Chapter 21 4. Attitude
Confucianism talks about filial piety, which can be said to be justified. "Zhuangzi Human World" especially borrowed Confucius's words: "There are two major precepts in the world: one is fate, and the other is righteousness. Children love their parents. It is the righteousness of the crowd. No country can live without a monarch. This is inescapable between heaven and earth. This is called the Great Commandment.” Two simple sentences express the belief of Confucianism.Zhuangzi is the representative of Taoism.Many people think that Taoism does not usually talk about filial piety, because filial piety is obviously a social norm, while Taoism is unrestrained and will defuse the pressure brought by various social norms with ease.But in fact, Zhuangzi not only talks about filial piety, but also goes a step further than Confucianism.
It is easy to respect and filial piety, but difficult to love and filial piety.It is easy to love filial piety, but it is difficult to forget relatives.It is easy to forget relatives, but it is difficult to make relatives forget oneself.It is easy to make relatives forget me, but it is difficult to forget the world at the same time.It is easy to forget the world at the same time, but it is difficult to make the world forget me at the same time. ("Zhuangzi · Fortune")
It is easy to perform filial piety with respect, but it is difficult to perform filial piety with love; it is easy to perform filial piety with love, but it is difficult to forget your parents when you perform filial piety; it is easy to forget your parents when you are filial, but it is difficult to make your parents forget me when you are filial; It is difficult to forget all people in the world at the same time; it is easy for me to forget all people in the world at the same time, but it is more difficult to make people in the world forget me at the same time.
Zhuangzi divides filial piety into six levels, each level is higher and higher, and each level is more difficult.First, using respect to show filial piety is in line with the requirements of etiquette, including greeting parents in the morning and evening, going out to report to parents where they are going, so as to save parents from worrying; greeting parents out of respect; even if they see that parents will make mistakes, Dissuasion should also be gentle and tactful, as Confucius said: "If you are admonished by your parents a few times, if you don't follow your will, you will be respectful and not disobedient, and you will work without complaining."
Second, be filial with love.This is no longer easy. As Confucius said, the most difficult thing is for children to be filial to their parents and keep a happy face.Zhu Xi's commentary said: "For a filial son, those who love deeply must have kindness, those who are kind must have a pleasant look, and those who have a pleasant look must have a graceful appearance. When the story is close, but the color is difficult for the ear." Only with deep love in the heart , will be good-looking and lustful to face parents.
Third, to perform filial piety, one must be able to forget one's parents.What does that mean?Many children surf the Internet and watch videos at home. When they see their parents coming, they stop quickly. Why?You don't want your parents to know who you are in contact with, what programs you are watching, and what games you are playing. This means that you have drawn a clear line with your parents.Parents know that usually when children enter high school, they are less willing to communicate with their parents, and they don't want their parents to know their secrets.Zhuangzi thinks this is not good. A sincerely filial person should treat his parents as friends and communicate and chat with them frequently. When he is with his parents, he is very comfortable and at ease. joy.
The fourth level of filial piety is to make parents forget that I am a child.For example, sometimes when parents are talking, as soon as their children appear, the parents stop talking, because they are talking about major social and national affairs, or the relationship between the elders, and they don’t want the children to hear them. Children listen too much, and sometimes they create All kinds of troubles.Zhuangzi thinks that this is not good. Children should be the most tacit friends of their parents. They can talk about everything, and my parents accept my filial piety because it is a habit.
The fifth level of filial piety, I want to forget the existence of people in the world at the same time.That is to say, when I practice filial piety, other people's opinions and worldly evaluations no longer have any influence on me.For example, the story of "Father and Son Riding a Donkey": The father and son drove the donkey into the city. Others said it was a pity that no one could ride the donkey, so the son rode it.The people on the side of the road said that the son is not filial, so he should let his father ride;When the two of them rode the donkey together, others saw that they were abusing animals, and they didn't know what to do in the end.So true filial piety is that you don't care what other people say or think, the most important thing is that both parents and children are happy.
The sixth level is the highest state of filial piety, which is to make people in the world forget that "I am filial piety".Forgetting doesn’t mean obliterating or ignoring, but that I did it but don’t take it to heart, do what I should do, and what I should do does not pose pressure to me, and I can do it naturally.There are two attitudes in doing things. One is to do things very hard because you have to do it; the second is to do things naturally, as if you should do it, there is no pressure, and everything is pleasant and comfortable.The same is true of the highest filial piety, which makes people unconsciously think that it should be so.
