The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter four is named Confucius and rejects external praise while focusing on internal truth.
Acceptance
The sage knows that social rules or customs are not the Way. Instead the sage accepts life as it comes with no preconditions.
“He made no show of receiving his guests, but only gazed blankly at Liezi.”
The sage strives to be compassionate, adaptable, reflective, and reserved.
“Fraternizing with the hindmost row, he recognized no distinctions of rank or standing; meeting a sympathetic influence, and responding thereto, he did not allow his mind to be occupied with the external.”
Profit and Loss
The sage does not care about praise or condemnation.
“I hold it no honor,” said Long Shu, “to be praised in my native village, nor do I consider it a disgrace to be decried in my native State.”
The sage does not worry about gain or loss.
“Gain excites in me no joy, and loss no sorrow. I look…upon riches in the same light as poverty, upon my fellow-men as so many swine, and upon myself as I look upon my fellow-men.”
They accept both life and death.
“I look upon life in the same light as death.”
In this way pain, punishment, and loss have no effect.
“Afflicted as I am in these various ways, honors and rewards fail to rouse me, pains and penalties to overawe me, good or bad fortune to influence me, joy or grief to move me.”
Influence and Leadership
The sage influencers others without governing them.
“He governs not, yet there is no disorder. He speaks not, yet he is naturally trusted. He makes no reforms, yet right conduct is spontaneous and universal. So great and incomprehensible is he that the people can find no name to call him by.“
Those who lead with power or control are not true leaders. They are ignorant of leadership and incompetent.
“To receive sustenance from others, through inability to support oneself, places one in the category of dogs and swine...Those of higher social standing are lacking in technical knowledge, those who are employed by them are lacking in power. Only when there is a combination of technical knowledge and power can co-operative service exist.”
Emptiness
The sage does not rely on the five senses, but instead strives for a state of emptiness. The mind, body, and spirit become one with the Way.
“His ears do not hear, his eyes do not see, his mouth does not speak, his mind is devoid of knowledge, his body free from agitation...The soul had subjugated the body. The mind being void of sense-impressions, the countenance remained motionless.”
Travel is not taking a journey, but is a focus inward seeking emptiness. The sage opens themselves up to the universe. They are not aware of their own thoughts, actions, or speech.
“But one who is able to discern a connecting unity in the most multiform diversity will surely, in his survey of the universe, be unconscious of the differences between positive and negative.”
Always Alive
The Way is responsible for all creation. One can achieve eternity when they are with the Way. Even though their life ends it doesn’t truly perish.
“He who has attained to perfect knowledge is also silent. He who uses silence in lieu of speech really does speak.”
Summary
The sage knows that artificial rules are unimportant. One should accept what comes. The sage is compassionate and does not seek praise. They influence others but do not command. They strive for emptiness where mind and body become one. The Way is responsible for all creation and though life ends, it doesn’t truly perish.
Resource
Teachings from the Book of Liezih Tzu. Lionel Giles, translator. 1912. Classic public domain translation of Chapters 1-6, and 8 of the Book of Liezi.
