by Guan Zi
In their balance of emptiness and stillness, Heaven and Earth have lasted four and a half billion years. In this time, they have supported the lives of innumerable spiritual vessels. The Sage, therefore, takes Heaven and Earth as his teachers in the cultivation of life and longevity.
If we hope to regain our ancient intrinsic virtue, we would be remiss not to listen to the wisdom of our oldest living ancestors – Heaven and Earth. From Heaven, the Daoists say, we can learn emptiness and non-attachment to self. From earth: stillness, silence, and groundedness. As the Xin Shu Xia ends by stating: “For what is above, study Heaven. For what is below, study the Earth.” This can, in part, be understood to mean “make your heart-mind empty, like Heaven, and your body stable, like the Earth.” By doing so, we can truly transcend the need for moral dictates and even free the mind of the confounding limits of human knowledge. The ancient commentary on the Xin Shu Shang (beginning at line 60, below) comments on line 39, “ The temple refers to the heart-mind. The heart-mind is the abode of wisdom. Therefore it is called ‘the temple.’ To purify it is to get rid of liking and rejecting” (XSS, lines 161–164).
Zhuang Zi describes the master who has shed these limitations to his or her self-actualization in the following story from chapter 19, The Total Comprehension of Life:
Artisan Chui made things round with more accuracy than a compass, for his fingers followed the transformation of things without investigating them in his mind. Thus, his spirit tower (heart-mind) was unified and unfettered. The foot is forgotten when the shoe fits properly. The waist is forgotten when the belt fits properly. Knowledge forgets right and wrong when the heart-mind fits properly. There is no inward alteration, nor outward following when the confluence of affairs is fitting. Once fitting, and there is no longer any sense of not-fitting, forget both fitting and not-fitting. [122]
Lao Zi explains the path to this state, similar to what is today often called “the flow state,” with the following from DDJ48:
The pursuit of learning requires daily accumulation
The pursuit of Dao requires daily reduction
Reducing and reducing
Until arriving at effortlessness
Effortless, yet without inaction…
Echoing lines 39–40, “Purify the temple, open the gates, eradicate egotism, and do not speak,” Lao Zi states in DDJ19:
… Observe the natural state
Embrace the unaltered
Minimize self-importance
And have few desires
43 物固有 形 , 形固有 名 ,
Things which have solidified, have forms. Forms which have solidified, have names.
44 名當謂之聖人。
Those who give them appropriate names are called sages.
45 故必知不言無為之 事 ,
Thus, he knows yet does not speak, and serves without action,
46 然後知道之紀。
So that present and future generations may know the principles of Dao.
47 殊形異 埶, 不與萬物異 理 ,
Though having peculiar forms and strange abilities, he does not follow the myriad things from their incongruity to their coherence.
48 故可以為天下始。
Thus, he can fathom the beginning of all under Heaven.
Knowing that even Heaven and Earth have an origin, he looks to the oneness of all things. Though seeming to have arisen separately, they all draw from the same source.
The term “names ( 名 ming)” contains many connotations in early Chinese philosophy, including those shared in English, such as appellation and reputation , but also concept , fact , and definition . Lines 43-48 show a connection between the pursuits of the Chinese sage and the Western philosopher in their search for truth – for understanding how things work and thus how they should be defined. In understanding this pursuit, we also see how the Chinese sage arrives at “the nameless” – the eternal which is without any final state and thus without definition, yet from which all things arise. In the Daoist meditation of “sitting and forgetting” (zuowang), one leaves all definitions until arriving at clarity, dwelling in emptiness, going back to where no distinctions have yet arisen, where there are no “names” but simply the undifferentiated Oneness. Heshang Gong remarks on this outlook in his commentary on DDJ10:
“Embrace Oneness. Can you do this without letting (your bodily spirits) flee?”
People who can embrace Oneness, and not let it leave them, extend their lives. In Oneness, Dao began to situate life by the supreme harmony of vital energy-breath. Therefore it is said: “Oneness covered the world with names.”
Heaven attained Oneness and became clear; Earth attained Oneness and became serene; lords and kings attained Oneness and became upright and peace-loving. Going within, it is mind; going outwards, it is actions; in covering all with its blessing, it is Virtue. All the names together are One . Referring to Oneness, it is said: “In a unified consciousness, there is no division.”
From this Oneness, the Sage attains greater clarity of mind and perception. As lines 12-19 and line 45 explain, in this stillness, one should simply observe phenomena without interfering. In doing (or ‘not-doing’) so, they can truly see phenomena for what they are, and avoid becoming subject to, or caught up in, them. [123] As explained throughout these texts, this can bring about the tranquil sovereignty of the heart-mind over the senses, and thus the nourishing of life.
Lines 47-48 explain that it is not by being caught up in the external appearances, or differences, of things that the Sage finds “the beginning of all under Heaven,” but instead by returning to the nameless – their common beginning.
