Chuang Tzu Chapter 6, Section C

[Marblehead]

There is the great Mass (of nature) - I find the support of my body on it; my life is spent in toil on it; my old age seeks ease on it; at death I find rest in it - what makes my life a good makes my death also a good. If you hide away a boat in the ravine of a hill, and hide away the hill in a lake, you will say that (the boat) is secure; but at midnight there shall come a strong man and carry it off on his back, while you in the dark know nothing about it. You may hide away anything, whether small or great, in the most suitable place, and yet it shall disappear from it. But if you could hide the world in the world, so that there was nowhere to which it could be removed, this would be the grand reality of the ever-during Thing. When the body of man comes from its special mould, there is even then occasion for joy; but this body undergoes a myriad transformations, and does not immediately reach its perfection; does it not thus afford occasion for joys incalculable? Therefore the sagely man enjoys himself in that from which there is no possibility of separation, and by which all things are preserved. He considers early death or old age, his beginning and his ending, all to be good, and in this other men imitate him; how much more will they do so in regard to That Itself on which all things depend, and from which every transformation arises!

 

This is the Dao; there is in It emotion and sincerity, but It does nothing and has no bodily form. It may be handed down (by the teacher), but may not be received (by his scholars). It may be apprehended (by the mind), but It cannot be seen. It has Its root and ground (of existence) in Itself. Before there were heaven and earth, from of old, there It was, securely existing. From It came the mysterious existences of spirits, from It the mysterious existence of God. It produced heaven; It produced earth. It was before the Tai-ji, and yet could not be considered high; It was below all space, and yet could not be considered deep. It was produced before heaven and earth, and yet could not be considered to have existed long; It was older than the highest antiquity, and yet could not be considered old. Shi-wei got It, and by It adjusted heaven and earth. Fu-xi got It, and by It penetrated to the mystery of the maternity of the primary matter. The Wei-dou got It, and from all antiquity has made no eccentric movement. The Sun and Moon got It, and from all antiquity have not intermitted (their bright shining). Kan-pei got It, and by It became lord of Kun-lun. Feng-yi got It, and by It enjoyed himself in the Great River. Jian-wu got It, and by It dwelt on mount Tai. Huang-di got It, and by It ascended the cloudy sky. Zhuan-xu got It, and by It dwelt in the Dark Palace. Yu-jiang got It, and by It was set on the North Pole. Xi Wang-mu got It, and by It had her seat in (the palace of) Shao-guang. No one knows Its beginning; no one knows Its end. Peng Zu got It, and lived on from the time of the lord of Yu to that of the Five Chiefs. Fu Yue got It, and by It became chief minister to Wu-ding, (who thus) in a trice became master of the kingdom. (After his death), Fu Yue mounted to the eastern portion of the Milky Way, where, riding on Sagittarius and Scorpio, he took his place among the stars.

[konchog uma]

from "Wandering on the Way: Taoist Tales and Parables"

by Victor Mair

 

Life and death are destined. Their constant alternation, like that

of day and night, is due to heaven. What men are unable to

interfere with are the attributes of all things. They particularly

regard heaven as their father and love it with their very person.

How much more should they love that which surpasses heaven!

Men particularly regard their lord as superior to themselves and

would sacrifice their very person for him. How much more

should they be willing to do so for what is truer than any lord!

When springs dry up, fish huddle together on the land.

They blow moisture on each other and keep each other wet with

their slime. But it would be better if they could forget themselves

in the rivers and lakes. Rather than praising Yao [sage] and

condemning Chieh [tyrant], it would be better for people to

forget both of them and assimilate their ways.

 

A boat may be hidden in a gully on a hill that, in turn, is

hidden away in a marsh. We may think this is a secure arrange-

ment, but someone strong might come in the middle of the night

and bear the boat away, unbeknownst to the

sleeping owner. The idea of hiding the smaller in the larger is

appropriate, yet things may still disappear. But if we were to hide

all under heaven inside of all under heaven, nothing would disap-

pear. This is the great attribute of the eternality of things . We are

especially happy when we chance to take on human form. What

incalculable joy there is in these myriad transformations, such as

human form, which never begin to reach a limit! Therefore, the

sage wanders where things do not disappear and all are preserved.

