The Book of Chuang Tzu (Penguin) Read online

  ‘Monkeys mate with each other, deer go with deer. People said that Mao Chiang and Li Chi were the most beautiful women in the world, but fish seeing them dived away, birds took off into the air and deer ran off. Of these four, who really knows true beauty? As I see it, benevolence and righteousness, also the ways of right and wrong, are completely interwoven. I do not think I can know the difference between them!’

  Yeh Chueh said: ‘Master, if you do not know the difference between that which is good and that which is harmful, does this mean the perfect man is also without such knowledge?’

  ‘The perfect man is pure spirit,’ replied Wang Ni. ‘He does not feel the heat of the burning deserts nor the cold of the vast waters. He is not frightened by the lightning which can split open mountains, nor by the storms that can whip up the seas. Such a person rides the clouds and mounts upon the sun and moon, and wanders across and beyond the four seas. Neither death nor life concern him, nor is he interested in what is good or bad!’

  Chu Chiao Tzu asked Chang Wu Tzu,

  ‘I have heard from the Master

  that the sage does not labour at anything,

  does not look for advantage,

  does not act benevolently,

  does not harm,

  does not pursue the Tao;

  He speaks without speaking,

  and does not speak when he speaks,

  and looks beyond the confines of this dusty world.

  ‘The Master sees all this as an endless stream of words, but to me they are like the words of the mysterious Tao. Master, what do you think?’

  Chang Wu Tzu said, ‘Such a saying as this would have confused even the Yellow Emperor,14 so how could Confucius be able to understand them! However, you are getting ahead of yourself, counting your chickens before your eggs are hatched and looking at the bowl, imagining the roasted fowl. I will try to speak to you in a random way, so you listen to me likewise. How can the wise one sit beside the sun and moon and embrace the universe? Because he brings all things together in harmony, he rejects difference and confusion and ignores status and power. While ordinary people rush busily around, the sage seems stupid and ignorant, but to him all life is one and united. All life is simply what it is and all appear to him to be doing what they rightly should.

  ‘How do I know that the love of life is not a delusion? Or that the fear of death is not like a young person running away from home and unable to find his way back? The Lady Li Chi was the daughter of a border warden, Ai. When the state of Chin captured her, she wept until she had drenched her robes; then she came to the King’s palace, shared the King’s bed, ate his food, and repented of her tears. How do I know whether the dead now repent for their former clinging to life?

  ‘Come the morning, those who dream of the drunken feast may weep and moan; when the morning comes, those who dream of weeping and moaning go hunting in the fields. When they dream, they don’t know it is a dream. Indeed, in their dreams they may think they are interpreting dreams, only when they awake do they know it was a dream. Eventually there comes the day of reckoning and awakening, and then we shall know that it was all a great dream. Only fools think that they are now awake and that they really know what is going on, playing the prince and then playing the servant. What fools! The Master and you are both living in a dream. When I say a dream, I am also dreaming. This very saying is a deception. If after ten thousand years we could once meet a truly great sage, one who understands, it would seem as if it had only been a morning.

  ‘Imagine that you and I have a disagreement, and you get the better of me, rather than me getting the better of you, does this mean that you are automatically right and I am automatically wrong? Suppose I get the better of you, does it follow that I am automatically right and you are therefore wrong? Is it really that one of us is right and the other wrong? Or are we both right and both wrong? Neither you nor I can really know and other people are even more in the dark. So who can we ask to give us the right answer? Should you ask someone who thinks you are right? But how then can that person give a fair answer? Should we ask someone who thinks I am right? But then if he agrees with me, how can he make a fair judgement? Then again, should we ask someone who agrees with both of us? But again, if he agrees with both of us, how can he make a true judgement? Should we ask someone who disagrees with both of us? But here again, if he disagrees with both of us, how can he make an honest judgement? It is clear that neither you, I nor anyone else can make decisions like this amongst ourselves. So should we wait for someone else to turn up?

