3 stories about Zhuangzi (short)

Zhuang Zhou Dreams of a Butterfly Once upon a time, Zhuang Zhou dreamed that he had turned into a butterfly, a dancing butterfly. He was very happy and contented, and did not know that he was Zhuang Zhou. After a while, he woke up from his dream, but it was Zhuang Zhou who was lying stiffly in bed. I wonder if Zhuang Zhou dreamed and turned into a butterfly, or if a butterfly dreamed and turned into Zhuang Zhou? This fable is a famous piece that expresses Zhuangzi's thought of equalizing all things. Zhuangzi believes that if people can break the boundaries between life and death, things and self, they will be happy wherever they go. It is written in an ethereal way and is often quoted by philosophers and writers. There is a wonderful saying in "Zhuangzi Dream of Butterflies": "In the past, Zhuang Zhou dreamed of butterflies, and they were lifelike butterflies. He said that he was in harmony with his will, and he didn't know the Zhou Dynasty. Suddenly he realized that he was in the Zhou Dynasty. He didn't know that Zhou's dream was a butterfly, and he was a butterfly. The dream is Zhou Yu? Zhou Yu and Butterfly must be different. This is called materialization. "Youmengying" written by Zhang Chao of the Qing Dynasty can be regarded as a cooling powder for modern people with hot weather. Zen cannot be spoken, and pure words cannot be translated. There is such a wise saying in "You Meng Ying", which can be said to point out the essence of Zhuangzi's philosophy: "Zhuang Zhou's dream is a butterfly, which is Zhuang Zhou's luck; a butterfly's dream is Zhuang Zhou, which is the butterfly's misfortune." Isn't it? It was Zhuang Zhou's great fortune that he turned into a butterfly and went from a hustle and bustle of life to a free and happy life; but the butterfly dreamed of being Zhuang Zhou and went from a free and happy life to a hustle and bustle of life, which was probably the butterfly's sorrow.

1. The King of Wei summoned Zhuangzi. Zhuangzi was poor and lived by knitting straw sandals. He borrowed rice from the Marquis of Jianhe. It stands to reason that in order to solve the problem of having no rice to cook, he should be like Confucius when he was trapped in Chen and Cai, and just eat. However, at the state banquet of Duke Ai of Lu, he only emphasized "not eating meat if it is not right". But he didn't. The King of Wei summoned Zhuangzi and saw that he was wearing patches and asked: "Sir, you are so knowledgeable, why are you in such an embarrassing situation?" He answered to the point: "How can you not be embarrassed when you live in this kind of world?" The implication is, The world is in chaos, and those who are well-dressed and well-fed are all suffering from sores and pus.

2. The King of Chu appointed Zhuangzi as his prime minister. The King of Chu heard that Zhuangzi was very knowledgeable, so he sent two officials (official names) to appoint him as his prime minister. The two doctors were talking about water and found Zhuangzi who was fishing and explained their intention. Zhuangzi listened, without looking back, and replied: "I heard that there is a magical tortoise in the Chu State. It has been dead for three thousand years, and its withered bones and tortoise shell are still treasured by the King of Chu. You think this animal is so lucky!" The two doctors were still not satisfied. I understood this meaning so well that I thought it was the King of Chu's respect for the virtuous. Unexpectedly, Zhuangzi sneered and said: "As for me, I would rather drag my tail and crawl in the mud, because at least I am still alive and living freely. I don't want to be enshrined and treasured by the King of Chu." The two doctors then retreated in shame and shame. .

3. Zhuangzi discussed the beginning of heaven and earth. He did not believe in gods and ghosts. At the time of Zhuangzi, the gods in heaven were recognized by many people, especially the nobles. They believed that their wealth and destiny were given by their dear God. their privilege. Laozi said: "There are things mixed together, born innately by heaven and earth... in a trance." He no longer recognized the theory of divine creation of heaven and earth. Laozi also said, "The Emperor Dao and Xiang preceded him." Zhuangzi further explained this sentence logically , he said, "What is born innately and on earth, is it a thing? Things are not things." The original thing that can give birth to matter must be a higher level thing that transcends material forms. It is not a thing, so it cannot be understood and cannot be said. exist. So he doesn't use gods or ghosts at all. He said, "The big block (of heaven and earth) carries me to open, works for me to live, makes me grow old, and rests for me to die. Therefore, those who are good at my life are also good at my death." To live is to live, regardless of his death. , his wife died, he knocked on the pot, singing and dancing while knocking. Hui Shi, a friend who is also a philosopher, criticized him for being unreasonable and incapable of feeling sorry and sad. Zhuangzi said: "There is no life or death in human beings. The change of form and energy is a normal phenomenon. What do you know!" Really, we are constantly experiencing life and death every minute. At a certain time, a process will naturally end. What's the point? So sad and happy? In fact, this is an extremely profound philosophy revealed while challenging the theory of gods and ghosts.

