12, Zhuangzi Outer Chapter: Heavenly Fortune

Watching the sky at night in Xiazhuang, thinking carefully on the pillow:

Is the sky spinning? Is the ground not moving?

(Rotation, perhaps?) The sky doesn't move, right?)

Is it the sun that goes down and goes home and drives the moon out? Is it the moon that goes down and drives the sun out?

(Maybe they have no home, each has their own tracks, and no one will chase anyone, right?)

The sky is like a round umbrella, stretched open from the handle? Who's going to hold it up?

(Maybe the sky just dispersed naturally?)

The ground is like a square platform, and it is hoisted by a rope? Who hanged it?

(Maybe it hovers naturally?)

Who is idle and bored, pushing the sun, moon and stars to move in the sky?

(Maybe no one pushes it, runs it themselves, right?)

The sun, moon and stars run and have mechanisms, so they don't stop?

(Maybe there aren't any devices?)

The sun, moon and stars are running, and they can't help themselves, so they can't stop?

(Maybe it's due to inertia?)

Are the clouds in the service of the rain? Is the rain in the cloud?

(Maybe Yunyu has no intention and doesn't do it for anyone?)

Who's rumbling? Who's sprinkling? Who has the leisure to do their business and play carnival percussion?

(Maybe there is no thunder god rain god, it is the music of nature, right?)

The north wind rises, suddenly east, suddenly west, and suddenly hovers back in the sky, who is blowing, blowing, sucking? Who has the leisure to not do the right thing and pat the game?

(Maybe there's no Aeol, is that the space belching?)

Feed! Can anyone answer my question?

Mr. Wu Xian, the ancient sage of Night Dream, called me loudly: "Come! Listen to me. The six aspects of east, west, north, south, and upper and lower constitute the cosmic space. The five elements of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth synthesize all things in the world. Everything changes in space, and there is a way. The emperor went along the way, and the world became better. If the emperor does the opposite, the world will suffer. The political affairs of Kyushu in China are combined, the governance is successful, the virtue is complete, the emperor is like the sun shining on the earth, the people support, and the ancient chief is reproduced in the world of virtue. What you should be concerned about is this, not those trivial issues. ”

A prime minister of the Song State, a newly appointed minister, gave a lecture to the civil and military officials of the imperial court, and repeatedly talked about benevolence. One day, he summoned Zhuangzi, and did not understand Zhuangzi's views on benevolence, so Meng Lang asked Ren.

Zhuangzi said: "The tiger wolf is very benevolent and worthy of everyone's learning." ”

The prime minister was surprised and asked what it meant.

Zhuangzi said: "Isn't it benevolent for father and son to love each other?" ”

The prime minister's face was full of displeasure and he said, "I am asking about the highest level of benevolence, that is, the high standard of benevolence." ”

Zhuangzi said: "The most benevolent is impartial and selfless, forgetting relatives and forgetting love." ”

The prime minister said: "Everyone knows that if you don't kiss or love, your children won't be filial to your parents." According to you, the most benevolent is not filial, right?"

Zhuangzi said, "No. The standard of benevolence is high, far exceeding the standard of filial piety. When I say this, I don't look down on filial piety, but I don't need to be downgraded to talk about filial piety. Filial piety is too far from Zhiren. The Stygian Mountain is in the dark place of the north, and it is not easy for northerners to see. Go south to Yingdu of Chu State, and look north, it is even more difficult to see the Stygian Mountain. Why? Yingdu is too far away from the Stygian Mountain. ”

The prime minister said, "Then talk about filial piety." ”

Zhuangzi said: "Respect your parents, do your duty, it is easy to do; Loving your parents, from the heart, is difficult.

