Constancy

Liezi Chapter 1: Celestial Signs

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism (Taoism) after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter one is named Celestial Signs and focuses on concepts such as life, death, change, and happiness.

Creation

The Dao existed before all off creation.

“Therefore it is said that there was a cosmic evolution, a cosmic origin, a cosmic beginning, and a cosmic elemental. In the cosmic evolution, energy is not yet manifest.”

It gave form to all things. It creates energy, form, and substance.

“The cosmic origin is the beginning of energy. The cosmic beginning is the beginning of form. The cosmic elemental is the beginning of substance.”

The Dao unifies all things.

“When energy, form, and substance are all present yet not separated, that is called the undifferentiated, meaning that myriad things are mutually undifferentiated and not yet separate from one another.”

Change

While it unifies all things, it creates constant change. Beings are unborn, then born, constant, and then change.

“There is that which is born and that which is unborn; there is that which changes and that which is unchanging. The unborn gives birth to that which is born; the unchanging produces change.”

“From birth until death, there are four major changes in people: childhood, youth, old age, death.”

“A person’s body and mind differ every day, while skin, nails, and hair are shed as they grow. There is ceaseless change from infancy on; one is not aware of it while it’s going on, but only realizes after it’s happened.”

It causes the variation of sound, color, and flavor.

“There is sound, and there is that which makes sound sound; there is color, and there is that which colors color. There is flavor, and there is that which flavors flavor.”

No Limitation

The Dao accomplishes nothing yet everything gets done. There is nothing it can’t do or doesn’t know.

“It has no knowledge and no ability, yet there is nothing it does not know, nothing it cannot do.”

It is responsible for both heaven and earth. Heaven creates life while earth supports it.

“Therefore heaven’s job is to create and to cover, earth’s job is to form and support, sages’ job is to teach and civilize, everyone’s job is what they’re suited for.”

Happiness

The sage is content with their life and happy with their existence.

“I have many reasons for happiness. Heaven gives birth to myriad beings, but humans alone are noble; I am human, so I’m happy. Some babies are stillborn, some die in infancy;”

The sage stays content in old age.

“I am already ninety years old, death is the end for people; awaiting death in a normal state, what should I be melancholy about?”

“The fact that I’m growing old without wife or children and am soon going to die is why I can be so happy.”

The sage is content in poverty.

“The reasons for my happiness are available to everyone, but they take them for misery instead. The fact that I didn’t work hard when young and didn’t compete with contemporaries as I matured is why I have lived so long.”

The sage doesn’t fear the unknown or worry about the future.

“It’s wrong to say the universe will disintegrate, and it’s also wrong to say the universe will not disintegrate. Whether or not it will disintegrate is something one cannot know. So while alive we don’t know death, and when dead we don’t know life. How can I concern myself with whether or not the universe will disintegrate?”

Life

The sage knows that life is a gift of the Dao.

“It is a form entrusted by the universe. Life is not our possession; it is a harmony entrusted by the universe. Nature and destiny are not your possessions; they are order entrusted by the universe.”

The sage knows that life is supported by the Dao.

“I have heard that heaven has seasons, earth has yields. I steal the seasonal yields of heaven and earth, the moisture of clouds and rain, the fertility of mountains and wetlands, to grow my grain, plant my crops, construct my fences, and build my house. On land I steal birds and beasts, from the water I steal fish and turtles. It’s all stealing! Crops, earth and wood, birds and beasts, fish and turtles, are all produced by heaven—how could they belong to me? Yet I steal from heaven with impunity.”

Death

The sage doesn’t view death as an end or something to fear.

“Death and birth are a round-trip, so when I die here, how do I know I won’t be born elsewhere? So how do I know they’re not equivalent? And how do I know it’s not delusion to strive for life? And how do I know my death now will not be better than my life in the past?”

“People all know the pleasure of life but not the pain of life; they know the fatigue of old age, but not the freedom of old age; they know the horror of death but not the peace of death.”

They know that all things eventually return to the Dao.

“People eventually resolve into elements; all things and all beings come from elements and all go back to elements.”

“Death is a return of virtue; the ancients referred to the dead as people who have returned.”