This teaching also appears in DDJ47, [124] and DDJ14 (below):
By looking, it is not seen. It is known as Clear
By listening, it is not heard. It is known as Inaudible
What cannot be obtained when seized is known as Infinitesimal
These three things cannot be inspected
And are merged into one
Above, it is not bright
Below, it is not dark
Immeasurable and unnameable
It is again nothing
This is called “having no form or appearance”
Without a materialized image
This is called “absent-minded”
Greet it and you do not see its front
Follow it and you do not see its rear
Hold to the ancient Dao and ride it until you possess the present
Then you will have the power to know the ancient beginning
This is called “the thread of Dao”
49 人之可 殺 , 以其惡死 也 ,
People face execution because they hate death,
50 其可不 利 , 以其好利也。
And they face financial loss because they adore profit.
51 是以君子不休乎 好 , 不迫乎 惡 ,
Therefore, the junzi does not dwell on what he likes, nor is he coerced by what he dislikes.
52 恬愉無 為 , 去智與故。
Tranquil, pleasant, and effortless, he abandons wisdom, and it abides in him as a result.
53 其應 也 , 非所設 也 ,
He responds, but does not initiate;
54 其動 也 , 非所取也。
Moves but does not possess.
55 過在自 用 , 罪在變化。
If one is excessively headstrong, they will err when adapting to changes.
56 是故有道之 君 ,
Thus, the ruler who has Dao
57 其處 也 , 若無知。
Remains in the state of not knowing;
58 其應物 也 , 若偶之。
He responds to things as though by coincidence.
59 靜因之道也。
This is the Dao of tranquil means.
[End]
Maintaining contentment, the Sage is not drawn into danger.
The proto-Daoists’ focus on preserving and nourishing life led them to re-assess the value of commo
n pursuits, finding that so many of them had the opposite intended effect. Seeking to be above others often makes them despise you; fame is often followed by disgrace; storing up treasures invites thieves; succulent foods often damage one’s health. This realization guides much of the Daoist lifestyle, and is intimated by Lao Zi in DDJ75:
… The people are careless towards death
Because they seek fullness of life
This causes carelessness towards death
So then, only those without regard for their lives
Will strive for fullness of life
Therein resides the virtue of valuing life
Such a realization is also profoundly important to Zen Buddhism, which teaches students to meditate on the temporality of the body, and the interdependence between mind and external objects. While also helping students to see the underlying reality of life, this practice reduces their attachment to false values and meaningless pursuits.
Lines 51-52 describe this non-attachment by showing that the junzi [125] does not dwell on gain and loss, likes and dislikes, nor on wisdom – on knowing and not knowing. In this way, the junzi can remain “tranquil, pleasant, and effortless,” while moving unobstructedly through the snares of life. This practice of remaining in a learned obliviousness to one’s own likes and dislikes ushers the junzi into an awareness of the present, and helps them adapt appropriately to the time (see line 55).
To better understand what the Xin Shu Shang means by “the ruler who has Dao remains in the state of not knowing,” we can also look at an influential passage from the Zhuang Zi on “heart-mind fasting” (xin zhai), a term synonymous with “purifying the heart-mind” (xin shu):
Yan Hui said: “… By doing what other’s do, they have no basis to blame me. This is called being a fellow disciple. Maintaining the ways of antiquity is to be a disciple of antiquity. Though my words of instruction may point out the ruler’s errors, they will be the words of antiquity and not my own. As such, though being direct, they will not be insulting. This is called being a disciple of the ancients. Will this suffice?”
Confucius replied: “Most certainly not! You have too many conditions and policies. You plan to go to [the tyrannical ruler of Wei] having yet to learn anything about him. Though your plan is firm, you will only avoid transgression. Stopping at that, how can you successfully convert him? You are only using your mind as the teacher.”
Yan Hui said: “I have no way to proceed. May I be so bold as to ask the method?”
Confucius replied: “Fasting. I will tell you how, but having the method and putting it into action – is this easy? If you act as though it is easy, radiant Heaven will not find you suited to the task.”
Yan Hui said: “My family is poor. We’ve drunk no alcohol, nor eaten pungent vegetables for several months. Could this be considered fasting?”
Confucius replied: “This is fasting in preparation to offer sacrifice. It is not the fasting of the heart-mind.”
Yan Hui said: “May I be so bold as to ask about the fasting of the heart-mind?”