Attachment to parents may be easy to do; Quiet and tranquil, forgetting relatives and love, difficult. Forgetting one's relatives and loving may be easy to do; Let my parents be tranquil and forget me, it's difficult. It may be easy to make my parents forget me; If I want to forget the world, that's really difficult. It may be easy to forget the world; Let all the people in the world be calm, not praise me as a saint, and forget my existence at all, that is how difficult it is. If you want to say a high standard of benevolence, this is. When a person reaches such a high level, of course he disdains to be like Yao Shun, like the good kings of the past dynasties, to leave the so-called virtuous government, and let the people kowtow and give thanks. His virtue is the highest virtue, the invisible latent virtue, which gives the people of the world intangible long-term benefits, but is not known to the people. Such a person, Xiangye, think about it, how can he talk about benevolence and filial piety in amazement! To be honest, filial piety, benevolence, faithfulness, and honesty are just moral self-encouragement and spiritual self-abuse, and there is nothing noble at all. I have already told you what it means to be benevolent and virtuous. Xiangye might as well draw an analogy. The most noble, despise the highest title. The richest and look down on the fattest treasury. Zhixian gave up the acquisition of fame. To the Tao, he gave up the preaching of language. Anything in the world, once pushed to the top, cannot be measured by ordinary standards. ”

The Yellow Emperor was proficient in music, composing and conducting. The minister has the surname Beimen, who is good at symphony, and asks the Yellow Emperor for advice.

Beimencheng said: "Your Majesty conducted the performance of "Xianchi Song" in the Dongting Plain, and I had the honor to listen to it, and I will never forget it. "Salty Pond Song" is divided into three movements. The first chapter made my eyes widen and I was in awe. The middle chapter made me relax my limbs and ease my emotions. The last chapter left me empty, my ears and eyes silent, and I forgot myself and fell into confusion. ”

The Yellow Emperor said, "You feel very good! What I introduced in the first chapter is life, which refers to the mandate of heaven, follows etiquette, and pursues the vastness and the great light of the universe. All things follow the cycle of the seasons, which is reflected in the first chapter.

The autumn decline of spring, the spring of autumn decline. Life replaces killing, and killing replaces life. The humidity of the scorching heat, the bleakness of the bitter cold. Yin and yang, yang and yin. The flow of air, listening, the sound of sound. Sunlight and moonlight, listen, silent sound. I insert a string of thunderbolts to wake up hibernating insects and beasts. I approach each section in this way, starting with no beginning and a prelude first; The ending is tailless, and there is always a lingering rhyme. The first chapter is composed of multiple passages that express the uncertainty of life. Life and death, ups and downs, pain and joy, endless clouds of smoke and clouds, as if galloping non-stop, surprise you. ”

The Yellow Emperor also said: "I introduced the two qi of heaven and earth in the middle chapter, and the yang matched the yin. Yin with yang, light the double candle in the sky, the sun is golden, and the moon is silver. The two qi are matched to be auspicious, and the two candles reflect each other and add light, bringing abundant strength to life. Therefore, in the middle chapter, my phrases can be short or long, soft and rigid; My passages are varied and unified, regular and abnormal. Fill in the bumps in the road, eliminate emotional sentimentality, close the ears and eyes to be smart, keep the spirit fresh, and tolerate the status quo of society. Therefore, the processing range is narrow and spacious; The tone of processing changes from depressed to high, from dark to bright. The ghost did not dare to knock on the door, and it was inconvenient for the god to come to peep through the window, and the sun, moon and stars were also happy for me, and they were accurately running on the track. As the middle chapter draws to a close, my quest stops, and the melody turns into hesitation, expressing my yearning for the highest path. Dao, I still can't understand it after thinking about it, I still can't see my image when I look around, and I still can't catch up with my pursuit. I had reached the tip of the sea, empty on all sides, and the smoke and water were vast. Mo Ke was helpless, lying on the chair, chanting and singing slowly. No matter how much you think about it, no matter how much you look at it, no matter how much you chase it, no matter how busy you are, it is in vain. I finally woke up to the infinity of the Tao, and I no longer wanted to chase after me, and I no longer hesitated. Therefore, the last paragraph of the middle chapter shows the fullness of the body, the body and mind are smooth, the spiritual emptiness, and the forgetting of things and self. The musical image reminds you of a sea serpent roaming, with smooth curves and smooth waves, so that your limbs are relaxed and your emotions are no longer tense. ”