No one knows if death is truly the end.

“Do heaven and earth end? Along with us, they come to an end. Is the end final? I don’t know. The Tao ends in basic beginninglessness, it reaches finality in original impermanence. What is born returns to an unborn state, what has form returns to a formless state.”

Conclusion

The Dao has always existed and gave form to all things. It creates endless change. It accomplishes all things yet does nothing. The sage finds happiness in all stages of life including birth, childhood, old age, and poverty. They see life as a gift and do not view death as a true end but a return to the Dao.

Resource

The Book of Master Lie, Thomas Cleary, translator. 2011. A nice translation of Liezi.

Zhuangzi Chapter 7: Fit for Emperors and Kings

Master Zhuang is the second most influential writer in Daoism and the book Zhuangzi was named after him. Chapter Seven is Fit for Emperors and Kings and describes what leadership should look like.

Manipulation

Some leaders try to convince others to join them by being kind, making friends, and building relationships. The sage makes no effort to convince others. They simply exist in the moment and accept life as it is.

“Youyu was no match for the clansman Tai. The clansman Youyu still held on to benevolence and worked to win men over. He won men over all right, but he never got out into [the realm of] ‘notman.’ The clansman Tai, now—he lay down peaceful and easy; he woke up wide-eyed and blank. Sometimes he thought he was a horse; sometimes he thought he was a cow. His understanding was truly trustworthy; his virtue was perfectly true. He never entered [the realm of] ‘nonman.”

Rules

Most leaders create rules and regulations for their followers to ensure proper behavior. The sage resists making rules, but ensures they are correct before they act. Even then, they still only act in a limited way to create space for others to live.

“When the sage governs, does he govern what is on the outside? He makes sure of himself first, and then he acts. He makes absolutely certain that things can do what they are supposed to do, that is all.”

Freedom

Many leaders lord it over others. The sage goes along with life and doesn’t allow their personal views to affect others. They influence others but don’t let people depend on them. They give others freedom to live their life.

“Let your mind wander in simplicity, blend your spirit with the vastness, follow along with things the way they are, and make no room for personal views—then the world will be governed.”

Do Nothing At All

The sage does not try to move quickly or gain strength. They do not strive or study. It seems as if they do nothing at all, yet everything gets accomplished. They are not arrogant. They do not seek fame, plan, scheme, or seek out wisdom. They are content with what they have.

“Lao Dan said, “The government of the enlightened king? His achievements blanket the world but appear not to be his own doing. His transforming influence touches the ten thousand things, but the people do not depend on him. With him there is no promotion or praise—he lets everything find its own enjoyment. He takes his stand on what cannot be fathomed and wanders where there is nothing at all.”

Emptiness

The sage is connected to the earth. They are calm, still, and reflective. They are of this world yet aware of all existence. They adapt to the situation and seek balance. They are empty and do not get entangled. They do not try to understand the external world but attempt to become empty inwardly.

“Just now I appeared to him with the Pattern of Earth—still and silent, nothing moving, nothing standing up. Just now I appeared to him as Heaven and Earth—no name or substance to it, but still the workings, coming up from the heels. Just now I appeared to him as the Great Vastness Where Nothing Wins Out. Where the swirling waves! gather, there is an abyss. Just now I appeared to him as Not Yet Emerged from My Source. I came at him empty, wriggling and turning, not knowing anything about ‘who’ or ‘what,’ now dipping and bending, now flowing in waves.”

Conclusion

The sage does not try to convince others to their cause. They exist in the moment. They do not create rules for others to follow but only take limited action. They positively influence others but never manipulate them. The give others the space to be themselves. The sage does not strive yet accomplishes everything that is needed. The sage works towards emptiness. They are calm, reflective, and do not get entangled. They are a mirror reflecting things around them.

