Liezi – Daoism

Liezi Chapter 8: The Tally of the Teaching

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism (Taoism) after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter eight is named The Tally of the Teaching and focuses on living in accordance with the Dao.

Emptiness

The sage focuses on the internal in order to be in accordance with the Dao. They try to reach a state of emptiness.

“What Gao observes is natural potential—he gets the fine and forgets the coarse; he focuses on the inside and forgets the outside. He sees what he has to see, and doesn’t see what he doesn’t have to see.”

“He looks at what he has to look at, and ignores what he doesn’t have to look at.”

Wu Wei

The sage recognizes the superiority of nature. They see themselves as part of nature and not above it.

“If it took the sky and earth three years to make a single leaf, there wouldn’t be much foliage! So sages rely on natural evolution, not cunning artifice.”

“There are not higher or lower species, it’s just that they dominate and devour each other depending on the differences in magnitude of intelligence and strength.”

They know that it is best to align their actions with nature by being in the moment and going with the flow. This Wu Wei or “effortless action” exerts less energy and causes one to be more successful.

“Those whose timing is right flourish, while those whose timing is off perish.”

“To avail yourself of opportunities at just the right time, responding to events without being set in your ways, is in the domain of wisdom.”

“Therefore the supreme speech is unspoken, the supreme act is uncontrived.”

They know that it is often better to take no action.

“The Duke understood what he was saying and gave up, withdrawing his army to return. Before they got back, there were attackers on his own northern border.”

Events that seem negative can turn out to be positive in the long run.

“In a year, the father of the house had gone blind for no reason. In a year, the son too had gone blind for no reason. Subsequently Chu attacked Song and besieged the capital city.”

“All the able-bodied climbed the walls to fight, and more than half of them died. This father and son, however, having a disability, were both exempted. Then when the siege was lifted, they both recovered from their affliction.”

External Things

The sage does not allow external things such as wealth, power, knowledge, or reputation distract them. They are not concerned with profit because it leads to conflict.

“Jie and Zhou perished because they only valued profit and disregarded the Way.”

“Doing good is not for honor, yet honor follows it. Honor is not for profit, but profit takes to it. Profit is not for conflict, yet conflict overtakes it. Therefore a noble man must be careful about doing good.”

They know that status causes envy, power causes dislike, and wealth causes resentment.

“Those of high status, people envy. Those in powerful offices, rulers dislike. Those with rich salaries, resentment overtakes.”

“A noble man does not let material needs harm what they support.”

They do not allow knowledge to distract them.

“The sheep got lost on the main road because of a multitude of byways; scholars waste their lives because of a multitude of formulas. Studies may not be different or disparate at the outset, but this is how different the outcomes can be. Only returning to sameness and restoring unity can eliminate gain and loss.”

“What shallow knowledge contends over is trivia.”

The sage remains humble.

“Those who make their output beneficial are rewarded in return; harm comes to those from whom resentment proceeds.”

The sage avoids things that are valued.

“Don’t accept land with rich soil! There is a place between Chu and Yue called Dwarf Hill; its soil is not as good and its reputation is bad.”

“This is the only place you can keep forever.”

A sage does not concern themself with reputation.

“Reputation is an echo, stature is a shadow.”

Leadership

A sage recognizes their own limitations and delegates important tasks to others.

“The wise delegate responsibilities to others, so they don’t degenerate even in old age, and they’re not confused even when at the end of their wits. So the difficulty of governing a country is in recognizing the wise, not in considering oneself wise.”

In order to lead, one must be personally orderly.

“I’ve never heard of anyone who was personally orderly but whose state was in chaos. And I’ve never heard of anyone who was personally disorderly yet whose state was orderly.”

They should be humble, detailed, and benevolent.

“The higher my rank, the humbler my aspirations; the more powerful my office, the more careful my attention; the richer my salary, the more extensive my charities—can I escape the three resentments this way?”

Conclusion

The sage focuses on the internal and reaching a state of emptiness. They are part of nature and engage in Wu Wei to flow with nature. This exerts less energy and causes one to be more successful. They know that it is often better to take no action.

