On Levelling All Things
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Tsechi of Nankuo sat leaning on a low table. Gazing up to heaven, he sighed and looked as though he had lost his mind.Yeseyu, who was standing by him, exclaimed, "What are you thinking about that your body should bee thus like dead wood, your mind like burnt-out ders? Surely the man now leaning oable is not he who was here just now."
"My friend," replied Tsechi, "your question is apposite. Today I have lost my Self.... Do you uand? ... Perhaps you only know the musian, and not that of Earth. Or even if you have heard the music of Earth, perhaps you have not heard the music of Heaven."
"Pray explain," said Tseyu.
"The breath of the universe," tisechi, "is called wind. At times, it is inactive. But when active, all crevices resound to its blast. Have you never listeo its deafening roar?
"Caves and dells of hill and forest, hollows in huge trees of many a span in girth -- some are like nostrils, and some like mouths, and others like ears, beam-sockets, goblets, mortars, or like pools and puddles. And the wind goes rushing through them, like swirling torrents or singing arrows, bellowing, sousing, trilling, wailing, r, purling, whistling in f?９９ｌｉｂ?ront and eg behind, now soft with the cool blow, now shrill with the whirlwind, until the tempest is past and silence reigns supreme. Have you never witnessed how the trees and objects shake and quake, and twist and twirl?"
"Well, then," enquired Tseyu, "sihe music of Earth sists of hollows and apertures, and the musian of pipes and flutes, of what sists the music of Heaven?"
"The effect of the wind upon these various apertures," replied Tsechi, "is not uniform, but the sounds are produced acc to their individual capacities. Who is it that agitates their breasts?
"Great wisdom is generous; petty wisdom is tentious. Great speech is impassioned, small speech tankerous.
"For whether the soul is locked in sleep or whether in waking hours the body moves, we are striving and struggling with the immediate circumstances. Some are easy-going and leisurely, some are deep and ing, and some are secretive. Now we are frightened over petty fears, now disheartened and dismayed over some great terror. Now the mind flies forth like an arrow from a cross-bow, to be the arbiter ht and wrong. Now it stays behind as if sworn to an oath, to hold on to what it has secured. Then, as under autumn and winters blight, es gradual decay, and submerged in its own occupations, it keeps on running its course, o return. Finally, worn out and imprisoned, it is choked up like an old drain, and the failing mind shall not see light again {8}.
"Joy and anger, sorrow and happiness, worries as, indecision and fears, e upon us by turns, with everging moods, like musi the hollows, or like mushrooms from damp. Day and night they alterhin us, but we ot tell whehey spring. Alas! Alas! Could we for a moment lay our finger upon their very Cause?
"But for these emotions I should not be. Yet but for me, there would be no oo feel them. So far we go; but we do not know by whose order they e into play. It would seem there was a soul; {9} but the clue to its existence is wanting. That it funs is credible enough, though we ot see its f.?orm. Perhaps it has inner reality without outward form.
"Take the human body with all its hundred bones, ernal cavities and six internal ans, all plete. Which part of it should I love best? Do you not cherish all equally, or have you a preference? Do these ans serve as servants of someone else? Since servants ot govern themselves, do they serve as master and servants by turn? Surely there is some soul which trols them all.
"But whether or not we ascertain what is the true nature of this soul, it matters but little to the soul itself. For oning into this material shape, it runs its course until it is exhausted. To be harassed by the wear and tear of life, and to be driven along without possibility of arresting ones course, -- is not this pitiful io labor without ceasing all life, and then, without living to enjoy the fruit, worn out with labor, to depart, one knows not whither, -- is not this a just cause frief?"
"Men say there is h -- to what avail? The body deposes, and the mind goes with it. Is this not a great cause for sorrow? the world be so dull as not to see this? Or is it I alone who am dull, and others not so?"
Now if we are to be guided by our prejudices, who shall be without a guide? What o make parisons ht and wrong with others? And if one is to follow ones own judgments acc to his prejudices, even the fools have them! But to form judgments ht and wrong without first having a mind at all is like saying, "I left for Yu:eh today, and got there yesterday." Or, it is like assuming something which does to exist. The (illusions of) assuming something which does to exist could not be fathomed even by the divine Yu:; how much less could we?
For speech is not mere blowing of breath. It is inteo say some thing, only what it is inteo say ot yet be determined. Is there speedeed, or is there not? we, or we not, distinguish it from the chirping of young birds?
How Tao be obscured so that there should be a distin of true and false? Hoeech be so obscured that there should be a distin ht and wrong? {10} Where you go and find Tao not to exist? Where you go and find that words ot be proved? Tao is obscured by our ie uanding, and words are obscured by flowery expressions. Hehe affirmations and denials of the fu and Motsean {11} schools, each denying what the other affirms and affirming what the other denies. Each denying what the other affirms and affirming what the other denies brings us only into fusion.
There is nothing which is not this; there is nothing which is not that. What ot be seen by what (the other person) be known by myself. Hence I say, this emanates from that; that also derives from this. This is the theory of the interdependence of this and that (relativity of standards).
heless, life arises from death, and vice versa. Possibility arises from impossibility, and vice versa. Affirmation is based upon denial, and vice versa. Which being the case, the true sage rejects all distins and takes his refuge in Heaven (Nature). For one may base it on this, yet this is also that and that is also this. This also has its right and wrong, and that also has its right and wrong. Does then the distin between this and that really exist or not? When this (subjective) and that (objective) are both without their correlates, that is the very Axis of Tao. And when that Axis passes through the ter at which all Infinities verge, affirmations and denials alike blend into the infinite One. He is said that there is nothing like using the Light.
To take a finger in illustration of a finger not being a finger is not so good as to take something which is not a fio illustrate that a finger is not a fio take a horse in illustration of a horse not being a horse is not so good as to take something which is not a horse to illustrate that a horse is not a horse {12}. So with the universe which is but a finger, but a horse. The possible is possible: the impossible is impossible. Tao operates, and the gives follow; things receive names and are said to be what they are. Why are they so? They are said to be so! Why are they not so? They are said to be not so! Things are so by themselves and have possibilities by themselves. There is nothing which is not so and there is nothing which may not bee so.
Therefore take, for instance, a twig and a pillar, or the ugly person and the great beauty, and all the strange and monstrous transformations. These are all levelled together by Tao. Division is the same as creation; creation is the same as destru. There is no such thing as creation or destru, for these ditions are again levelled together into One.
Only the truly intelligent uand this principle of the levelling of all things into Ohey discard the distins and take refuge in the on and ordinary things. The on and ordinary things serve certain funs and therefore retain the wholeness of nature. From this wholeness, one prehends, and from prehension, oo the Tao. There it stops. To stop without knowing how it stops -- this is Tao.
But to wear out ones intelle an obstinate adhereo the individuality of things, not re></a>ognizing the fact that all things are One, -- that is called "Three in the M." What is "Three in the M?" A keeper of monkeys said with regard to their rations of nuts that each monkey was to have three in the m and four at night. At this the monkeys were very angry. Then the keeper said they might have four in the m and three at night, with which arrahey were all well pleased. The actual number of nuts remaihe same, but there was a difference owing to (subjective evaluations of) likes and dislikes. It also derives from this (principle of subjectivity). Wherefore the true Sage brings all the traries together as iural Balance of Heaven. This is called (the principle of following) two courses (at once).
The knowledge of the men of old had a limit. When was the limit? It extended back to a period when matter did . That was the extreme point to which their knowledge reached. The sed period was that of matter, but of matter unditioned (undefined). The third epoch saw matter ditioned (defined), but judgments of true and false were still unknown. When these appeared, Tao began to dee. And with the dee of Tao, individual bias (subjectivity) arose.
Besides, did Tao really rise and dee? {13} In the world of (apparent) rise and dee, the famous musi Chao Wen did play the string instrument; but in respect to the world without rise and dee, Chao Wen did not play the string instrument. When Chao Wen stopped playing the string instrument, Shih Kuang (the music master) laid down his drum-stick (for keeping time), and Hueitse (the sophist) stopped arguing, they all uood the approach of Tao. These people are the best in their arts, and therefore known to posterity. They each loved his art, and wao excel in his own line. And because they loved their arts, they wao make them known to others. But they were trying to teach what (in its nature) could not be known. sequently Hueitse ended in the obscure discussions of the "hard" and "white"; and Chao Wens son tried to learn to play the stringed instrument all his life and failed. If this may be called success, then I, too, have succeeded. But if her of them could be said to have succeeded, theher I nor others have succeeded. Therefore the true Sage discards the light that dazzles and takes refuge in the on and ordinary. Through this es uanding.
Suppose here is a statement. We do not know whether it belongs to oegory or another. But if we put the different categories ihen the differences of category cease to exist. However, I must explain. If there was a beginning, then there was a time before that beginning, and a time before the time which was before the time of that beginning. If there is existehere must have been ence. And if there was a time when nothied, then there must have been a time when even nothing did . All of a sudden, nothing came ience. Could ohen really say whether it belongs to the category of existence or of ence? Even the very words I have just now uttered, -- I ot say whether they say something or not.
There is nothing uhe opy of heaveer thaip of a birds down in autumn, while the Tai Mountain is small. her is there any longer life than that of a child cut off in infancy, while Peng Tsu himself died young. The universe and I came into being together; I and everything therein are One.
If then all things are One, what room is there for speech? Oher hand, since I say the word one hoeeot exist? If it does exist, we have One and speech -- two; and two and one -- three {14} from which point onwards even the best mathematis will fail to reach (the ultimate); how much more then should ordinary people fail?
Hence, if from nothing you proceed to something, and subsequently reach there, it follows that it would be still easier if you were to start from something. Since you ot proceed, stop here. Now Tao by its very nature ever be defined. Speech by its very nature ot express the absolute. Hence arise the distins. Such distins are: &quht" and "left," "relationship" and "duty," "division" and "discrimination, "emulation and tention. These are called the Eight Predicables.
Beyond the limits of the external world, the Sage knows that it exists, but does not talk about it. Within the limits of the external world, the Sage talks but does not make ents. With regard to the wisdom of the as, as embodied in the of Spring and Autumn, the Sage ents, but does not expound. And thus, among distinade, there are distins that ot be made; among things expouhere are things that ot be expounded.
How that be? it is asked. The true Sage keeps his knowledge within him, while men in general set forth theirs in argument, in order to vince each other. And therefore it is said that one whues does so because he ot see certain points.
Now perfect Tao ot be given a name. A perfect argument does not employ words. Perfect kindness does not itself with (individual acts of) kindness {15}. Perfetegrity is not critical of others {16} Perfect ce does not push itself forward.
For the Tao which is ma is not Tao. Speech which argues falls short of its aim. Kindness which has fixed objects loses its scope. Iy which is obvious is not believed in. Ce which pushes itself forward never aplishes anything. These five are, as it were, round (mellow) with a strong bias towards squareness (sharpness). Therefore that knowledge which stops at what it does not know, is the highest knowledge.
Who knows the argument which be argued without words, and the Tao which does not declare itself as Tao? He who knows this may be said to ehe realm of the spirit {17}. To be poured into without being full, and pour out without beiy, without knowing how this is brought about, -- this is the art of "cealing the Light."
Of old, the Emperor Yao said to Shun, "藏书网I would smite the Tsungs, and the Kueis, and the Hsu:-aos. Since I have been ohrohis has ever been on my mind. What do you think?"
"These three States," replied Shun, "lie in wild undeveloped regions. Why you not shake off this idea? Once upon a time, ten suns came out together, and all things were illumihereby. How much greater should be the power of virtue which excels the suns?"
Yeh Chu:eh asked Wang Yi, saying, "Do you know for certain that all things are the same?"
"How I know?" answered Wang Yi. "Do you know what you do not know?"
"How I know!" replied Yeh Chu:eh. "But then does nobody know?"
"How I know?" said Wang Yi. "heless, I will try to tell you. How it be known that what I call knowing is not really not knowing and that what I call not knowing is not really knowing? Now I would ask you this, If a man sleeps in a damp place, he gets lumbago and dies. But how about an eel? And living up in a tree is precarious and trying to the nerves. But how about monkeys? Of the man, the eel, and the monkey, whose habitat is the right one, absolutely? Human beings feed on flesh, deer on grass, tipedes on little snakes, owls and crows on mice. Of these four, whose is the right taste, absolutely? Monkey mates with the dog-headed female ape, the buck with the doe, eels sort with fishes, while men admire Mao g and Li Chi, at the sight of whom fishes plunge deep down ier, birds sh in the air, and deer hurry away. Yet who shall say which is the correct standard of beauty? In my opinion, the does of humanity and justid the paths ht and wrong are so fused that it is impossible to know their tentions."
"If you then," asked Yeh Chu:eh, "do not know what is good and bad, is the Perfect Man equally without this knowledge?"
