The Writings of Chuang-Tzu tr by James Legge.pdf

The Writings of Chuang Tzu.

Chuang Tzu

The book was probably written by a number of followers of Chuang Tzu. It expresses a deeply

compassionate insight into human weaknesses and sufferings, and a refreshing concern with com-

mon folk and the poor which is unusual in ancient texts. Like most Chinese philosophers he did

not believe in an afterlife. He did not believe in any creator God, or any God at all in the Western

sense. But he did believe in an underlying Tao, Way or One, from which the Heaven and Earth

derived. This One transfused everything in the universe from the lowest to the highest. The indi-

vidual could attain mystical unity with this One by achieving complete emptiness or hsu" - a time-

less state free of worries or seflish desires, open to impressions but transcending all individual ma-

terial objects. Much of the Chuang Tzu focusses on the benefits of inaction.

On this it followed the Tao-te-Ching, but took its philosophy to extremes. Chuang Tzu probably

lived some time in the fourth century BC. His philosophy drove him to avoid all public action - he

was, it is said, invited to become prime minister, but he declined, so as to retain his freedom. The

twelfth century Confucian Chu Hsi said: `Lao Tzu still wanted to do something, but Chuang Tzu

did not want to do anything at all. He even said that he knew what to do, but just did not want to

do it.' His philosophy of social inaction is one that cannot be applied in practice. It means fatalism,

acceptance that one can change nothing, indifference to the fate of others, and social

irresponsibility. Nor did Chuang Tzu abide by this philosophy. He condemned those who wished

to become `storehouses of schemes', and to be famous teachers. If he had stuck to his own

principles, we should never have heard of him.

A drawing of Chuang Tzu

The Writings of Chuang Tzu

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part I.

Book I, "Enjoyment in Untroubled Ease."

Book II, "The Adjustment of Controversies"

Book III, "Nourishing the Lord of Life."

Book IV, "Man in the World, Associated with other Men,"

Book V, "The Seal of Virtue Complete

Book VI, "The Great and Most Honoured Master,"

Book VII, "The Normal Course for Rulers and Kings."

Part II.

Book VIII, "Webbed Toes."

Book IX, "Horse's Hooves."

Book X, "Cutting Open Satchels."

Book XI, "Letting Be, and Exercising Forbearance,"

Part III.

Book XII, "Heaven and Earth,"

Book XXIII, "Kang-sang Kh,"

Book XIII, "The Way of Heaven,"

Book XXIV, "Hs W-kwei,"

Book XIV, "The Revolution of Heaven,"

Book XXV, "Tseh-yang,"

Book XV, "Ingrained Ideas."

Book XXVI, "What Comes from Without."

Book XVI, "Correcting the Nature."

Book XXVII, "Metaphorical Language."

Book XVII, "The Floods of Autumn,"

Book XXVIII, "Kings who have wished to

resign the Throne,"

Book XVIII, "Perfect Enjoyment."

Book XIX, "The Full Understanding of Life,"

Book XXIX, "The Robber Kih,"

Book XX, "The Tree on the Mountain,"

Book XXX, "Delight in the Sword Fight."

Book XXI, "Thien Tsze-fang,"

Book XXXI, "The Old Fisherman."

Book XXII, "Knowledge Rambling in the North,"

Book XXXII, "Lieh Y-khu."

Book XXXIII, "Historical Phases of Toist

Teaching,"

II.

PART I.

Book I, "Enjoyment in Untroubled Ease."

Hsio-yo Y

1. In the Northern Ocean there is a fish, the name of which is Khwan,-- I do not know how many l

in size. It changes into a bird with the name of Phang, the back of which is (also)-- I do not know

how many l in extent. When this bird rouses itself and flies, its wings are like clouds all round the

sky. When the sea is moved (so as to bear it along), it prepares to remove to the Southern Ocean.

The Southern Ocean is the Pool of Heaven.

There is the (book called) Kh Hsieh,-- a record of marvels. We have in it these words:-- 'When the

phang is removing to the Southern Ocean it flaps (its wings) on the water for 3000 l. Then it as-

cends on a whirlwind 90,000 l, and it rests only at the end of six months.' (But similar to this is the

movement of the breezes which we call) the horses of the fields, of the dust (which quivers in the

sunbeams), and of living things as they are blown against one another by the air. Is its azure the

proper colour of the sky? Or is it occasioned by its distance and illimitable extent? If one were

looking down (from above), the very same appearance would just meet his view.