The sage ignores external distractions such as wealth, power, knowledge, and reputation. They know that status and wealth cause envy. A leader should recognizes their limitations, delegate to others, and remain orderly on the inside.

Resource

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

Liezi Chapter 7: Yang Zhu

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism (Taoism) after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter seven is named Yang Zhu and focuses on living in the moment.

Reputation, fame, and status

The sage does not worry about external factors such as reputation, fame, or status.

“Those who are detached from reputation have no worries.”

They know that reputation does not reflect reality. One may live generously but only have a good reputation after they die. One may live indulgently, but have a bad reputation after they die.

“In sum, those four sages never had a day’s enjoyment all their lives, but after they died they’ve been famous for myriad generations. So reputation is not obtained by reality.”

“These two villains had the pleasure of indulging their desires while alive, but after death they were saddled with reputations for ignorance and brutality. So the reality is not given by the reputation.”

Fame and status are also artificial and have no lasting benefit.

“Reality has no fame, fame has no reality. Fame is entirely artificial.”

“If you don’t care about respect, why wish for fame? If you don’t want power, why wish for status?”

Wealth

The sage knows that striving for wealth makes one unfulfilled.

“They strive for fine food and clothing, for music and beauties, but they cannot always be sated with fine food and clothing, and they cannot always be dallying with music and beauties. They compete restlessly for empty fame in their time, counting on continuing glory after death.”

The physical body is also a possession which one should not become attached.

“To be possessive about your body, to be possessive about your things, is to arbitrarily be selfish about a body that belongs to the world, to arbitrarily privatize things that belong to the world.”

It doesn’t matter if one values life, they will still die at their natural time. There is no point in worrying about death.

“Suppose someone values life and takes care of his body; can he hope to avoid death that way?”

“In principle, there is no one who does not die.”

Worrying about a long life, fame, status, or wealth causes unneeded stress.

“The reasons people cannot rest are four: striving for longevity, striving for fame, striving for status, and striving for money.”

The future

The sage does not concern themselves with the future.

“When you’re going to die, let go and let it be; go with it all the way, to release in extinction. Letting go of everything, letting it all be, in the meantime why be anxious about what happens sooner or later?”

They don’t concern themselves with what happens after death.

“Once a body’s dead, how could it retain a self? You may burn it, or sink it, or bury it. You can cover it with brushwood and leave it in a ditch, or you can dress it in formal wear and inter it in a crypt. It’s all a matter of circumstance.”

Emptiness

The sage focuses on the internal by seeking a state of emptiness. This allows one to be a peace with the world.

“Those who skillfully govern the internal do not necessarily let others run wild, but are naturally at ease with them.”

They cultivate humility, generosity, and compassion.

“The way of compassion is not merely emotion; those who toil can be put at ease, the starving can be fed, those suffering from the cold can be kept warm, those in straits can be fulfilled. ”

Present moment

The sage finds contentment in the present moment.

“So go for the present life— where is the leisure to consider what happens after death?”

“Missing out on the supreme happiness of the present, they cannot be free for even an hour. How is that different from being imprisoned and shackled?“

The sage knows that the present moment is precious and fleeting.

“The general limit of life span is a hundred years, but hardly one in a thousand actually lives a hundred years. Even if there is one who does, nearly half of that is taken up by infancy and senility. What is spent in sleep at night or overlooked while awake by day also takes nearly half of what’s left. Pain and sickness, sorrow and suffering, loss, worry, and fear also take up nearly half of what’s left.“

The best way to live is to do what you enjoy in the moment. Listen to good music, walk in beautiful environments, smell pleasant fragrances, speak freely, and make yourself comfortable.

“In high antiquity people knew life is a temporary visit, and they knew death is a temporary journey; so they acted as they wished, not avoiding natural inclinations. They didn’t reject personal pleasures, so they weren’t motivated by reputation.“

“Just do as you like, without inhibition or restraint.”

“Go ahead and listen to what your ears want to hear, look at what your eyes want to see, smell what your nose wants to smell, say what you want to say, make your body comfortable, and do as you will.”

