第02章齐物论 - 庄子

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Nanguo Ziqi sat reclined against his armrest, gazing upward at the sky and breathing out slowly, his expression detached, as if his soul had left his body. His disciple Yancheng Ziyou stood attending him and asked: "What is this? Can the body truly be made withered like dead wood, and the mind truly be made still like dead ashes? The one who sits reclined against the armrest today does not seem to be the same person as the one who sat reclined against the armrest in former days!"

Ziqi said: "Yan, you ask well! Now I have attained 'I have lost myself'—I have lost the petty self, the private self. Do you understand? You have heard the music of man (the sounds made by human pipes) but not the music of earth (the sounds made by the earth); you have heard the music of earth but not the music of Heaven (the sounds of the natural Way)!"

Ziyou said: "May I ask the meaning of this?"

Ziqi said: "The breath that the earth gives forth is called wind. This wind, when it does not blow, is still; but when it blows, then all the ten thousand hollows roar. Have you not heard the sound of that long-drawn wind? In the forests of the mountains, among the trees both tall and short, the hollows in the trunks of trees a hundred spans around—some are like noses, some like mouths, some like ears, some like square beams, some like cup rings, some like mortars, some like deep pools, some like shallow puddles. The sounds they produce are impetuous, shrill, wrathful, sucking, calling, wailing, deep, and mournful. The hollows in front sing, and those behind follow in harmony. A gentle wind brings gentle responses, a strong wind brings strong responses. When the fierce wind has passed, all the hollows fall into silence. Have you not seen the swaying and bending of the branches in the wind?"

Ziyou said: "The music of earth is the sound of the ten thousand hollows; the music of man is the sound of bamboo pipes. May I ask what the music of Heaven is?"

Ziqi said: "The wind blows across the ten thousand different hollows, causing each to make its own sound. These sounds are all determined by the shapes of the hollows themselves. As for what stirs them to roar—who is it?"

Those with great wisdom are leisurely at ease; those with petty cleverness are anxiously calculating. Great words are overbearing; petty words are garrulous. When people sleep, their spirits intermingle in dreams; when awake, their bodies are at ease. Contact with the external world entangles them in complications, and all day long they scheme against each other. Some are slow and deliberate, some are deep and hidden, some are meticulous and cunning. Small fears make one anxious and uneasy; great fears make one lose all composure. When their words shoot forth like arrows, it is because they are settling disputes of right and wrong; when their words linger like vows, it is because they are waiting to seize victory; their vitality withers like autumn and winter, meaning they are daily declining; they become submerged in their own doings and cannot turn back; their minds are sealed shut like bound cords, meaning they have become old and decrepit; the mind approaching death can never again reclaim its vitality. Joy and anger, sorrow and delight, worry and regret, fickleness and caprice, frivolity and indulgence, pretense and grandiosity—like music arising from the void, like mushrooms sprouting from moisture. Day and night they alternate before us, yet we do not know whence they spring. Enough, enough! If we can awaken to the source of all this, that is the true meaning of life!

Without "that" there is no "this"; without "this" there is no way to perceive "that." This principle is close, yet we still do not know who presides over it all. There seems to be a "True Ruler"— but we cannot see its traces. It can be verified through its actions, yet its form remains invisible; it has reality in its function yet no visible shape. The body has a hundred bones, nine openings, and six organs, all fully present—which can I regard as most intimate? Do you cherish them all equally? Or is there partiality? If they are all treated as maidservants and concubines, can the maidservants govern one another? Or do they take turns as lord and minister? In truth, there is a "True Sovereign" present! Whether or not you can discover its reality, the fact of its existence is neither increased nor diminished. Once a person receives this physical form, they remain alive only awaiting exhaustion. Colliding and grinding against external things, consuming and being consumed, life gallops onward without ceasing—is this not pitiable? A lifetime of toil with no achievement to show, weary and spent with no known destination—can this not be called sorrowful? People say that to remain alive thus is not death—but of what benefit is it? The body transforms, and the mind transforms with it—is this not the greatest grief? Is human life in this world inherently so benighted? Or is it only I who am benighted, while others have those who are not?

