themselves. These are common to all humanity, and all are agreed thereon. Such instincts are called "Heaven-sent." And so in the days when natural instincts prevailed, men moved quietly and gazed steadily. At that time, there were no roads over mountains, nor boats, nor bridges over water. AII things were produced, each for its own proper sphere. Birds and beasts multiplied; trees and shrubs grew up. The former might be led by the hand; you could climb up and peep in the raven's nest. For then man dwelt with birds and beasts, and all creation was one. There were no distinctions of good and bad men. Being all equally without knowledge, their virtue could not go astray. Being all equally without evil desires, they were in a state of natural integrity, the perfection of human existence. But when Sages appeared, tripping up people over charity and fettering them with duty to their neighbor, doubt found its way into the world. And then, with their gushing over music and fussing over ceremony, the empire became divided against itself. When Chuang Tzŭ was about to die, his disciples expressed a wish to give him a splendid funeral. But Chuang Tzu said: "With heaven and earth for my coffin and shell; with the sun, moon, and stars as my burial regalia; and with all creation to escort me to the grave, are not my funeral paraphernalia ready to hand?" "We fear," argued the disciples, "lest the carrion kite should eat the body of our master;" to which Chuang Tzu replied: "Above ground I shall be food for kites; below I shall be food for mole-crickets and ants. Why rob one to feed the other?" A man who knows that he is a fool is not a great fool. A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker. Get rid of small wisdom, and great wisdom will shine upon you. Put away goodness, and you will be naturally good. A child does not learn to speak because taught by professors of the art, but because it lives among people who can themselves speak. The best language is that which is not spoken, the best form of action is that which is without deeds. Spread out your knowledge, and it will be found to be shallow. The perfect man ignores self; the divine man ignores action; the true Sage ignores reputation. SEVERANCE THE perfect man is a spiritual being. Were the ocean itself scorched up, he would not feel hot. Were the Milky Way frozen hard, he would not feel cold. Were the mountains to be riven with thunder, and the great deep to be thrown up by storm, he would not tremble. Birth is not a beginning; death is not an end. Let knowledge stop at the unknowable. That is perfection. |