Conclusion

The sage does not worry about the external. Reputation, status, fame and wealth are all artificial and leaves one unfulfilled. They do not concern themselves with the future because it creates unneeded anxiety.

Instead the sage focuses on the internal and seeks a state of emptiness. They are humble, generous, and compassionate and find contentment in savoring the present moment. One should surround themselves with pleasant sounds, environments, smells, and express themselves freely.

Resource

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

Liezi Chapter 6: Effort and Destiny

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism (Taoism) after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter six is named Effort and Destiny and explores the impact of the Dao on our lives.

Success and Failure

A “sage” is one who lives their life according to the virtue of the Dao.

“Those who distribute virtue to others are called sages.”

They view the Dao as destiny and the way of nature. They know that things such as success and failure are based on the flow of nature and often out of their control.

“Beigongzi is rich in virtue, poor in fate; you are rich in fate poor in virtue. Your success is not obtained by wisdom, while Beigongzi’s failures are not by way of mistakes due to folly. Both are from Nature, not humankind.”

“Here are people quite similar in age, property, talent, and appearance, yet quite different in longevity, status, reputation, and inclination.”

“Fortuitous success seems like success but is not success at all. Fortuitous failure seems like failure, but is not failure at all.“

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 Dao.

“Farmers follow the seasons, merchants head for profit, artisans pursue skills, officials go after power. Conditions dictate this. However, farmers experience flood and drought, merchants may gain or lose, artisans may succeed or fail, officials may or may not get opportunities. Destiny dictates this.“

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 naturally lives long or naturally dies young.”

“But what gives life to the living and death to the dying is not a thing and not self; it is all destiny, about which intelligence can do nothing. So it is said, Mysterious and boundless, the course of Nature organizes itself; Silent and undivided, the course of Creation operates itself.”

One may die even if they value life. One may live even if they hate life.

“So you may not survive even if you value life, and may not die even if you despise it. This seems contradictory, but it is not; it’s a matter of living naturally and dying naturally, caring naturally and neglecting naturally. So it’s better not to look to the divine will and try to figure out gain and loss.”

People live their natural length of years and eventually the younger generation takes their place.

“With several lords to look after this, you then, my lord, would be standing in the fields in reed raingear, worried only about work—how would you have time to worry about death? “And how did you get your position anyway? Because of successive occupation and departure. Now that it’s come to you, for you to be the only one to weep over it is inhumane.”

Leadership

A leader who follows the Dao forgives the mistakes of others. They do not engage in endless blaming of others.

“He is so puritanical that he won’t associate with anyone unlike himself, and once he’s heard of a fault in a person he never forgets it all his life. If you let him administer the state, he’ Il be investigating the ruler above and imposing on the people below. It wouldn’t be long before he’d be punished by the ruler.”

A true leader is compassionate and inspires others. They are trusted by their superiors.

“He is the sort of man whom superiors forget about and inferiors do not disobey. He is ashamed of not being comparable to the Yellow Emperor, and feels compassion for those who are not comparable to him.”

A leader does not bully or criticize others. They know that this would be counterproductive and lead to a backlash.

“He repeatedly criticized Zichan’s administration, and Zichan yielded to him. Then Zichan had him arrested and disgraced, and summarily executed. So Zichan applied the criminal code, not because he could, but because he had to.

They never command others and always remain humble.

“Those who use sagacity to lord over others have never won people, while those who use sagacity to humble themselves to others have never failed to win people—regarding the state, there is that which they don’t hear; and regarding the home, there is that which they don’t see.“

Conclusion

The Dao 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 Dao forgives others, is compassionate and inspirational. They are trusted, never bully others, and remain humble.

“So it is said that death and life come from destiny, poverty and riches depend on the times. Those who resent early death are those who do not know destiny; those who resent poverty are those who do not know the times.“

Resource

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

Liezi Chapter 5: Questions of Tang

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism (Taoism) after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter five is named Questions of Tang.

The chapter includes mystical tales of immortal people, pearl forests, and gold buildings. Besides the fantastic imagery there is much about the sage and living according to the Dao.