To sum up, it can be seen that the filial piety of Confucianism can be talked about between the second and third levels at most, but Zhuangzi can talk about six levels all the way up.From being filial with respect and love to forgetting my parents, then to making my parents forget that I am a child, and finally to making the world forget that I am filial.That is to say, from being filial intentionally at the beginning, to being filial unintentionally later, and then being filial to the point where you don't feel intentional or unintentional at all, everything is natural.In the view of Taoism, the highest state of life is to let everything go with the flow. Others work very hard, but you do it naturally and without force. The same is true for filial piety.People have to breathe and eat every day, and being filial to parents is the same as breathing and eating. It seems that this is the way it is, without any force.
In fact, many norms in the world are first followed by external requirements, and then become spontaneous, from passive to active, and to do it naturally.In Confucianism, it is necessary to start from sincerity and cultivate virtue, while Taoism emphasizes the awareness of wisdom.Although Zhuangzi did not directly say how to be filial, he only proposed some very high realms, but this realm must return to "Tao" in the end, because parents and children come from "Tao", and they must return to Tao in the end; if Admitting that filial piety comes from nature, then everything that comes from nature will eventually form a whole in the "Tao", and it will not work if you don't forget it.It is best to be like a fish, forgetting who is who in the rivers and lakes. This is the highest state of filial piety understood by Taoism.
Zhuangzi has never had any taboos about "weirdness, force, chaos, and gods", but he has his own unique critical vision.In his time, it was popular to use the tortoise as an effective fortune-telling tool, so Zhuangzi made up a fable of "a divine tortoise entrusts a dream" to explain the truth that "man's calculation is not as good as heaven's calculation".
He said that Song Yuanjun, the king of the Song Dynasty, was sleeping one night. In the middle of the night, he dreamed that someone with disheveled hair stood by the bedroom door and asked him for help: "I come from an abyss called Zailu, and I was sent by the God of Qingjiang to Hebo." , your fisherman Yu Qie caught me." After Yuan Jun woke up, he asked someone to divine the dream, and the diviner said, "This is a ghost." Yuan Jun asked: "Then we have a man named Yu Qie here. Is he a fisherman?" The person next to him said, "There is indeed such a man." Yuan Jun said, "Order Yu Qie to come and see me." The next day, Yu Qie went to court.Yuan Jun asked him, "Did you catch something?" Yu Qi said, "I caught a white ghost with a diameter of five feet." Yuan Jun said, "Then offer your tortoise." After offering it, Yuan Jun wanted to kill it, but also wanted to raise it. He was hesitant, so he asked someone to come for divination. Divination with tortoise shells, seventy-two times without mistakes.After the story came out, Confucius spoke.Zhuangzi mostly used "fables" in writing articles, followed by "tattoos", borrowing from the words of the ancients, Confucius often appears, of course it is not the real Confucius, but Zhuangzi's fabrication.
Zhong Ni said: "The tortoise can see the dream in Yuan Jun, but can't avoid the net of the rest; knowing that it can drill seventy-two drills without leaving a hole, it can't avoid the trouble of gut. Also. Although there is supreme knowledge, all people seek it out. ("Zhuangzi·Waiwu")
Confucius said: "The tortoise can entrust a dream to the king of Song Yuan, but it cannot avoid Yu Qi's fishing net; its ingenuity can divination seventy-two times without making a mistake, but it cannot avoid the disaster of digging meat. From this point of view, ingenuity has its own merits." When it is exhausted, the magic is not enough. Even with the highest ingenuity, it cannot avoid the murder of thousands of people.
In Confucius's comments, what is surprising is that "although there is great knowledge, all people seek it out", what does it mean?People are not as good as God.No matter how smart a person is, with the highest ingenuity, if ten thousand people come to plot against you, you still cannot escape.The so-called "three cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang", when the three cobblers are put together, Zhuge Liang may also miscalculate, because "a wise man will always make a mistake", let alone ten thousand people working together to deal with you. No matter how wonderful the tortoise is, there is no other way.Next, Confucius told a parable: "Fish are not afraid of the net but the pelican".The pelican is a bird that is good at catching fish. When it appears, there will be a reflection on the river surface. When the fish sees it, it will know that the bird is coming to catch it, and it will run away desperately; but the fish that can be caught by the pelican are at most There are dozens of fish, but there are hundreds of fish caught by fishing nets.Explain what?The fish's ingenuity can distinguish the danger posed by the pelican, but it doesn't know that what really makes it inescapable is the more terrible fishnet.In Taoism, the word "net" is very interesting.Lao Tzu said, "Skynet is restored, sparse but not lost." Skynet seems to have a lot of loose holes, but it will not have any mistakes. Anyone who makes a mistake will be caught, it's just a matter of timing.