The Yellow Emperor added: "I introduced a surreal vitality in the last chapter, in line with the rhythm of nature. Listen, as if all things are mixed together, each showing vitality, and everyone rejoices, and does not show any traces. The sound flies in the night, without bounds, and at first glance it sounds silent. Each section in the last section is changed at will, regardless of the principle of composition. What has always remained the same is the tranquility and tranquility of the Dao heart. The laity said that it was about to die, the Taoist friends said it was full of vitality, the Magi said it was the autumn fruit season, and the poets said that it was spring to flower. Floating clouds come, flowing water goes, birds scatter, geese migrate, and old tunes are all abandoned. Many listeners did not understand the last chapter and asked the saints. What is St. Able to recognize the truth, obey the destiny of heaven, preserve nature, and feel more sensitive than ordinary people. The saint listened to the last chapter, did not say a word, and his heart was very lively. It's really nature's music! Thinking of Emperor Shennong Yan, who once rebelled against me, I still want to quote his "Song of the Dao": 'Dao, listen to you, you are silent, you can't find you. You fill the heavens and the earth, wrapping the Liuhe. 'In the last chapter, your spiritual ears feel it, and you want to hear it with your physical ears. Not being able to hear leads you into confusion. ”

The Yellow Emperor finally said: "I deal with "Xianchi Song" to make people awe first. Awe, feeling the risk of the future. Reassuring. Rest assured and feel that the risk is gone. After confusing people. Confusion, ignorance instead of knowledge, foolishness instead of wisdom. Only by guarding ignorance and abandoning wisdom can we attain the Tao. ”

Confucius was unsuccessful in the state of Lu, and went west to defend the country to find a job. Yan Hui was worried about the teacher and went to consult Shi Jin. Shi Jin is a musician in Lu State, serving in the national orchestra and telling fortunes in his spare time.

Yan Hui asked: "My teacher went to Weiguo to find a job, what is the prospect?"

Shi Jin said: "It's a pity, your teacher's life is hard. ”

Yan replied, "Why?"

Shi Jin said: "A thatched dog is a dog, you have seen it." The dog is draped in an embroidered scarf and placed in a bamboo basket. The clergy abstain from meat and fish, take a bath and smoke clothes, and carry dogs to worship the gods, which can be grand. At the end of the ceremony, the dog was worthless, passers-by trampled on the dog's head, and the cook picked it up as firewood. If there is a fool who hugs the dog back, and puts on an embroidered scarf, and puts people in a bamboo basket, and offers it high, eating and sleeping are below, haha, that's wonderful, the light is a nightmare, and the worst is a ghost! I see, your teacher Confucius also brought back the ancient dogs, and the used benevolence and righteousness were offered high, and he ran a university below, and he revolved around the dog in class, eating, and sleeping, but he was pious. That year, he went to the Song Kingdom to teach ancient rites, but the official did not give classes, so he had to rehearse under the big tree. As soon as the ancient ceremony was finished, the Minister of National Defense ordered someone to blow the tree. Later, he went to give a speech on a patriotic tour, and was officially deported. Even where he parked his car, he shoveled the ground. Later, when I went to Yinxu and Zhoudu, I couldn't find a job, I was desperate, and I begged to go home. Aren't these nightmares? That year, he applied for a job to go to the state of Chu, passing through the junction of Chen and Cai, and the local militia mistakenly thought that the robbers were coming, and besieged them in groups, and they were cut off for seven days and seven nights, and almost starved to death. Isn't that a ghost?"

Shi Jin also said: "Sailing on the water and driving on land is at least common sense. Seeing that the boat could travel on water, he thought that it could also travel on land, so he insisted on pushing it ashore to run, and how far could he run when he was tired to death. Ancient times are like water, and modern times are like land, aren't they? The Western Zhou Dynasty is like a ship, and the Lu State is like a car, isn't it? I want to put the set of policies of the ancient Western Zhou Dynasty. Including benevolence and righteousness, moved to the modern country of Lu to implement, just like pushing a boat on land, people are tired, and the play is not good-looking. Only by flexibly changing policies can we conform to reality and remain invincible forever, and he does not understand this truth. ”

Shi Jin said again: "Standing wooden frame, hanging lever, one end is light, the other is heavy, it is an orange tree, you have also seen it." Use an orange tree to lift well water, and tie the bucket with a rope with a light lever. As long as the water bearer pulls down hard, the light end is lowered, and the bucket falls into the well. After filling it with water, relax your hand, and the light end will be raised, and the water will be raised to the mouth of the well. A bow and a head are pulling the lever, and the lever will never pull the person, so the head will not offend people. The lever is inactive and the water is effective; Leverage is merit and does not offend others: your teacher Confucius should really learn from leverage. ”

