by Guan Zi
As these names naturally order themselves, those which do not fit are abolished.
When names are corrected and laws perfected, the Sage is without further endeavours
Including lines 19-20 in this section, we see that all of DDJ5 is reflected in lines 19-29. The inexhaustible creative power of the “bagpipe” (often translated as bellows ) [72] is an illustration of the inexhaustible power of Heaven and Earth, described in BX19-21, while Lao Zi’s disregard for attempts to inflate reality with words is described in BX27-32. Again, the drastically different sequences in which these same ideas appear suggests that both texts were written from their authors’ own contemplation of ideas circulating amongst their peers at the time.
DDJ3 can also be better understood through BX27-29.
BX27-29:
Therefore, the Sage’s (method of) government is to still the body and wait. Things then arrive at their names and naturally fall into place.”
DDJ3:
… Therefore, the Sage’s government
Empties the heart-mind and enriches the stomach
Softens the will and strengthens the bones
People then remain uncontrived and without desires
While the scheming do not dare to act
Act by not acting
And everything will fall into place
This passage from the Dao De Jing has been a source of controversy, as many found it to suggest making the populace ignorant; however, the Bai Xin , and commentators such as Heshang Gong, show that “the Sage’s (method of) government” simultaneously refers to self-cultivation and meditation.
The Bai Xin also makes clear the interest of the ancient sages in “names,” and these names’ true inclinations. [73] Knowing these inclinations helps sages to understand the roles (also a facet of meaning in “名 names”) of various phenomena in the world. Giving names to things assigns their connection to other things. The use and origin of things is more open without their names. Imagine, for example, the way an animal sees the world without words, and how things are not so distinguished when they no longer have any names. As we understand how to use things, we differentiate them with names. This process is at the basis of wisdom, and so is the role of the Sage.
Further, this practice of seeing the true character of external things coincides with the practice of observing one’s own internal phenomena, such as cravings and emotions, which are brought to stability and order by practicing “the Sage’s method of government.” Such considerations can be seen in Dao De Jing , chapter one:
… The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The Named is the mother of the myriad things
Thus, always without desires
Observing its inner subtlety
Always with desires
Observing its outer surface
These two were born together, yet differ in name
Together, they are called Fathomless Mystery…
33 不可常居 也 ,
He has no reason to continue residing (in this role),
34 不可廢舍 也 ,
Nor any reason to abandon his abode.
35 隨變斷事 也 ,
Following the changes of circumstance, he leaves his affairs,
36 知時以為度。
Knowing what is best to do at that time.
The Sage is unattached to outcomes. Ego is just a responsibility that they would happily divest themselves of, given the opportunity. When they have done what needed to be done, the Sage returns to the freedom of namelessness, and enjoys the simplicity of nature.
Lines 33-36 also correlate to DDJ3’s “softening the will.” Heshang Gong’s comment on this line helps to illustrate the proximity of these ideas as they were understood in the proto-Daoist culture:
“Softens the will”
Harmonious and soft, humble, modest, and accommodating, the Sage does not linger in positions of authority.
“Softens the will” refers to willfulness, stubbornness. As the Dao De Jing and Bai Xin point out, softening one’s will to control reality is an important step towards seeing what things truly are. When scheming desires and emotions stop trying to control situations (“ People then remain uncontrived and without desires, while the scheming do not dare to act” – DDJ3 ) , the ‘heart of the heart-mind’ [74] attains sovereignty, and a new, enlightened, perception of reality.
This teaching on withdrawing also appears in DDJ9. In the “Guodian” Dao De Jing , (the earliest known copy of the Dao De Jing , found in the Guodian tombs and dated to around 295 BC), chapter 9 reads:
困而盈 之 , To accumulate until full
而不若已。 Is not as good as coming to a stop
湍而群 之 , When rushing waters gather
不可长保也。 Nothing can be long protected
金玉盈 室 , When gold and jade fill the halls
莫能兽（守）也。 Nothing can preserve them
贵福乔（骄 ） , When fortune and wealth bring arrogance
自遗咎也。 They bring the misfortune of their own loss
攻（功）述身 退 , Having achieved the goal, withdraw yourself
天之道也。 This is the way of Heaven
As will be seen in the proceeding lines, the Bai Xin and Dao De Jing both warn extensively about the dangers of this willfulness. Thus, it is better to soften one’s willfulness, and forcefulness, so as to “follow the changes” and do what is best for the time. [75]
37 大者 寬 , 小者局。
When there is abundance, (people are) generous; when there is little, (people are) studious.
38 物有所 餘 , 有所不足。
(This causes) things to be in surplus, or insufficient.
