Lie Yukou
列禦寇 · Zhuangzi
Lie Yukou
Lie Yukou was on his way to Qi when he turned back midway and met Bo Hun Mumen. Bo Hun Mumen asked, "What made you turn back?"
"I was alarmed," said Liezi.
"What alarmed you?"
"I had once eaten at ten shops selling gruel, and five of them offered me their food before I had even paid."
Bo Hun Mumen said, "If that is so, then why were you alarmed?"
"When inner sincerity remains unresolved and the outward form radiates a visible light, one thereby overawes the hearts of others, causing them to treat the venerable and aged lightly and to invite calamity upon themselves. The gruel-sellers were merely in the business of selling food and soup, making a small profit and exercising little power—yet even they behaved like this. How much more would the lord of ten thousand chariots, who exhausts his body in the service of the state and spends his wisdom in the management of affairs! He would entrust me with responsibilities and demand results from me. That is why I was alarmed."
Bo Hun Mumen said, "Well observed! Look how you conduct yourself—people will attach themselves to you!"
After a short while, Bo Hun Mumen went to see him and found the shoes outside his door piled full. Bo Hun Mumen stood facing north, propped his chin upon his staff with his brow furrowed, stood there for a moment, and then departed without a word. The gatekeeper reported this to Liezi. Liezi picked up his shoes and ran out barefoot, reaching the gate and saying, "Now that the Master has come, could you not offer me some remedy?"
"It is settled! I already told you that 'people will attach themselves to you'—and indeed they have attached themselves to you. It is not that you are capable of making people attach themselves to you, but that you are incapable of preventing people from attaching themselves to you. And why should you stir them up and set yourself apart in a way that excites attention? When you are certain to provoke a response, you will shake your very nature—and that is pointless. Those who associate with you give you no such warnings. Their petty talk is nothing but poison for people. Neither awake nor aware—how can they instruct one another? The clever toil, the knowing worry. Those who have no particular talent seek nothing; they eat their fill and wander freely, drifting like an unmoored boat—wandering in emptiness."
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A man of Zheng named Huan recited and studied in the lands of the Qiu clan. After only three years he had become a Confucian scholar; his influence flowed for nine leagues and his grace reached his three clans. He made his younger brother study Mohism. The Confucian and the Mohist debated with each other, and their father sided with the Mohist. After ten years, Huan killed himself. His father appeared to him in a dream and said: "It was I who made your son a Mohist. Why not examine what has been accomplished? The catalpa and cypress have already borne fruit!" When the Creator of Things rewards a person, he does not reward the person as a person—he rewards that which is Heaven-endowed in the person. It was the father who caused the son to become what he was. Those who consider themselves to be in any way different from others and thereby demean their own kin—this is like the people of Qi who fought among themselves over a well to drink from. Therefore it is said: the people of the present age are all like Huan. From this we may know that those with virtue are perplexed, let alone those with the Way! The ancients called this the punishment that flees from Heaven.
The sage is at peace with what is at peace; he is not at peace with what is not at peace. The common people are at peace with what is not at peace; they are not at peace with what is at peace.
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Zhuangzi said: "To know the Way is easy; to refrain from speaking of it is difficult. To know it and not speak of it—this is to arrive at what is Heavenly. To know it and speak of it—this is to descend into what is human. The men of old belonged to Heaven and not to man."
Zhu Pingman studied the art of slaying dragons from Zhi Liaoyi. He spent the wealth of a thousand-gold household, and after three years his skill was complete—but there was no occasion to employ his art.
The sage regards the inevitable as inevitable, and so he has no conflict. The common people regard the non-inevitable as inevitable, and so they have much conflict. He who relies on conflict will perish. The knowledge of petty men never departs from the exchange of gifts and letters; they wear out their spirits on shallow matters while wishing to guide and bring benefit to all things, to unite with the Great One and give form to the Formless. Such people are bewildered within the universe and burdened in body, knowing nothing of the Great Beginning. The perfect man, on the other hand, returns his spirit to the Beginningless and sleeps peacefully in the realm of Nothing-at-All. Water flows without form, issuing forth from the Great Purity. Alas! You spend your awareness on the tip of a hair and do not know the Great Peace!