"The Perfect Man," answered Wang Yi, "is a spiritual being. Were the o itself scorched up, he would not feel hot. Were the great rivers frozen hard, he would not feel cold. Were the mountains to be cleft by thunder, and the great deep to be thrown up by storm, he would not tremble with fear. Thus, he would mount upon the clouds of heaven, and driving the sun and the moon before him, pass beyond the limits of this mundaence. Death and life have no more victory over him. How much less should he himself with the distins of profit and loss?"
Chu: Chiao addressed g Wutse as follows: "I heard fucius say, The true Sage pays o worldly affairs. He her seeks gain nor avoids injury. He asks nothing at the hands of man and does not adhere tid rules of duct. Sometimes he says something without speaking and sometimes he s藏书网peaks without saying anything. And so he roams beyond the limits of this mundane world.
These, ented fucius, are futile fantasies. But to me they are the embodiment of the most wonderful Tao. What is your opinion?"
"These are things that perplexed even the Yellow Emperor," replied g Wutse. "How should fucius know? Yoing too far ahead. When you see a hens egg, you already expect to hear a cock crow. When you see a sling, you are already expected to have broiled pigeon. I will say a few words to you at random, and do you listen at random.
"How does the Sage seat himself by the sun and moon, and hold the universe in his grasp? He blends everything into one harmonious whole, rejeg the fusion of this and that. Rank and prece, which the vulgar sedulously cultivate, the Sage stolidly ignores, amalgamating the disparities of ten thousand years into one pure mold. The universe itself, too, serves and blends all in the same manner.
"How do I know that love of life is not a delusion after all? How do I know but that he who dreads death is not as a child who has lost his way and does not know his way home?
"The Lady Li Chi was the daughter of the frontier officer of Ai. When the Duke of first got her, she wept until the bosom of her dress was drenched with tears. But when she came to the royal residence, shared with the Duke his luxurious couch, and ate rich food, she repented of havi. How then do I know but that the dead may repent of having previously g to life?
"Those who dream of the ba, wake to lamentation and sorrow. Those who dream of lamentation and sorrow wake to join the hunt. While they dream, they do not know that they are dreaming. Some will even interpret the very dream they are dreaming; and only when they awake do they know it was a dream. By and by es the great awakening, and then we find out that this life is really a great dream. Fools think they are awake now, and flatter themselves they know -- this one is a prince, and that one is a shepherd. What narrowness of mind! fucius and you are both dreams; and I who say you are dreams -- I am but a dream myself. This is a paradox. Tomorrow a Sage may arise to explain it; but that tomorrow will not be until ten thousand geions have gone by. Yet you may meet him around the er.
"Granting that you and I argue. If you get the better of me, and not I of you, are you necessarily right and I wrong? Or if I get the better of you and not you of me, am I necessarily right and y? Or are we both partly right and partly wrong? Or are we both wholly right and wholly wrong? You and I ot know this, and sequently we all live in darkness.
"Whom shall I ask as arbiter between us? If I ask someone who takes your view, he will side with you. How such a one arbitrate between us? If I ask someone who takes my view, he will side with me. How such a one arbitrate between us? If I ask someone who differs from both of us, he will be equally uo decide between us, since he differs from both of us. And if I ask someone who agrees with both of us, he will be equally uo decide between us, since he agrees with both of us. Sihen you and I and other men ot decide, how we depend upon ahe words uments are all relative; if we wish to reach the absolute, we must harmohem by means of the unity of God, and follow their natural evolution, so that we may plete our allotted span of life.
"But what is it to harmohem by means of the unity of God? It is this. The right may not be really right. pears so may not be really so. Even if what is right is really right, wherein it differs fr ot be made plain by argument. Even if pears so is really so, wherein it differs from what is not so also ot be made plain by argument.
"Take no heed of time nor ht and wrong. Passing into the realm of the Infiake your final rest therein."
The Penumbra said to the Umbra, "At one moment you move: at another you are at rest. At one moment you sit down: at another you get up. Why this instability of purpose?"
"Perhaps I depend," replied the Umbra, "upon something which causes me to do as I do; and perhaps that something depends in turn upon something else which causes it to do as it does. Or perhaps my dependence is like (the unsovements) of a snakes scales or of a cicadas wings. How I tell why I do ohing, or why I do not do another?"
Once upon a time, I, g Chou {18}, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all is and purposes a butterfly. I was scious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was Chou. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a maween a man and a butterfly there is necessarily a distin. The transition is called the transformation of material things {19}.
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