Axial Commons
Daoism
The Reason that can be reasoned is not the eternal Reason. The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. The Unnamable is of heaven and earth the beginning. The Namable becomes of the ten thousand things the mother. Therefore it is said:
"He who desireless is found The spiritual of the world will sound. But he who by desire is bound Sees the mere shell of things around."
These two things are the same in source but different in name. Their sameness is called a mystery. Indeed, it is the mystery of mysteries. Of all spirituality it is the door.
Everywhere it is obvious that if beauty makes a display of beauty, it is sheer ugliness. It is obvious that if goodness makes a display of goodness, it is sheer badness. For
"To be and not to be are mutually con ditioned. The difficult, the easy, are mutually definitioned. The long, the short, are mutually exhibitioned. Above, below, are mutually cognitioned. The sound, the voice, are mutually coalitioned. Before and after are mutually posi tioned."
Therefore The holy man abides by non-assertion in his affairs and conveys by silence his instruction. When the ten thousand things arise, verily, he refuses them not. He quickens but owns not. He acts but claims not. Merit he accomplishes, but he does not dwell on it. "Since he does not dwell on it It will never leave him."
Not boasting of one's worth fore stalls people's envy. Not prizing treasures difficult to ob tain keeps people from committing theft.
Not contemplating what kindles de sire keeps the heart unconfused.
Therefore the holy man when he governs empties the people's hearts but fills their stomachs. He weakens their ambition but strengthens their bones. Always he keeps the people unsophisti cated and without desire. He causes that the crafty do not dare to act. When he acts with non-assertion there is noth ing ungoverned.
Reason is empty, but its use is in exhaustible. In its profundity, verily, it resembleth the arch-father of the ten thousand things.
"It will blunt its own sharpness, Will its tangles adjust ; It will dim its own radiance And be one with its dust."
Oh, how calm it seems to remain ! I know not whose son it is. Apparently even the Lord it precedes.
But for heaven and earth's humane ness, the ten thousand things are straw dogs. But for the holy man's humane ness, the hundred families are straw dogs.
Is not the space between heaven and earth like unto a bellows? It is empty; yet it collapses not. It moves, and more and more comes forth. [But]
"How soon exhausted is A gossip's fulsome talk! And should we not prefer On the middle path to walk?"
"The valley spirit not expires, Mysterious woman 'tis called by the sires. The mysterious woman's door, to boot, Is called of heaven and earth the root. Forever and aye it seems to endure And its use is without effort sure."
Heaven endures and earth is lasting. And why can heaven and earth endure and be lasting? Because they do not live for themselves. On that account can they endure.
Therefore The holy man puts his person behind and his person comes to the front. He surrenders his person and his person is preserved. Is it not because he seeks not his own? For that reason he can accomplish his own.
Superior goodness resembleth water. The water's goodness benefiteth the ten thousand things, yet it quarreleth not.
Water dwelleth in the places which the multitudes of men shun; therefore it is near unto the eternal Reason
The dwelling of goodness is in lowliness. The heart of goodness is in commotion. When giving, goodness showeth benevolence. In words, goodness keepeth faith. In government goodness standeth for order. In business goodness exhibiteth ability. The movements of goodness keep time.
It quarreleth not. Therefore it is not rebuked.
Grasp to the full, are you not likely foiled? Scheme too sharply, can you wear long? If gold and jewels fill the hall no one can protect it.
Rich and high but proud, brings ^ about its own doom. To accomplish merit and acquire fame, then to withi draw, that is Heaven's Way.
Who by unending discipline of the "'» senses embraces unity cannot be disintegrated. By concentrating his vitality and inducing~teriderness he can become \ like a little child. By purifying, by \ cleansing and profound intuition he can be free from faults.
Who loves the people when admin istering the country will practise nonassertion. Opening and closing the gates of heaven, he will be like a mother-bird; bright, and white, and penetrating the four quarters, he will be unsophisticated. He quickens them and feeds them. He quickens but owns not. He acts but claims not. He excels but rules not. This is called profound virtue.
Thirty spokes unite in one nave \ and on that which is non-existent [on the hole in the nave] depends the wheel's utility. Clay is moulded into a vessel and on that which is non-existent [on its hollowness] depends the vessel's util ity. By cutting out doors and windows we build a house and on that which is non-existent [on the empty space within] depends the house's utility.
Therefore, existence renders actual but non-existence renders useful.
"The five colors [combined] the hu man eye will blind; The five notes [in one sound] the hu man ear confound; The five tastes [when they blend] the human mouth offend."
