If he is not getting more powerful, the ambitious man is distressed.
Such people, driven by circumstance, are only happy when things are changing, and when an opportunity arises, they inevitably throw themselves into it. So they all proceed, like the changes of the seasons, unchanging even though others change. They drive their bodies and their innate nature and are overwhelmed by the forms of life, never turning themselves back, which is sad!
Chuang Tzu said, ‘An archer, not bothering to take aim, by sheer luck hits the centre of the target. We could call him a good archer, but in that case, everyone in the world could be called a Yi the Archer, isn’t that right?’
‘OK,’ said Hui Tzu.
Chuang Tzu said, ‘People differ over what they consider to be right, but everyone knows what they think is right. So everyone in the world could be called a Yao, isn’t that right?’
‘OK,’ said Hui Tzu.
Chuang Tzu said, ‘So, there are four schools – the Literati, Mohists, Yangists and Pingists – which along with your own, Sir, make five. So which of these is right? Perhaps it is more like the case of Lu Chu? One of his followers said, “I have taken hold of your Tao, Master, and I can heat the pot in winter and make ice in summer.” Lu Chu said, “But this is surely just using yang for yang and yin for yin. This is not what I would call the Tao. I will show you my Tao.” So he tuned up two lutes and put one in the hall and the other in a private apartment. On striking the note Kung on one, the Kung note vibrated on the other. Likewise with the Chueh note, for the instruments were in harmony. Then he re-tuned one so that it was not in harmony with any of the five key notes. When this was played, all twenty-five of the strings on the other one vibrated, all faithful to their own note and all set off by the one note on the other lute. So, if you insist you are right, aren’t you like this?’
Hui Tzi replied, ‘The followers of Confucius, Mo, Yang and Ping,87 like to tackle me in debate, each one trying to defeat the other, each violently trying to shout me down with their various arguments – but they haven’t succeeded yet. So what about that?’
Chuang Tzu said, ‘A citizen of Chi, not concerned by any mutilation,88 sold his son to someone in Sung, where he became a gatekeeper. Yet this same man would go to great lengths to protect any of his bells or chimes. But he would not go looking for his son beyond the borders of his own country, such was his understanding of what is worthwhile! Or what if that well-known character, the citizen of Chu who was maimed and a gatekeeper, at midnight in another country, were to pick a fight with a boatman? Then he would never get across the river and would only have provoked the boatman’s anger.’
Chuang Tzu was following a funeral when he passed by the grave of Hui Tzu. He looked round at those following him and said, ‘The man of Ying had on the end of his nose a piece of mud as small as a fly’s wing. He sent for the craftsman Shih to cut it off. Shih swirled his axe around and swept it down, creating such a wind as it rushed past that it removed all trace of the mud from the man of Ying, who stood firm, not at all worried. The ruler Yuan of Sung heard of this and called craftsman Shih to visit him.
‘ “Would you be so kind as to do this for me?” he said.
‘Craftsman Shih replied, “Your servant was indeed once able to work like that, but the type of material I worked upon is long since dead.”
‘Since the Master has died, I have not had any suitable material to work upon. I have no one I can talk with any longer.’
Kuan Chung was ill and Duke Huan, hearing of this, said, ‘Father Chung, you are seriously ill. What if – which I had hoped I wouldn’t have to say – your illness gets worse? Who should I hand over government of the country to?’
Kuan Chung replied, ‘Your Grace, who do you wish to give it to?’
‘Pao Shu Ya,’ said the Duke.
‘Not him! He is a good man, a scholar of integrity and he is honest, but he won’t mix with those who are not the same as him. If he ever learns of someone’s error, he won’t forgive him, ever. If you put him in charge of the state, he will argue with you and upset everyone below him. Before too long you will view him as having done the unforgivable.’
‘Then who can do this?’ said the Duke.
The reply was, ‘If I have to say anyone, then it should be Hsi Peng who should undertake this. He is the sort of man who forgets his high status and who will be supported by those below. He is ashamed that he is not like the Yellow Emperor, and is sorry for those who are not like him. The one who shares his Virtue with other people is known as a sage, he who shares his abilities with others is known as a worthy man. One who uses his worthiness to oppress others will never gain their support. One who uses his worthiness to lower himself can never fail to win the people’s support. This man is hardly heard of in the country, nor does his own family have a great opinion of him. But as you ask me to speak, then I must say Hsi Peng.’
The King of Wu was sailing on the Yangtze River, and he moored in order to climb a mountain known for its monkeys. When the monkeys saw him they fled in terror and hid in the bushes. However, there was one monkey who