2. And moreover, (to speak of) the accumulation of water;-- if it be not great, it will not have

strength to support a large boat. Upset a cup of water in a cavity, and a straw will float on it as if it

were a boat. Place a cup in it, and it will stick fast;-- the water is shallow and the boat is large. (So

it is with) the accumulation of wind; if it be not great, it will not have strength to support great

wings. Therefore (the phang ascended to) the height of 90,000 l, and there was such a mass of

wind beneath it; thenceforth the accumulation of wind was sufficient. As it seemed to bear the blue

sky on its back, and there was nothing to obstruct or arrest its course, it could pursue its way to the

South.

A cicada and a little dove laughed at it, saying, 'We make an effort and fly towards an elm or sa-

panwood tree; and sometimes before we reach it, we can do no more but drop to the ground. Of

what use is it for this (creature) to rise 90,000 l, and make for the South?' He who goes to the

grassy suburbs, returning to the third meal (of the day), will have his belly as full as when he set

out; he who goes to a distance of 100 l will have to pound his grain where he stops for the night;

he who goes a thousand l, will have to carry with him provisions for three months.

What should these two small creatures know about the matter? The knowledge of that which is

small does not reach to that which is great; (the experience of) a few years does not reach to that of

many. How do we know that it is so? The mushroom of a morning does not know (what takes

place between) the beginning and end of a month; the short-lived cicada does not know (what

takes place between) the spring and autumn. These are instances of a short term of life. In the

south of Kh there is the (tree) called Ming-ling, whose spring is 500 years, and its autumn the

same; in high antiquity there was that called T-khun, whose spring was 8000 years, and its au-

tumn the same. And Phang Tsu is the one man renowned to the present day for his length of life:--

if all men were (to wish) to match him, would they not be miserable?

3. In the questions put by Thang to K we have similar statements:-- 'In the bare and barren north

there is the dark and vast ocean,-- the Pool of Heaven. In it there is a fish, several thousand l in

breadth, while no one knows its length. Its name is the khwan.

There is (also) a bird named the phang; its back is like the Thi mountain, while its wings are like

clouds all round the sky. On a whirlwind it mounts upwards as on the whorls of a goat's horn for

90,000 l, till, far removed from the cloudy vapours, it bears on its back the blue sky, and then it

shapes its course for the South, and proceeds to the ocean there.' A quail by the side of a marsh

laughed at it, and said, 'Where is it going to? I spring up with a bound, and come down again when

I have reached but a few fathoms, and then fly about among the brushwood and bushes; and this is

the perfection of flying. Where is that creature going to?' This shows the difference between the

small and the great.

Thus it is that men, whose wisdom is sufficient for the duties of some one office, or whose conduct

will secure harmony in some one district, or whose virtue is befitting a ruler so that they could ef-

ficiently govern some one state, are sure to look on themselves in this manner (like the quail), and

yet Yung-tsze of Sung would have smiled and laughed at them.

(This Yung-tsze), though the whole world should have praised him, would not for that have stimu-

lated himself to greater endeavour, and though the whole world should have condemned him,

would not have exercised any more repression of his course; so fixed was he in the difference be-

tween the internal (judgment of himself) and the external (judgment of others), so distinctly had he

marked out the bounding limit of glory and disgrace. Here, however, he stopped.

His place in the world indeed had become indifferent to him, but still he had not planted himself

firmly (in the right position).

There was Lieh-tsze, who rode on the wind and pursued his way, with an admirable indifference

(to all external things), returning, however, after fifteen days, (to his place). In regard to the things

that (are supposed to) contribute to happiness, he was free from all endeavours to obtain them; but

though he had not to walk, there was still something for which he had to wait. But suppose one

who mounts on (the ether of) heaven and earth in its normal operation, and drives along the six

elemental energies of the changing (seasons), thus enjoying himself in the illimitable,-- what has

he to wait for? Therefore it is said, 'The Perfect man has no (thought of) self; the Spirit-like man,

none of merit; the Sagely-minded man, none of fame.'

4. Yo, proposing to resign the throne to Hs Y, said, 'When the sun and moon have come forth,

if the torches have not been put out, would it not be difficult for them to give light? When the sea-

sonal rains are coming down, if we still keep watering the ground, will not our toil be labour lost

for all the good it will do? Do you, Master, stand forth (as sovereign), and the kinadorn will (at

once) be well governed. If I still (continue to) preside over it, I must look on myself as vainly oc-

cupying the place;-- I beg to resign the throne to you.' Hs Y said, 'You, Sir, govern the kingdom,

and the kingdom is well governed. If I in these circumstances take your place, shall I not be doing

so for the sake of the name? But the name is but the guest of the reality;-- shall I be playing the

part of the guest? The tailor-bird makes its nest in the deep forest, but only uses a single branch;

the mole drinks from the Ho, but only takes what fills its belly. Return and rest in being ruler,-- I

will have nothing to do with the throne. Though the cook were not attending to his kitchen, the

representative of the dead and the officer of prayer would not leave their cups and stands to take

his place.'

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika: