people.’ Then he picked up his staff and riding crop, and left. However, the people came after him, all following one another, and soon they founded a new country under Chi Mountain.104
The great King Tan Fu knew how to care for life. Those who honour life, even if they are rich and powerful, misuse what should nourish, and so cause injury to themselves. Likewise, even if they are poor and lowly, they will endanger themselves for the sake of profit. The people of this generation, if they achieve greatness and title, are then preoccupied with holding on to them. Looking only for profit, they forget the risks involved. Surely this is madness!
The people of Yueh assassinated their rulers three times in one generation. Upset by all this, Prince Sou fled to the caves of Tan, which meant that the kingdom of Yueh was without a ruler. The people of Yueh tried to find Prince Sou but couldn’t, until they discovered the caves of Tan. Prince Sou refused to come out, but the people of Yueh smoked him out with noxious fumes. Then they put him in the royal carriage. Prince Sou grasped the strap and hauled himself up into the carriage, looked to Heaven and said, ‘O ruler, O ruler! Couldn’t I have been spared all this?’ Prince Sou was not frightened of being the ruler, it was all the troubles that go with it that he was afraid of. It can be said of Prince Sou that he was not willing to allow the concerns of the kingdom to damage his life and it was exactly because of this that the people of Yueh wished to have him as their ruler.