“Do not be an embodier for fame; do not be a storehouse of schemes; do not be an undertaker of projects; do not be a proprietor of wisdom. Embody to the fullest what has no end and wander where there is no trail. Hold on to all that you have received from Heaven, but do not think you have gotten anything. Be empty, that is all. The Perfect Man uses his mind like a mirror—going after nothing, welcoming nothing, responding but not storing. Therefore he can win out over things and not hurt himself. ”

Zhuangzi Chapter 6: The Great and Venerable Teacher

Master Zhuang is the second most influential writer in Daoism and the book Zhuangzi was named after him. Chapter Six is The Great and Vulnerable Teacher and describes how the sage becomes one with the Dao. Other terms for the sage are the perfect man, holy man, and true man.

Description of the Way

The Dao is the way of the universe. It is formless, invisible, and the root of all things. It was from before creation and gave form to creation. It has always been here but is not considered old.

“Before Heaven and earth existed, it was there, firm from ancient times. It gave spirituality to the spirits and to God; it gave birth to Heaven and to earth. It was born before Heaven and earth, and yet you cannot say it has been there for long; it is earlier than the earliest time, and yet you cannot call it old.”

Emptiness

The sage becomes one with the Dao when they achieve an empty state. In this state, they are part of the world but also withdrawn.

“He was vast in his emptiness but not ostentatious. Tolerant he seemed to be part of the world; towering alone, he could be checked by nothing; withdrawn, he seemed to prefer to cut himself off; bemused, he forgot what he was going to say.”

To reach emptiness, one must be willing to let go of the cares of the world, possessions, and life itself.

“So I began explaining and kept at him for three days and after that he was able to put the world outside himself. When he had put the world outside himself, I kept at him for seven days more, and after that he was able to put things outside himself. When he had put things outside himself, I kept at him for nine days more, and after that he was able to put life outside himself.“

When the sage reaches this state, past and future fade away. They are in the present moment and are unconcerned about life or death. They are simply living in the moment.

“After he had managed to see his own aloneness, he could do away with past and present, and after he had done away with past and present, he was able to enter where there is no life and no death.”

The Only Constancy is Change

The sage accepts that change is the only constancy of life. Major changes include birth, growth, aging, and death.

“But if you were to hide the world in the world, so that nothing could get away, this would be the final reality of the constancy of things. You have had the audacity to take on human form, and you are delighted. But the human form has ten thousand changes that never come to an end.“

“In the process of change, he has become a thing [among other things], and he is merely waiting for some other change that he doesn’t yet know about. Moreover, when he is changing, how does he know that he really is changing? And when he is not changing, how does he know that he hasn’t already changed?”

The sage is willing to accept any change including an early death or a long life.

“He delights in early death; he delights in old age; he delights in the beginning; he delights in the end.“

The sage makes no plans. They accept gain or loss, and live with no regrets. They find contentment in small things and do not let loss affect them.

“The True Man of ancient times did not rebel against want, did not grow proud in plenty, and did not plan his affairs. A man like this could commit an error and not regret it, could meet with success and not make a show.”

The Sage is unconcerned with success or failure and sees them both as fate.

“I was pondering what it is that has brought me to this extremity, but I couldn’t find the answer. My father and mother surely wouldn’t wish this poverty on me. Heaven covers all without partiality; earth bears up all without partiality—heaven and earth surely wouldn’t single me out to make me poor. I try to discover who is doing it, but I can’t get the answer. Still, here I am—at the very extreme. It must be fate.”

Life and Death

The sage doesn’t waste energy on trying to figure out why they are alive or when they will die. They remain calm in the face of adversity.

“Mengsun doesn’t know why he lives and doesn’t know why he dies. He doesn’t know why he should go ahead; he doesn’t know why he should fall behind.”

When Master Yu suffered illness he held no resentment. He knew that his life would eventually end and he would return to the Dao.

“If the process continues, perhaps in time he’ll transform my left arm into a rooster. In that case I’ll keep watch during the night. Or perhaps in time he’ll transform my right arm into a cross-bow pellet, and I’ll shoot down an owl for roasting. Or perhaps in time he’ll transform my buttocks into cartwheels. Then, with my spirit for a horse, I’ll climb up and go for a ride. What need will I ever have for a carriage again?”

The sage is content with the time they have to live. By being content emotions such as happiness and joy can not affect you.

“I received life because the time had come; I will lose it because the order of things passes on. Be content with this time and dwell in this order, and then neither sorrow nor joy can touch you.”

