The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter six is named Effort and Destiny and explores the impact of the Way on our lives.
Success and Failure
A sage is one who lives their life according to the virtue of the Way. They view the Way as destiny and nature. They know that things such as success and failure are based on the flow of nature and often out of their control.
“Failure and success, high rank and humble station, riches and poverty — all these come naturally and of themselves.”
One should go along with nature just as farmers follow the seasons. A farmer might have a successful year based on the weather like a person might have a successful year based on the flow of the Way.
“The husbandman takes his measures according to the season, the trader occupies himself with gain, the craftsman strives to master his art, the official pursues power. Here we have the operation of human forces. But the husbandman has seasons of rain and seasons of drought, the trader meets with gains and losses, the craftsman experiences both failure and success, the official finds opportunities or the reverse. Here we see the working of Destiny.”
Life and Death
The sage recognizes that life and death are beyond their control. One doesn’t choose when they are born or when they die. One may die even if they value life. One may live even if they hate life.
“Old age and early death…all these come naturally and of themselves.”
People live their natural length of years and eventually the younger generation takes their place.
“But if all these rulers were now in possession, where would your Highness be? Why, standing in the furrowed fields, clad in coir cape and hat! Condemned to a hard life on earth, you would have had no time, I warrant, for brooding over death. Again, how did you yourself come to occupy this throne? By a series of successive reigns and removals, until at last your turn came. And are you alone going to weep and lament over this order of things? That is unmanly.”
Leadership
A leader who follows the Way forgives the mistakes of others. They do not engage in endless blaming of others. A true leader does not find fault in everyone else, launch endless investigations, or impose themselves on others.
A true leader is compassionate and inspires others. They are trusted by their superiors. They do their job so well that their superiors don’t think about them and others do not disobey them. They strive to be an able administrator.
A leader does not bully or criticize others. They know that this would be counterproductive and lead to a backlash. They never command others and always remain humble.
Summary
The Way can be seen as nature or destiny. It is best to flow with nature because success and failure, life and death, are often out of a person’s control. A leader acting in accordance with the Way forgives others, is compassionate and inspirational. They are trusted, never bully others, and remain humble.
“When the way is straight, I push on; when it is crooked, I let be.”
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.
The Book of Master Lie, Thomas Cleary, translator. 2011. A nice translation of Liezi.