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There was a man of Song named Cao Shang who was sent by the king of Song as an ambassador to Qin. When he departed, he was given several carriages. The king of Qin was pleased and added a hundred carriages. On his return to Song, he met Zhuangzi and said: "To live in a poor and narrow lane, to weave sandals in distress, with a withering neck and a sallow face—that is what I am bad at. But to awaken the lord of ten thousand chariots and be followed by a hundred carriages—that is what I am good at."
Zhuangzi said: "When the king of Qin fell ill and summoned his physicians, those who lanced his boils and squeezed his carbuncles received one carriage; those who licked his hemorrhoids received five carriages. The lower the treatment, the more carriages one received. Did you treat his hemorrhoids? Why did you get so many carriages? Begone!"
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Duke Ai of Lou asked Yan He: "If I employ Zhongni as a pillar of the state, will the country be healed?"
"Perilous! Precarious! Zhongni would embellish feathers and paint them. He would engage in florid rhetoric, taking the branch for the root. He would force his nature in order to put on a show for the people, and he would not know that this is untrustworthy. He would receive it in his heart and govern it with his spirit—how could such a one be set above the people? Is he suitable for you? Can he nourish you? It would be a mistake, but it might be permitted. Now to cause the people to abandon substance and study falsehood is no way to guide them. If you think of future generations, you had better leave it alone. The people are hard to govern."
When one bestows benefits on others and does not forget them, this is not the dispensation of Heaven. Merchants are not spoken of with respect. Even if one speaks of them in the context of affairs, the spiritual person does not speak of them.
The instruments of outer punishment are metal and wood; the instruments of inner punishment are agitation and transgression. When petty men are subjected to outer punishment, metal and wood interrogate them. When they are subjected to inner punishment, the yin and yang consume them. Only the genuine person can escape both outer and inner punishment.
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Confucius said: "The human heart is more treacherous than mountains and rivers, harder to know than Heaven. Heaven still has its seasons of spring, autumn, winter, and summer, its dawns and dusks. But human beings have a thick exterior and deep inner feelings. Some appear honest and yet are full of excess; some appear accomplished and yet are worthless; some appear compliant and yet are perverse; some appear firm and yet are slack; some appear slow and yet are hasty. Thus those who pursue righteousness as though thirsty will flee from it as though from fire. Therefore the gentleman sends a man far away to observe his loyalty; keeps him near to observe his respect; gives him vexing tasks to observe his ability; suddenly questions him to observe his knowledge; imposes a pressing deadline to observe his trustworthiness; entrusts him with wealth to observe his benevolence; informs him of danger to observe his integrity; makes him drunk to observe his deportment; places him in mixed company to observe his demeanor. When these nine tests are applied, the unfit person is revealed."
Zheng Kaofu, upon receiving his first appointment, walked with a stoop; upon receiving the second, he walked with a bend; upon receiving the third, he walked with his back bent low. He kept to the wall as a he walked—who would dare to defy him? But an ordinary man, upon receiving his first appointment, would strut; upon receiving the second, would dance in his carriage; upon receiving the third, would address his elders by their personal names. Who could compare with Tang and Xu!
No treachery is greater than having virtue in one's heart, and the heart having eyes. When the heart has eyes and turns its gaze inward, inward gazing brings ruin. There are five kinds of baleful virtue, with central virtue being foremost. What is "central virtue"? It is the kind that takes self-satisfaction in itself and sneers at what it does not do. There are eight extremes that lead to straits, three necessities that lead to success, and six repositories in the physical form. Being handsome, having a full beard, being tall, being large, being robust, being beautiful, being brave, and being bold—when a person possesses all eight and thereby surpasses others, this leads to straits. Being compliant and yielding, being supple and accommodating, being humble and unassuming—these three, even when one is inferior to others, all lead to success. Wisdom and intelligence reaching outward invite conflict; courageous action invites much resentment; the practice of benevolence and righteousness invites much blame. One who comprehends the nature of life is great; one who comprehends wisdom is small; one who comprehends the great destiny goes along with it; one who comprehends the small destiny accepts what befalls him.
A man who had an audience with the King of Song was granted ten carriages, and he used those ten carriages to boast before Zhuangzi. Zhuangzi said: "There was a man by the river who was poor and made his living weaving rushes. His son dove into the deep pool and found a pearl worth a thousand pieces of gold. His father said to his son: 'Bring a stone and break it open!' Now a pearl worth a thousand pieces of gold must be found in the ninefold abyss, beneath the jaw of the black dragon. Your son was able to get the pearl only because he happened upon the dragon while it were sleeping. If the black dragon should wake, what remnant of him would there be? Now the depths of the state of Song are no mere ninefold abyss, and the ferocity of the King of Song is no mere black dragon. Your ability to obtain carriages was due to happening upon him while he were sleeping. If the King of Song should wake, you would be ground to powder!"
Someone offered Zhuangzi a position. Zhuangzi replied to the messenger: "Have you seen the sacrificial ox? It is clothed in embroidered silk, fed with grain and legumes, and then led into the ancestral temple. Though it might wish to be a solitary calf, how could that be possible?"
When Zhuangzi was about to die, his disciples wished to give him a lavish burial. Zhuangzi said: "I have heaven and earth for my inner and outer coffins, the sun and moon for my paired jade disks, the stars and constellations for my pearls and gems, and the ten thousand things for my burial gifts. Are my burial preparations not complete enough? What could be added to this?" The disciples said: "We are afraid the crows and kites will eat you." Zhuangzi said: "Above ground, I shall be eaten by crows and kites; below ground, I shall be eaten by ants. To take from those and give to these—how partial can you be!"
To make equal by means of what is not equal—the equality so achieved is not true equality. To make manifest by means of what is not manifest—the manifestation so achieved is not true manifestation. The merely bright is employed by others; the spirit-like is what truly manifests. That brightness cannot prevail over the spirit has long been the case, yet the foolish rely on what they see, involve themselves with others, and their efforts are external. Is this not tragic?