Confucius replied: [126] “You must be of singular focus. Do not listen with the ears, but listen with the heart-mind; do not listen with the heart-mind, but listen with the breath. Listening (then) stops in the ears, and the heart-mind stops in its verifications. As for the breath, it is the emptiness which receives all things, and it is Dao which brings (all things) towards emptiness. Emptiness is the fasting of the heart-mind.” [127]
While heart-mind fasting is an integral part of Daoist sitting practice, it is also integral to the Daoist way of being in the world, or “being in the moment.” By emptying the mind of expectations and predeterminations, one can then perceive and adapt to reality. By following the breath, as students are taught in Taiji and Qigong (Tai Chi and Chi Kung), one’s body and mind-intent draw in and push forward with no dissociation. Listening at the level of the heart-mind, and at the level of inter-being where one’s very breath is in communion with their surroundings, allows one to purify the heart-mind, and accord with Dao in the all embracing emptiness. As the Xin Shu Shang describes, such openness allows one to be in the world with wisdom, equanimity, and effortless responsiveness. Doing so also requires a transcendence of doubt and of one’s impulses to wield control. Rather, they must learn to observe from a state of equanimity. This is shown in lines 49-59, which explain that our likes and dislikes, just as they are used to wield control over a population through rewards and punishments, wield control over our equanimity and ability to travel gracefully through life.
The metaphor of likes and dislikes creating rewards and punishments also translates into advice for inner cultivation. A common admonishment by Daoist teachers is that students will progress quicker if they give their energy to the present, to what they are doing at the time, rather than to hopes and dreams of higher levels and achievements. These aspirations, noble as they may be, hold the power to distract and lead one away from actualization in the present, just as desires and fears provide a handle by which others can lead them away from their best interests.
Thus, the ruler who has Dao
Remains in the state of not knowing.
He responds to things as though by coincidence.
This is the Dao of tranquil means. (XSS, lines 56-59)
To rule their own heart and mind, the Daoist is as though oblivious to rewards and loss, but rather, cherishes the benefits of living by Dao. Lao Zi expressed these sentiments with his natural eloquence, in chapter 20 of the Dao De Jing :
Stop learning
And there will be no grief
Is reluctant acceptance so different from rejection?
What is the difference between good and evil?
People in a fearful place cannot be without fear
Uncultivated! They have not been centered!
The crowd is joyous and buoyant
As though having caught a massive beast
Or celebrating spring rites
I alone am like the clearness of still water
Alas, in this way, making no predictions
Nor making myself predictable
Like a newborn baby
Not yet able to make these distinctions
Roaming! As though having no home to return to
The people in the crowd all have more than they need
But I alone am as one who has lost everything
I have the mind of a simpleton, indeed
Clouded and muddy!
It is customary for people to have clear and cutting perception
I alone am as though in a twilight of understanding
It is customary for people to be fascinated
I alone am as though distant and forlorn
Quick! I am like the ocean
Drifting! As though without any place to stop
The multitudes of people all have purpose
Yet I alone seem stubborn
And unsophisticated
I alone seem strange to others
For I cherish the nourishment of the mother
By not thinking of rewards and punishments or benefits and losses during their stillness practice, students allow the natural process, Dao, to unfold.
Ancient Commentary Section of the Xin Shu Shang, appearing in the Guan Zi :
60 心之在 體 , 君之位也。
“In the body, the heart-mind is the throne of the emperor.
61 九竅之有 職 , 官之分也。
The nine apertures hold offices of various public servants.”
62 耳目者，視聽之官 也 ,
The ears and eyes hold the offices of looking and listening.
63 心而無與視聽之 事 ,
The heart-mind is therefore not occupied with the duties of looking and listening.
64 則官得守其分矣。
Thus, these offices preserve their functions.
65 夫心有欲 者 ,
When the heart-mind holds a desire,
66 物過而目不 見 ,
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Things pass by, but the eyes do not see it;
67 聲至而耳不聞 也 ,
Sounds arrive yet the ears do not hear them.
68 故曰：上離其 道, 下失其事。
Thus, it is said : “When those above depart from the Way, those below neglect their duties.”
69 故曰，心術 者 , 無為而制竅者也。
Thus it is said: “With the heart-mind method, one is effortless and uncontrived, yet the apertures are regulated.” [128]
70 故曰：
Thus it is said :
71 君 , 無代馬 走 , 無代鳥 飛 ,
“Do not attempt to do the running for a horse. Do not attempt to do the flying for a bird.”
72 此言不奪 能 ,
These words do not deny the ruler of his power.
73 能不與下誠也。
It is simply that his power should not meddle in what is truly the domain of those below him.
74 毋先物動 者 ,
“Do not precede the movements of other things.”
75 搖者不 定 ,
What is agitated does not stabilize.
76 趮者不 靜 ,
What is temperamental does not bring stillness.
77 言動之不可以觀也。
(Thus) it is said that movement does not allow for observation.
78 位 者 , 謂其所立 也 ,
“ Thron e ” refers to one’s established place.
79 人主者立於 陰 , 陰者靜。
The ruler is established in Yin. Yin is found in stillness.
80 故曰動則失位。
Thus it is said that movement results in one losing their throne.
81 陰則能制陽 矣 ,
Yin has the power to overcome Yang.
82 靜則能制動 矣 , 故曰靜乃自得。