If people will emulate one who is good at being young and good at

growing old, good at beginning and good at ending, how much

more should they emulate that to which the myriad things are

joined and upon which the unity of transformation depends

 

The Way has attributes and evidence, but it has no action and no

form. It may be transmitted but cannot be received. It may be

apprehended but cannot be seen. From the root, from the stock,

before there was heaven or earth, for all eternity truly has it

existed. It inspirits demons and gods, gives birth to heaven and

earth. It lies above the zenith but is not high; it lies beneath the

nadir but is not deep. It is prior to heaven and earth, but it is not

ancient; it is senior to high antiquity, but it is not old.

 

The clansman Hsiwei attained it,

and thereby demarcated heaven and earth;

The clansman Fuhsi attained it,

and thereby adjusted the breath of the mother.

Polaris attained it,

and has not deviated throughout the ages;

The sun and moon attained it,

and have never rested throughout the ages;

K'anp'i attained it,

and thereby inherited Mount K'unlun

P'ingyi attained it,

and thereby wandered in the great rivers.

Chien Wu attained it,

and thereby dwelled on supreme Mount T'ai;

The Yellow Emperor attained it,

and thereby ascended to cloud-filled heaven.

Chuan HsU attained it,

and thereby dwelled in his dark palace.

Yiich'iang attained it,

and stands at the north pole .

The Queen Mother of the West attained it,

and sits at faraway Shaokuang;

no one knows her beginning ,

no one knows her end.

Progenitor P'eng attained it,

and lived from the time of Shun

to the time of the five hegemons.

Fu Yiieh attained it,

and thereby became minister of Wuting,

grandly in possession of all under heaven;

mounted upon Sagittarius,

riding upon Scorpio,

he joined the arrayed stars.

[ChiDragon]

Original Classic

【原文】

死生，命也①，其有夜旦之常②，天也。人之有所不得与③，皆物之情也。彼特以天为父，而身犹爱之，而况其卓乎④！人特以有君为愈乎己⑤，而身犹死之⑥，而况其真乎⑦！

 

泉涸⑧，鱼相与处于陆，相呴以湿⑨，相以沫⑩，不如相忘于江湖。与其誉尧而非桀也，不如两忘而化其道(11)。夫大块载我以形(12)，劳我以生，佚我以老(13)，息我以死。故善吾生者，乃所以善死也。

 

夫藏舟于壑(14)，藏山于泽(15)，谓之固矣。然而夜半有力者负之而走，昧者不知也(16)。藏小大有宜(17)，犹有所遯(18)。若夫藏天下于天下而不得所遯，是恒物之大情也(19)。特犯人之形而犹喜之(20)，若人之形者，万化而未始有极也，其为乐可胜计邪(21)？故圣人将游于物之所不得遯而皆存。善妖善老(22)，善始善终，人犹效之，又况万物之所系而一化之所待乎(23)！

 

夫道，有情有信(24)，无为无形；可传而不可受(25)，可得而不可见(26)；自本自根，未有天地，自古以固存；神鬼神帝(27)，生天生地；在太极之先而不为高(28)，在六极之下而不为深(29)，先天地生而不为久，长于上古而不为老。狶韦氏得之(30)，以挈天地(31)；伏戏氏得之(32)，以袭气母(33)；维斗得之(34)，终古不忒(35)；日月得之，终古不息；堪坏得之(36)，以袭昆仑；冯夷得之(37)，以游大川；肩吾得之(38)，以处大山；黄帝得之(39)，以登云天；颛顼得之(40)，以处玄宫；禺强得之(41)，立乎北极；西王母得之(42)，坐乎少广。莫知其始，莫知其终。彭祖得之，上及有虞，下及五伯(43)；傅说得之(44)，以相武丁，奄有天下(45)，乘东维(46)，骑箕尾(47)，而比于列星。

 

Glossary

【注释】

①命：这里指不可避免的、非人为的作用。

②常：常规，恒久不易或变化的规律。

③与：参与，干预。

④卓：特立，高超；这里实指“道”。

⑤愈：胜，超过。⑥死之：这里讲作“为之而死”，即为国君而献身。

⑦真：这里指的是“道”。一说即上段之“真人”。姑备参考。

⑧涸（ｈé）：水干。

⑨呴（ｘū）：张口出气。

⑩（ｒǔ）：同“濡”，一本亦作“濡”，沾湿的意思。沫：唾沫，即口水。

(11)化：这里是熔解、混同的意思。

(12)大块：大地；这里可以理解为大自然。

(13)佚（ｙì）：通作“逸”，闲逸的意思。

(14)壑（ｈè）：深深的山谷。

(15)山（ｓｈàｎ）：通作“汕”，捕鱼的用具。旧注就字面讲。

(16)昧：通作“寐”，睡着的意思。一说“昧”当如字面讲，昧者”即愚昧的人。

(17)藏小大：即“藏小于大”。宜：合适，适宜。

(18)遯（ｄùｎ）：“遁”字的异体，逃脱、丢失的意思。

(19)恒：常有、固有的意思。

(20)犯：承受。一说通作“范”，模子的意思。

(21)胜（ｓｈēｎｇ）：禁得起。

(22)妖：或作“夭”，根据上下文意判断，这里应是少小的意思，与“老”字互文。

(23)系：关联、连缀。一：全；“一化”即所有的变化。待：依靠、凭借。“所系”、“所待”这里都是指所谓“道”，庄子认为一切事物、一切变化都离不开“道”，因而人们应当效法它，“宗”之为“师”。

(24)情、信：真实、确凿可信。

(25)传：传递、感染、感受的意思。

(26)得：这里是体会、领悟的意思。

(27)神：这里是引出、产生的意思。

(28)太极：派生万物的本原，即宇宙的初始。先：据上下文理和用词对应的情况看，“先”字当作“上”字，这样“太极之上”对应下句“六极之下”，且不与“先天地”一句重复。

(29)六极：即六合。

(30)狶（ｘī）韦氏：传说中的远古时代的帝王。

(31)挈（ｑｉè）：提挈，含有统领、驾驭的含意。

(32)伏戏氏：即伏羲氏，传说中的古代帝王。

(33) 袭：入。一说讲作“合”。气母：元气之母，即古人心目中宇宙万物初始的物质。

(34)维斗：北斗星。

(35)忒（ｔè）：差错。

(36)堪坏（ｐēｉ）：传说中人面兽身的昆仑山神。

(37)冯夷：传说中的河神。

(38)肩吾：传说中的泰山之神。

(39)黄帝：即轩辕氏，传说中的古代帝王，中原各族的始祖。

(40)颛顼（ｚｈｕāｎｘū）：传说为黄帝之孙，即帝高阳。玄：黑。颛顼又称玄帝，即北方之帝，“玄”为黑色，为北方之色，所以下句说“处玄宫”。

(41)禺强：传说中人面鸟身的北海之神。

(42)西王母：古代神话中的女神，居于少广山。

(43)“五伯”旧指夏伯昆吾、殷伯大彭、豕韦，周伯齐桓、晋文。

(44)傅说（ｙｕè）：殷商时代的贤才，辅佐高宗武丁，成为武丁的相。传说傅说死后成了星精，故下句有“乘东维、骑箕尾”之说。

(45)奄：覆盖、包括。

(16)东维：星名，在箕星、尾星之间。

(47)箕、尾：星名，为二十八宿中的两个星座。

 

Modern Interpretation

【译文】

死和生均非人为之力所能安排，犹如黑夜和白天交替那样永恒地变化，完全出于自然。有些事情人是不可能参与和干预的，这都是事物自身变化的实情。人们总是把天看作生命之父，而且终身爱戴它，何况那特立高超的“道”呢！人们还总认为国君是一定超越自己的，而且终身愿为国君效死，又何况应该宗为大师的“道”呢？

 

泉水干涸了，鱼儿困在陆地上相互依偎，互相大口出气来取得一点湿气，以唾沫相互润湿，不如将过去江湖里的生活彻底忘记。与其赞誉唐尧的圣明而非议夏桀的暴虐，不如把他们都忘掉而融化混同于“道”。大地把我的形体托载，并且用生存来劳苦我，用衰老来闲适我，用死亡来安息我。所以，把我的存在看作好事的，也就因此而可以把我的死亡看作是好事。