Shi Jin also said: "Modern times are different from ancient times. The various stages of antiquity are different from each other. Therefore, the ancient great chief Fu Xi, and later the Yellow Emperor, and then the Yao Emperor Shun Emperor, and then the later Xia Yu Wang, the policies they promoted, including etiquette and the legal system, differed from time to time, not seeking common ground, but seeking governance. Their etiquette and legal system are like mountain plants, pears, oranges, and sleeves, and the taste is not the same, but they are all delicious. Etiquette and the legal system, which are innovated with the times and adjusted with society, cannot be applied forever, and cannot be suitable everywhere. The dress worn by Zhou Gong was put on the ape, and it was bound to bite and tear, and he was naked, so that he was satisfied. Modern times are different from ancient times, just as apes are different from Zhou Gong, your teacher Confucius wants to implement Zhou Gong dress in the ape society, and the ghost is fascinated!"

Shi Jin finally said: "The national flower of the Yue country is Xi Shi, and the beauty of the south of the Yangtze River is unique." Stomach pain frowned, Qiubo smoky vision, especially pitiful. The ugly woman next door saw it and was envious. So he copied the experience, made a stomachache, frowned and rubbed his chest, and ran on the street every day. When the rich man saw it, he closed his door. When the poor family saw it, they fled and scattered. The ugly woman thinks that frowning is beauty, and she doesn't know who will frown and under what circumstances will her eyebrows be wrinkled, so that she can be seen. Your teacher Confucius had a hard life, and I really feel sorry for him. ”

Confucius ran a university, and at the age of fifty-one, he had 3,000 peach and plum on the door wall, and he had entered the society one after another. In terms of achievement and fame, it is unprecedented. But he is very strict with himself, and he has so many things to do, so he often feels a sense of loss and is unhappy. As soon as his birthday passed, he drove south to Pei County in Chen Guo to pay homage to Lao Dan, the master of Wuweiism.

The old man said, "Are you here?" Now your reputation has reached me. People say that you are a great Confucian in the north, a contemporary sage. You should be enlightened, right?"

Confucius said, "There is no shadow." So come and ask. ”

The old man said, "Where did you go to explore?"

Confucius said, "First of all, from the aspect of astronomy and mathematics. After five years of exploration, calculating the conjunction of the sun and the moon, and studying the five-star offense, he still has not attained the Tao. ”

Lao Dan said: "Later, from what aspect?"

Confucius said: "From the aspect of yin and yang. It has been 12 years so far. Jupiter has finished the zodiac, but I still haven't seen the shadow of the way. ”

Lao Dan said: "I believe you are telling the truth. Dao this thing, if it could be tributed, the people would have paid tribute to the monarch a long time ago; If they could, their children would have been dedicated to their parents long ago; If they could, the brethren would have told each other; If it could be rewarded, the ancestors would have given it to their children and grandchildren. However, I can't take it, and I can't contribute to it. Why? Quite simply, the learner of the Tao himself lacks the root of wisdom, and the enlightened person tells him that he can't keep it in his heart, and the Tao is told in vain. On the other hand, those who have attained the Tao cannot meet qualified learners, and the Tao cannot be told to anyone. If you preach to others, the effect is the same as playing the harp to the ox, and you are a saint, you will keep your mouth shut. On the other hand, if someone preaches to you, it will be nonsense, and you are a saint, you will turn a deaf ear. So I'm sorry I can't pass on anything to you. But I would like to give you two pieces of advice for your consideration. First, reputation is a public weapon, which belongs to the whole people, and individuals should not occupy too much. If you take too much, you will get into trouble. Second, benevolence and righteousness are the shacks of the fields, which were used by kings to stay at night to guard against thieves. If you hide from the rain, sleep all night and go, and do not stay long. If you stay for a long time, you will get sick if you suffer from rheumatism. What's more, mosquito night bites are as uncomfortable as social condemnation. ”

