Liezi – Daoism

Liezi Chapter 8: Causality

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter eight is named Causality and focuses on living in accordance with the Way.

Emptiness

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

“What Gao keeps in view is the spiritual mechanism. In making sure of the essential, he forgets the homely details; intent on the inward qualities, he loses sight of the external. He sees what he wants to see, and not what he does not want to see. He looks at the things he ought to look at, and neglects those that need not be looked at.”

Nature

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

“If it took the Creator three years to make a single leaf, there would be very few trees with leaves on them. The Sage will rely not so much on human science and skill as on the evolution of Dao...All the living creatures of the universe stand in the same category as ourselves, and one is of no greater intrinsic value than another. It is only by reason of size, strength or cunning that some particular species gains the mastery, or that one preys upon another. ”

Effortless Action

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

“Success consists in hitting off the right moment, while missing it means failure. Your method was identical with ours, only the result was different...There is no rule of thumb for seizing opportunities, hitting off the right moment, or adapting oneself to circumstances; it is all a matter of native wit.”

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

“The Duke saw the point, and forthwith turned home with his army. Before he got back, an invading force had already crossed his northern frontier!”

Events that seem negative can turn out to be positive in the long run. A father and son suddenly are stricken with blindness. This malady prevents them from fighting in a war and ends up saving their lives.

Happiness

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.

“He who does not follow Dao…may be likened to one who, when leaving a house, does not go by the door, or, when traveling abroad, does not keep to the straight road. To seek profit in this way, is it not a thing that is impossible?…You may do good without thinking about fame, but fame will come to you nevertheless. You may have fame without aiming at [ill gotten gains], but [ill gotten gains] is sure to follow in its wake. You may be rich without wishing to provoke emulation and strife, yet emulation and strife will certainly result. Hence the superior man is very cautious about doing good.”

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

“’This Mr. Yu,’ they said, ‘has been enjoying his wealth for many a long day, and has always treated his neighbors in the most arrogant spirit. And now, although we have never offended him, he insults us with this dead rat.’”

They do not allow knowledge to distract them. Like sheep who get easily lost when there are numerous pathways. The sage remains humble which avoids resentment. The sage avoids things that are valued. They don’t want to own valuable land because it causes jealousy. A sage does not concern themself with reputation.

“Reputation is only an echo, external conduct only a shadow. ”

Leadership

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

“The wise man puts his trust in others: thus he reaches fullness of years without decay, perfection of wisdom without bewilderment. In the government of a State, then, the hardest thing is to recognize the worth of others, and not to rely upon one’s own.”

In order to lead, one must be personally orderly. No one who is unorganized can run a state effectively. As one rises in leadership they should become more humble, detailed and benevolent.

Summary

The sage focuses on the internal and reaching a state of emptiness. They are part of nature and engage in effortless action 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

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.

Return: Liezi

Liezi Chapter 7: Yang Zhu

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism 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.

“He who renounces fame has no sorrow.”

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.

“All these four sages, while alive, had not one day’s pleasure, and after their death a reputation lasting many years. Yet reputation cannot bring back reality...These two villains while alive took delight in following their own inclination and desires, and after death were called fools and tyrants. Yet reality is nothing that can be given by reputation.”

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

“The ignorant, while seeking to maintain fame, sacrifice reality...Those who are not too fond of honor do not desire reputation. Those who do not want power desire no rank.”

Wealth

The sage knows that striving for wealth makes one unfulfilled.

“Comfort and elegance, music and beauty. Yet one cannot always gratify the desire for comfort and elegance nor incessantly enjoy beauty and music. Besides, being warned and exhorted by punishments and rewards, urged forward and repelled by fame and laws, men are constantly rendered anxious.”

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

“For possessing a body or things would be unlawfully appropriating a body belonging to the whole universe, and appropriating things belonging to the universe which no sage would do.”

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

“’There are men who cherish life and care for their bodies with the intention of grasping immortality. Is that possible?’ Yang Zhu replied: ‘According to the laws of nature there is no such thing as immortality.’”

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

“There are four things which do not allow people to rest: Long life. Reputation. Rank. Riches.”

The future

The sage does not concern themselves with the future.

“Mark what it brings you, and be drifted away to annihilation. If you pay no regard to life and death, and let them be as they are, how can you be anxious lest our life should end too soon?”

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

“What can I do when I am dead? They may burn my body, or cast it into deep water, or inter it, or leave it un-interred, or throw it wrapped up in a mat into some ditch, or cover it with princely apparel and embroidered garments and rest it in a stone sarcophagus. All that depends on mere chance.”

Emptiness

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

“But if anybody knows how to regulate internals, the things go on all right, and the mind obtains peace and rest.”

They cultivate humility, generosity, and compassion.

“Pity does not merely consist in an unusual feeling. So we may give the feverish rest, satiety to the hungry, warmth to the cold, and assistance to the miserable.”