Zhuangzi told this story to emphasize that people live in the world, no matter how clever you are, you should not use your own intelligence to plot many things; There are so many people.Just like many people can tell fortunes accurately to others, but they can’t tell their own; this tortoise can entrust a dream to Lord Song Yuan, but it can’t avoid fishing nets; its shell can divination accurately, but it can’t avoid being caught The fate of killing.why?Fortune-telling has a certain degree of accuracy, but there are also many variables. If everything in life can be accurately calculated by fortune-telling, why use struggle?If you are lucky enough to be able to go to college, can you go to college without studying?
Therefore, when people live in the world, if they want to preserve their own lives and grasp their own relatively safe future, they should not rely on some magical methods, but should rely on being honest in their behavior and keeping themselves safe.Including things like fortune-telling, don't count too much. The more you count, the thinner your fortune will be. After a long time of counting, you will be inaccurate in the end. You still have to find various reasons to convince yourself that you don't have that kind of blessing. Why bother?Fortune-telling is not as good as self-cultivation.Sixty-four hexagrams and three hundred and eighty-four lines are used to represent various complex situations in the world, and a fortune-telling test is written for each hexagram and line, explaining its good, bad, and regretful.This set of divination system has its effectiveness, but its principle is to emphasize the importance of moral cultivation.The reason is: there are desires, there will be gains and losses; there will be gains and losses, there will be good and bad.If you reduce your desires, you can dispel the mind of gains and losses, and then you will not be subject to the theory of good and bad. "There is nothing better than self-education to stop slander" is a very good idiom.When self-cultivation reaches a certain level, it is natural to turn bad luck into good fortune, just as the hexagram of modesty represents modesty, and the six lines "benefit if it is not auspicious".On the contrary, if there is no self-cultivation, it will inevitably attract other people's schemes and hostility, and the fate at this time will be unimaginable.
Life is made up of a series of choices, and the priorities with reference to the choices form a set of values.We live in society and naturally accept the values that everyone agrees with, but are such values correct?Zhuangzi raised doubts, and he used many metaphors to illustrate the problems of worldly values.
Zhuangzi was walking in the mountains and saw a big tree with luxuriant branches and leaves. The woodcutter stopped by it and did not take it.Asked why, he said: "There is nothing to use." Zhuangzi said: "This tree will live forever with no material." The master came out of the mountain and left it in the house of the old man.The old man was overjoyed and ordered Shuzi to kill geese and cook them.Zhuzi asked, "One of them can sing, and the other can't, please kill them?" The master said: "Kill the one who can't sing." Tomorrow, the disciple asked Zhuangzi, "Will the trees in the mountains yesterday be killed if they are not good enough?" In the next year, if the geese of the master today die because of lack of talent, where will the master go?" Zhuangzi said with a smile: "Zhou will be between the talent and the lack of talent..." ("Zhuangzi·Shanmu")
When Zhuangzi was walking in the mountains, he saw a big tree with lush branches and leaves. The lumberjacks rested beside the tree, but did not cut it down.Zhuangzi asked him why, and the woodcutter said: "This tree is useless." Zhuangzi said to his disciples: "Because this big tree is not mature, it can live out its natural life." After Zhuangzi and his party came out of the mountain, At a friend's house.The friend was very happy and ordered the boy servant to kill the goose to entertain the guests.The boy servant asked for instructions: "One goose can squawk and the other can't. May I ask which one should be killed?" The master said: "Kill the one that can't squawk." The next day, the disciple asked Zhuangzi: "Yesterday, the trees in the mountain were able to live out their natural life because they were not mature; now the owner's geese were killed because they were not mature. How is the teacher going to deal with himself?" Zhuangzi said with a smile: "I will be between the talented and the unworthy. between……"
In this story, the contrast between the mountain wood and the goose is very vivid.Although the big tree in the mountain grew luxuriantly, it avoided the fate of being cut down because it was useless and "useless".The so-called "useless" probably means that the tree grows crookedly, or the wood itself is not suitable for furniture, and it is useless in the eyes of loggers.Of the two geese, the ones that can croak are obviously useful, but the ones that can't croak are useless.When we lived in the countryside when we were young, we all knew that geese can guard the home and protect the home. When strangers come to the house, the geese will call, and sometimes they will pounce on people, which is very fierce.Therefore, when choosing which goose to cook, the hungry ones that can cry are kept, and the "useless" geese that can't cry are killed.The next day, the student asked Zhuangzi, some are useless (not talented) and can live for a long time, and some are useless and are killed, so how should the teacher deal with himself?