"Racing and hunting will human hearts turn mad, Treasures high-prized make human conduct bad."
Therefore j The holy man attends to the inner and not to the outer. He abandons the latter id chooses the former.
"Favor bodes disgrace; it is like trem bling. Rank bodes great heartache. It is like the body."
What means "Favor bodes disgrace; it is like trembling?" Favor humiliates. Its acquisition causes trembling, its loss causes trem bling. This is meant by "Favor bodes disgrace; it is like trembling."
What means "Rank bodes great heartache, it is like the body?" I suffer great heartache because I have a body. When I have no body, what heartache remains?
Therefore who administers the em pire as he takes care of his body call be entrusted with the empire.
We look at Reason and do not see it; its name is Colorless. We listen to Reason and do not hear it; its name is Soundless. We grope for Reason and do not grasp it; its name is Bodiless.
These three things cannot further be analyzed. Thus they are combined and conceived as a unity which on its surface is not clear and in its depth not obscure.
Forever and aye Reason remains unnamable, and again and again it returns home to non-existence.
This is called the form of the form less, the image of the imageless. This is called the transcendentally abstruse.
In front its beginning is not seen. In the rear its end is not seen.
By holding fast to the Reason of the ancients, the present is mastered and the origin of the past understood. This is called Reason's clue.
Those of yore who have succeeded in becoming masters are subtile, spirit ual, profound, and penetrating. On ac count of their profundity they can~not be understood. Because they can not ;be understood, therefore I endeavor to make them intelligible.
How cautious they are! Like men in winter crossing a river. How reluc tant! Like men fearing in the four quarters their neighbors. How reserved ! They behave like guests. How elusive ! They resemble ice when melting. How simple! They resemble rough wood. How empty ! They resemble the valley. How obscure! They resemble troubled waters.
Who by quieting can gradually ren der muddy waters clear? Who by stir ring can gradually quicken the still?
He who cherishes this Reason is not anxious to be filled. Since he is not filled, therefore he may grow old ; with out renewal he is complete.
By attaining the height of abstrac tion we gain fulness of rest.
All the ten thousand things arise, and I see them return. Now they bloom in bloom but each one homeward returneth to its root.
Returning to the root means rest. It signifies the return according to des tiny. Return according to destiny means the eternal. Knowing the eternal means enlightenment. Not knowing the eter nal causes passions to rise; and that is evil.
Knowing the eternal renders com prehensive. Comprehensiveness renders broad. Breadth renders royal. Royalty renders heavenly. Heaven renders Rea son-like. Reason renders lasting. Thus the decay of the body implies no danger.
Of great rulers the subjects do not notice the existence. To lesser ones peo ple are attached ; they praise them. Still lesser ones people fear, and the meanest ones people despise.
For it is said: "If your faith be insufficient, verily, you will receive no faith."
How reluctantly they [the great rulers] considered their words! Merit they accomplished; deeds they per formed; and the hundred families thought: "We are independent."
When the great Reason is oblite rated, we have benevolence and justice. Prudence and circumspection appear, and we have much hypocrisy.
When family relations no longer harmonize, we have filial piety and paternal devotion. When the country and the clans decay through disorder, we have loyalty and allegiance.
Abandon your saintliness; put away your prudence ; and the people will gain a hundredfold!
Abandon your benevolence; put away your justice; and the people will return to filial piety and paternal devo tion.
Abandon smartness; give up greed; and thieves and robbers will no longer exist.
These are three things for which culture is insufficient. Therefore it is said: "Hold fast to that which will endure, Show thyself simple, preserve thee pure, And lessen self with desires fewer."
Abandon learnedness, and you have no vexation. The "yes" compared with the "yea," how little do they differ! But the good compared with the bad, how much do they differ!
If what the people dread cannot be made dreadless, there will be desolation, alas! and verily, there will be no end of it.
The multitudes of men are happy, so happy, as though celebrating a great feast. They are as though in springtime . ascending a tower. I alone remain quiet, I alas ! like one that has not yet received \an omen. I am like unto a babe that does not yet smile.
Forlorn am I, O so forlorn! It ap- ,' \ pears that I have no place whither I may return home.
The multitude of men all have plenty and I alone appear empty. Alas ! I am a man whose heart is foolish.
Ignorant am I, O, so ignorant ! Com mon people are bright, so bright, I alone am dull.
Common people are smart, so smart, I alone am confused, so confused.
Desolate am I, alas! like the sea. Adrift, alas! like one who has no place where to stay.