Present moment

The sage finds contentment in the present moment.

“So they lose the happiest moments of the present, and cannot really give way to these feelings for one hour. How do they really differ from chained criminals?”

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

“One hundred years is the limit of a long life. Not one in a thousand ever attains to it. Yet if they do, still unconscious infancy and old age take up about half this time. The time he passes unconsciously while asleep at night, and that which is wasted though awake during the day, also amounts to another half of the rest. Again pain and sickness, sorrow and fear, fill up about a hah, so that he really gets only ten years or so for his enjoyment.”

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.

“The Ancients knew that all creatures enter but for a short while into life, and must suddenly depart in death. Therefore they gave way to their impulses and did not check their natural propensities. They denied themselves nothing that could give pleasure to their bodies; consequently, as they were not seeking fame, but were following their own nature, they went smoothly on, never at variance with their inclinations.”

Summary

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

Yan Chu’s Garden of Pleasure. Anton Forke, translator. 1912. Classic public domain translation of Chapter 7 of the Book of Liezi.

Liezi Chapter 6: Effort and Destiny

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.

Next: Liezi Chapter 7

Liezi Chapter 5: Questions of Tang

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism 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 Way.

The Way

The Way has no beginning and no ending.

“To the beginning and end of things there is no precise limit. Beginning may be end, and end may be beginning. How can we conceive of any fixed period to either? That which we call an end at the present moment may be the beginning of a new thing, and that which we call a beginning may, contrariwise, be the end of something. End and beginning succeed one another until at last they cannot be distinguished.”

It is limitless and infinite.

“It may be that space is infinite, or it may be that it is limited. How can I tell? But beyond infinity there must again exist non-infinity, and within the unlimited again that which is not unlimited.”

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

“Thus, the lesser is always enclosed by a greater, without ever reaching an end. Heaven and earth, which enclose the myriad objects of creation, are themselves enclosed in some outer shell.” That which contains heaven and earth is the Great Void.” Enclosing heaven and earth and the myriad objects within them, this outer shell is infinite and immeasurable.”

Uniqueness

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

“The two mountains Tai Xing and Wangwu, which cover an area of 700 square li, and rise to an enormous altitude, originally stood in the south of the Qi district and north of Hoyang.”

Some things are so small that they pale in comparison.

“A certain foolish old man of North Mountain, already ninety years old, lived facing the mountains.”

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

Single mindedness

The sage is singleminded and therefore can accomplish much. The sage is completely in the moment.

“Though I myself must die, I shall leave a son behind me, and through him a grandson. That grandson will beget sons in his turn, and those sons will also have sons and grandsons. With all this posterity, my line will not die out, while on the other hand the mountain will receive no increment or addition. Why then should I despair of leveling it to the ground at last?”

Adaptability

The sage adapts instantly to life’s challenges. They do not see events as good or bad but take life as it comes. It is similar to a driver guiding a horse who responds instantly by tugging on the bridle.

Social Harmony

Living with the Way 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 sage recognizes the relativity of different cultures and societies. They know that good and bad are often dependent on the person. In some cultures people cut their hair and wear very little clothing while in others they wear turbans and cover most of their body. Some lands produce crops while others hold factories. One can travel on water by boat or by car on land. Different cultures have different customs and laws.

Emptiness

The sage focuses on the inside in order to navigate the world. They seek a state of emptiness. They master their inner thoughts while living in the world with others.

Summary

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

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.

Next: Liezi Chapter 6

Liezi Chapter 4: Confucius

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.

Next: Liezi Chapter 5

Liezi Chapter 3: Dreams

The Liezi is considered the third most important text in Daoism after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter three is named Dreams and focuses on harmony and perspective.

Creation

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

“The Creator’s ingenuity is mysterious, His operations secret and profound.”

It creates constant change. It is responsible for important events such as birth, growth, happiness, and death. It seeks balance and results in differences in temperature, light, intelligence, strength, and wakefulness.

“The point at which creation begins, the change effected by the Dual Principles — these are called respectively Life and Death. That which underlies the manifold workings of Destiny is called Evolution…It is his spontaneity that constitutes the mystery.“

Reality

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

“Essential matter unites with extensive energy to become a bodily substance, which follows the line of evolution and passes away, but does not, on that account, relapse into nothingness...Therefore it arises anon, and anon it is destroyed.”

Dreams and wakefulness are also aspects of creation.

“’Once upon a time,’ he said, ‘a wood-cutter dreamt that he had got a deer, but couldn’t remember the place where he had put it. Now I have found the deer, so it appears that his dream was a true dream. ‘On the contrary,’ said his wife, ‘it is you who must have dreamt that you met a wood-cutter who had caught a deer. Here you have a deer, true enough. But where is the wood-cutter? It is evidently your dream that has come true.’ ‘I have certainly got a deer,’ replied her husband ; ‘so what does it matter to us whether it was his dream or mine?’”