“They look on life as a swelling tumor, a protruding wen, and on death as the draining of a sore or the bursting of a boil. To men such as these, how could there be any question of putting life first or death last?”

The Non-Sage

It is helpful to contrast the sage with the non-sage. The non-sage gets lost in the passion of their daily life. They strive to succeed, become wealthy, or get fame. They are always busy and plan out their days to ensure success.

“Deep in their passions and desires, they are shallow in the workings of Heaven.“

“Therefore he who delights in bringing success to things is not a sage; he who has affections is not benevolent; he who looks for the right time is not a worthy man; he who cannot encompass both profit and loss is not a gentleman; he who thinks of conduct and fame and misleads himself is not a man of breeding.”

Conclusion

A person can be compared to a piece of metal being cast by a smith. The metal can not demand to be made into a sword or other object but must accept their fate according to the wishes of the smith. In the same way, the sage accepts the changes in their life. They do not allow events such as success, failure, illness, health, a long life, or a short life to affect them.

“When a skilled smith is casting metal, if the metal should leap up and say, ‘I insist on being made into a Moye! He would surely regard it as very inauspicious metal indeed.”

“Now, having had the audacity to take on human form once, if I should say, ‘I don’t want to be anything but a man! Nothing but a man!’ the Creator would surely regard me as a most inauspicious sort of person. So now I think of heaven and earth as a great furnace, and the Creator as a skilled smith. Where could he send me that would not be all right? I will go off to sleep peacefully, and then with a start, I will wake up.”

Zhuangzi Chapter 2: Discussion on Making All Things Equal

Master Zhuang is the second most influential writer in Daoism (Taoism) and the book Zhuangzi was named after him. Chapter Two is entitled Discussion on Making All Things Equal and describes how one can live in accordance with the Dao.

Great Understanding

The sage or wise person has great understanding of the Dao and shifts their focus to a more universal perspective. They do not let the stress of everyday life distract them.

“You hear the piping of men, but you haven’t heard the piping of earth. Or if you’ve herd the piping of earth, you haven’t heard the piping of Heaven!”

The sage knows that their connection to the Dao is unique and different than any one else’s.

“Blowing on the ten thousand things in a different way, so that each can be itself-all take what they want for themselves, but who does the sounding?”

The sage is unhurried and goes along with the flow of life. They have a simple and uncomplicated existence.

“Great understanding is broad and unhurried. Great words are clear and limpid.”

Little Understanding

The foolish have little understanding of the Dao and live a busy, divisive, and complicated life. They are preoccupied with petty arguments and are convinced that they are always right. Consequently, they have high anxiety and find life difficult to manage.

“Little understanding is cramped and busy; little words are shrill and quarrelsome. In waking hours, their bodies hustle. With everything they meet they become entangled. Day after day they use their minds in strife, sometimes grandiose, sometimes sly, sometimes petty. Their little fears are mean and trembly; their great fears are stunned and overwhelming. They cling to their position as though they had sworn before the gods, sure that they are holding on to victory.“

They hurry through life without pausing or reflection and never have any satisfying accomplishments. This leaves them exhausted and unsatisfied.

“Sometimes clashing with things, sometimes bending before them, he runs his course like a galloping steed, and nothing can stop him. Sweating and laboring to the end of the his days and never seeing his accomplishment, utterly exhausting himself and never knowing where to look for rest – can you help pitying him?“

Relativity of Life

The sage recognizes that life is relative. They recognize the concepts of right and wrong are dependent on the individual and situation.

“His ‘that’ has both a right and wrong in it; his ‘this,’ too, has both a right and wrong in it. A state in which ‘this’ and ‘that’ no longer find their opposites is called the hinge of the Way.”

“The way I see it, the rules of benevolence and righteousness and the paths of right and wrong all are hopelessly snarled and jumbled.”

What works for one person does not necessarily work for another. The characteristics of kindness and morality are often dependent on the society, individual, or situation.

“Monkeys pair with monkeys, deer go out with deer, and fish play around with fish. Men claim that Maoqiang and Lady Li were beautiful; but if fish saw them, the would dive to the bottom of the stream; if birds saw them, they would fly away; and if deer saw them, they would break into a run.”