Lao Dan also said: "The kings of the past dynasties, I only refer to good kings, advocating benevolence and righteousness, and taking emergency measures. Zhiren also occasionally gets involved in benevolence, borrowing the road to take shortcuts; also occasionally stayed overnight in Yiyi, borrowing a house to hide from the rain. His destination is his permanent address for the rest of his life: Xiaoyao New Village, a simple grain field with no vegetable garden. If you are free, you will do nothing. Simple, then plain. If you don't take out loans, don't borrow food, don't lend favors, you won't repay your debts. Climbing mountains and wading through rivers to settle down there was called a truth-seeking journey by the ancients. ”

Lao Dan finally said: "Those who are greedy for money rush when they see the benefits, and they will never care about others." Those who are greedy for fame will go to the camera when they see it, and they will never let their peers, and those who are greedy for power will grab the official seal when they see it, and they will never give it to their colleagues. When the authority of wealth, fame and power was grasped, he worked diligently and increased his vigilance. One day tell him to vomit out, retreat, and hand him in, and he will be even more pitiful, and he will not be able to live. They never look in the mirror, self-appraisal, but are there day and night constantly peeping at movements, boxing and palming. This kind of person, I hope you are not included, God sentences mental imprisonment, and it is a matter of death! Hatred of political opponents, rewarding loyal ministers, broadening financial resources, saving expenses, listening to opinions, educating the masses, saving good people, and executing bad people -- the eight major things are necessary means to rectify society. However, these means can only be in the hands of decent officials who are not greedy for money, fame, or power who are adapting to change. How to explain the rectification of rectification? The whole person is right, and only when his mind is correct can he rectify the society. If you don't have the right mind, you will distort others. You have to agree with this, and don't contradict it. Otherwise, you will never get the hang of it!"

The first time Confucius met Lao Dan when he was in the prime of life was in Luoyang, Henan, the capital of the Zhou Dynasty. Lao Dan was the director of the Central Library at that time, an old man who smiled Mimi. When Confucius was young at that time, it was inevitable that he would think very highly of himself, and as soon as he met, he talked about the Confucian doctrine of benevolence and righteousness.

Lao Dan said: "Listening to your propaganda speech, the dustpan squinted, and the world swirled. Listening to your speeches and propaganda, mosquitoes bite gadfly, insomnia all night, drink your benevolent soup, fall into hallucination, upset, it's not miserable! I said, brother, please leave a little simplicity in the world. You are willing to condescend a little, bow down to the people, and it is easy to grasp the righteousness of the talent, although it is useless to the country, you finally live like an adult. Why do you want to hold high the banner of benevolence and righteousness and sell everywhere, just like losing a child and playing drums along the street to find it, which makes people laugh. The swan is still white if it is not washed, and the crow is still black if it is not tanned. The goose crow is endowed with white and black genes, which remain unchanged from generation to generation. Righteousness puts on the cloak of honor, and it cannot be great. What is in the end or what is it, propaganda speeches are in vain. You come to see me, you friend me, you love me, it's all a lot of things. I'll give you a poem at my parting. After speaking, he recited, Chu Sheng was old and sad, and Confucius was greatly moved. The poem says:

There was a great drought, the water dried up, and the river was cut off.

The old fish is sad, the little fish is sad,

The female cries, the male worries,

Crowded on a waterless beachhead.

Gill-to-cheek, mouth-to-mouth,

You spit on me with wet saliva,

I kiss you and spit,

Rescue each other.

When disaster comes, become friends,

Married before death.

Ah, what do you say about deep friendship,

It's better to have a way in the water before,

You play in the five lakes, I swim in the Shu River,

You don't friend me, I don't love you,

The water sides never meet!

Confucius walked out of the door of the Central Library, and the sound of Chu was still lingering in his ears. When I returned to the post house, I sat down at my desk and pondered, and did not talk to the attaché. Three days passed, and an attaché approached and asked, "When I saw Lao Dan the day before yesterday, how did the teacher persuade him?" Confucius said, "Believe it or not, I have finally seen the dragon among men!" Dragon, a mass of aura, coalesced into a human form and spread into Wencai. He sat in front of him, his soul wandering in the sky, soaring through the clouds and mist, flying between yin and yang. I was stunned, I couldn't close my mouth, I couldn't say a word, could I still persuade him. ”

Confucius's early student Zigong, a capable man, went to the capital on a business trip this time and served as Confucius's foreign affairs secretary. Confucius exalted the old man like that, and Zigong didn't think so. He said, "In this way, there are really such strange people in the world. Sitting stupidly, a colorful dragon suddenly appeared above his head. The silence was dull and silent, and the lecture was like thunder and lightning. With a wave of your hand, a stride, you will be blessed with the growth of all things. Is there really a strange person like this, will the teacher allow me to see and see?"