If each person uses their own "preconceived mind" (prejudiced standard) as the criterion for judgment, who lacks such a standard? Why need one understand the principles of change to have a standard? Even fools have one! To have judgments of right and wrong before the mind has taken shape is like saying one left for Yue today and arrived yesterday. This is taking what does not exist as existing. If one takes what does not exist as existing, even the sage Yu could not comprehend it, so what can I do?

Speech is not like the natural issuing of wind—those who speak have content they wish to express, yet what they express is by no means certain. Have they truly spoken? Or have they, in effect, spoken nothing? They think their words differ from the chirping of nestling birds—but is there truly a difference, or is there no difference? Why is the Way obscured so that true and false appear? Why is speech obscured so that right and wrong arise? Where does the Way go that it ceases to exist? Where does speech remain that it is not accepted? The Way is obscured by small accomplishments; speech is obscured by florid rhetoric. Hence the disputes between Confucians and Mohists—each affirming what the other denies and denying what the other affirms. Rather than affirming what the other denies and denying what the other affirms, it is better to use "the illumination of the clear mind."

Among the ten thousand things, none is not "that" (seen from its own perspective), and none is not "this" (seen from its own perspective). Viewed from the perspective of "that," one cannot see "this"; viewed from the perspective of "this," one understands it. Therefore it is said: "That" arises from "this," and "this" also depends on "that." This is the principle of "this" and "that" arising simultaneously. Nevertheless, just as life leads to death and death leads to life; just as what can be affirmed can be denied, and what can be denied can be affirmed; because there is "this" there is "not this," because there is "not this" there is "this." Therefore the sage does not take this path, but contemplates the natural order of Heaven—submitting to the principle of being as it is. "This" is also "that," and "that" is also "this." "That" has its own right and wrong; "this" has its own right and wrong. Is there truly a distinction between "that" and "this"? Is there truly no distinction between "that" and "this"? When "that" and "this" no longer stand in opposition, this is called the "Pivot of the Way." The pivot stands at the center of the ring, responding to transformed changes endlessly. The changes of "this" are endless; the changes of "that" are also endless. Therefore it is said: It is better to use "the illumination of the clear mind."

To use a finger to explain that a finger is not a finger is not as good as using what is not a finger to explain that a finger is not a finger; to use a horse to argue that a horse is not a horse is not as good as using what is not a horse to argue that a horse is not a horse. Heaven and earth are but one finger; the ten thousand things are but one horse.

What is acceptable is acceptable; what is unacceptable is unacceptable. The Way is formed in walking; things are named in calling them. What is "so"? "So" lies in its being so of itself. What is "not so"? "Not so" lies in its not being so of itself. Things inherently have that by which they are "so"; things inherently have that by which they are "acceptable." There is nothing that is not "so," nothing that is not "acceptable." Therefore, whether small as a blade of grass or a massive roof beam, whether ugly as a leper or beautiful as Xi Shi, and all bizarre and strange things—from the perspective of the Way, they are all alike connected.

Where there is separation there is generation, where there is generation there is destruction. In reality, things have no generation and no destruction; all return to alikeness and unity. Only those who are penetrating understand the principle that the ten thousand things unite as one; therefore they do not cling to fixed views but rest in ordinary everyday function. The ordinary is that which is useful; what is useful is that which penetrates; what penetrates is that which attains. Once one has attained, one draws close to the Way. To go along with what is naturally so—and having done it without knowing why it is so—this is called the Way. To exhaust one's spirit in pursuing unity without realizing that things are originally one is called "three in the morning." What is meant by "three in the morning"? A monkey keeper distributing acorns to the monkeys said: "Three in the morning and four in the evening." The monkeys were all angry. He said: "Then four in the morning and three in the evening." The monkeys were all pleased. The name and the substance had not changed, yet the joy and anger followed their inclinations—this too is yielding to their subjective feelings. Therefore the sage harmonizes right and wrong and rests in the "Heavenly Equalizer"—this is called "walking both ways."