4. Discussing Fish with Hui Shi Zhuangzi and Hui Shi watch fish on Haoshang. Zhuangzi said: "Fish swim around, how happy they are." Hui Shi, an expert in logical argument, immediately grasped one point: "You are not a fish, how do you know the happiness of fish?" Zhuangzi smiled and answered with the same logic: "You are not me, how do you know that I don't understand the happiness of fish?" In logic, this is a famous example. Some people say that Zhuangzi is somewhat sophistical in logic. But actually it says something else: Zhuangzi told Hui Shi not to impose your teachings on others, because you cannot replace others. Hui Shi was known as a learned man in ancient times. When he traveled, he carried five cartloads of books with him. He gained fame through his eloquence and erudition, so Zhuangzi said this.

5. Zhuangzi on whether beautiful women are beautiful Zhuangzi said that there is no absolute truth in the world. You say that Zuo Chuan Mao Qiang and Li Ji are great beauties. That’s just some people’s opinions, at most, human opinions. If all things in the world are the most beautiful, then why do fishes not appreciate beauty at all when they see it, but turn around and run away? He further said that people sleeping in wetlands will get sick, but loaches use wetlands as their paradise. Going one step further, Mount Tai is no bigger than an autumn hair, but compared to the heaven and earth, Mount Tai is only a few inches of autumn hair, so autumn hair can also be a mountain... What are you talking about? It turns out there is something in his words, he is saying: You say someone is beautiful, but I don’t think he is beautiful; you say someone is a sage, but I don’t think he is actually a sage; you say he is noble, but I say he is in another world. On the one hand, it looks extremely despicable...

Regarding powerful people as rotten rats

"Zhuangzi Qiu Shui" records: Hui Shi became prime minister in Liang State, and Zhuangzi wanted to see this person. A good friend. Someone hurriedly reported to Huizi, saying: "Zhuangzi came to replace your position." Huizi was panicked and wanted to stop Zhuangzi, so he sent people to search the capital for three days and three nights. Unexpectedly, Zhuangzi calmly came to see him and said: "There is a bird in the south. Its name is the phoenix chick. Have you heard of it? This phoenix chick spreads its wings and flies from the South China Sea to the North Sea. It will not rest unless it is a parasol tree, and it will not be able to live unless it is practiced. At this time, an owl was eating a rotten mouse with great relish. Just as the chick flew over the head, the owl hurriedly protected the rotten mouse and looked up: "Scared!" Do you also want to scare me with your Liang Guo?”

I’d rather be a free turtle

One day, Zhuangzi was fishing in the vortex. Two officials appointed by the King of Chu came to hire him and said: "My king has heard of your reputation for a long time, and wants to help you with state affairs. I deeply hope that your master will come out of the mountain happily, thinking that the king will share his worries, and that he will benefit the people below." Zhuangzi held the pole and said calmly. "I heard that there was a divine tortoise in the Chu State. It was three thousand years old when it was killed. The king of Chu kept it in a bamboo box, covered it with brocade, and enshrined it in the temple. I would like to ask the second doctor, this tortoise would rather die. Is it valuable to have bones left behind, or would you rather swim in the mud while alive?" The second doctor said, "Of course I would rather live in the mud and walk with my tail." Zhuangzi said, "Two doctors, please go back!" I would also like to drag my tail in the muddy water."

Knowing the joy of fish

Zhuangzi and Huizi were swimming on Haoliang. Zhuangzi said, "The fish swims calmly, which is the joy of the fish." Huizi said, "You are not a fish, how can you know the joy of fish?" Zhuangzi said, "You are not me, how can you know that I don't know the joy of fish?" Huizi said Zhuangzi said: "I am not a son, so I don't know how to be a son; I am not a fish, so I know that I don't know the joy of fish." Zhuangzi said: "Please follow the source. Confucius said, 'You know the joy of fish.' Ask me if you know what I know."