 

将船儿藏在大山沟里，将渔具藏在深水里，可以说是十分牢靠了。然而半夜里有个大力士把它们连同山谷和河泽一块儿背着跑了，睡梦中的人们还一点儿也不知道。将小东西藏在大东西里是适宜的，不过还是会有丢失。假如把天下藏在天下里而不会丢失，这就是事物固有的真实之情。人们只要承受了人的形体便十分欣喜，至于像人的形体的情况，在万千变化中从不曾有过穷尽，那快乐之情难道还能够加以计算吗？所以圣人将生活在各种事物都不会丢失的环境里而与万物共存亡。以少为善以老为善，以始为善以终为善，人们尚且加以效法，又何况那万物所联缀、各种变化所依托的“道”呢！

 

“道”是真实而又确凿可信的，然而它又是无为和无形的；“道”可以感知却不可以口授，可以领悟却不可以面见；“道”自身就是本、就是根，还未出现天地的远古时代“道”就已经存在；它引出鬼帝，产生天地；它在太极之上却并不算高，它在六极之下不算深，它先于天地存在还不算久，它长于上古还不算老。狶韦氏得到它，用来统驭天地；伏羲氏得到它，用来调合元气；北斗星得到它，永远不会改变方位；太阳和月亮得到它，永远不停息地运行；堪坏得到它，用来入主昆仑山；冯夷得到它，用来巡游大江大河；肩吾得到它，用来驻守泰山；黄帝得到它，用来登上云天；颛顼得到它，用来居处玄宫；禹强得到它，用来立足北极；西王母得到它，用来坐阵少广山。没有人能知道它的开始，也没有人能知道它的终结。彭祖得到它，从远古的有虞时代一直活到五伯时代；傅说得到它，用来辅佐武丁，统辖整个天下，乘驾东维星，骑坐箕宿和尾宿，而永远排列在星神的行列里。

Edited January 25, 2012 by ChiDragon

[ChiDragon]

[ChiDragon]

[Marblehead]

... and when it's old it is good too.

 

True. Just a little bit slower though. (But that's sometimes good too.)

[ChiDragon]

“道”是真实而又确凿可信的，然而它又是无为和无形的；“道”可以感知却不可以口授，可以领悟却不可以面见；“道”自身就是本、就是根，还未出现天地的远古时代“道”就已经存在；它引出鬼帝，产生天地；它在太极之上却并不算高，它在六极之下不算深，它先于天地存在还不算久，它长于上古还不算老。狶韦氏得到它，用来统驭天地；伏羲氏得到它，用来调合元气；北斗星得到它，永远不会改变方位；太阳和月亮得到它，永远不停息地运行；堪坏得到它，用来入主昆仑山；冯夷得到它，用来巡游大江大河；肩吾得到它，用来驻守泰山；黄帝得到它，用来登上云天；颛顼得到它，用来居处玄宫；禹强得到它，用来立足北极；西王母得到它，用来坐阵少广山。没有人能知道它的开始，也没有人能知道它的终结。彭祖得到它，从远古的有虞时代一直活到五伯时代；傅说得到它，用来辅佐武丁，统辖整个天下，乘驾东维星，骑坐箕宿和尾宿，而永远排列在星神的行列里。

 

"Tao" is real and it is definitely believable. Also, it is Wu Wei and formless. "Tao" only can be sensed by intuition but not by the words of mouth, it can be grokked but not face to face. "Tao", itself, is the origin; it is the toot. At the time even before heaven and earth, "Tao" was already existed. It induced the ghosts and gods; and produced heaven and earth. Even it is on top of the ultimate extreme, but it was still not considered to be so high. Though it was six levels below, and it was not so deep. It existed before heaven and earth, though it was not considered too long. It grew before the history of mankind; and still not too old.

狶韦氏 obtained it and ruled heaven and earth;

伏羲氏 obtained it and regulated original Chi;

The Big dipper obtained it and its position will never be changed;

The sun and the moon obtained it and their motion will never stop;

堪坏 obtained it and took over the Mountain KunLun.