The Dao

The Dao has no beginning and no ending.

“The endings and beginnings of things have always been infinite. A beginning may be an end, an end may be a beginning— how can that start be known? So what is outside of things, prior to events, is unknown to me.”

It is limitless and infinite.

“There is no limit to nothing, there is an end to the existent. How should I know? But there is no infinity outside the infinite, no endlessness inside the endless. The infinite has no infinity, and the endless has no endlessness.”

It makes up all things great and small. It includes heaven and earth and all beings within.

“Thus great and small contain each other, endlessly, ad infinitum. Containing all beings is like containing heaven and earth; containing all beings implies endlessness, containing heaven and earth implies infinitude.”

Uniqueness

Some things are so vast that they defy imagination such as the massive bird Peng or the huge fish Kun which were also found in Zhuangzi, Chapter 1.

“North of the extreme north there is a vast ocean, which is the Lake of Heaven. There is a fish there thousand of miles wide and correspondingly long, called the kun. There is a bird there called the peng with wings like clouds covering the sky, and a body to match.”

Some things are so small that they can’t be seen.

“There is a minute insect called jiaoming that lives on the river banks. These can swarm onto the eyelash of a mosquito without bothering it. They remain residing there, coming and going, without the mosquito noticing.”

Regardless of their size, all things are equal and unique, important in their own right.

“Even so, though their forms and energies differ, they are equal in respect to nature, and not interchangeable. Their lives are complete in themselves, their lots are sufficient unto themselves.”

Single mindedness

The sage is singleminded and therefore can accomplish much.

“Children and grandchildren will continue to be born generation after generation, while the mountains will never grow larger—so why worry about not leveling the mountains?”

The sage is completely in the moment.

“It took me five years to master the method. When I am at the riverside holding my fishing pole, there are no random thoughts in my mind, only thought of fish; when I cast my line and sink my hook, there’s no resistance in my hands, so nothing can cause any disturbance.”

Adaptability

The sage adapts instantly to life’s challenges. They do not see events as good or bad but take life as it comes.

“What you feel in the bit, respond to with the bridle; what you feel in the bridle, respond to with your hands; what you feel in your hands, respond to in your mind. Then you don’t use your eyes to look, don’t use your whip to drive; your mind is at ease, your body’s upright, the six bridles don’t tangle, and twenty-four hooves don’t miss a step.”

Social Harmony

Living with the Dao means to be in equality and harmony with others. The sage is not arrogant, nor contentious, and lives a full life. They do not rule over others.

“The people were by nature genial and agreeable, not competitive or contentious. They had soft hearts and weak bones; they were not arrogant, not envious. Older and younger lived as equals, neither ruling nor subjected; males and females associated freely, without matchmaking or betrothal.”

The sage recognizes the relativity of different cultures and societies. They know that good and bad are often dependent on the person.

“People in southern countries cut their hair and go naked; people in northern countries wear turbans and leather garments; people in temperate countries wear hats and clothing of fabric. As for what the nine lands provide, some are agricultural, some commercial; some are hunters and some are fishers. Like wearing leather in winter and silk in summer, traveling by boat on water and by car on land, it goes without saying, turning out that way naturally.“

“Made into policies by rulers, these are made into customs by subjects, and so nothing to wonder at.”

Emptiness

The sage focuses on the inside in order to navigate the world. They seek a state of emptiness.

“By mastering it inwardly in the innermost mind, while outwardly according with the will of the horses, it is thus possible to go back and forth on a straight line, turn around with precision, and go long distances with energy to spare, having truly attained the art.”

Conclusion

The Dao is limitless and has no beginning. It makes up all things which are equal in the Dao.

The sage is singleminded and adapts to life. They live in harmony with others, are not arrogant, and do not rule others. They recognize the relativity of good and bad and focus on the internal in order to navigate the external world.

Resource

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

Liezi Chapter 4: Confucius

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism (Taoism) 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 to the Dao. Instead the sage accepts life as it comes with no preconditions.

“That’s how I came to realize that poetry and history, ritual and music, are no help in bringing order to chaos.”

