political philosophy of the early Taoists.
IO2. ' THE FIRST PHASE OF TAOISM:YANG CHU
Yang Chu s Ideas as Expressed in the Lao-tzu and Chuang—tzu
Reflections of Yang Chu's main ideas can be found in portions of the Lao-tzu and some chapters of the Chuang—lzu and the Lil—shih Ch un—ch i— u. In the latter work there is a chapter titled "The Importance of Self," in which it is said: Our life is our own possession, and its benefit to us is very great. Regarding its dignity, even the honor of being Emperor could not compare with it. Regarding its importance, even the wealth of possessing the world would not be exchanged for it. Regarding its safety, were we to lose it for one morning, we could never again bring it back. These three are points on which those who have understanding are careful." (I, 3.) This passage explains why one should despise things and value life. Even an empire, once lost, may some day be regained, but once dead, one can never live again.
The Lao-tzu contains passages expressing the same idea. For example: He who in his conduct values his body more than he does the world, may be given the world. He who in his conduct loves himself more than he does the world, may be entrusted with the world." (Ch. 13.) Or: "Name or person, which is more dear? Person or fortune, which is more important? (Ch. 44-) Here again appears the idea of despising things and valuing life.
In the third chapter of the Chuang-tzu, titled "Fundamentals for the Cultivation of Life, we read: When you do something good, beware of reputation; when you do something evil, beware of punishment. Follow the middle way and take this to be your constant principle. Then you can guard your person, nourish your parents, and complete your natural term of years." This again follows Yang Chu s line of thought, and, according to the earlier Taoists, is the best way to preserve one's life against the harms that come from the human world. If a man s conduct is so bad that society punishes him, this is obviously not the way to preserve his life. But if a man is so good in his conduct that he obtains a fine reputation, this too is not the way to preserve his life. Another chapter of the Chuang-tzu tells us: "Mountain trees are their own enemies, and the leaping fire is the cause of its own quenching.
Cinnamon is edible, therefore the cinnamon tree is cut down. Ch'i oil is useful, therefore the ch'i tree is gashed." (Ch. 4.) A man having a reputation of ability and usefulness will suffer a fate just like that of the cinnamon and ch'i Irees.
Thus in the Chuang-tzu we find passages that admire the usefulness of the useless. In the chapter just quoted, there is the description of a sacred oak, which, because its wood was good for nothing, had been spared the ax, and which said to someone in a dream: "For a long time I have been learning to be useless. There were several occasions on which I was nearly destroyed, but now I have succeeded in being useless, which is of the greatest use to me. If I were useful, could I have become so great? Again it is said that "the world knows only the usefulness of the useful, but does not know the usefulness of the useless." (Ch. 4.) To be useless is the way to preserve one'
IO4 , THE FIRST PHASE OF TAOISM:YANG CHU
s life. The man who is skillful in preserving life must not do much evil, but neither must he do much good. He must live midway between good and evil. He tries to be useless, which in the end proves of greatest usefulness to him.
Development of Taoism
In this chapter we have been seeing the first phase in the development of early Taoist philosophy.
Altogether there have been three main phases. The ideas attributed to Yang Chu represent the first.
Those expressed in the greater part of the Lao-tzu represent the second. And those expressed in the greater part of the Chuang—lzu represent the third and last phase. I say the greater part of the Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu, because in the
IO2. ' THE FIRST PHASE OF TAOISM:YANG CHU
Yang Chu s Ideas as Expressed in the Lao-tzu and Chuang—tzu
Reflections of Yang Chu's main ideas can be found in portions of the Lao-tzu and some chapters of the Chuang—lzu and the Lil—shih Ch un—ch i— u. In the latter work there is a chapter titled "The Importance of Self," in which it is said: Our life is our own possession, and its benefit to us is very great. Regarding its dignity, even the honor of being Emperor could not compare with it. Regarding its importance, even the wealth of possessing the world would not be exchanged for it. Regarding its safety, were we to lose it for one morning, we could never again bring it back. These three are points on which those who have understanding are careful." (I, 3.) This passage explains why one should despise things and value life. Even an empire, once lost, may some day be regained, but once dead, one can never live again.
The Lao-tzu contains passages expressing the same idea. For example: He who in his conduct values his body more than he does the world, may be given the world. He who in his conduct loves himself more than he does the world, may be entrusted with the world." (Ch. 13.) Or: "Name or person, which is more dear? Person or fortune, which is more important? (Ch. 44-) Here again appears the idea of despising things and valuing life.
In the third chapter of the Chuang-tzu, titled "Fundamentals for the Cultivation of Life, we read: When you do something good, beware of reputation; when you do something evil, beware of punishment. Follow the middle way and take this to be your constant principle. Then you can guard your person, nourish your parents, and complete your natural term of years." This again follows Yang Chu s line of thought, and, according to the earlier Taoists, is the best way to preserve one's life against the harms that come from the human world. If a man s conduct is so bad that society punishes him, this is obviously not the way to preserve his life. But if a man is so good in his conduct that he obtains a fine reputation, this too is not the way to preserve his life. Another chapter of the Chuang-tzu tells us: "Mountain trees are their own enemies, and the leaping fire is the cause of its own quenching.
Cinnamon is edible, therefore the cinnamon tree is cut down. Ch'i oil is useful, therefore the ch'i tree is gashed." (Ch. 4.) A man having a reputation of ability and usefulness will suffer a fate just like that of the cinnamon and ch'i Irees.
Thus in the Chuang-tzu we find passages that admire the usefulness of the useless. In the chapter just quoted, there is the description of a sacred oak, which, because its wood was good for nothing, had been spared the ax, and which said to someone in a dream: "For a long time I have been learning to be useless. There were several occasions on which I was nearly destroyed, but now I have succeeded in being useless, which is of the greatest use to me. If I were useful, could I have become so great? Again it is said that "the world knows only the usefulness of the useful, but does not know the usefulness of the useless." (Ch. 4.) To be useless is the way to preserve one'
IO4 , THE FIRST PHASE OF TAOISM:YANG CHU
s life. The man who is skillful in preserving life must not do much evil, but neither must he do much good. He must live midway between good and evil. He tries to be useless, which in the end proves of greatest usefulness to him.
Development of Taoism
In this chapter we have been seeing the first phase in the development of early Taoist philosophy.
Altogether there have been three main phases. The ideas attributed to Yang Chu represent the first.
Those expressed in the greater part of the Lao-tzu represent the second. And those expressed in the greater part of the Chuang—lzu represent the third and last phase. I say the greater part of the Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu, because in the
Similar Books
