To consider the origin as pure and that which emerges as coarse; to view accumulation as inadequate; to live by oneself in peace and with spiritual clarity, this is what in ancient times was known as the way of the Tao. Kuan Yin124 and Lao Tzu heard these ideas and were pleased. They founded their system upon the belief that nothing exists ultimately, and they were guided in this by the notion of the great one. Gentleness and weakness combined with humility and self-emptying were its distinguishing features and its core was the prevention of harm to all forms of life.
Kuan Yin said, ‘One who does not exist in self sees others as they really are. His movement is like water, his calmness like a mirror, his response is like that of an echo. When he is empty, he seems to have forgotten; unmoving, he is as still as water; peaceful, he is as one with all; he views success as failure, and he never tries to take the lead but always to follow.’
Lao Tzu said, ‘Know the masculine but hold to the feminine, become the valley of the whole world. Know your purity but hold to the impure, be a channel for the whole world.’ Most people choose to be first, he chooses to be last and says that he will accept the dregs of the whole world. Most people choose fulfilment; he chooses to be empty. He has never hoarded, so has more than enough; he prefers to be alone, yet has many around him. Living by actionless action, he mocks at ability. While others look for good fortune, he feels free to bend and twist. He says that he only wishes to avoid blame. He considers what is most profound to be the core and takes what is most severe as his guide, and he says that which is strong will break and that which is sharp becomes blunted. He is always open-handed and tolerant with all and seeks no harm to any. This can be called perfection.
Kuan Yin and Lao Tzu! Truly great men of the past!
The blank and the motionless have no form;
change and transformation are never at rest;
what is death?
what is life?
what is the companionship of Heaven and Earth?
where does the spirit of clarity go?
when forgotten, what becomes of it?
All forms of life are gathered around us, yet none of them is our destination. In the past people thought this was the way of the Tao. Chuang Tzu heard of these ideas and was pleased. He taught them using strange and mysterious expressions, wild and extraordinary phrases, and terms which had no precise meaning. He taught what he believed, yet was never partisan, nor did he view things from just one perspective. He saw the whole world as lost in foolishness and thus incapable of understanding anything sensible.
Therefore he used supposed words to offer a constant insight, quotes to have a ring of truth and flowing words to give greater depth. He came and went with the spirit of Heaven and Earth but he never viewed all the forms of life as being beneath him. He did not dispute right and wrong, but dwelt alongside his generation and its ways. Some might consider his writings insignificant, for they are inoffensive and fluent. But though his words are varied, in amongst the twists and turns there is more than might be expected, for there is much which is true and eternal. He travels with the Creative above and he makes friends with those below who view life and death as meaningless and who see neither beginning nor end. His vision of the origin is vast and penetrating, ever expanding and open-minded, unshackled by anything or anybody. It can be said that he is in accord with the Author of the Tao, and soars to the highest heights. Indeed this is so, but he still continues to explore with us the changes and transformations that arise within all, and come from him. His teachings have never been fully appreciated, as they are difficult and subtle.
Hui Shih made many efforts and all his books would fill five carriages, but his Tao was false and confused and what he said never hit the centre. Jumping from idea to idea, he would say things like:
‘The greatest thing has nothing outside it and we call this the great One. The smallest thing has nothing inside it and we call this the smallest One.’
Or:
‘No substance, incapable of being hoarded, yet greater than a thousand miles.’
Or:
‘Heaven is on the same level as Earth and the mountains are equal to the marshes.’
Or:
‘When the sun is in the centre, it is in the decline. That which is born is dying.’
Or:
‘That which is very similar is different from that which is only a little similar and this is called being a little different. All forms of life are similar and all differ. This we call the great similarities and differences.’
Or:
‘The south is limitless but has borders.’
Or:
‘Today I left for Yueh and arrived yesterday.’
Or:
‘That which is joined is separated.’
Or:
‘I know where the centre is of the whole world, north of Yen and south of Yueh.’125
Or:
‘Love embraces all forms of life and Heaven and Earth are of One.’
Hui Shih made these great statements to help the whole world to be more creative in debate and other speakers throughout the world were delighted to follow his lead, saying,
‘An egg has feathers,
a chicken has three feet,
Ying has the whole world,
a dog could be called a sheep,
horses have eggs,
a toad has a tail,
fire is not hot,
mountains emerge from the mouth,
chariot wheels never touch the ground,
eyes cannot see,
pointing is not the same as being there,
being there is not the culmination,
the tortoise is longer than the snake,
a T-square does not work,
a compass doesn’t make circles,
chisels do