39 兵之 出 , 出於 人 ,
Deploying an army is to send it out towards others;
40 其人 入 , 入於身。
When others invade, they invade one’s own territory.
41 兵之 勝 , 從於適。
(However,) the success of an army follows good fortune,
42 德之 來 , 從於身。
(And) the approach of virtue depends on the individual.
43 故曰祥於鬼者義於 人 ,
This is why it is said that omens and apparitions (arrive to defend) the righteousness of others.
44 兵不義不可。
(Thus,) an army must never lack righteousness. [76]
Outcomes are unpredictable, but even more so when sought greedily, without considering the rights of others. Thus, the Sage relies on righteousness, and so avoids unexpected misfortunes that might arise from seemingly successful ventures.
Lines 37-44 go further into the dangers of arrogance, hinted at in the lines preceding, and made more explicit in DDJ9’s: “When fortune and wealth bring arrogance, they bring the misfortune of their own loss”
Lines 37-38 show that the inclination of people is to take for granted when they have enough, and to be studious when their resources have been depleted. Note that the parallel structure running through lines 37 to 44 suggests that lines 37-38 are not simply a comment on the previous statement of ‘doing what is best for the time,’ but also connect the discourse that follows them with the preceding considerations of consequence and appropriate action.
The ideas in lines 39-48 also show up in DDJ67:
… Through kindness, there can be courage
Through economy, there can be generosity
Through not brazenly taking precedence over the world
I can fashion vessels of longevity
Now, if one neglects kindness in courage
Neglects economy in generosity
Neglects humility in being at the forefront
They will die.
So, kindness in times of war brings victory
And protecting it brings strength and stability
Heaven will bring its aid
And kindness will be protected
And in DDJ69:
In the employment o
f an army, there is a saying:
“I dare not be the host, but I will be a guest
I dare not advance an inch, but will step back a foot”
This is called advancing without advancing
…
Misfortune has no greater cause
Than not respecting an enemy
By not respecting an enemy
How much do we risk destroying what is precious?...
45 強而驕者損其 強 ,
Those who are forceful and arrogant, their strength is decreased;
46 弱而驕者前死亡。
Those who are weak and arrogant, death and destruction await them;
47 強而卑 義 , 信其強。
When strong, humble, and righteous, this is true strength;
48 弱而卑 義 , 免於罪。
If weak, yet humble and righteous, they will avoid calamity.
49 是故驕之餘 卑 , 卑之餘驕。
For these reasons, the excessively arrogant are humbled, and the excessively humble become arrogant.
By cultivating himself, but not over-estimating himself, the Sage invites good will, greater clarity, and greater opportunities for success.
The idea of arrogance leading to downfall appears in many chapters of the Dao De Jing . Notice, for example, the similarity between DDJ30 and lines 45-49.
DDJ30
As for those who use Dao to counsel the king
It is not by weapons that they have power in the world
Such activities are reciprocated
Where troops gather, thorns and brambles appear
Following war, there is sure to be famine and misfortune
Large armies are sure to bring sadness in the future
Achieve your aim well, and then stop
Do not dare to abuse power
Achieve your aim, but do not boast
Achieve your aim, but do not attack again
Achieve your aim, but do not become arrogant
Achieve your aim, but do not claim all the credit
Achieve your aim, but do not abuse power
Things thrive in their prime and then become aged
This is called “not Dao”
What is “not Dao” ends prematurely
50 道 者 , 一人用 之 , 不聞有餘。
When (only) one person applies Dao, sufficiency is unheard of;
51 天下行 之 , 不聞不 足 ,
When all under heaven practice Dao, insufficiency is unheard of.
52 此謂道矣。
This is the meaning of Dao!
53 小取 焉 , 則小得 福 ,
If a small amount is obtained through (Dao), then that small amount can bring good fortune;
54 大取 焉 , 則大得福。
If a large amount is obtained through (Dao), then that large amount can bring good fortune.
55 盡行之而天下 服 ,
If this were practiced throughout, all under Heaven could be provided for.
56 殊無取焉則民 反 ,
Alternatively, if success is not obtained through (Dao), the people will rebel,
57 其身不免於賊。
And individuals will inevitably become deceitful. [77]
58 左者出者 也 ,
Those of the left will go on the offence,
59 右者入者 也 ,
And those of the right will be invaded. [78]
60 出者而不傷 人 ,
The attack will not injure anyone,
61 入者自傷也。
But those invaded will have injured themselves. [79]
62 不日不月而事以從。
Not by the day or the month, but by how affairs follow (Dao),
63 不卜不筮而謹知吉凶。
And not by prophesy or divination, but by how cautiously one follows (Dao), can you know fortune and misfortune.
