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Zhuangzi Chapter 3: The Secret of Caring for Life

Master Zhuang is the second most influential writer in Daoism (Taoism) and the book Zhuangzi was named after him. Chapter Three is entitled The Secret of Caring for Life and describes how best to live in the world. This is a very short chapter but has three important parables.

Knowledge v. Lifespan

The sage acknowledges that they have a limited lifespan and can’t possibly know everything. One should never believe they have all the answers and are always right. Instead, remain grounded, avoid fame, and try not to break the law. Take care of your family and be content with the life that you have.

“Your life has a limit but knowledge has none. If you use what is limited to pursue what has no limit, you will be in danger. If you understand this and still strive for knowledge, you will be in danger for certain! If you do good, stay away from fame. If you do evil, stay away from punishments. Follow the middle; go by what is constant, and you can stay in one piece, keep yourself alive, look after your parents, and live out your years.”

Parable of the Butcher

The parable of the butcher provides a valuable lesson on completing tasks. In the parable a butcher carved up oxen year after year without ever dulling his knife because he was always in the flow. When attempting a new task, one is often clumsy and hyper-focused. They perceive the task using their eyes and try to figure out how to do it. When the task is especially difficult they will size up the challenge, work carefully, and go slow.

“However, whenever I come to a complicated place, I size up the difficulties, tell myself to watch out and be careful, keep my eyes on what I’m doing, work very slowly, and move the knife with the greatest subtlety, until — flop! the whole thing comes apart like a clod of earth crumbling to the ground. I stand there holding the knife and look all around ”

The sage completes tasks by entering a state of Wu Wei or “effortless action.” This goes beyond being skillful or perceiving with the eyes. Instead it uses intuition to go along with the natural contours of the task. The person no longer does an action, but the action does itself.

“What I care about is the Way, which goes beyond skill. When I first began cutting up oxen, all I could see was the ox itself. After three years I no longer saw the whole ox. And now — now I go at it by spirit and don’t look with my eyes. Perception and understanding have come to a stop and spirit moves where it wants. I go along with the natural makeup, strike in the big hollows, guide the knife through the big openings, and follow things as they are. So I never touch the smallest ligament or tendon, much less a main joint.”

Parable of the Commander

The parable of the commander teaches a lesson on freedom of choice. In the story a military commander has been punished by having one of his foots amputated. He was asked if this was done by man or heaven. He answers that it was done by heaven. Taoism teaches that people are not happy unless they have freedom of choice. However, the sage recognizes that choices often have severe consequences. The commander’s poor choices led to his punishment.

“It was Heaven, not man,” said the commander. “When Heaven gave me life, it saw to it that I would be one-footed. Men’s looks are given to them. So I know this was the work of Heaven and not of man. The swamp pheasant has to walk ten paces for one peck and a hundred paces for one drink, but it doesn’t want to be kept in a cage. Though you treat it like a king, its spirit won’t be content.”

Parable of the Mourner

The parable of the mourner illustrates the natural progression of life. In it a person mourned a friend by yelling three times and then leaving. Others asked if the mourner should have done more for such a close friend? Shouldn’t he participate in the traditional mourning rituals? The mourner answered no because the sage recognizes that death is simply a part of the natural pattern of the Dao. People are born, grow, decay, and then die. One should be content with their lifetime and accept this pattern without grief.

“Your master happened to come because it was his time, and he happened to leave because things follow along. If you are content with the time and willing to follow along, then grief and joy have no Way to enter in. In the old days, this was called being freed from the bonds of God.

Conclusion

The secret of caring for life is to realize that you will never have complete knowledge and it is foolish to believe otherwise. One should stay centered, be constant, focus on family, and be content with what you have. It is natural for people to want to make their own choices even when those choices lead to severe consequences. The pattern of the Dao includes birth and death and one should accept this in order to be content.

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!”

Zhuangzi Chapter 1: Free and Easy Wandering

Master Zhuang is the second most influential writer in Daoism (Taoism) and the book Zhuangzi was named after him. Chapter One is entitled Free and Easy Wandering and challenges our normal definition of usefulness. How useful a thing is depends on the sizes involved, lifespan, and purpose.

Usefulness Based on Size

Usefulness depends on the relative sizes involved. There was a bird who measured a thousand miles wide and flew for nine months straight. It found the wind very useful in order to fly long distances. There was a small cicada and dove who could barely fly to the next tree. They did not find the wind useful because they only traveled a few yards. A massive gourd was useless to carry water because it became too heavy, but it could be used as a boat to float down a river.

Usefulness Based on Lifespan

Usefulness is dependent on the lifespan involved. The morning mushroom does not see the twilight, the summer cicada does not see the spring. What was useful for these short lived beings are not useful to longer lived ones such as humans or animals.

Usefulness Based on Purpose

Usefulness also depends on the purpose a thing. A family had a secret recipe for chapped hands ointment and used it when bleaching silk in water. Over generations, they never made much money. They eventually sold the recipe to a traveler who gave it to soldiers to help them hold weapons during a battle. The army won and the king rewarded the traveler with much land. A gnarled and twisted tree may be worthless to a carpenter but may be perfect to provide shade. The same item is useless for one purpose but has much use for another.

