by Guan Zi
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 namelessness
The simplicity of the nameless removes all desires
When the tranquility of desirelessness is established
The world stabilizes itself
As the Nei Ye also shows, this harmony cannot be attained impatiently, or fabricated with ingenuity. This is not to say that people should not work tirelessly, however. The Duke of Zhou’s comment on the first line of the first hexagram (Heaven) in the Yi Jing (I Ching) states “Heaven moves with vitality. The junzi therefore sturdies himself to ceaseless activity.” [216] It is simply a matter of doing so with an inner tranquility and harmony. As Heshang Gong comments on DDJ23:
Men should conduct affairs like the Dao, in peace and stillness. They should not conduct affairs like gusting winds and violent rainstorms.
65 道也 者 ,
As for Dao,
66 口之所不能言 也 ,
It is that which the mouth cannot speak of;
67 目之所不能視 也 ,
It is that which the eyes cannot see;
68 耳之所不能聽 也 ,
It is that which the ears cannot hear;
69 所以脩心而正形也 。
It is that by which the heart-mind is enhanced, [217] and the body is aligned;
70 人之所失以 死 ,
It is that which, when people lose it, they die;
71 所得以生也 。
It is that which, when they obtain it, they live;
72 事之所失以 敗 ,
It is that which, when endeavours lose it, they fail;
73 所得以成也 。
It is that which, when they obtain it, they succeed.
74 凡 道 : 無根無 莖 ,
Invariably, Dao is without root [218] and without stem;
75 無葉無 榮 ,
Without leaves and without flowers.
76 萬物以 生 ,
The myriad things are given life by it;
77 萬物以 成 ,
The myriad things are completed by it.
78 命之曰道 。
On account of this, it is called “The Path”
Lines 65-78 venture to describe the indescribable, Dao, while at the same time acknowledging the ineffable and intangible qualities that make it “unnameable” in the Daoist sense of being indistinguishable from reality as a whole. Though the Dao De Jing makes constant reference to the influence of Dao throughout Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, as with the Nei Ye , it ultimately heeds the opening statement of chapter one: “The dao which can be told is not the eternal Dao. The name which can be named is not the eternal name.”
More similarities can be seen here in regards to DDJ21. Line 74, “Dao is without root and without stem; without leaves and without flowers” is comparable to DDJ21’s: “It is ancient and it is modern. Its attributes (names) do not leave.” Lines 76-78 reflect the closing lines of DDJ21, and Heshang Gong’s commentary on them, which suggests that Dao is called “the Path” because it is the path by which all things come into fruition. [219] Comparing DDJ21 [220] and NY51-64, one may find still further resemblances.
79 天主 正 ,
Heaven is ruled by alignment;
80 地主 平 ,
Earth is ruled by balance;
81 人主安靜 。
People are ruled by peaceful [221] silence.
82 春秋冬 夏 ,
Spring, autumn, winter, and summer
83 天之時 也 ;
Are the seasons of Heaven;
84 山陵川 谷 ,
Mountains, hills, streams, and valleys
85 地之枝 也 ;
Are the extensions of Earth;
86 喜怒取 予 ,
Pleasure, anger, taking, and giving
87 人之謀也 。
Are the underlying motivations of humanity.
88 是故聖人
Therefore, Sages
89 與時變而不 化 ,
Follow the times of change, yet are not transformed.
90 從物而不移 。
They adapt to things, yet are not displaced.
The “seasons of Heaven” change, yet are constant in their cycles. The “extensions (lit. “branches,” see line 85) of Earth” transform, yet are constant in their types. Therefore, sages move and adapt as necessary, but are constant in their inner alignment and stillness. The ability to outwardly adapt while remaining inwardly stable is of great importance in proto-Daoist texts, which show that, by guarding inner balance while being outwardly flexible, dangerous straits in life can be successfully navigated
In a comment, attributed to Confucius, on the Yi Jing’s water hexagram (Kan), we find:
Two water trigrams indicate repeated dangerous passes. Water circulates rather than over-filling. It travels through a dangerous pass without losing its integrity. (King Wen’s comment on this hexagram) “ guarding the mind brings progress ” refers to the strong line in the center (of the water trigram, which consists of two broken lines with a sold line between them).
Also, in DDJ8:
The highest excellence is like water
The excellence of water benefits all things
And does not fight against them
It dwells in the places that people detest
How close it is to Dao!
…
Simply because it does not fight
(Water) has no enemy
91 能正能 靜 ,
If you can be aligned and you can be silent,
92 然後能定 。
Then you can be settled.
93 定心 在 中 ,
When the heart-mind settles in its very center,
94 耳目聰 明 ,
The ears and eyes become acute and perceptive,
95 四枝堅 固 ,
And the four limbs become solid and stable. [222]
96 可以為精舍 。
You can thereby house the pure and vital essence.