Knowing that success for all means lasting success, the Sage is careful to ensure that he remains with Dao, like a coachman takes care not to lose his carriage.
To understand how one follows the way of Dao when orchestrating affairs, we might turn to DDJ51:
… It actuates them but does not possess them
Sets them in motion but does not expect of them
It extends their lives without ruling and controlling them
This is called Fathomless Virtue
Cultivating the Virtue of Dao, and the benefit to those who do, is referred to in DDJ54, where the term “Virtue” can otherwise be read as its synonym and homonym: “ 得 attainment”:
… Cultivate this in the body and its Virtue will be true [80]
Cultivate this in the home and its Virtue will be plentiful
Cultivate this in the village and its Virtue will be long lasting
Cultivate this in the nation and its Virtue will be abundant
Cultivate this in the world and its Virtue will be widespread…
Lines 62-63 of the Bai Xin offer an explanation of the closing lines in DDJ38, [81] which also addresses putting more importance on divination than intrinsic virtue (De):
… Thus, when Dao is lost, virtue appears
When virtue is lost, benevolence appears
When benevolence is lost, righteousness appears
When righteousness is lost, etiquette appears
In etiquette, sincerity and selflessness are lacking
And this is the beginning of chaos
This trajectory can be recognized
When people who don’t know
Display flowery appearances of the Dao
And speak as though they know how to recognize what is coming
This is the beginning of idiocy
Therefore, great and noble men stay with what is substantial
And not with what is slight
They stay with the fruit
And not with the flower
They leave that and choose this
64 是謂寬乎 形 , 徒居而致名。
This means that when one is relaxed and generous (lit. spacious) in demeanour, remaining as such, they are named as such.
65 去善之 言 , 為善之事，
Leaving skillful words, and taking skillful actions,
66 事成而顧反無名。
Affairs are completed, and their focus then shifts towards returning to the nameless.
67 能者無 名 , 從事無事。
That which is effective and capable is nameless, attending to affairs without affair. [82]
68 審量出入而觀物所載。
Investigating and measuring what goes out and what comes in, [83] observe the things that it brings.
69 庸能法無法乎？
Who can follow the laws of that which is without laws?
70 始無始乎？
Who can begin like that which is without beginning?
71 終無終乎？
Who can end like that which is without ending?
72 弱無弱乎？
Who can have the softness of that which is beyond softness?
The Sage’s spiritual intelligence is elusive, but real. To focus on selfish endeavours would complicate his connection to the oneness of all, and so he places value on following Dao and lets its principles of renewal take care of his needs.
DDJ37 also discusses inner stability and the nameless:
The Dao is always effortless yet without inaction
When lords and kings can guard this within
The myriad things eventually transform themselves
Transforming, yet desiring to do so intentionally
I pacify this desire with the simplicity of the nameless
The simplicity of the nameless removes all desires
When the tranquility of desirelessness is established
The world stabilizes itself
Lines 69-72 help to explain why the term “the nameless” is used to describe the ineffable, and begin a transition into a more overt discussion of self-cultivation.
Lines 65-72 speak to taking action when necessary and then releasing the grip of control. This theme holds the surface meaning of managing affairs while allowing the nature of situations of reveal themselves. It also has implications pertaining to the heart-mind and the inner Sage of spiritual intelligence. When action is required, the heart-mind gives rise to thought and contemplation, but when understanding has been reached, the ruler (heart-mind) does not spin his wheels on the subject. Rather, the heart-mind returns to emptiness and practices the Sage’s way of government, exemplified by Dao and “Fathomless Virtue.” As explained in the ancient commentary section of the Xin Shu Shang:
“Responding to things as though by coincidence.”
This is called “adapting to the season” –
Like a shadow taking the shape of a form,
Or an echo responding to a sound.
Thus, when things reach them, (the junzi) respond.
When these things move on, (the junzi) remain in place.
This means (the junzi) reverts back to emptiness.
(XSS 215-221)
73 故曰美哉岪岪。
Thus, it is said: “So beautiful are untrodden mountain paths.”
74 故曰有中有 中 ,
Thus it is said: “There is a center within the center.”
75 庸能得夫中之衷乎？
Who can obtain the center within the depths of the heart?
76 故曰功成者 隳 ,
Thus it is said: “To develop achievement and merit, (achievement and merit) must be wiped out (from one’s mind);
77 名成者虧。
To achieve fame, it must be lost.”
78 故曰孰能棄名與 功 , 而還與眾人 同。
Thus it is said: “Who can abandon fame and merit, while uniting all people together?