Lesson for the Individual

Our personal circumstances often make it hard to see what is important in life. The small dove can’t understand why another would want to fly hundreds of miles because the dove only needs to travel a few yards. We often put significant value on our accomplishments even when they are relatively small. The dove may have an outsized pride in traveling just a few yards. A person shouldn’t take pride in their own accomplishments such as gaining fame, wealth, or power. The Daoist would say the individual shouldn’t be bothered by such things, but be content in finding usefulness in the everyday things around them.

Conclusion

Master Zhuang recognizes that usefulness is subjective to the time, space, and purpose. What may be useful for a large creature is not useful for a small one. What is useful for a long lived creature is not useful to a short lived one. Sometimes usefulness can be found by shifting the perspective of how to use a thing. At first it may seem worthless but it may just be looking for the right purpose. The individual should not find value in pride, fame, and power. Instead they should be content in finding usefulness all around them.

Resource

Complete Works Of Chuang Tzu, Burton Watson, translator. Columbia University Press, 1968. A good and classic translation of Chuang Tzu.

The Way

The Dao (Tao) translates to “The Way” and is the flow of the universe and all of creation. It is called Dao for convenience sake.

“I do not know its name. I call it the Way. For the lack of better words I call it great.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 25

Always in Existence

The Dao was in existence before creation.

“I do not know whose child it is. It seems to precede the ancestor of all.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 4

It is changeless, runs in cycles, and has never ending energy.

“There was something that finished chaos, Born before Heaven and Earth. So silent and still! So pure and deep! It stands alone and immutable, Ever-present and inexhaustible.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 25

Created All Things

The Dao created heaven, earth, and all things in existence.

“The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth. The named is the mother of all things.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 1

It brought about the planets, universe, and sky. It has created plants, animals, insects, and creatures both large and small.

“It can be called the mother of the whole world.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 25

The Dao created the one which multiplied to all things in creation.

“The Way gave birth to one. One gave birth to two. Two gave birth to three.
Three gave birth to all things.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 42

The Dao is in All Things

It can be found on earth, in heaven, and in nature. Nothing escapes it. It is in all of creation.

“Man is ruled by Earth. Earth is ruled by Heaven. Heaven is ruled by the Way. The Way is ruled by itself.“

Dao De Jing, Chapter 25

Nothing can escape the Dao. It is found everywhere.

“Heaven’s net is very vast. It is sparsely meshed, yet nothing slips through.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 73

Although the Dao is found in all things, it is also hidden. It has no form and can not be seen.

“Its nature is utterly vague and evasive…How deep and obscure!“

Dao De Jing, Chapter 21

“The Way is hidden and nameless.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 41

The Dao includes both existence and non-existence. Both creation and nothingness.

“Above it there is no light, Below it there is no darkness. Endlessness beyond description. It returns to non-existence. It is called the shapeless shape, The substance without form.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 14

The Dao has both physical form and is without form.

“Free from desire you see the mystery. Full of desire you see the manifestations. These two have the same origin but differ in name.“

Dao De Jing, Chapter 1

It is so expansive and unknown that it is unfathomable to the human mind.

“Deeply hidden, as if it only might exist.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 4

It is so complex that it can not adequately be described in human language.

“The Way that can be walked is not the eternal Way. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 1

True Virtue

The Dao is the source of all virtue and morality.

“So, the Way gives birth to them, Nourishes them, Raises them, Nurtures them, Protects them, Matures them, Takes care of them. It gives birth without seizing, Helps without claim, Fosters without ruling. This is called the profound virtue.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 51

This virtue differs from so-called human morality which is capricious and based on different classes.

“The Way is ever nameless. Though simple and subtle, The world cannot lead it. If princes and kings could follow it, All things would by themselves abide, Heaven and Earth would unite And sweet dew would fall. People would by themselves find harmony, Without being commanded.“

Dao De Jing, Chapter 32

Yielding but Achieves

The Dao is yielding, yet it still has accomplished all of creation.

“Cautious, like crossing a river in the winter. Wary, as if surrounded by strangers. Dignified, like a guest. Yielding, like ice about to melt. Simple, like uncarved wood. Open, like a valley. Obscure, like muddy waters.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 15

It never seeks acclaim or authority. It is humble and does not strive for greatness.

“Still it demands no obedience. It demands no honor for what it accomplishes. It clothes and feeds all things without ruling them. It is eternally without desire. So, it can be called small. All things return to it, Although it does not make itself their ruler. So, it can be called great.“

Dao De Jing, Chapter 34

It is always impartial and never biased.

“Heaven’s Way gives no favors. It always remains with good people.”

Dao De Jing, Chapter 79

Conclusion

What is the Dao? It is the natural flow of the universe. It existed before creation and has never ending power. It created all things in existence and nothing can escape it. It has both form and no form, it is creation and nothingness. It is so complex that humans can not understand it or describe it in words. The Dao is the source of true virtue and never seeks authority.