Moderation

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

“All day long he was groaning as he went about his work, and when night came he was reeling with fatigue and would sleep like a log. His spirit was then free to wander at will, and every night he dreamt that he was a king, enthroned in authority over the multitude, and controlling the affairs of the whole State. He took his pleasure in palaces and belvederes, following his own fancy in everything, and his happiness was beyond compare.”

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 dreamt that he was another man’s servant, running about on menial business of every description, and subjected to every possible kind of abuse and ill-treatment. He would mutter and groan in his sleep, and obtained no relief until morning came.”

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.

“Lately, when I was steeped in forgetfulness, my senses were so benumbed that I was quite unconscious of the existence of the outer world. But now I have been brought suddenly to a perception of the events of half a lifetime. Preservation and destruction, gain and loss, sorrow and joy, love and hate have begun to throw out their myriad tentacles to invade my peace; and these emotions will, I fear, continue to keep my mind in the state of turmoil that I now experience. Oh ! if I could but recapture a short moment of that blessed oblivion!”

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 to others was black to him. The sage knows that from the son’s point of view everyone else is confused.

The king thought the palace he built was the most beautiful ever created.

“It stood six thousand feet high, overtopping Mount Zhongnan, and it was called Touch-the-sky Pavilion...Ravishing music was played to the honored guest by the Imperial bands; several times a month he was presented with fresh jeweled raiment; every day he had set before him some new and delicious food.”

Yet when he saw the magician’s palace set in the clouds with unrivaled sights, sounds, and scents he knew his palace could not compare.

“He gazed at his own palace on the earth below, and it seemed to him no better than a rude pile of clods and brushwood.”

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

“Pointing out a certain shrine, they told him that it was his own village altar, and he heaved a deep sigh. They showed him a house, and said: ‘This is where your ancestors lived;’ and the tears welled up in his eyes. Finally, they brought him in front of a mound and said: ‘This is the tomb where your ancestors lie buried.’ The old man could control himself no longer, and wept aloud. But his fellow-travellers burst into roars of laughter. ‘We have been hoaxing you,’ they cried; this is only the Jin State.”

Conclusion

While the sage doesn’t understand the Way, they realize it is responsible for creation and change yet seeks balance. Life, death, reality, and dreams are all aspects of the Way. Moderation is a way to find balance 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

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.

Next: Liezi Chapter 4

Liezi Chapter 2: The Yellow Emperor

The Liezi ie considered the third most important text in Daoism after the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi. Chapter two is named The Yellow Emperor and focuses on living with the Way. 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.

“Internal and External were blended into Unity...To let the mind reflect on what it will, to let the lips utter what they please, and not grudgingly bottle it up in one’s breast, so that the internal and the external may become as one, is still not so good as passing beyond the bounds of self and abstaining from all manifestation.”

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.

“Its people were without desires or cravings; they simply followed their natural instincts. They felt neither joy in life nor abhorrence of death; thus they came to no untimely ends.”

Harmony with Others

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

“Creatures are not shy of those whom they feel to be in mental and bodily harmony with themselves.”

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

“Howbeit, in seeking perfect wisdom, men attend to the outward form alone, which will not bring them near to it.”

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

“’Nothing else,’ replied Hui Ang, ‘than the teachings of Confucius and Mo Di. Neither of these two men possessed any land, and yet they were princes; they held no official rank, and yet they were leaders. All the inhabitants of the Empire, old and young, used to crane their necks and stand on tiptoe to catch a glimpse of them. For it was their object to bring peace and happiness to all.’”

Accomplishing

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

“I knew not what part of space my body occupied, nor yet where danger lurked. My mind was simply One, and material objects thus offered no resistance. That is all. ”

They can accomplish things that seem impossible.

“There was an eager response, and Shang Qiukai in perfect good faith, was the first to leap over the edge. And lo! he was wafted down to earth like a bird on the wing, not a bone or muscle of his body being hurt...Shang Qiukai again acted on their suggestion and plunged in. And when he came out, sure enough he held a pearl in his hand.”

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

“The man who achieves harmony with Dao enters into close unison with external objects, and none of them has the power to harm or hinder him.”

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

“So the prince inquired what secret power it was that enabled him to dwell in rock and to walk through fire. ‘What do you mean by rock?’ replied the man; ‘what do you mean by fire?’…’I know nothing of them,’ replied the man. It was this extreme of unconsciousness that enabled him to perform the above feats.”