In ancient times, people's wisdom reached its utmost height. To what extent? There were those who believed that before the beginning of the universe there was nothing at all—this is the highest perfection, its peak; nothing could be added beyond it! Next were those who believed there were things, but without boundaries yet. Next were those who believed there were boundaries, but without right and wrong yet. Once right and wrong became clear, the Way suffered loss. The Way suffers loss because partiality takes form. Is there truly accomplishment and loss? Is there truly no accomplishment and loss? There being accomplishment and loss is like Zhao Wen playing the lute; no accomplishment and loss is like Zhao Wen not playing the lute. Zhao Wen played the lute, Shi Kuang branded the music, Hui Shi leaned against a parasol tree in debate—the expertise of these three nearly reached the utmost, and so their names were handed down to later ages. But precisely because they loved their special skills and thereby differed from others, they sought to illuminate their loves to others. Others had no need to comprehend yet were pressed to understand, and so they languished their lives confined to disputes of "hardness" and "whiteness" to no avail. And Zhao Wen's son, inheriting his father's lute art, accomplished nothing to the end. If this counts as accomplishment, then I too have accomplishment; if this counts as no accomplishment, then the ten thousand things and I alike have none. Therefore those dazzling displays of cleverness are discarded by the sage. Hence not clinging to fixed views but resting in everyday function—this is called "the illumination of the clear mind."

Now here I have spoken a passage of words, and I do not know whether these words belong to the same category as those spoken above or to a different category. Same or different, placed together they form a same category—and that is no different from what was said above. Nevertheless, allow me to try to speak of this: There is "beginning," there is "not yet begun," there is "the not yet begun's not yet begun"; there is "being," there is "nothingness," there is "not yet having nothingness," there is "not yet beginning to have that not yet having nothingness." Suddenly there is "being" and "nothingness"—yet I do not know which of them truly is, and which is truly not. Now I have spoken, yet I do not know whether what I have said truly counts as having said, or truly counts as not-having-said.

In all the world, nothing is greater than the tip of an autumn hair, and Mount Tai is considered small; none has longer life than an infant who dies in childbirth, and Peng Zu is considered short-lived. Heaven and earth arise together with me, and the ten thousand things and I are one. Since they are already one, can there still be anything to say? Since it has already been said that "they are one," can it still be said that nothing has been said? "One" joined with my speaking it becomes two; two joined with one becomes three. Going on from this reckoning, even the finest calculator could not keep count, how much less an ordinary person! Therefore, from meaningless beginning to being, there are already three stages, how much more from being to being! Do not seek to calculate—go along with the natural flow of things!

The Way originally has no boundaries; speech originally has no fixed standard—it is only because of "this-is-so" that boundaries arise. Allow me to speak of these boundaries: there is left and right, there is sequence and rank, there is distinction and discrimination, there is rivalry and contention—these are called the eight manifestations. Matters beyond the six directions of the universe, the sage puts aside without discussing; matters within the six directions, the sage discusses without passing judgment; in the chronicles of the former kings recording historical events, the sage passes judgment without debating.

Therefore it is said: where there is differentiation, there is what remains undifferentiated; where there is debate, there is what remains undeclared. Someone asks: "Why is this so?" The sage holds all within their own heart and mind; ordinary people, by contrast, leap into debate to outshine one another. Therefore it is said: debate reveals that which sight fails to grasp. The great Way does not admit of naming; great eloquence does not enter into speaking; great benevolence is not partial in affection; great integrity is not prudish; great courage is not aggressive. The Way that is displayed exhausts itself—it is no longer the Way; speech that argues falls short—what it contests gets lost; benevolence that always fixes its love grows one-sided; integrity too obvious winds up false; courage that behaves aggressively fails as courage. These five qualities, when pursued roundly to completeness, turn inevitably toward bias! So the one who knows to halt at what one does not know has reached the highest wisdom. Who can comprehend eloquent silence? Who will understand the Way that does not connive at display? Whoever can grasp it is called the "Treasury of Heaven—one pours into it and it never fills; draws from it and it never runs dry—yet none knows whence its abundance flows." This is called "retrieving radiance."