  ‘To wait for one voice to bring it all together is as pointless as waiting for no one. Bring all things together under the Equality of Heaven, allow their process of change to go on unimpeded, and learn to grow old. What do I mean by bringing everything together under the Equality of Heaven? With regard to what is right and wrong, I say not being is being and being is not being. But let us not get caught up in discussing this. Forget about life, forget about worrying about right and wrong. Plunge into the unknown and the endless and find your place there!’

  The Outline said to the Shadow, ‘First you are on the move, then you are standing still; you sit down and then you stand up. Why can’t you make up your mind?’

  Shadow replied, ‘Do I have to look to something else to be what I am? Does this something else itself not have to rely upon yet another something? Do I have to depend upon the scales of a snake or the wings of a cicada? How can I tell how things are? How can I tell how things are not?’

  Once upon a time, I, Chuang Tzu, dreamt that I was a butterfly, flitting around and enjoying myself. I had no idea I was Chuang Tzu. Then suddenly I woke up and was Chuang Tzu again. But I could not tell, had I been Chuang Tzu dreaming I was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming I was now Chuang Tzu? However, there must be some sort of difference between Chuang Tzu and a butterfly! We call this the transformation of things.

  CHAPTER 3

  The Nurturing of Life

  Our life has a boundary but there is no boundary to knowledge.

  To use what has a boundary to pursue what is limitless is dangerous;

  with this knowledge, if we still go after knowledge, we will run into trouble.

  Do not do what is good in order to gain praise.

  If you do what is bad be sure to avoid the punishment.

  Follow the Middle Course, for this is the way to keep yourself together,

  to sustain your life, to care for your parents and to live for many years.

  Cook Ting was butchering an ox for Lord Wen Hui. Every movement of his hand, every shrug of his shoulder, every step of his feet, every thrust of his knee, every sound of the sundering flesh and the swoosh of the descending knife, were all in perfect accord, like the Mulberry Grove Dance or the rhythm of the Ching-shou.15

  ‘Ah, how excellent!’ said Lord Wen Hui. ‘How has your skill become so superb?’

  Cook Ting put down his knife and said, ‘What your servant loves best is the Tao, which is better than any art. When I started to cut up oxen, what I saw was just a complete ox. After three years, I had learnt not to see the ox as whole. Now I practise with my mind, not with my eyes. I ignore my sense and follow my spirit. I see the natural lines and my knife slides through the great hollows, follows the great cavities, using that which is already there to my advantage. Thus, I miss the great sinews and even more so, the great bones. A good cook changes his knife annually, because he slices. An ordinary cook has to change his knife every month, because he hacks. Now this knife of mine I have been using for nineteen years, and it has cut thousands of oxen. However, its blade is as sharp as if it had just been sharpened. Between the joints there are spaces, and the blade of a knife has no real thickness. If you put what has no thickness into spaces such as these, there is plenty of room, certainly enough for the knife to work through. However, when I come to a difficult part and can see that it will be difficult, I take care and pay due regard. I look carefully and I move with caution. Then, very gently, I move th
e knife until there is a parting and the flesh falls apart like a lump of earth falling to the ground. I stand with the knife in my hand looking around and then, with an air of satisfaction, I wipe the knife and put it away.’

  ‘Splendid!’ said Lord Wen Hui. ‘I have heard what cook Ting has to say and from his words I have learned how to live life fully.’

  When Kung Wen Hsien saw the Commander of the Right he was surprised and said, ‘Who is this man? Why has he only got one foot? Is this from Heaven or from man?’16

  ‘From Heaven, not from man,’ said the Commander. ‘My life came from Heaven, which also gave me just one foot. The human appearance is a gift, which is why I know that this is from Heaven, not from man. The marsh pheasant manages one peck every ten paces, and one drink every hundred steps, but it does not wish to be kept in a cage. Even if you treated it like a king, its spirit would not be happy.’

  When Lao Tzu died, Chin Shih came to mourn for him. He uttered three shouts and then left.

  A follower of the Master said, ‘Wasn’t the Master a friend of yours?’

  ‘Certainly,’ he replied.

  ‘Then do you really think this way of mourning is best?’