It's poverty, not poverty

"Zhuangzi·Shanmu" records: Once, Zhuangzi was wearing coarse patchwork clothes and his feet were wet. Wearing shabby shoes tied with straw ropes, he went to visit the King of Wei. The King of Wei saw him and said, "Sir, why are you so poor?" Zhuangzi corrected him: "It's poverty, not poverty. A scholar who has morality but cannot embody it is poverty; his clothes are tattered and his shoes are torn, it's poverty, not poverty. This is the so-called You are born at the wrong time! Have you never seen the leaping apes on the tall nanmu and camphor trees? , there is nothing they can do. But if they are in the thorn bush, they can only look sideways and pass by in fear. This is not because their muscles and bones have become stiff and inflexible, but because they are in an inconvenient situation and cannot perform their abilities well. , 'How is it possible that I am in a state of confusion and chaos, and my desires are not enough? '"

A skillful discussion of three swords can prosper a country with one word

During the Warring States Period, the State of Zhao? King Wen of Zhao was particularly fond of swordsmanship. The swordsmen who liked him came to show their skills one after another, and there were as many as three thousand swordsmen on the left and right of the palace gate. They fought with each other day and night in front of King Zhao Wen. Hundreds of people are killed or injured every year, but King Zhao Wen is still interested in it and never tires of it. As a result, the practice of swordsmanship among the people flourished, chivalrous knights emerged in droves, idlers increased in number, the number of people cultivating the fields decreased day by day, the countryside became desolate, and the national power gradually declined. Other vassal states wanted to take this opportunity to attack Zhao.

Prince Zhao Kui was worried about this and summoned his ministers to discuss: "If this continues, the country will be destroyed and dominated by other countries. If any of you ministers want to please the king, Whoever can stop swordsmen from fighting will be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold." Both sides said in unison, "Zhuangzi can take on this task." The prince asked, "Who is Zhuangzi?" One minister replied, "Zhuangzi is a hermit." It can govern a country, its ability is enough to build a country, its arguments can bring the dead back to life, and its explanations can shake the world.

If you can invite him to come, you will definitely be able to comply with the king's wishes and save the people from fire and water. "So the prince sent an envoy to invite Zhuangzi with a thousand gold coins.

Zhuangzi saw the envoy, understood his purpose, and said, "Why is this so difficult? It is worth a thousand gold rewards? " He refused to accept the thousand gold, and went to see the prince together with the envoy, and asked the prince: "The prince gave me a gift of a thousand gold from Zhuangzhou. What can I say? The prince said, "Mr. Wen, God, has given you a thousand gold coins to cover the expenses of your students' journey." If your husband doesn't accept it, what else can I, Zhao Kui, dare to say? Zhuangzi said: "I heard that the prince wants to use my Zhuangzi's place because he wants to give up the king's hobby." Suppose the minister persuades the king and goes against the king's will. If I betray the prince, I will also be tortured and die. What is the use of a thousand gold coins? If the envoy can please the king at the top and satisfy the prince at the bottom, what can I ask for in Zhao and not get it? "

Three days later, Zhuangzi came to see the prince in Confucian clothes. The prince took him to see King Wen of Zhao. King Wen unsheathed his sword and treated him with bare hands. Zhuangzi was majestic and solemn, and his expression was calm. He did not rush into the palace door. , seeing that the king refused to bow, the king said: "The prince introduced you, what do you want to teach me? Zhuangzi said: "I heard that the king is good at swordsmanship, so I paid homage to the king with swordsmanship." The king said, "What are your specialties in swordsmanship?" Zhuangzi said: "My sword is extremely sharp, and my sword skills are unparalleled in the world. I can kill a person in ten steps and leave no trace for a thousand miles." After hearing this, King Wen greatly appreciated it and praised: "You are invincible in the world!" Said: "If you are good at wielding a sword, you will show it is weak, open it to gain advantage, follow it with a blow, and be the first to reach it." May your Majesty give me a chance to give it a try. King Wen said: "Sir, please rest for a few days and wait in the library. After I make arrangements, I will ask you to show off your sword skills." "So King Wen of Zhao selected the masters through a sword competition. The competition lasted for seven days. More than 60 people were killed or injured, and five or six of the best were selected. He asked them to wait for His Highness with swords, and invited Zhuangzi to come and show off. Zhuangzi came happily. , King Zhao Wen ordered: "These six people are all masters. I hope you can show your skills and test your edge. Zhuangzi replied: "I have been looking forward to it for a long time!" "