That's a really good question.Usually the first "unqualified" situation is easy to understand.The so-called "straight trees are cut down first, and sweet wells are exhausted first", the straighter trees are cut down first.Why?Can be a pillar of talent.The well with sweet water was drunk first, and after this well was drunk, people went to the more common wells.The same is true in human society. If a person is useful and a talent, I am afraid that "the capable will do more work", and everyone will come to trouble you, and then you will have to work hard.Now there is a word called "death from overwork". It is a pity that overwork ends in the end.Therefore, real talents will be used by others, and of course they will be reimbursed early after being used.But in this story, the goose was also killed because it was "unfit".So the students asked, which one is safer, the material or the non-material?Zhuangzi replied, I want to be between the talented and the unqualified, the so-called "seemingly different", each time it depends on the specific situation.That is to say, I will try my best to change with the changes in the outside world, and not let myself become the target of others, or become an obstacle for others to achieve their goals.
This is easier said than done.You must first judge under which circumstances the material and the material are in danger; only by making a clear judgment can you avoid danger every time.For example, this time you have to be "talented" to avoid danger, like the goose that can only squawk, then I will show my talent; next time you have to be "not talented" to be able to keep safe, I will learn from that big tree and do it. A bad tree.In other words, the premise of whether you are talented or not is that you have to fully understand the pros and cons of all things in the world, the warmth and coldness of people, and the dangers in the world. And retreat.This is the reason why we sometimes say "just go along with the situation".People can't be too persistent, don't say that I must do something, and I must not be so good.There is a Western proverb: "Never say absolutely no." For example, if you say "I will never talk to you next time", it means that next time you must talk to me.Why?Because when you say "I said I will never talk to you", it means that you have a very deep relationship with the other party; for ordinary people, there is no need to say such things at all, and they will naturally ignore them.So for anything, try not to say what I have to say, if you can't do it, then look back and say that I knew I didn't say that at the beginning, why bother?
Zhuangzi is a very sober observer of life, and many of his strategies are based on his understanding of the world.He has a thorough understanding of human nature. Sometimes people think that Zhuangzi seems too negative. He is cynical about life and speaks a lot of cynical things.Otherwise, he would be a bit cunning. He said that his situation should be "between talent and inadequacy", which seems to be hypocrisy and obscenity.That's right, ①.But its original intention is good, not hypocritical, but to develop along with the situation.The so-called "situation is stronger than people", you do anything depends on the timing, whether the conditions are ripe, if the conditions are not mature, no matter how hard you try, you may not be able to achieve results, and you may even pay a high price; when the conditions are ripe , you just go with the flow, and even if the result is not good, you should pay too much attention; because from the perspective of "Tao", all things are a whole, and a person's life is also a whole, and there is no question of success or failure in the whole , the sum of frustration and triumph is the same.
Taoist ideas, sometimes unavoidably feel a bit abstract to ronin.For example, Lao Tzu said: "Tao, can be Tao, very Tao." What can be expressed in words is not the eternal Tao. "I don't know its name. The strong word is called Dao, and the strong name is called Da." I don't know the name of this kind of thing, so I can only call it "Tao", and if I can barely describe it, it is "Da".In other words, "Tao" is just a reluctant name, and it is difficult to explain what it is.Zhuangzi is different from Laozi in that he likes to tell stories.What are the characteristics of his story?In short, it is false and real, based on certain historical data, combined with his imaginary characters and remarks, and then finishing touches to show his basic concepts.His ideas are not only thought-provoking, but also practical.Here is an example.