The multitude of men all possess usefulness. I alone am awkward and a rustic too. I alone differ from others, but I prize seeking sustenance from our mother.
"Vast virtue's form Follows Reason's norm.
"And Reason's nature Is vague and eluding.
"How eluding and vague All types including! How vague and eluding, All beings including! How deep and how obscure. It harbors the spirit pure, Whose truth is ever sure, Whose faith abides for aye From of yore until to-day.
"Its name is never vanishing, It heeds the good of everything."
Through what do I know that "it heeds the good of everything"? In this way, verily: Through IT. j
"The crooked shall be straight, Crushed ones recuperate, The empty find their fill. The worn with strength shall thrill ; Who little have receive, And who have much will grieve."
Therefore The holy man embraces unity and be comes for all the world a model. Not self-displaying he is enlightened; Not self-approving he is distinguished ; Not self-asserting he acquires merit; Not self-seeking he gaineth life. Since he does not quarrel, therefore no one in the world can quarrel with him.
The saying of the ancients: "The crooked shall be straight," is it in any way vainly spoken?' Verily, they will be straightened and return home.
To be taciturn is the natural way. A hurricane does not outlast the morning. A cloudburst does not outlast the day.
Who causes these events but heaven and earth? If even heaven and earth cannot be unremitting, will not man be much less so?
Those who pursue their business in Reason, men of Reason, associate in Rea son. Those who pursue their business in virtue associate in virtue. Those who pursue their business in ill luck asso ciate in ill luck. When men associate in Reason, Reason makes them glad to find companions. When men associate in virtue, virtue makes them glad to find companions. When men associate in ill luck, ill luck makes them glad to find companions. "If your faith is insufficient, verily shall ye receive no faith."
One on tiptoe is not steady; i One astride makes no advance. Self-displayers are not enlightened, Self-asserters lack distinction, Self-approvers have no merit, And self-seekers stunt their lives.
Before Reason this is like surfeit of food; it is Uke a wen on the body with which people are apt to be dis gusted.
Therefore the man of reason will not indulge in it.
There is a Being wondrous and com plete. Before heaven and earth, it was. How calm it is ! How spiritual !
Alone it standeth, and it changeth not; around it moveth, and it suffereth not; yet therefore can it be the world's mother.
Its name I know not, but its nature I call Reason.
Constrained to give a name, I call it the great. The great I call the de parting, and the departing I call the beyond. The beyond I call home.
The saying goes: "Reason is great, heaven is great, earth is great, and roy alty also is great. [There are four things in the world that are great, and royalty is one of them.]
Man's standard is the earth. The earth's standard is heaven. Heaven's standard is Reason. Reason's standard is intrinsic.
The heavy is of the light the root, and rest is motion's master.
Therefore the holy man in his daily walk does not depart from gravity. Al though he may have magnificent sights, he calmly sits with liberated mind.
But how is it when the master of the ten thousand chariots in his per sonal conduct is too light for the empire? If he is too light he will lose his vassals. If he is too passionate he will lose the throne.
"Good travelers leave no trace nor track, Good speakers, in logic show no lack, Good counters need no counting rack.
"Good lockers bolting bars need not, Yet none their locks can loose. Good binders need no string nor knot, Yet none unties their noose."
Therefore the holy man is always a good saviour of men, for there are no outcast people. He is always a good saviour of things, for there are no out cast things. This is called applied en lightenment.
Thus the good man does not respect multitudes of men. The bad man re spects the people's wealth. Who does I not esteem multitudes nor is charmed by their wealth, though his knowledge be greatly confused, he must be recog nized as profoundly spiritual.
"Who his manhood shows And his womanhood knows Becomes the empire's river. Is he the empire's river, He will from virtue never deviate, And home he turneth to a child's es tate.
"Who his brightness shows And his blackness knows Becomes the empire's model. Is he the empire's model, Of virtue ne'er shall he be destitute, And home he turneth to the absolute.
"Who knows his fame And guards his shame Becomes the empire's valley. Is he the empire's valley, For e'er his virtue will sufficient be, And home he turneth to simplicity."
Simplicity, when scattered, becomes a vessel of usefulness. The holy man, by using it, becomes the chief leader; and truly, a great principle will never do harm.
When one desires to take in hand the empire and make it, I see him not succeed. The empire is a divine vessel which cannot be made. One who makes it, mars it. One who takes it, loses it.
And it is said of beings: "Some are obsequious, others move boldly, Some breathe warmly, others coldly, Some are strong and others weak, Some rise proudly, others sneak."