“There is nothing one cannot accept, nothing one cannot acknowledge, nothing one is not concerned about.”

The sage strives to be compassionate, adaptable, reflective, and reserved.

“Yan Hui is capable of being humane, but not capable of change. Zigeng is capable of being eloquent but not capable of keeping silent. Zilu is capable of bravery but not capable of reticence. Zizhang is capable of being dignified, but not capable of conforming.”

Profit and Loss

The sage does not care about praise or condemnation.

“I do not consider it glorious to be praised by everyone in my hometown, and I do not consider it a disgrace to be vilified by everyone in the state.”

The sage does not worry about gain or loss.

“I do not delight in gain or sorrow over loss. I look upon wealth as I do poverty. I look upon humans as I do swine, I look upon myself as I do others.”

They accept both life and death.

“I look upon life as I do death.”

In this way pain, punishment, and loss have no effect.

“With all these ailments, rank and reward cannot encourage me, punishments and penalties cannot intimidate me. Prosperity and decline, gain and loss, cannot change me; sorrow and joy cannot move me.”

Influence and Leadership

The sage influencers others without governing them.

“He does not govern, yet there is no disorder; he is spontaneously trusted without saying anything, he is naturally effective without exerting influence. He is so great that the people cannot label him.”

Those who lead with power or control are not true leaders. They are ignorant of leadership and incompetent.

“And yet there is no leadership, no one able to put them to work. Instead, the leaders are ignorant, the employers are incompetent, and yet those who know this and are capable still work for them.”

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 Dao.

“I am able to see and hear without using my eyes and ears.”

“My body merges with mind, mind merges with energy, energy merges with spirit, spirit merges with nothingness.“

“Don’t dwell on yourself, and things will be clear. Like water in movement, like a mirror in stillness, like an echo in response, the Way is thus in harmony with people.”

Travel is not taking a journey, but is a focus inward seeking emptiness.

“Those who travel outward seek completeness in things; those who gaze inward find sufficiency in themselves. Finding sufficiency in oneself is the goal of travel.”

The sage opens themselves up to the universe. They are not aware of their own thoughts, actions, or speech.

“After nine years, he gave free rein to thought and speech without being conscious of his own right or wrong or gain or loss, or others’ right or wrong or gain or loss. Inside and outside were ended. His mind was still, his body relaxed, his bones and muscles merged. He was not aware of what his body rested on, what his feet walked on, what his mind thought of, what his words contained.”

Always Alive

The Dao is responsible for all creation.

“What is always alive without coming from anywhere is the Way.”

One can achieve eternity when they are with the Dao. Even though their life ends it doesn’t truly perish.

“Attaining an end by means of the Way is called eternity. To die for a practical purpose is also referred to as the Way; to die by the Way is also called eternity.”

Conclusion

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

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

Liezi Chapter 3: King Mu of Zhou

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism (Taoism) after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter three is named King Mu of Zhou and focuses on harmony and perspective.

Creation

The sage recognizes that the Dao is responsible for creation. This process is too complex to truly understand so we label it Dao for convenience sake.

“The agency of Creation is subtle in its skill, profound in its effect, certainly hard to fathom, hard to comprehend.”

Yin and yang creates change in creation and is easier to notice.

“Working on form is obvious in its skill, shallow in its effect, so it readily appears and disappears.”

Yin and yang are responsible for important events such as birth, growth, happiness, and death.

“What are the eight manifestations of consciousness? Purpose, action, gain, loss, sadness, happiness, birth, and death.”

They seek balance and results in differences in temperature, light, intelligence, strength, and wakefulness.

“There yin and yang are precisely regular, so cold and heat alternate; dark and light are clearly divided, so day and night alternate. Some of the people there are intelligent, some are foolish.”

“Alternatively waking and sleeping, they consider their doings while awake to be real and their perceptions while dreaming to be illusion.”

Reality

The sage recognizes that life and death are both aspects of creation.

“What Creation initiates and what yin and yang transmute is said to be born and said to die. What is altered in terms of form by finding out processes and understanding change is said to be a transformation and said to be illusory.”

Dreams and wakefulness are also aspects of creation.