列禦寇
列御寇之齊，中道而反，遇伯昏瞀人。伯昏瞀人曰：「奚方而反？」曰：「吾驚焉。」曰：「惡乎驚？」曰：「吾嘗食於十漿，而五漿先饋。」伯昏瞀人曰：「若是，則汝何爲驚已？」曰：「夫內誠不解，形諜成光，以外鎭人心，使人輕乎貴老，而䪡其所患。夫漿人，特爲食羹之貨、多餘之贏，其爲利也薄，其爲權也輕，而猶若是，而況於萬乘之主乎，身勞於國，而知盡於事！彼將任我以事，而效我以功，吾是以驚。」伯昏瞀人曰：「善哉！觀乎汝處己一作「已」，人將保汝矣！」无幾何而往，則戶外之屨滿矣。伯昏瞀人北面而立，敦杖蹙之乎頤，立有間，不言而出。儐一作「賓」者以告列子，列子提屨，跣而走，暨一作「曁」乎門，曰：「先生旣來，曾不發藥乎？」曰：「已矣！吾固告汝曰『人將保汝』，果保汝矣。非汝能使人保汝，而汝不能使人无保汝也，而焉用之感豫出異也？必且有感，搖而本才一作「性」，又无謂也。與汝遊者，又莫汝告也。彼所小言，盡人毒也。莫覺莫悟，何相孰也？巧者勞，而知者憂，无能者无所求，飽食而遨遊，汎若不繫之舟，虛而遨遊者也。」
鄭人緩也，呻吟裘氏之地，衹一作「祇」三年，而（緩）爲儒，河潤九里，澤及三族。使其弟墨。儒墨相與辯，其父助翟。十年而緩自殺。其父夢之曰：「使而子爲墨者，予也。闔胡嘗視其良？旣爲秋柏一作「栢」之實矣！」夫造物者之報人也，不報其人，而報其人之天，彼故一作「固」使彼。夫人以己爲有以異於人，以賤其親，齊人之井飲者，相捽也，故曰：今之世皆緩也。自是，有德者以不知也，而況有道者乎？古者謂之遁天之刑。聖人安其所安，不安其所不安；衆人安其所不安，不安其所安。
莊子曰：「知道，易；勿言，難。知而不言，所以之天也；知而言之，所以之人也。古之人，天而不人。」
朱泙漫學屠龍於支離益，單千金之家，三年技成，而无所用其巧。聖人以必不必，故无兵；衆人以不必必之，故多兵。愼一作「順」於兵，故行有求兵，恃之則亡。小夫之知，不離苞苴、竿牘，敝精神乎蹇淺，而欲兼濟導物，太一形虛。若是者，迷惑于宇宙，形累不知太初。彼至人者，歸精神乎无始，而甘瞑乎无何有之鄉。水流乎无形，發泄乎大清。悲哉乎，汝爲知在豪毛一作「末」，而不知大寧！
宋人有曹商者，爲宋王使秦。其往也，得車數乘。王悅之，益車百乘。反於宋，見莊子，曰：「夫處窮閭阨巷，困窘織屨，槁項黃馘者，商之所短也。一悟萬乘之主，而從車百乘者，商之所長也。」莊子曰：「秦王有病，召醫，破癕潰痤者，得車一乘；舐痔者，得車五乘；所治愈下，得車愈多。子豈治其痔邪？何得車之多也？子行矣！」
魯哀公問乎顏闔曰：「吾以仲尼爲貞幹，國其有瘳乎？」曰：「殆哉岌一作「圾」乎！仲尼方且飾羽而畫，從事華辭，以支爲旨，忍性以視民，而不知不信，受乎心，宰乎神，夫何足以上民？彼宜汝與？予頤與？誤而可矣。今使民離實學僞，非所以視民也。爲後世慮，不若休之。難治也。」施於人而不忘，非天布也，商賈不齒。雖以事齒之，神者弗齒。爲外刑者，金與木也；爲內刑者，動與過也。宵人之離外刑者，金木訊之；離內刑者，陰陽食之。夫免乎外內一作「內外」之刑者，唯眞人能之。
孔子曰：「凡人心，險於山川，難於知天。天猶有春秋冬夏旦暮之期，人者厚貌深情，故有貌愿而益，有長若不肖，有順懁而達，有堅而縵，有緩而釬，故其就義若渴者，其去義若熱。故君子，遠使之而觀其忠，近使之而觀其敬，煩使之而觀其能，卒然問焉而觀其知，急與之期而觀其信，委之以財而觀其仁，告之以危而觀其節，醉之以酒而觀其則，雜之以處而觀其色。九徵至，不肖人得矣。」正考父，一命而傴，再命而僂，三命而俯，循牆而走，孰敢不軌？如而夫者，一命而呂鉅，再命而於車上儛，三命而名諸父，孰協唐、許？
賊莫大乎德有心，而心有眼，及其有眼也而內視，內視而敗矣。凶德有五，中德爲首。何謂中德？中德也者，有以自好也，而吡其所不爲者也。窮有八極，達有三必，形有六府。美、髯、長、大、壯、麗、勇、敢，八者俱過人也，因以是窮。緣循、偃佒、困畏，不若人，三者俱通達。知慧外通，勇動多怨，仁義多責，達生之情者傀，達於知者肖，達大命者隨，達小命者遭。
人有見宋王者，錫車十乘，以其十乘驕稺一作「穉」莊子。莊子曰：「河上有家貧，恃緯蕭而食者，其子沒於淵，得千金之珠。其父謂其子曰：『取石來鍛之！』夫千金之珠，必在九重之淵而驪龍頷下。子能得珠者，必遭其睡也。使驪龍而寤，子尚奚微之有哉？』今宋國之深，非直九重之淵也；宋王之猛，非直驪龍也。子能得車者，必遭其睡也。使宋王而寤，子爲䪡粉夫！」
或聘於莊子，莊子應其使曰：「子見夫犧牛乎？衣以文繡，食以芻菽，及其牽而入於太廟，雖欲爲孤犢，其可得乎？」
莊子將死，弟子欲厚葬之。莊子曰：「吾以天地爲棺槨，以日月爲連璧，星辰爲珠璣，萬物爲齎送。吾葬一作「喪」具豈不備邪？何以加此？」弟子曰：「吾恐烏鳶之食夫子也。」莊子曰：「在上爲烏鳶食，在下爲螻蟻食，奪彼與此，何其偏也！」
以不平平，其平也不平。以不徵徵，其徵也不徵。明者，唯爲之使，神者徵之。夫明之不勝神也，久矣，而愚者恃其所見，入於人，其功外也，不亦悲乎？