Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy Part 19

Chapter Fifty-Three.

If I know anything at all, I know that in following the great Way, there is but one concern: The great Way is smooth and easy; Yet people love to take shortcuts!100 The court is resplendent; Yet the fields are overgrown.

The granaries are empty; Yet some wear elegant clothes; Fine swords dangle at their sides; They are stuffed with food and drink; And possess wealth in gross abundance.

This is known as taking pride in robbery.

Far is this from the Way!

Chapter Fifty-Four.

What is firmly grounded will not be pulled out.

What is firmly embraced will not be lost.

Through the sacrifices of one's descendants, it will never cease.

Cultivate it in oneself and its Virtue will be genuine.101 Cultivate it in one's family and its Virtue will be more than enough.

Cultivate it in one's village and its Virtue will be long lasting.

Cultivate it in one's state and its Virtue will be abundant.

Cultivate it throughout the world and its Virtue will be everywhere.102 And so, take stock of the self by looking at the self; Take stock of the family by looking at the family; Take stock of the village by looking at the village; Take stock of the state by looking at the state; Take stock of the world by looking at the world; How do I know that the world is this way?

Through this!

Chapter Fifty-Five.

Those who are steeped in Virtue are like newborn children;103 Poisonous creatures will not strike them; Fierce beasts will not seize them; Birds of prey will not s.n.a.t.c.h them away.

Their bones are weak and sinews yielding and yet their grip is firm.

They do not yet know the union of male and female, but their potency is at its height.

This is because they are perfectly pure; They can wail all day without growing hoa.r.s.e.

This is because they are perfectly balanced.

Knowing balance is called "constancy."

Knowing constancy is called "enlightenment."

What helps life along is called "inauspicious."104 When the heart and mind is used to guide the qi , "vital energies," this is called "forcing things."105 For after a period of vigor there is old age.

To rely on such practices is said to be contrary to the Way.

And what is contrary to the Way will come to an early end.106

Chapter Fifty-Six.

Those who know do not talk about it; Those who talk about it do not know.

Stop up the openings; Close the gates;107 Blunt the sharpness; Untangle the tangles; Soften the glare; Merge with the dust.108 This is known as Enigmatic Unity.109 And so one can neither be too familiar with nor too distant from them; One can neither benefit nor harm them; One can neither honor nor demean them, And so they are honored by the whole world.110

Chapter Fifty-Seven.

Follow what is correct and regular in ordering your state; Follow what is strange and perverse in deploying your troops; Follow no activity and gain the world.111 How do I know that things are this way?

Through this!

The more taboos and prohibitions there are in the world, the poorer the people.

The more sharp implements the people have, the more benighted the state.112 The more clever and skillful the people, the more strange and perverse things arise.

The more clear the laws and edicts, the more thieves and robbers.

And so sages say, "I do nothing and the people transform themselves; I prefer stillness and the people correct and regulate themselves; I engage in no activity and the people prosper on their own; I am without desires and the people simplify113 their own lives."

Chapter Fifty-Eight.

The more dull and depressed the government, the more honest and agreeable the people.

The more active and searching the government, the more deformed and deficient the people.

Good fortune rests upon disaster; Disaster lies hidden within good fortune.

Who knows the highest standards?

Perhaps there is nothing that is truly correct and regular!

What is correct and regular turns strange and perverse; What is good turns monstrous.

Long indeed have the people been deluded.

And so sages are, Square but do not cut, Cornered but do not clip, Upright but not imposing, s.h.i.+ning but not dazzling.

Chapter Fifty-Nine.

In bringing order to the people or in serving Heaven, nothing is as good as frugality.

To be frugal is called submitting early on.

Submitting early on is known as deeply acc.u.mulating Virtue.

If you deeply acc.u.mulate Virtue, nothing can stand in your way.

If nothing can stand in your way, no one will know your limits.

If no one knows your limits, you can possess the state.

If you possess the mother of the state, you can long endure.

This is known as deep roots and strong stems.

This is the Way of long life and far-reaching vision.

Chapter Sixty.

Ruling a great state is like cooking a small fish.114 When one manages the world through the Way, ghosts lose their numinous qualities.

It's not that ghosts really lose their numinous qualities, but that their numinous qualities do not injure human beings.115 Not only do their numinous qualities not injure human beings, sages too do not injure human beings.116 Since neither of these two injures human beings, Virtue gathers and accrues to both.

Chapter Sixty-One.

A great state is like the delta of a mighty river;117 It is where the whole world gathers.

It is the female of the whole world.118 The female always gets the better of the male through stillness.

Through stillness, she places herself below the male.

And so, a great state, by placing itself below a lesser state, can take the lesser state.

A lesser state, by placing itself below a great state, can be taken by the greater state.

And so, one places itself below in order to take; The other places itself below in order to be taken.

The great state wants no more than to provide for all people alike.

The lesser state wants no more than to find someone to serve.

Since both can get what they want, it is fitting that the great state place itself in the lower position.

Chapter Sixty-Two.

The Way is the inner sanctum of the myriad creatures.119 It is the treasure of the good man and the savior of the bad.

Fine words can sell things;120 n.o.ble deeds can promote someone; But can one cast away the bad in people?121 And so, when setting up the Son of Heaven or appointing the Three Ministers,122 Those who offer up precious jades and present fine steeds are not as good as those who stay in their seats and promote this Way.