  ‘Certainly. To begin with I thought these were real men, but now I am not so sure. When I came in to mourn, there were old folk weeping as though they had lost a child; there were young people wailing as if for the loss of a mother. Such a gathering of everyone, all talking away though he didn’t ask them to talk and weeping even though he didn’t ask for tears! This is to turn from Heaven and to indulge in emotions, ignoring what is given. The ancient ones called this the result of violating the principles of Heaven. When the Master came, it was because he was due to be born. When he died, it was entirely natural. If you are prepared to accept this and flow with it, then sorrow and joy cannot touch you. The ancient ones considered this the work of the gods who free us from bondage.

  ‘We can point to the wood that has been burned, but when the fire has passed on, we cannot know where it has gone.’

  CHAPTER 4

  Out and About in the World

  Yen Hui17 went to see Confucius and asked his permission to leave.

  ‘Where are you going?’ asked Confucius.

  ‘To the state of Wei.’

  ‘For what reason?’

  He replied, ‘Hui, Prince of Wei, is full of youthful vigour and determined in all he does. He treats his country with scant regard and is incapable of seeing his own faults. He has scant regard for the death of the people, and the dead lie across his country like scrub in the marshland. As for the people, they don’t know where to turn. About Hui, I have heard you say, my Master, “Pay no heed to the state that is well run, but go to the state that is in real trouble. Around the door of the doctor gather many who are ill.” Using these words of yours as a guide, I want to see if I can do anything for that state.’

  ‘Alas!’ said Confucius. ‘You will certainly bring sorrow and even death upon yourself! The great Way doesn’t get involved like this, mixing many things together. In such a mixture, the one true path gets lost in the many. With many paths comes confusion; with confusion comes problems; when problems arise, the situation cannot be resolved. The perfect man of old looked after himself first before looking to help others. If you look to yourself and find there are troubles, what use will you be if you try to sort out a dictator?

  ‘Do you know how virtue is ruined, or where knowledge comes from? Virtue is ruined by fame and knowledge comes from argument Struggling for fame, people destroy each other, and knowledge is used for argument. Both of them are used for evil and you should have nothing to do with them. You may have great virtue and unquestionable sincerity. You may be kind-hearted and without interest in fame, but if you do not understand how people feel and think, you will do harm, not good. Such people try to force the people to be benevolent, to act properly and impose laws, and as a result they end up being hated precisely because they care about others. This is known as hurting others. Those who hurt will themselves be hurt and this is likely to be what will happen to you!

  ‘Imagine, he could be the sort of king who values the good and hates the bad, so what point would there be in you trying to make him change his ways? Keep your advice for yourself. Kings and princes tend to assume they are right and will do all they can to win. You will find your eyes dazzled, your colour changing and your mouth trying to find words to apologize with, you will bend in contrition and your mind will agree with whatever he says. This is like trying to fight fire with fire, or water with water. This is to pile more on to more. Once you do this, you will be unable to argue with him again. Your words will be of no avail, for he will not believe them. As a result, you will be killed by a dictator like this.

  ‘In earlier times, Chieh18 murdered Kuan Lung Feng and Chou killed Prince Pi Kan.19 Both these two were men who developed their characters best in order to pass the benefits down to their people. Those who ruled them were upset by the concern of these two, and as a result of their morality, they were destroyed by the rulers. Both the good and the bad struggle for fame. In ancient times, Yao attacked the states of Tsung Chih and Hsu Ao, Yu attacked the state of Yu Hu, and as a result these states were destroyed, their kings killed. Their desire for warfare had been insatiable and their wish for power inexhaustible. All of these sought fame and fortune – surely you know of them? The sages could not handle such people, how much less can you! However, you obviously have some plan in mind, so go on, tell me what it is!’

  ‘If I am stern in intent and dispassionate, keen and single-minded, will this be enough?’ asked Yen Hui.

  Confucius said, ‘Is that it? That will not do! This man acts as if he were supremely confident and puts himself about with style, yet you cannot judge what he really thinks from his demeanour. Ordinary people do not get in his way, so he has developed a taste for trampling upon other people’s feelings. Given that normal virtues are wasted on him, how do you expect to present him with yet higher ones! He will dig his toes in and refuse to change. He may pretend to agree with you, but there will be no inner change. How can you imagine you will succeed?’

  ‘I will retain my inner integrity, but outwardly be deceptive. I shall cite historical precedent. Inwardly genuine, I shall be guided by Heaven. Guided by Heaven, I shall know that both I and the Prince, the Son of Heaven, are both children of Heaven. Who then cares whether what he says is listened to or not? Surely someone like this is called a child by the people. This is what comes of being a child of Heaven. With this external guile, I can befriend people. Bowing and scraping, paying obeisance, this is what all ministers do. As this is what everyone does, no one will hold it against me. If I do just what others do, no one can criticize me. Citing historical precedent, I will be the dutiful student of antiquity. The words I shall use will condemn and reprove, but the point is they will be seen as the words of the old ones, not mine. This means I can tell the truth but be free from any blame. This is what I mean by citing historical precedent. If I do this, do you think it will work?’

  Confucius said, ‘Is that it? That will not do! There are too many schemes here, good ones but not well thought out. They may get you out of trouble, but they will not do what you want, as they are far from perfect. You are still being guided by your expectations.’

  ‘I have nothing else to suggest,’ said Yen Hui, ‘so tell me what you would do.’

  Confucius said, ‘Go away and fast, then I will tell you what to do. While still plotting, do you think you can really be guided in what to do? The one who thinks he has it will not easily be guided by the Light of Heaven.’

  ‘The Hui family is poor,’ said Yen Hui, ‘and we have not drunk wine or eaten meat for months. In this instance, will this count as having fasted?’

  ‘This is fasting for the sacrifice, but not fasting of the heart.’

  ‘Then what is fasting of the heart?’

  ‘Your mind must become one, do not try to understand with your ears but with your h
eart. Indeed, not with your heart but with your soul. Listening blocks the ears, set your heart on what is right, but let your soul be open to receive in true sincerity. The Way is found in emptiness. Emptiness is the fasting of the heart.’

  Yen Hui said, ‘Previously, when I fasted, but not with the fast of the heart, I felt I was Hui; when I went on to the fast of the heart, I found I was not Hui. Is this what is called emptiness?’

  The great Master said, ‘Precisely! I’ll tell you. Go and join this man in his cage, but don’t set out to impress him. If he comes to like you, then you may sing for him. If he will not listen, keep quiet. Do not appear to be an open door, nor seek to be a balm. Be at one with all in his house and learn to bear what cannot be changed. Do this, and you might almost be successful. It’s not difficult to stop walking, but to walk without touching the earth is more difficult. If you act like any other person, it is easy to be hypocritical, but if you act in the style of Heaven, the reverse is true. One hears of flying by means of wings, but never of flying without them; one hears of knowing as a result of knowledge, but never of knowing without knowledge. Take a look at the room that is shut off, the empty room where true light is born, and there is really contentment and stillness. But if you cannot remain still, then your mind goes racing off, even though physically you remain sitting. Use your ears and eyes to speak to what is within and use your heart and knowledge to speak to what is without. Then you will draw down the very gods themselves as well as other people. This is the mystery of all life: that which links Yu and Shun, that which Fu Hsi and Chi Chu20 lived by. Just think how even more important it is for ordinary mortals!’

  Duke Tzu Kao of She, just before he left on a mission to the state of Chi, asked Confucius, ‘The King has given me a most important mission to Chi. They will show me great courtesy, but they are unlikely to make much speed in the issue. Given how hard it is to push an ordinary person along, a nobleman is likely to be even more difficult. I really am worried. You used to tell me that “in whatever we set ourselves to do, no matter how great or small, following the Tao alone leads to success. To fail is to bring the judgement of others upon you. To succeed brings disturbance of the yin and yang. To escape any distress regardless of success or failure is only possible to a really virtuous man.” I eat sensible food so that my kitchens are never overheated. However, this very morning I was given my commission and this evening I am drinking iced water. I wonder if I am getting sick. So already I have got into the bad state of disturbed yin and yang. If I fail, I shall have trouble from others. This means I am suffering on two fronts, and as a minister I doubt if I can carry out this commission. Perhaps you could give me some advice?’