King Zhao Wen asked: "I wonder what kind of sword you want to hold? What's the length? Zhuangzi replied: "I can hold any sword." However, I have three swords, which are specially used by the king. Please allow me to speak first and then try. The king nodded and said, "Would you like to hear what the three swords are like?" Zhuangzi said: "The three swords are: the emperor's sword, the princes' sword, and the common man's sword." The king asked curiously: "What is the emperor's sword like?" Zhuangzi said: "The emperor's sword has Yanxi and Shicheng as its front, Qi and Taishan as its back, Jin and Wei as its back, Zhou and Song as its head, Han and Wei as its handle. It is wrapped by the four barbarians, wrapped by the four seasons, surrounded by the Bohai Sea, tied by the Hengshan Mountain, controlled by the five elements, divided by punishment and virtue, opened by yin and yang, held by spring and summer, and moved by autumn and winter. This sword is as straight as it can be, it can be lifted as high as it can be, it can be pressed as hard as it can be, and it can be swung to no side. Go up to the floating clouds and go down to the bottom. As soon as he comes out at this moment, he will rectify the princes, bring power to the world, and conquer the world with his virtue. This is what I call the Emperor's Sword. "

After hearing this, King Wen was at a loss. He asked again: "What are the swords of the princes like? Zhuangzi said: "The sword of the princes takes the wise and brave as the front, the incorruptible as the fright, the virtuous as the back, the loyal and saintly as the head, and the heroic as the handle." When this sword is straight, it cannot be seen in front, when it is lifted, it cannot be seen upward, when it is pressed, it cannot be seen downward, and when it is swung, it cannot be seen sideways. The upper part imitates the round sky to smoothen the three lights; the lower part imitates the square earth to harmonize the four seasons; it neutralizes the will of the people to bring peace to the four villages. Once this sword is used, it shakes like thunder, and everyone in the four seas is subdued and obeys the king's orders. This is the sword of the princes. "King Wen listened and nodded frequently.

King Wen then asked: "What about the common man's sword? Zhuangzi said: "The common man's sword is held by those with shaggy hair, protruding temples and hanging crowns, thick eyebrows and long beards." Their clothes were long in the front and short in the back, their eyes were glaring with anger, and they spoke vulgarly. They struck each other in front of the king, cutting off his neck and stabbing his liver and lungs. This common people's sword fighting is no different from cockfighting. If you are not careful, your life will be ruined and it will not help the country's affairs. Today, the king is sitting on the throne of the emperor, but he likes the sword of a common man. I feel deeply sorry for the king! After hearing this, King Wen of Zhao immediately stood up and took Zhuangzi's hands to the palace. He ordered the chef to kill chickens and sheep, and entertain Zhuangzi with good wine and food. King Zhao Wen walked around the table three times. When Zhuangzi saw it, he said: "Your Majesty, please sit down and calm down. I will serve you with my sword." It's done. "King Wen sat down and meditated for a long time.

King Wen of Zhao did not leave the palace for three months after listening to Zhuangzi's talk about the three swords. From then on, he gave up the pain of being a swordsman and devoted himself to governing the country. Those swordsmen consciously With no future left, everyone was filled with fear, and soon they all fled or committed suicide.

Is life so confusing?

One day, Zhuangzi sat on his chair, looked up to the sky and sighed, Depressed as if lost.

A disciple stood by and said, "Sir, why are you sighing? Can the human body really be as strong as a dead tree, and the heart as solid as ashes? Isn't the person who sits on the chair today the same as the person who used to sit on the chair in the past?" Zhuangzi said: "That's a good question. Now I have lost my self. Do you understand?" His disciple said: "What is self? I am stupid and I really don't understand." Zhuangzi said: "All things in the world are relative to each other. Therefore there is no other. There is no such thing. Without you, there is no me. This is the opposite, but I don’t know who makes it happen? Is it the Tao in the dark? What does Tao look like? What is the self? Which one should I be closer to? Do I like them all, or do I have a preference? If so, do the bones and organs have a concubine relationship with each other? Are they mutually restrictive? Or are they taking turns to be kings and ministers? Is there really a master among them? Alas, once the essence is received and the body is formed, the energy is exhausted by fighting with external things every day. Isn't it too sad to be exhausted like a horse galloping but unable to stop it? It's so sad to be busy all your life and not see your destination. Although the body is not dead, what's the use of it? , Isn’t that a great sadness! Are people always so confused? Or am I the only one who is confused and others are not confused? ”

There is no need to differentiate between things p>

The disciple asked: "Compared with heaven and earth, who is greater and who is smaller, who is noble and who is inferior?" Zhuangzi said: "Man is formed in heaven and earth, receives energy from yin and yang, and stands between heaven and earth, just like small stones and trees. It's as small as a big mountain, so why should we be so arrogant? Isn't planning for the world like an ant nest in the desert just like millet grains in a warehouse? There are countless things in the world, and humans are just one of them. Compared with all things, isn’t it like a hair on a horse’s body?”