There is a passage in "Zhuangzi·Tian Zifang" as follows: "Baili Xi didn't care about his title and salary, so he raised cattle and fattened them, so that Duke Mu of Qin would forget his low status and entrust the state affairs to him. Shun didn't care about life and death. Therefore, filial piety touches the world." In terms of chronology, Shun came first and Bailixi followed; in terms of difficulty, not caring about life and death is obviously higher than not caring about Juelu.What Zhuangzi emphasizes here is the order of self-cultivation.What Baili Xi wanted to move was Qin Mugong alone, while what Shun wanted to move was the common people all over the world.The key point is: they all do it unintentionally. On the one hand, they do not consider external interests and have no deliberate purpose; on the other hand, they concentrate on performing their duties well and let nature take its course.After these two historical figures, Zhuangzi told the story he made up: Song and Yuan Jun will draw pictures, and all the history will come.There is a person who came later in history, but he did not tend to follow, and he did not stand up when he was bowed, because he gave up.When ministers look at it, they will undress and be naked.The gentleman said: "Yes, it is a real painter." ("Zhuangzi·Tian Zifang")
Song Yuanjun planned to draw some patterns, all the painters came, saluted and stood aside, adjusting the pen and ink, half of them stood outside the door.There was a painter who arrived later, walked in leisurely, did not stand and wait after saluting, and went directly to the studio.Song Yuanjun sent someone to check. He had already unbuttoned his clothes, exposed his upper body, and sat cross-legged.Song Yuanjun said: "Okay, this is the real painter."
A painter is a person with professional skills, but he must also abide by the rules.Because of obeying the rules, it is inevitable that I can't let go when I paint a portrait of the monarch, and I become too rigid.One painter was very special. He was late. After he came in, he saluted and went straight to the studio.He thinks that since you want me to paint, I will paint, and other external etiquettes are gone. What I want to show is the demeanor of a painter, showing my expertise, and not caring about others' praise or criticism.So when he arrived at the studio, he unbuttoned his clothes, exposed his upper body, and sat cross-legged. What did he do?Ready to unleash his painting skills.A person must be in a very comfortable state to give full play to his creativity. Otherwise, what if he is so neatly dressed when painting and cannot display it?Therefore, Song Yuanjun did not need to look at his paintings, but only looked at his attitude and behavior, and concluded that he was a real painter.
Use this story to illustrate the unrestrained demeanor that a person who follows Taoism should show.This story obviously influenced Wang Xizhi, a great calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, because there is a story about him in the book.It is said that Xi Jian and Wang Dao are both high officials of the imperial court, and they are well matched.Xi Jian wanted to go to Dao Wang's house to find a son-in-law, so he sent an envoy to explain his intention.Director Wang said: "Go to the East Wing to pick it out. All the people living there are sons and nephews, and there are several young people." The envoy went to the East Wing to have a look. They are talents, everyone is solemn and steady, only one is special, "Lie on the east bed with your belly uncovered, if you don't hear it", this person seems to have never heard of the matter of choosing a son-in-law, and he is not neatly dressed like others, Instead, he was lying on the east bed with his upper body exposed and sleeping there.When Xi Jian heard this, he said, "Okay, that's him." After inquiring, it turned out that this person was Wang Xizhi, so he married his daughter to him.
The above true story has created a new term "East bed quick son-in-law".In the upper class at that time, families often lived together, and children and nephews also lived together.The Wang family is a wealthy family, and when the sons and nephews heard that Xi Taifu was picking a son-in-law, they naturally cleaned up and dressed up, and deliberately behaved politely, hoping to be selected by the bird screen.Only Wang Xizhi maintained his original free and easy personality, "lying on the east bed with his belly uncovered, as if he didn't hear it", but he was favored instead.What Xi Jian admires is the unaffected nature, because only the real appearance can last a lifetime.If she pretends to please others, can she still be so elegant after marriage in the future?But for Wang Xizhi, choosing a son-in-law is someone else's decision, so who can predict his judgment criteria?Therefore, instead of accommodating others and wronging yourself, it is better to honestly show a normal attitude, "I am lucky, not my life", how can the world force it?
Both Xi Jian and Wang Xizhi have obviously read it and know this story.This unrestrained attitude is the application of Taoism in life.Because Taoism is to look at the changes of all things with "Tao", "Tao" is a whole, since all changes are included in the whole, why should we care about temporary success or failure?Since the ups and downs of life are also included in this whole, why should we give up our true self?What is the value of giving up your true self?As a Taoist, Zhuangzi has repeatedly used various stories to persuade us to understand this truth.
"Using emptiness to roam the world" is a metaphor that Zhuangzi once said.