“’Earlier a woodcutter dreamed he’d caught a deer but didn’t know where it was; now I’ve found it, so that must have been a true dream!’ His wife said, ‘Could it be that you dreamed you saw a woodcutter catching the deer? Was there even a woodcutter? Now you’ve actually found a deer—does this mean your dream was true?’ Her husband said, ‘If that’s how I found the deer, what does it matter if it was the dream of another or my own dream?’”

Moderation

The sage strives for moderation which includes finding the proper work life balance. Working too hard causes exhaustion.

“By day he did his tasks groaning and grunting, while at night he slept soundly, completely worn out. As his consciousness dissolved, every night he’d dream he was ruler of a nation, reigning over the people, in charge of the affairs of the nation. Partying in palaces, indulging in his heart’s desires, he was incomparably happy.”

Forcing others to work too hard will also lead to unbalance. Mr. Yin was a businessman who worked his employees too hard.

“Every night he dreamed he was a servant, running all sorts of errands and doing all sorts of chores, repeatedly hollered at and beaten with a stick. In his sleep he muttered, groaned, and grunted all night long.”

In the Moment

The sage stays in the moment and doesn’t worry about the future or regret the past. Huazi of Song had short term memory. His family sought help and he was eventually cured.

“Before, when I was forgetful, I was serenely unaware of whether heaven and earth existed or not. Now that I am suddenly conscious of the past, I’m upset by the survival and passing, the gain and loss, the sorrow and joy, the liking and disliking, of several decades past; I’m afraid that future survival and passing, gain and loss, sorrow and joy, liking and disliking, will disturb my mind like this—can I even have a moment of forgetfulness?”

Perspective

The sage never assumes they are right and recognizes the perspectives of others. Mr. Pang’s son has a condition where he saw everything backward. What was white was black and hot was cold.

“How do you know your son is confused? Nowadays everyone in the world is confused about right and wrong, blind about what is beneficial and what is harmful. There are so many with the same affliction that no one realizes it.”

“If everyone in the world had a mind like your son, then you would be the one who’s confused.”

The sage acknowledges that perception shapes reality. They are always willing to see things from another’s perspective.

“Then they pointed to a shrine and said, ‘This is your village shrine.’ The old man sighed. Then they pointed to a house and said, ‘This was your ancestors’ abode.’ Now he wept profusely. They pointed out a mausoleum and said, ‘There are your ancestors’ tombs.’ The man wailed uncontrollably. His fellow travelers laughed and said, “We were fooling you—this is still only the country of Jin.”

Conclusion

While the sage doesn’t understand the Dao, they realize it is responsible for creation. Yin and yang create change and seeks balance. Life, death, reality, and dreams are all aspects of the Dao.

Moderation is a way to find harmony and includes finding a good work life balance. The sage stays in the moment and does not regret the past or worry about the future. They never assume they are right and consider the perspectives of others. They understand that perception defines reality.

Resource

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

Liezi Chapter 2: The Yellow Emperor

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism (Taoism) after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter two is named The Yellow Emperor and focuses on living with the Dao. It shares many parables found in Zhuangzi including Feeding Monkeys (Zhuangzi, Chapter 2), Taming Tigers (Zhuangzi, Chapter 4), Shaman (Zhuangzi, Chapter 7), Ferryman, Archery Contest, Swimming at the Waterfall, Catching Cicadas, and Training a Fighting Cock (Zhuangzi, Chapter 19).

Emptiness

The sage becomes one with nature. This is called achieving a state of emptiness. There is no difference between self and the outside world.

“There was no more inside or outside.“

“If even one who gains wholeness in wine is like this, how about one who gains wholeness in Nature?”

“That time I showed him never leaving my source. I harmonized with him by being empty; he didn’t know who or what I was, and took me for reeds bending in the wind.”

Acceptance

The sage lives in a state of acceptance. They do not desire but follows the contour of life. They do not like or dislike but accept life for what it is.

“The people had no habits or cravings, they were just natural. They didn’t know to like life or to detest death, so there was no premature death. They didn’t know to prefer themselves to others, so there was no love or hatred.”