The disciple seemed to realize something, and said, “Sir, what you mean is that there are things outside the mountains.” There is a sky outside the mountains, right? "Zhuangzi said, "It means this." The disciple asked, "Then I regard the heaven and the earth as the big ones, and think of the millimeter as the small ones."

Zhuangzi said: "No! Any object is inexhaustible in terms of measurement, and endless in terms of existence time; it can be divided infinitely, and it has no beginning and no end. Therefore, the view of far and near by people with great wisdom is: small and small. He does not think of it as less, and does not think of it as too much. He knows that each is infinite in quantity. . He knows that the way of heaven has its ups and downs, gains and losses, survival and death, so he is not happy about gains, and he is not worried about losses. He understands that the way of heaven is open, so he is not happy in life, but has no regrets in death. He understands the changes of people from beginning to end. The things we know are far less than the things we don’t know; the time when we are born is not as long as the time when we are not born. If we try to limit the scope of the maximum, we will be confused and achieve nothing. From this perspective, how can we know that the smallest is enough to define the smallest and smallest boundary? How can we know that heaven and earth are enough to limit the greatest extent?"

The disciple said: "I understand. . Sir, you are saying: There is a small among big things, don’t think big is big; there is big among small, don’t think small is small. Zhuangzi said: "It seems unclear." It is better to say: there is a big one above the big one, and there is a small one below the small one. The big is infinite, the small is infinite. ”

The disciple asked: “How do you distinguish between high and low things, how do you distinguish between small and large things?” Zhuangzi said: "From the standpoint of Tao, all things are neither noble nor base; from the standpoint of things, self-exaltation and inferiority are inferior to each other; from the secular point of view, nobility or disgrace is not in oneself, but in external honor and disgrace." Reputation and reputation are the standard. Looking at external differences, everything is big if it is big because of its bigness; if it is small because of its smallness, everything is small. If you understand that the heaven and the earth are like a plant of rice, and the grains of it are like hills and mountains, then there is no difference in size. In ancient times, Yao and Shun abdicated and became emperors, but Zizhi and Yan Wang Haxiang abdicated and the country perished; King Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou fought and became emperor, but Duke Bai fought for the throne and destroyed himself. From this point of view, the etiquette of fighting for concessions and the behavior of Yao and Liang are sometimes noble and lowly, but not always noble and often lowly. The pillars can break through city gates but cannot block the entrance, so their uses are different; the Qiji can run thousands of miles a day, but its skills are different; the owl can catch fleas at night and can detect the smallest details, but even if its eyes are wide open during the day But there are no hills and mountains, and its performance is limited. There are different ways of inheriting the emperor's Zen, either from the same surname to another, or to another surname; the inheritance methods among the three generations are also different, either from father to son, or by raising troops to conquer. But if it is inappropriate, it will go against the world. It is called a usurper. If one conforms to the time and customs, he is called a righteous man. It can be seen that sometimes nobles and inferiors cannot help themselves.

I said, disciple, how can you understand the family of noble and humble, the family of small and large? "

When a real person walks in the world, he will not be hot when he enters the fire, nor drowns when he sinks into the water.

The disciple asked: "What makes a person who understands the Tao? Zhuangzi said: "Those who understand Tao must understand reason, and those who understand reason must understand contingencies. "Only those who understand contingencies will not harm themselves due to external things." A person with supreme virtue cannot feel heat when he enters fire, cannot drown in water, cannot be harmed by cold or heat, and cannot be harmed by animals. This is because he can clearly perceive dangers, be at ease with misfortunes and blessings, and be cautious about getting there, so nothing can harm him. ”