冯夷 obtained it and used it to sail along the great gorges and big rivers.

肩吾 obtained it and used it to guard Mountain TaiShan.

黄帝(Huang Di) obtained it and used it to ride on the heavenly clouds.

颛顼 obtained it and used it to live in the mysterious palace.

禹强 obtained it and used it to stand on the North Pole.

西王母(God Mother of the West) obtained it and used it to guard Mountain 少广.

No one knows its beginning, also nobody knows its ending.

 

Note: Translation was not done in the last few phrases are shown in BOLD.

Edited January 26, 2012 by ChiDragon

[Harmonious Emptiness]

"If people will emulate one who is good at being young and good at

growing old, good at beginning and good at ending, how much

more should they emulate that to which the myriad things are

joined and upon which the unity of transformation depends"

 

How true.

[ChiDragon]

Modern Interpretation

Life and death are not by the power of humans nor can be predetermined by them. It seems like the dark nights and the bright days are repeatedly and constantly changing and it was all natural. There are things are impossible to get involve nor predictable. It is the fact that matters are changing by themselves. People look up to heaven as their father and loved it forever. How about the special superb Tao then...!!! People even thought that the ruler are definitely above them, hence, they are willing to risk their lives for him. Then, how about the great master that was meant to be our great teacher, 'Tao'...?

 

The spring water became arid, the fishes are on the ground leaning on each other; open their mouths to pick up the moisture in the air; using saliva to lubricate each other. So, why not let the memories of living in the river and lake from the past to be forgotten completely. Rather than praising Tang Yao's(唐尧) sagacious nor judging Xia Jie's(夏桀) tyranny, why not forget it and harmonize it with "Tao". The great earth is supporting my physical body, and also using my survivability to torture me, letting me to get old to leisure me; using death to set me in peace. Therefore, letting my existence as a good deed. Hence, my death can be treated as a good deed also.

 

Hidden a boat in the mountains and place the fishes in deep water, it can be said it is very secured. However, in the middle of the night, a strong person picked up the valley and the river and ran away with them on his back; the people who are still in their dreams and not knowing that was happening. Placing a small thing into a big object was adequate, but it can be lost. If Earth was placed in Earth, then it cannot be lost. It was a matter of true fact. If people can only accept their physical forms, then, they would be very happy. However, regarding to the physical forms, there were no end to it from going through so many changes. The sight of happiness, was it measurable...??? Hence, that is why a sage living with matters in a none loosing environment; and survived with all things. When it's young, it is good; and when it's old it is good too. From the beginning is good and until the end is good too. People are following this principle. Though, all things are related with each other; and yet all the changes are the dependents of Tao.

 

"Tao" is real and it is definitely believable. Also, it is Wu Wei and formless. "Tao" only can be sensed by intuition but not by the words of mouth, it can be grokked but not face to face. "Tao", itself, is the origin; it is the root. At the time even before heaven and earth, "Tao" was already existed. It induced the ghosts and gods; and produced heaven and earth. Even it is on top of the ultimate extreme, but it was still not considered to be so high. Though it was six levels below, and it was not so deep. It existed before heaven and earth, though it was not considered too long. It grew before the history of mankind; and still not too old.

狶韦(Shi Hui) obtained it and ruled heaven and earth;

伏羲(Fu Xi) obtained it and regulated the original primordial Chi;

The Big dipper obtained it and its position will never be changed;

The sun and the moon obtained it and their motion will never stop;

堪坏(Kan Huai) obtained it and took over the Mountain KunLun.

冯夷(Feng Yi) obtained it and used it to sail along the great gorges and big rivers.

肩吾(Jian Wu) obtained it and used it to guard Mountain TaiShan.

黄帝(Huang Di) obtained it and used it to ride on the heavenly clouds.

颛顼(Zhuan Xu) obtained it and used it to live in the mysterious palace.

禹强(Yu Qian) obtained it and used it to stand on the North Pole.

西王母(God Mother of the West) obtained it and used it to guard Mountain 少广(Shao Guang).

No one knows its beginning, also nobody knows its ending.

Edited February 10, 2012 by ChiDragon

[Marblehead]

Pretty nice.

 

Thanks for taking the time to do that.