Sincerity

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

“There was once a man, a sailor by profession, who was very fond of sea-gulls. Every morning he went into the sea and swam about in their midst, at which times a hundred gulls and more would constantly flock about him...One day his father said to him : l am told that sea-gulls swim about with you in the water. I wish you would catch one or two for me to make pets of. On the following day, the sailor went down to the sea as usual, but lo! the gulls only wheeled about in the air and would not alight. There was disturbance in his mind, accompanied by a change in his outward demeanor; thus the birds became conscious of the fact that he was a human being.”

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.

“With regard to my method of feeding tigers, all I have to say is this: when yielded to, they are pleased; when opposed, they are angry. Such is the natural disposition of all living creatures.”

Government

When a nation follows the Way 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.

“This kingdom was without head or ruler; it simply went on of itself…They knew neither aversion from one course nor inclination to another; hence profit and loss existed not among them.”

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

“But I do not think of opposing them and thus provoking their anger.”

Summary

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

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.

Next: Liezi Chapter 3

Liezi Chapter 1: Cosmology

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

Creation

The Way existed before all off creation.

“They were engendered out of nothing, and came into existence of themselves.”

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

“Hence we say, there is a great Principle of Change, a great Origin, a great Beginning, a great Primordial Simplicity. In the great Change substance is not yet manifest. In the great Origin lies the beginning of substance. In the great Beginning, lies the beginning of material form.”

The Way unifies all things.

“When substance, form and essential qualities are still indistinguishably blended together it is called Chaos. Chaos means that all things are chaotically intermixed and not yet separated from one another.”

Change

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

“There is a Creative Principle which is itself uncreated; there is a Principle of Change which is itself unchanging. The Uncreated is able to create life ; the Unchanging is able to effect change...Between his birth and his latter end, man passes through four chief stages of development: — infancy, adolescence, old age and death...Man, likewise, from birth to old age becomes something different every day in face and form, in wisdom and in conduct. His skin, his nails and his hair are continually growing and continually perishing. In infancy and childhood there is no stopping nor respite from change. Though imperceptible while it is going on, it may be verified afterwards if we wait.”

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

“There is sound, and there is that which causes sound; there is color, and there is that which causes color; there is taste, and there is that which causes taste.”

No Limitation

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

“This it is to be devoid of knowledge, yet all-knowing, destitute of power, yet all-powerful. Such is Dao.”

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

“It is Heaven’s function to produce life and to spread a canopy over it. It is Earth’s function to form material bodies and to support them. It is the Sage’s function to teach others and to influence them for good. It is the function of created things to conform to their proper nature.”

Happiness

The sage is content with their life and happy with their existence even in poverty.

“I have a great deal to make me happy. God created all things, and of all His creations man is the noblest. It has fallen to my lot to be a man: that is my first ground for happiness...Furthermore, some are born who never behold the sun or the moon, and who never emerge from their swaddling-clothes. But I have already walked the earth for the space of ninety years.”

They stay content in old age.

“But I have already walked the earth for the space of ninety years. That is my third ground for happiness…Abiding in the normal state, and reaching at last the appointed end, what is there that should make me unhappy?”

They don’t fear the unknown or worry about the future.

“He who maintains that Heaven and earth are destructible, and he who upholds the contrary, are both equally at fault. Whether they are destructible or not is something we can never know, though one may hold this view and another that. The living and the dead, the going and the coming, know nothing of each other’s state. Whether destruction awaits the world or no, why should I trouble my head about it?”

Life

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

“Are you not already a thief in respect of your own body? You are stealing the harmony of the Yin and the Yang in order to keep alive and to maintain your bodily form.”

The sage knows that life is supported by the Way.

“We all know that Heaven has its seasons, and that earth has its riches. Well, the things that I steal are the riches of Heaven and earth, each in their season — the fertilizing rain-water from the clouds, and the natural products of mountain and meadow-land. Thus I grow my grain and ripen my crops, build my walls and construct my tenements. From the dry land I steal winged and four-footed game, from the rivers I steal fish and turtles. There is nothing that I do not steal. For corn and grain, clay and wood, birds and beasts, fishes and turtles are all products of Nature. How can I claim them as mine?”

Death

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

“An excellent thing was Death in the eyes of the ancients. It gives rest to the good, and subdues the wicked. Death is the boundary-line of virtue. That is, Death abolishes all artificial and temporary distinctions between good and evil, which only hold good in this world of relativity...Men feel the joy of life, but do not realize its bitterness. They feel the weariness of old age, but not its peacefulness. They think of the evils of death, but not of the repose which it confers.”

They know that all things eventually return to the Way.

“When the spirit parts from the body, each of these elements returns to its proper place...The ancients spoke of the dead as…(men who have returned). But if the dead are men who have returned, the living are men on a journey.”

No one knows if death is truly the end.

“Being takes its rise out of Not-Being. That which has shape and substance must come to an end. Heaven and Earth, then, have an end, even as we all have an end. But whither the end leads us is unknown.”

Summary

The Way 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 Way.

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.

Next: Liezi Chapter 2