The disciple asked: “Are there really any virtuous people in this world?” Zhuangzi said: "Confucius is like that." The disciple asked: "How can you see it?" Zhuangzi said: "Confucius traveled around the world to promote benevolence and righteousness. Although he encountered obstacles everywhere, he still persevered." His concern for the country and his people is admirable, admirable, and inspiring. Once, Confucius went to Kuangdi for lobbying. When he was surrounded by layers of Wei people, he still played the piano and sang without caring. A passerby saw Confucius and asked, "Teacher, what do you want to enjoy?" ’ Confucius said: ‘Come here! Let me tell you: I have long been taboo about poverty. It is still inevitable to be down and out, it is determined by fate; I have longed for prosperity, but I have not yet been rich, it is limited by fate. In the time of Yao and Shun, if there were infinite people in the world, it was not a sign of wisdom; in the time of Zhou, if there were no people in the world, it was also a case of lack of wisdom. Times dictate this. Walking in the water without avoiding mosquitoes and dragons is the courage of a fisherman; walking on land without avoiding lions and tigers is the courage of a hunter; holding a white blade in front of you and treating death as life is the courage of a martyr; knowing that poverty has its destiny, He who knows the time and is not afraid in the face of great difficulties is the courage of a saint! Zhongyou, please sit down. My destiny is determined by God! ’ After a while, a man wearing pin armor came over and apologized to Confucius: ‘I’m very sorry, sir! We thought it was Yanghu, so we surrounded it. Now I understand that I misidentified you sir, we will retreat immediately! ’ Confucius can be said to be the most virtuous person who understands contingency! "

It is only self-interest, who is noble and who is humble

The disciple asked again: "Master said, look at it from the perspective of Tao. Neither noble nor humble, neither big nor small. So is there a certain standard of right and wrong? In other words, sir, do you know that there is a universally recognized truth for all things? Zhuangzi said, "How do I know?" "Then do you know the reason why you don't know?" Zhuangzi said, "How do I know?" "Then everything is unknowable?" Zhuangzi said, "How do I know?" Even so, I might as well try to talk about it. How do I know whether my so-called knowledge is ignorance? How do I know that what I mean by not knowing is not knowing? Let me try to ask you a few questions: People will suffer from back pain if they sleep on wet ground. Will this happen to loaches? People are frightened when they are in a tree. Would an ape be like this? Who knows the truth about these three? Humans like to eat vegetables and meat, deer eat grass, centipedes like snakes, owls like rats, who knows the true taste of the four human beings, beasts, insects and birds? The sniper loves the female ape, the elk loves to have sex with the deer, and the loach loves to swim with the fish. People think Mao Qiang and Li Ji are beautiful; but when fish see them, they dive deep into the water, when birds see them, they fly high in the sky, and when elk see them, they flee far away into the wild. Who knows the true beauty of these four? In my opinion, the end of benevolence and righteousness, the path of right and wrong, may be beneficial to me or harmful to the other person. Each benefit has its own standard. How can I figure out the difference? ”

The disciple asked: “If you don’t know the benefits and harms, then don’t the Great Ones also know the benefits and harms?” Zhuangzi said: "The great man is amazing!" The swamps are burning but not hot, the rivers are frozen but not cold, the thunder is breaking the mountains and the wind is shaking the sea but it is not. People like this ride on the clouds, the sun and the moon, and travel across the four seas. They are indifferent to life and death, let alone the interests and dangers. ”

Trying to argue, but in vain

The disciple asked: “Can debate determine right and wrong?” Zhuangzi replied: "Suppose I argue with you and you defeat me, then you are indeed true and I must be false?" If I defeat you, I must be, and you must be no? Do we have a yes and a no? Or is it both, or neither? You and I can't judge, because everyone has their own opinions and doesn't understand. So who should we ask to correct it? Ask someone who agrees with you to judge. Since they agree with you, how can you judge? I ask people who agree with me to make a decision. Since they are the same as me, how can they make a decision? Please let people whose opinions are different from mine and yours come to judge. Since we are both different from you and me, how can we judge who is right and wrong between you and me? Please ask someone who has the same opinions as you and me to make a decision. Since we are both the same, how can we make a decision? So neither you nor I can determine who is right and who is wrong, so who can we rely on to decide? "

The disciple was deeply confused and troubled, and asked: "Then how should we deal with the issue of right and wrong? Zhuangzi said: "Everything has two sides." From that aspect, everything is that, and from this aspect, everything is this. The problem cannot be seen clearly from the other side, but the problem from this side is very clear.