Harmony with Others

The sage is in harmony with others. They are honest and do not get angry or intimidate.

“They do not intimidate and do not get angry; the eager and honest are their servants.”

The sage recognizes that people use knowledge to manipulate one another.

“When people entrap each other through the differences in their abilities, it’s always like this. Sages use intelligence to encompass ignorant people the way the monkey trainer used his wits to trap the monkeys.”

When one is in the Dao, others will want to be near them.

“Confucius and Mo Di had no territory, yet they were leaders; they had no offices, yet they were chiefs. Everyone in the world, men and women, wanted to contribute to their safety and welfare.”

Accomplishing

When one is with the Dao they possess a single mindedness.

“Didn’t you know? When people are completely sincere, that can affect things.”

“When concentration is undivided, it’s like genius.”

“However vast the universe, however manifold myriad things, I am only aware of the cicada’s wings. I don’t fidget, I don’t take my attention off the cicada’s wings for anything—how could I fail to catch it?”

They can accomplish things that seem impossible.

“The reason someone who can swim can teach it is that he thinks little of the water; the reason someone with talent for swimming can soon do it is that he forgets the water. As for the diver who can handle a boat without ever having seen one before, he looks upon an abyss as like dry land, regards a boat capsizing as like a cart overturning.“

“I go in with the whirlpools and come out with the torrents. I follow the way of the water, without imposing my self on it. This is how I go through it.”

When one does not fear life and death, they do not let concerns of the world bother them.

“Neither death nor life, surprise nor fear, enter into his chest, so he is not frightened when he encounters things.“

“Harmony means universal assimilation to things; then things cannot cause injury or obstruction.”

The reason people worry is that they are concerned with the results. The sage doesn’t let the troubles of the world affect them.

“When you gamble for a chip, you’re clever: when you gamble for your belt buckle, you get nervous; if you gamble for gold, you feel faint. You may have the same skill, but when you’ve got something to lose then you care about externals. Usually those who care about externals are inept in regard to the inward.”

Sincerity

The Way is sincere. The sage always acts with pure intention.

“There was a man living by the sea who liked seagulls. Every morning on the sea he’d sport with the seagulls, and they’d come by the hundreds, without fail. His father said to him, ‘I’ve heard the seagulls all play with you. Catch one and bring it here so I can enjoy it.’ The next day when he went to the sea, the gulls danced around but didn’t land. Therefore it is said that perfect words make no claim, perfect action has no contrivance.”

“Now there is no thought in my mind to upset or indulge, so birds and beasts look upon me as one of their own kind.”

Yielding

The sage knows that to yield is to win while the use of force is to fail. Flexibility is the ultimate state of being.

“The way of always winning is called gentility, the way of not always winning is called force. Both are easy to know, yet no one knows them.”

“If you would be forceful, you must protect it by yielding. Develop flexibility and you will be firm; cultivate yielding and you will be strong. Force overcomes its inferior—meeting an equal, it’s destroyed. Gentility overcomes superiors—its power cannot be measured.”

Government

When a nation follows the Dao there is no need for rules, leaders, or profit. The people no longer think about right or wrong but simply follow nature. There is no need for charity or hoarding because everyone has what they need.

“In that country there were no political leaders, just a state of nature. They didn’t know how to rebel or obey, so there was no profit or harm.”

“They give no charity, yet everyone has enough; they do not accumulate or save, yet they themselves have no lack. Yin and yang are always in harmony.”

A nation should always seek to avoid the use of force and instead yield if possible.

“When an army is forceful it perishes; when wood is inflexible, it breaks. Gentility and yielding are cohorts of life, inflexibility and force are cohorts of death.”

Conclusion

The sage achieves a state of emptiness by accepting whatever comes. They live in harmony with others and is always sincere. The sage seeks to always be flexible for they know that knows that yielding is winning while force is failure. There is a single mindedness that comes with the Dao that makes it possible to accomplish challenging tasks. In a similar way when a nation follows the Dao there is no need for leaders or laws. Everyone has what they require. The nation should always seek to avoid the use of force.

Resource

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

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.