97 精也 者 ,
This pure essence
98 氣之精者也 。
Is the pure essence of energy-breath.
99 氣道乃 生 ,
The way of energy-breath is to flourish.
100 生乃 思 ,
Flourishing, it becomes thoughts;
101 思乃 知 ,
Thoughts become knowledge;
102 知乃止矣 。
After knowledge, it stops.
103 凡心之 形 ,
Invariably, mental formulations [223]
104 過知失生 。
Will supersede knowledge even at the expense of one’s life.
105 一物能 化 , 謂之 神 ;
With Oneness, things can be transformed. We call this spirit.
106 一事能 變 , 謂之智 。
With Oneness, situations can be changed. We call this wisdom.
107 化不易 氣 ,
Transforming (things) without altering breath,
108 變不易 智 ,
Changing (situations) without altering wisdom:
109 惟執一之君子能為此乎 。
Only the junzi who maintains Oneness can do this.
110 執一不 失 ,
Holding Oneness and not losing it,
111 能君萬物 。
They can preside over the myriad things.
112 君子使 物 ,
The junzi then conducts things,
113 不為物 使 ,
And is not conducted by things,
114 得一之理 。
(Having) attained the principle of Oneness. [224]
The Huang Di Nei Jing, Su Wen, again reflects the Nei Ye here were the Nei Ye states:
This pure essence
Is the pure essence of energy-
breath.
The way of energy-breath is to flourish.
Flourishing, it becomes thoughts;
Thoughts become knowledge;
After knowledge, it stops.
Invariably, mental formulations
Will supersede knowledge even at the expense of one’s life.
The Su Wen, chapter 39, explains this phenomenon with further details:
The hundred diseases are generated by qi.
When one is angry, their qi rises
When euphoric, their qi relaxes
When sad, their qi dissipates
When fearful, their qi descends
When cold, their qi collects
When over-heated, their qi leaks out
When startled, their qi is chaotic
When exhausted, their qi is wasted
When pensive, their qi is knotted
…
When one is pensive, the heart-mind occupies a location
And the shen-spirit keeps returning to a location
The aligned qi is halted and does not circulate
Thus, qi is knotted [225]
We find the method to untangle these knots in the Nei Ye , which suggests detaching ourselves from the frantic chases of the mind and returning to inner unity. By following the guidance in lines 91-92, (“If you can be aligned, you can be silent. Then you can be settled.)” one may realize what Lao Zi speaks of in Dao De Jing , chapter 56:
Those who know, do not speak
Those who speak, do not know
Close your ports
Shut your gates
Dull your points
Separate your tangles
Soften your glare
Be like ashes
This is to say
“Be one with the sacred”…
While Oneness carries a number of metaphysical connotations, lines 91-114 speak to its more immediate application in being of a unified and undivided consciousness. By keeping the heart-mind settled, focus is not easily agitated and dissipated, allowing the energy-breath and heart-mind to remain centered and reach the destination of their focus.
As Heshang Gong comments on DDJ10:
“Gather together the energy-breath and become soft”
Gather and embrace the vital energy-breath within. Then it will not be chaotic and the body will become soft and pliant.
“This is the power of an infant”
Have the power of an infant. Be, internally, without a thought or worry, and externally, without official duties. Then the vital spirits will not leave.
“Looking deeply, purify and eliminate”
One should wash the heart-mind until it is clean and pure. The heart-mind lives in the fathomless depths of emptiness. Investigate. Know its myriad engagements. This is called “investigating the fathomless.”
Like NY105-114, Heshang Gong explains in DDJ14 that by holding Oneness we are able to become the active, rather than reactive, party in our own lives.
“ Hold to the ancient Dao and ride it until you possess the present ”
Sages hold and embrace the ancient Dao which gave birth to Oneness and allowed them to commandeer things. Understand the present by holding onto Oneness.
The Xin Shu Xia carries a similar passage to NY100-106, but follows with the statement "Therefore, all that is collected internally (should be) regarded as a wellspring. When this source is not exhausted, internally and externally, it circulates freely.” [226] Further, Xin Shu Xia , lines 37-38, read:
一氣能變曰精。
Unified energy-breath can bring transformation. This is called “essence.”
一事能變曰智。
Unified endeavours can bring transformation. This is called “wisdom.”
rather than, in Nei Ye , line 105:
一物能 化 , 謂之 神 ;
With Oneness, things can be transformed. We call this spirit.
一事能 變 , 謂之智。
With Oneness, situations can be changed. We call this wisdom
These differences suggest, not simply a suppression of thoughts, but a transmutation of the energy that becomes thoughts (see NY99-104). By aligning the posture [227] and remaining internally still and clear, this energy, normally occupied by wandering thoughts, can be returned to the resonance of intention, awareness ( 意 yi), associated in Daoist medical theory with the unifying earth element of the spleen.