Therefore, the other comes from this, and this exists because of the other, and they coexist with each other. Since this is the case, then only when you are alive can you die, and only when you are dead can you be alive; before you can do it, you can't do it; if you can't do it, you can do it; cause is because it is wrong, and cause is not because it is right. Therefore, the sage does not stick to the path of right and wrong, but illuminates the way of heaven. This is also that, and that is also this. There is also right and wrong there, and here there is right and wrong. Do they really exist? Is there really no each other? If they are empty of each other, right and wrong are two illusions, and they are not in opposition to each other but coincide with each other, then the Tao exists within them. This is called Daoshu. Holding the Dao pivot and standing in the ring, it responds to infinity. Yes is also infinite, no is also infinite. In Tao terms, there is no definite right between right and wrong. If you follow it with the clarity of nature and don't stick to your own opinions, there will be no right and wrong. Heaven and earth are one finger, and all things are one horse. It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay. A road becomes a path when it is followed, and things become famous when they are called. Things are what they are, and things are what they are. Nothing is not possible, nothing is impossible. Therefore, thick and thin, ugly and beautiful, straight and oblique, all are one. Its division means success; its success means destruction. All things without success or destruction will be reunited and become one. Only broad-minded people know and understand as one! ”

At this time, only the punishment is exempted

One day, Zhuangzi and his disciples were walking through the high mountains. It was autumn and winter, thousands of trees were withered, withered grass was everywhere, and yellow leaves were rolling in. , the crow wailed. Zhuangzi covered his head with a broken hat, wrapped himself in old clothes, and wore rotten hemp straw sandals. He walked on the rugged mountain road, faced the bleak autumn wind, and looked at the bleak sunset. He couldn't help but roar to the sky and sing loudly:

The phoenix is ??like a phoenix, how is the decline of virtue!

The next life cannot be waited for, and the past life cannot be pursued.

If there is a way in the world, how can a saint be achieved?

p>

There is no way in the world; how can a saint be born?

At this time, we can only be exempted from punishment!

It is impossible to know how to carry out a good life;

Misfortunes are more important than the earth.

Already, it's almost time to approach others with virtue. /p>

Being distracted by the sun does not harm my walk.

My walk is crooked, but it does not harm my feet.

The greatest happiness is without happiness, and the greatest praise is without reputation<. /p>

The disciple was puzzled and asked: "Sir, you are always optimistic and generous, why are you singing and lamenting today? Zhuangzi said: "Is there a land of bliss in the world?" Do you have any tips for keeping your whole body healthy? In today's troubled times, what is legitimate to do, and what is not evil to do? Where can I live in peace and where can I flee to without danger? What should we rely on to be reliable, and what should we abandon to be worry-free? What is reasonable to like and what is harmless to dislike? ". The disciple said: "What people in the world respect is wealth, longevity, and beauty; what they like is physical safety, good food, beauty, beautiful clothes, and music; what they despise is poverty, illness, and ugliness. What is distressing is that the body cannot be comfortable, the speech cannot be knowledgeable, the body cannot be beautiful, the eyes cannot have lust, and the ears cannot have good music. Isn’t the above the principle of avoiding ordinary people’s likes and dislikes and maintaining health for the whole body? What else do you have to say, sir? ”

Zhuangzi said: “If you can’t get what you want, then you will be worried and fearful. Wouldn’t it be a stupid attitude towards life?” Think of those who are greedy for wealth, who work hard and accumulate a lot of money but cannot use it up. The way to maintain their health is to know the outside but not the inside. Think of those who seek blame, who work day and night, thinking about good and bad. The way to maintain their health is to know and be sparse. And don’t know the secret. Human beings are born with worries. Those who live long will be dizzy and worried for a long time. Why bother? The way to maintain health is to know the distance but not the near. The disciple said: "Sir, what you mean is that wealth, longevity, etc. are all external things, and they are not enough to truly maintain health." Right? "

Zhuangzi nodded and said: "A martyr is a person praised by the world, but he is not enough to protect himself. Do you think martyrs should be called good or not? If you think it's good, you can't protect yourself; if you don't think it's good, you can save others. The ancients said: If you don't listen to loyal advice, then you should keep silent and don't fight. Wu Zixu was loyal and remonstrated, but he was killed by the King of Wu. If he did not fight, Wu Zixu would not be known as a loyal minister. What would you say is a good deed? "

The disciple seems to have realized something: "Sir, are you saying that fame can harm your life, and pursuing a good reputation is not a way to maintain your health? ”

Zhuangzi did not comment and continued: “What I do and enjoy in this worldly world, I don’t know whether the happiness is really happy or not?” I think the happiness in the world is just that people all over the world flock to catch up with fashion, swarming forward like sheep being whipped, complacent and not knowing what to ask for. They all think they are happy, and I don’t know if they are really happy. However, I regard inaction and tranquility as true happiness, but the world does not regard it as great suffering. "

The disciple said: "I understand. The Master believes that there is no happiness in the world, and there is no fame in the world. ”

Zhuangzi said: “Yes, yes! Only by doing nothing can you be happy, and only by doing nothing can you save your life. The consequences of right and wrong in the world have not yet been determined, but inaction can determine right and wrong. To live happily, only inaction can save life.