Nie Que put to Wang Ni: "Will we reap glories from learning together mutual orders for all things corresponding to nature's normative proportions?"

"As to whether I know, I do not know," Wang Ni said lacking pretense.

Wang Ni said: "How would I know whatsoever!"

Wang Ni said: "In how could I know in absence, none concerning knowingly asked me nothing whatsoever either—although words bespeak only inadequacy. Reflect with question why one demands to know that this world’s self had endings differentiates that to itself did cannot own themselves united without or a scale absolving me—why those sharing it naturally lived found he put gave constant talk normal senses."

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Ziqi said: "Yan, you ask well! Now I have attained 'I have lost myself'—I have lost the petty self, the private self. Do you understand? You have heard the music of man but not the music of earth; you have heard the music of earth but not the music of Heaven!"

Ziyou said: "May I ask the meaning of this?"

Ziyou said: "The music of earth is the sound of the ten thousand hollows; the music of man is the sound of bamboo pipes. May I ask what the music of Heaven is?"

Without "that" there is no "this"; without "this" there is no way to perceive "that." This principle is close, yet we still do not know who presides over it all. There seems to be a "True Ruler"—but we cannot see its traces. It can be verified through its actions, yet its form remains invisible; it has reality in its function yet no visible shape. The body has a hundred bones, nine openings, and six organs, all fully present—which can I regard as most intimate? Do you cherish them all equally? Or is there partiality? If they are all treated as maidservants and concubines, can the maidservants govern one another? Or do they take turns as lord and minister? In truth, there is a "True Sovereign" present! Whether or not you can discover its reality, the fact of its existence is neither increased nor diminished. Once a person receives this physical form, they remain alive only awaiting exhaustion. Colliding and grinding against external things, consuming and being consumed, life gallops onward without ceasing—is this not pitiable? A lifetime of toil with no achievement to show, weary and spent with no known destination—can this not be called sorrowful? People say that to remain alive thus is not death—but of what benefit is it? The body transforms, and the mind transforms with it—is this not the greatest grief? Is human life in this world inherently so benighted? Or is it only I who am benighted, while others have those who are not?

If each person uses their own "preconceived mind" as the criterion for judgment, who lacks such a standard? Why need one understand the principles of change to have a standard? Even fools have one! To have judgments of right and wrong before the mind has taken shape is like saying one left for Yue today and arrived yesterday. This is taking what does not exist as existing. If one takes what does not exist as existing, even the sage Yu could not comprehend it, so what can I do?

Among the ten thousand things, none is not "that," and none is not "this." Viewed from the perspective of "that," one cannot see "this"; viewed from the perspective of "this," one understands it. Therefore it is said: "That" arises from "this," and "this" also depends on "that." This is the principle of "this" and "that" arising simultaneously. Nevertheless, just as life leads to death and death leads to life; just as what can be affirmed can be denied, and what can be denied can be affirmed; because there is "this" there is "not this," because there is "not this" there is "this." Therefore the sage does not take this path, but contemplates the natural order of Heaven—submitting to the principle of being as it is. "This" is also "that," and "that" is also "this." "That" has its own right and wrong; "this" has its own right and wrong. Is there truly a distinction between "that" and "this"? Is there truly no distinction? When "that" and "this" no longer stand in opposition, this is called the "Pivot of the Way." The pivot stands at the center of the ring, responding to transformed changes endlessly. The changes of "this" are endless; the changes of "that" are also endless. Therefore it is said: It is better to use the illumination of the clear mind.

In all the world, nothing is greater than the tip of an autumn hair, and Mount Tai is considered small; none has longer life than an infant who dies in childbirth, and Peng Zu is considered short-lived. Heaven and earth arise together with me, and the ten thousand things and I are one. Since they are already one, can there still be anything to say? Since it has already been said that "they are one," can it still be said that nothing has been said? "One" joined with my speaking it becomes two; two joined with one becomes three. Going on from this reckoning, even the finest calculator could not keep count, how much less an ordinary person! Therefore, from nothing to being, there are already three stages, how much more from being to being! Do not seek to calculate—go along with the natural flow of things!

Long ago Yao questioned Shun: "I wish to attack the small states of Zong, Kuai, and Xu’ao. As I sit at court, I remain ill at ease. What is the reason for this?" Shun replied: "Those three small states lie like nestlings dwelling amidst artemisia and weeds—why trouble yourself? Formerly, ten suns rose together, and the brilliance illuminated all—how much more so when your virtue surpasses that of the sun who also sees from heights will win followers nearby and never battles from ends judged everyone found whom commands what falls lives later themselves amongst below complete against with holding matter!" (Yet beyond cited whole naturally show others’ rank no rulers judged seen powers through norm of moral judgments later only reach pure consistent equal guide states.)

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Li Ji was the daughter of the frontier guard of Ai. When the state of Jin first obtained her, she wept until her tears soaked her garments. But when she arrived at the king's palace, shared his bed, and feasted on delicacies, she regretted having wept at the beginning. How do I know that the dead do not regret having clung to life? One who dreams of drinking wine may weep at dawn; one who dreams of weeping may go hunting at dawn. While dreaming, one does not know that it is a dream. Within the dream, one may even divine whether the dream is auspicious, and only upon waking does one realize it was a dream. Only the great awakening brings the knowledge that this is all a great dream—yet fools deem themselves awake, thinking they know with perfect clarity. "A lord! A shepherd!" How shallow they are! Confucius and you are both dreaming; when I say you are dreaming, that saying itself is also a dream. This is what is called "the paradox." After ten thousand ages, should a great sage appear who can explain this truth, it would be as if we met in the same morning and evening.

Suppose I argue with you, and you defeat me, and I cannot best you—are you truly right, and I truly wrong? If I defeat you, and you cannot best me, am I truly right, and you truly wrong? Or is one of us right and the other wrong? Or are both right, or both wrong? Neither you nor I can know. Human beings are inherently shrouded in this obscurity—whom can I call upon to judge? If I call someone who shares your view, since he shares your view, how can he judge? If I call someone who shares my view, since he shares my view, how can he judge? If I call someone who differs from both you and me, since he differs from both of us, how can he judge? If I call someone who agrees with both you and me, since he agrees with both of us, how can he judge? Then you and I and the others cannot mutually know each other—must we still await another "other"?"

"What does it mean to harmonize by the Natural Loom?"

The answer: "Treat that which is not as is. If 'right' is truly right, then the distinction between 'right' and 'not-right' requires no debate; if 'so' is truly so, then the distinction between 'so' and 'not-so' requires no debate. Transforming voices depend on each other, yet seem not to depend. Harmonize them with the Natural Loom, flow with its turning movements, and thus spend the years of life. Forget the ages, forget what is right and proper, vibrate in the realm of the limitless, and thus dwell within the endless."

The Penumbra asked the Shadow: "A moment ago you were walking, and now you stop; a moment ago you were seated, and now you rise. Why do you lack any independent constancy?"

The Shadow replied: "Am I so because of what I depend upon? And does what I depend upon have that on which it depends? Do I depend on the scales beneath the snake's belly, or the wings of the cicada? How could I know why it is so? How could I know why it is not otherwise?"

Once, Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly—a butterfly fluttering and flitting about, utterly carefree! He did not know he was Zhuang Zhou. Suddenly awakening, he was verily the prostrate Zhuang Zhou. Did Zhuang Zhou dream he was a butterfly? Or did the butterfly dream it was Zhuang Zhou? Between Zhuang Zhou and the butterfly, there must be some distinction. This is called "the transformation of things."