The ark is used to help the river. If there is an empty boat coming to touch the boat, even if there is a heartless person, it will not be angry; and evil voices shall follow.Xiang is not angry but now is angry, Xiang is also false and now is true.People can empty themselves to travel around the world, but who can harm them. ("Zhuangzi Mountain Wood")
Even an impatient man is not offended when, while crossing a river, he is struck by an empty boat.If there is a person on board, when a collision is about to occur, they will call out to him to avoid it; the first call will not be heard, the second call will not be heard, and when the third call is made, they will utter ugly words.If you didn't get angry just now, but you are angry now, it is because there were people on the boat when there was no one on board just now.If a man can empty himself and roam the world, then who can hurt him!
Often we think of ourselves as the people on board.There is a subject on my ship, and this subject is "I". I have dignity, and my dignity cannot be violated. Therefore, when I interact with others, if there is any misunderstanding or friction, others will be angry.Why?Because I have an ego, the other has his ego.Zhuangzi believes that if you dissolve your ego and let yourself become an empty boat, even if you accidentally bump into others, they will not blame you, because they know that you are unintentional; you are very humble, not arrogant, You won't argue with others over trivial matters, and others won't argue with you.Therefore, if you live in the world, you can empty yourself—it doesn’t mean that there is no “self”, but that if you don’t use your “self” to fight against others, then no one can hurt you. The purpose of the existence of "self" is to be the subject of continuous improvement of body, mind and spirit. This kind of cultivation is not necessarily moral, but a kind of wisdom awareness.
Zhuangzi said that "spirit is born in Tao", and our spirit is produced from "Tao".How do you let the "Tao" produce your spirit?Try to get your mind into a state of emptiness.This is actually the method from Lao Tzu all the way down, called "emptiness and tranquility".After we get rid of all kinds of desires in our hearts, it will naturally become empty. After emptying, the heart will calm down, and only when the "spiritual" level can be displayed.In other words, learning to "make yourself an empty boat" is the key.When your mind is quiet, your "self" can be dissolved.This kind of dissolution is by no means nihilism, it just prevents oneself from being opposed to others.If others want this, I want it too; if others want to fight, I will fight too; if there is a real fight, it does not lie in the visible level, not in how strong the body is or how well the book is read, but in whether the body and mind and the "Tao" are able to combine.Once combined, the state of mind is all-encompassing, as if "Tao" is omnipresent.When you enter such a state of self-cultivation, when you get along with others, you will have no attachment to yourself, and no one can hurt you; you will not be happy if you succeed, and you will not be sad if you fail; .
Some people may think, does Taoism have a tendency to avoid the world?If I always don't fight with others and try to avoid all kinds of complicated situations, wouldn't that mean handing over the world to other people who like to fight?Chuang Tzu believes that outwardly I am the same as others, doing what I should do, but the key is that I do not demand any result.Usually, all kinds of disputes in human beings come from what kind of results must be achieved. Why can't I do what others can do?Why don't I have what other people have?He can't stand it.After further understanding, you will find that everything is a combination of causes and conditions. When the conditions and timing are up, such a result will naturally appear.I learned from Zhuangzi that I have an experience called "the last resort".The so-called "last resort" means that when the various conditions are ripe, you should let nature take its course; when the conditions are not ripe, you should not force it, otherwise it will be half the effort, and no matter how hard you try, the effect will not be obvious.
Therefore, to learn Taoism, the first step is to know the "sophistication of the world" and judge whether the conditions are ripe.If you don't understand the ways of the world, just relying on a pure heart, very simple, like a child, that's not the way.The wisdom that Taoism believes is not naivety, but a deep understanding of the various rules of the world, including the principles of competition, human emotions, changes in various emotions, etc., and then judge from it, is the condition ripe?What should I say?What to do?Isn't it easy to achieve the goal if the conditions are ripe?To learn Taoism, this step is the basic skill.
Zhuangzi said that when people live in the world, they "wander around when they are full, like a boat that is not tied, and those who are empty but wait for things." The six words "if the boat is not tied together" are very chic.We can imagine that a small boat, not tied to the shore, will go where the wind blows, and it will stop when the wind stops.If one can achieve such a free and unrestrained state in one's life, what more can one ask for?