Following the closing statement of the Xin Shu Xia “For what is above, study the Heavens; for what is below, study the Earth,” this method could be described as “by the power of stillness, making clouded water slowly clarify / By the power of serenity, making life slowly arise” (DDJ15). Further, b y clearing clouds (thoughts) from the sky (heart-mind), the light of the sun (spirit) can nourish the earth (body).
Lines 107-109 illustrate how those adept at the heart-mind method (xin shu/xin fa) can bring about change without losing their inner Oneness and spirit. This is described further in the following lines (below), especially 129-150 which speak of spiritual intelligence. This spiritual intelligence is maintained by following the directions in the Nei Ye of not being swayed by emotions and fears, but rather, staying balanced in both breath and wisdom. This ability is cultivated in the practice of Tai Ji (Tai Chi), which teaches the continuous flow of breath and movement, and thereby a calm rhythm of breathing while transforming the obstacles (opponents) in front of oneself. Doing so allows the free flow of intuitive response in the application of learned skills. Thus, neither the power of one’s breath, nor their ability, is diminished by adapting to the circumstances requiring change.
115 治心在於 中 ,
When the orderliness of the heart-mind reaches to the very center,
116 治言出於 口 ,
Orderly words leave the mouth
117 治事加於 人 ,
And orderly affairs increase amongst the people.
118 然則天下治矣 。
As such, all under Heaven will be orderly!
119 一言得而天下 服 ,
When one word is grasped, all under heaven fits together;
120 一言定而天下 聽 ,
When one word settles (in the heart), all under Heaven cooperates.
121 公之謂也 。
This is the meaning of ‘serving the greater good.’ [228]
122 形不 正 ,
When the bodily form is not aligned,
123 德不來 。
Virtue does not approach;
124 中不 靜 ,
When the center is not tranquil,
125 心不治 。
The heart-mind is not orderly.
126 正形攝 德 ,
When the bodily form is aligned, it absorbs Virtue.
127 天仁地 義 ,
Heaven’s benevolent generosity and Earth’s balancing righteousness
128 則淫然而自至 。
Then naturally arrive in abundance.
By holding to oneness, all is brought to a beneficial order. By first bringing the heart-mind, the metaphorical “throne of the ruler,” [229] to a state of peace and order, peace and order then spreads throughout the rest of one’s being. The proto-Daoists taught that a ruler who achieves peace and order within will effortlessly spread this peace and order throughout their kingdom. The Nei Ye uses to the word “ 公 gong, serving the greater good,” to describe this process. Gong refers to the public, versus private, interest – to the individual serving the whole. Gong, often translated as impartial, is said in DDJ16 to be a reflection of Dao in humanity. [230]
NY127 (“Heaven’s benevolent generosity…”) seems to contradict chapter five of the Dao De Jing , which states that “Heaven (Nature) is not benevolent;” however, this saying in the Dao De Jing is believed to be in reference to learned benevolence, rather than to a natural inclination, as would be exhibited by Heaven.
To say that Earth is righteous (line 127) may be supported by line 80, above, which states that “ 地主平 Earth is ruled by balance
.” 平 Ping means peaceful, balance, and evenness. This balancing of Earth suggests righteousness, resulting from Earth being regulated by the Way (Dao) of Heaven, illustrated in DDJ77:
The Way of Heaven
Is it not like the stretching of a bow?
What is high, it causes to be pulled low
What is low, it causes to be uplifted
What has excess, it causes to be diminished
What is insufficient it causes to be restored
Lines 122-126 of the Nei Ye are historically significant in their emphasis on posture for cultivating the heart-mind. While these lines may not explicitly recommend extended periods of sitting, the Bai Xin does suggest something more akin to sitting meditation or Daoist “zuo wang / sitting and forgetting,” in lines 27-29:
Therefore, the Sage’s method of government
Is to still the body and wait ( 靜身以待 之) .
Things then arrive at their names, (showing what they are,) and naturally fall into place.
129 神明之 極 ,
The ultimate spiritual intelligence –
130 照乎知萬 物 ,
Luminous! It understands the myriad things
131 中義守不忒 。
When, in the center, righteousness is guarded without err,
132 不以物亂 官 ,
And things do not disturb the senses,
133 不以官亂 心 ,
Nor do the senses disturb the heart,
134 是謂中得 。
This is called inner attainment.
135 有神自在身 。
There is a spirit that alights in the body;
136 一往一 來 ,
One moment it leaves, and one moment it arrives.
137 莫之能思 。
No one can comprehend it.
138 失之必 亂 ,
Losing it assures disorder;
139 得之必治 。
Obtaining it assures order.
140 敬除其 舍 ,