Why do you say that? You think: Heaven does nothing but makes itself clear, and earth does nothing but makes its own fortune. These two inactions are combined, and all things are transformed and born. The cannons are in a daze, not knowing where they are coming from; the cannons are in a daze, not knowing where they are coming from; all things are diverse, and they all arise from inaction. Therefore, heaven and earth do nothing but do nothing. Who can realize the benefits of doing nothing? "

Useless things can be of great use

Zhuangzi and his disciples walked to the foot of a mountain and saw a big tree with luxuriant branches and leaves standing beside a stream. It was particularly conspicuous. But when he saw this tree: it was a hundred feet thick, thousands of feet high, pointing straight into the sky; its crown was as wide as a giant umbrella, and it could cover more than ten acres of land. Zhuangzi couldn't help but ask the woodcutter: "Excuse me, master, so." It’s such a big piece of wood, why hasn’t anyone cut it down? Or even grown alone for thousands of years? The woodcutter seemed to be dismissive of the tree and said, "Why is this so surprising?" This tree is a useless wood. If used to make boats, they will sink in the water; if used to make coffins, they will rot quickly; if used to make utensils, they will be easily damaged; if used to make doors and windows, the fat will not dry; if used to make pillars, they will be susceptible to insects. Damn, this is a useless tree. It is a tree without material and has nothing to use, so it can have such a long life. "

After hearing this, Zhuangzi said to his disciples: "This tree has been able to live its whole life because it has no wood. Isn't it a useless use, doing nothing but doing something for yourself? The disciples suddenly understood and nodded. Zhuangzi added: "Trees are useless. They do not seek to achieve anything and avoid being struck by axes. White-breasted oxen, arrogant pigs, and people with hemorrhoids are considered unlucky by wizards, so they are not sacrificed to the river god." They will throw them into the river; a disabled person will not be recruited by the army, so he can live out his life. A person with a disabled body can maintain his health and save his life, how much more so with a disabled person in terms of virtue and talent? If a tree fails to become useful, it can avoid disaster; if a person fails to become talented, it can also protect itself. The more Zhuangzi talked, the more excited he became, and he summed it up by saying, "Mountain trees are themselves invaders; fire is self-destruction." Gui is edible, so cut it down; lacquer can be used, so cut it. Everyone knows the uses of useful things, but they don’t know the uses of useless things. "

One dragon and one snake, changing with the times

The master and the disciple went out of the mountain and stayed at the home of Zhuangzi's old friend. The master was very happy and ordered his son to kill the fake treat. The son Question: "One fake can sing, and the other cannot. Which one should I kill?" "The master said: "Of course you can't kill it. "The next day, after leaving the friend's house and not walking far, the disciple couldn't help but ask: "Yesterday's tree in the mountain lived a long life because of its lack of talent; today's owner's fake was killed because of its lack of talent. Disciple is confused, may I ask: Sir, where are you going? Zhuangzi smiled and said: "I, Zhuangzi, will be between wood and wood." Between wood and wood, there is plausibility, but it is still inevitable to be tired..." Zhuangzi stopped when he was about to speak, and the disciples were eager for the next sentence: "Then how to live in the world? It doesn’t work with wood, it doesn’t work without wood, and it doesn’t work between wood and wood. What should I do? "

Zhuangzi pondered for a moment, raised his head and said: "It is not like riding on morality and floating around: no reputation or damage, one dragon and one snake, changing with the times, and unwilling to do it specifically. One step at a time, taking the sum as the measure, floating at the beginning of all things, things are things but not things, then what else is there to be tired of? This is also the law of Shennong and Huangdi. As for the nature of things and human relations, this is not the case: if you succeed, you will be destroyed, if you are sharp, you will be frustrated, if you are respectful, you will be discussed, if you are successful, you will suffer losses, if you are virtuous, you will be generous, and if you are unworthy, you will be bullied. How can you avoid being tired? Disciple, remember, only the land of morality can lead to freedom! ”

The disciple said: “In the land of morality, people can only wander in their minds; in today’s troubled times, how can people rest in peace?” Zhuangzi said: "Do you know how quails and birds eat and live?" ”

The disciple said: “Sir, what you mean is that people should live like a quail, making the world their home. They should have no permanent residence and be content with whatever happens. They should eat like a bird, not choosing between fine and coarse, not fat or thin.” , feel full as you eat; walk like a bird: carefree and carefree, leaving no trace? "Zhuangzi smiled and nodded.