The sage sees the unity of all things in the Dao and does not create artificial divisions.

“The Way makes them all into one. Their dividedness is their completeness; their completeness is their impairment. No thing is either complete or impaired, but all are made into one again.”

Acceptance of Reality

The sage acknowledges that the Dao exists but does not waste their energy trying to define it. They do not get involved in needless arguments, but accepts life for what it is.

“As to what is beyond the Six Realms, the sage admits it exists but does not theorize. As to what is within the Six Realms, he theorizes but does not debate.”

“The sage embraces things. Ordinary men discriminate among them and parade their discriminations before others.”

The sage is unaffected by strife and unconcerned about wealth, sickness, and death. They make themself one with the universe, live in simplicity, and allow things to be as they are.

“A man like this rides the clouds and mist, straddles the sun and moon, and wanders beyond the four seas. Even life and death have no effect on him, much less the rules of profit and loss!”

The sage recognizes the absurdity of life and that they never will truly understand it.

“Once Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn’t know he was Zhuang Zhou. Suddenly he woke up, and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhuang Zhou. But he didn’t know if he were Zhuang Zhou who had dreamed he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuang Zhou. Between Zhuang Zhou and a butterfly, there must be some distinction!”

Conclusion

The sage has great understanding of the Way. They find comfort in the midst of chaos. They stay grounded and live their life as it plays out. They make the most of their situation and realize that good and bad are relative to the individual and situation.

“Harmonize them all with the Heavenly Equality, leave them to their endless changes, and so live out your years.”

“Forget the years; forget distinctions. Leap into the boundless and make it your home!”

Constancy is important to grow closer to the Dao (Tao) and is major a theme throughout the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching). One may get closer to the Dao by simplifying their life, getting rid of unused possessions, meditating, and spending time in nature. This can help achieve peace of mind.

“Returning to the source is stillness. It is returning to one’s fate. Returning to one’s fate is eternal. Knowledge of the eternal is realization.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 16

Beginning

Constancy is important when beginning to learn about the Dao. Just like a mighty tree starts from a tiny seed, a tall building starts with the foundation, all journeys begin with the first step. Constancy starts us down the path to explore the Dao.

“A tree as wide as a man’s embrace grows from a tiny shoot. A tower of nine stories starts with a pile of dirt. A climb of eight hundred feet starts where the foot stands.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 64

Student of the Dao

The best student of the Dao has constancy. They listen to its way and follow its teachings. An average student listens but does not always follow. A poor student listens but laughs at the Dao.

“The superior student listens to the Way and follows it closely. The average student listens to the way. And follows some and some not. The lesser student listens to the way and laughs out loud.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 41

Knowledge, Virtue, and the Dao

Once one gains knowledge, that knowledge leads to the virtues of humility, simplicity and being guided by nature.

“Knowing honor, but clinging to disgrace, you become the valley of the world. Being the valley of the world, eternal virtue will be full in you, and you return to the state of uncarved wood.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 28

Eventually these virtues lead to peace of mind and the Dao itself.

“Knowledge of the eternal is all embracing. To be all embracing leads to righteousness, which is majestic. To be majestic leads to heavenly. To be heavenly leads to the way.”

Dao De Jing, 16

Once the connection with the Dao has grown, it will be found in all things in nature, no matter how large or small. This includes mountains, water, animals, insects, and plants.

“Seeing the small is called clarity. Holding on to the weak is called strength. Use the light to return to clarity. Then you will not cause yourself misery. This is called following the eternal.”

Dao De Jing, 52

Constancy is also important to stay connected with the Dao. Often people will almost reach their goal but not quite achieve it. The same applies to the journey of growing closer to the Dao.

“People fail at the threshold of success. Be as cautious at the end as at the beginning. Then there will be no failure.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 64

Conclusion

Constancy helps one explore and grow closer to the Dao. The best students will both listen and follow the Dao. As one grows more aware of the Dao, they will gain important virtues such as humility and simplicity. This allows one to see the Dao in everyday life.

Constancy: “steadfastness of mind under duress; a state of being constant or unchanging”

Merriam-Webster