No matter how subtle and magnificent Zhuangzi's thought is, it must be implemented in daily life in the end.At this time, if you choose a simple and concise formula, you will probably choose "externalization but internalization".Externalization refers to conforming to the norms of the world and assimilating with others on the outside.For example, what clothes others wear, I am the same as him; what others say, I am similar to him; .As for "internalization", it is very difficult to achieve.Ordinary people are prone to "externalization and internalization", living only according to secular standards and social requirements, without self; There are no claims at all. "Externalization without internalization" is what Zhuangzi once said under the guise of Confucius.Those who are materialized are also those who are not.Anhua is not transformed, and An is in love with him, and he must be with him a lot. ("Zhuangzi Zhibei Tour")
People in ancient times followed the changes of external objects but kept their hearts unchanged; people today change their hearts and cannot change with external objects.A person who can change with external things is because his heart remains unchanged. He can be content with changes or not change.
First compare it with Confucianism, Confucius and Mencius.One of the most fearful things about learning Chinese culture is that you think it is right when you learn something, and ignore or deny everything else.But we can't forget that "different roads lead to the same goal, and we are consistent through all kinds of considerations", no matter what kind of road we will reach the same goal in the end.In the words of the West, "all roads lead to Rome", each school has a complete system of thought and a complete life realm, and we cannot just say who must be high and who must be low.There is no need for Zhuangzi to oppose Confucianism. There are several passages in which he is very positive about Confucianism. He believes that a true Confucianist understands astronomy, geography, and how to make decisions in situations.As far as "externalization without internalization" is concerned, the gist of "externalization" is to get along with people in accordance with the norms of the world, because any kind of interpersonal relationship has its correct model established by convention (including etiquette and law). Violation will lead to criticism.The so-called "Five Ethics" of ancient Confucianism: monarch and minister, master, husband and wife, brother, and friend, each interpersonal relationship has corresponding requirements.There is nothing wrong with this kind of "externalization", and Zhuangzi is in favor of it.For example, you should be filial to your parents at home; you should be filial to your friends when you go out, and you should try your best to do it, but you must remember that "sincerity" means being loyal to your inner feelings.The Confucianism Zhuangzi criticized is that you originally hoped to be sincere, but in the end it turned into hypocrisy.Because Confucianism values ritual, music, benevolence and righteousness, many people judge a person based on appearance.Many people will show you this judgment, and if you become hypocritical, you will be criticized by Chuang Tzu if you demand sincerity and become hypocritical.
Zhuangzi said, you have to externalize, but it must be a sincere externalization. This has no conflict with Confucianism, and you must also abide by social norms.For example, sitting there at work, the boss asked me what to do?I said, do nothing.That won't work!Doing nothing is not doing nothing, but doing it without intention, to do or to do, to do what I should do, to clock in, to go to work, to do it well, but to do it without intention, that is, not to have a deliberate purpose, because of the pressure of life And much of the pain comes from deliberate purposes.When you set a goal, you will feel pressure and worry about whether you can achieve it, so the fun of work becomes stress.Therefore, following the norms and acting without intention is the aspect of "externalization".But Zhuangzi believes that "externalization" can be achieved because the second half of "internalization" has been achieved. "Inner non-transformation" means to realize the "Tao" in the heart, combine with the "Tao", have a true understanding of the spirit of the universe, adhere to my principles, and be a real person.What is a real person?A real person is a person who is not hypocritical.I am with you on the outside, but I am not affected by you, and I maintain a subjective spirit inside; I compromise with you on the outside, but I will never compromise on the inside. The non-compromise is not for confrontation, but I have seen through it all , understand through wisdom that all are indiscriminate and all are equal.
Therefore, if a person can achieve "internalization", he will no longer have worries about success or failure in his heart.Because no matter how the outside changes, the "Tao" is a whole, and there is no question of success or failure for people in the whole.Just like "the king of Chu lost his bow, and the people of Chu got it, why should he be king? , in this universe.With this kind of awareness of "inner peace", you will feel that life is really a very good blessing, which is worthy of our affirmation and appreciation.
Living in the world, people really have homework to do. This homework is the idea of learning Confucianism when you are young. Why?Because if you want to study, go to school, or enter society, you have to follow the rules. Confucianism makes these rules very clear. If you follow the Confucian way, there is no problem. You can walk well until you are about thirty years old.But when you reach middle age, after forty years old, you will find that Confucianism is not enough, because there are many unfair things in life, good will not be rewarded with good, and evil will not be rewarded with evil.You have to look away.How to look away?From the overall point of view, from a higher level point of view, combined with the "Tao", one can bend and stretch freely, advance and retreat with a certain degree, "externalization but not internalization".This is the state of life we yearn for.
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