Confucius didn't want to say much, so he took out his business card and handed it to Zigong, which was a letter of introduction. Zigong rode to the Central Library to visit Lao Dan.

The old man knelt on the kang bed in the office, waiting for the visitors. Seeing that Zigong was a handsome young man, he didn't dare to slack off a little, and said softly: "My youth is long gone, and now I am old." What do you have to remind me, young man?"

Zigong said: "The great chief of the Fuxi clan, the Yan Emperor of the Shennong clan, the Yellow Emperor of the Xuanyuan clan, plus the second emperor of Yao Shun in the future, are the five emperors. The five emperors ruled the world, which can be called an eternal model, there is no doubt. However, according to the boy, the later King Xia Yu, King Shangtang, and King Wen of Zhou were all great founding leaders. Of course, in terms of the way of governing the world, the three leaders are different from the five emperors. However, in terms of popularity, it is by no means less than the Five Emperors. The gentleman has the foresight to drive the three leaders out of the sainthood sequence. Why is that?"

Lao Dan said, "Young man, please come by kang." I want to explain to you that I did not say that the Three Kings are different from the Five Emperors. You say that they have different approaches. What are the differences, can you elaborate on them? ”

Zigong said: "Yao Ye Chan gave up to Shun Ye, and Shun Ye Chan gave up to King Xia Yu, all of them took the initiative to give way, and the method was quite civilized." King Xia Yu sat in the world for flood control, and King Shangtang sat in the world for revolution. One relies on merit, the other on military strength, but they are all justified and great. King Wen of Zhou did not dare to rebel against the king of Shang, and he knew the righteousness of the monarch and the ministers, which showed that he was virtuous and quite great. King Wu of Zhou rebelled and killed Shang Xuanyu. It's not good, but he's not among the top three. The three major leaders, one by merit, one by soldiers, and one by virtue, in terms of method, are different from the Zen concessions of the Five Emperors. That's the difference. ”

The old man said, "Young man, please sit closer." I want you to understand how the five emperors govern the world and how the three kings govern the world. Fu Xi can not talk about it, and Emperor Yan will not talk about it. The Yellow Emperor ruled the world and preserved the legacy of the clan. The people are simple, everyone is a member of the clan collective, and they don't pay much attention to blood. So when a loved one dies, there is no need to cry; There is nothing to gossip about others. Emperor Yao ruled the world and lost the concept of family. The hearts of the people are divided, and the relatives are divided into several grades, and the relatives are divided into several grades. Since then, society has swept away the legacy of the clan. Except for a few widows with a strong sense of collectivity, ordinary people have nothing to say strangely. Emperor Shun ruled the world, developed intelligence, and valued skills. The people are competitive and want to run ahead. In the past, pregnant women were pregnant for a year and two months, but the fetus was born quickly in October and ran out quickly. In the past, children spoke at the age of two, and when Shun was a young baby in May, he could speak, and he recognized people in advance. Everything is fast, including life. Everything in advance, including death in advance. These are what you call eternal models. King Xia Yu governed the world, advocated knowledge, and encouraged hard work. The people's hearts are changeable, the conspiracy is known as a clever plan, the sword and spear also reflect justice, the slaughter can tell the truth, killing thieves is not the same as killing, everyone only affirms themselves, and forms an alliance to seize the country. Today, the people of the world are panicking, and the two Confucianists are swarming. Confucianism brought out the second emperor Yao Shun, and the Mo family brought out King Xia Yu. When the two families first started, they had ideals, talked about principles, and were decent. Soon degenerated, in order to increase the momentum, he was kitsch soliciting customers, indiscriminately selling flowers, and asked me to say something good! Young man, I want you to understand that the Five Emperors and the Three Kings, in the name of governing the world, are actually making trouble in the world, and the more they make trouble, the more they make trouble, and finally they have become the first chaos in history. All the knowledge of the king of Xia Shang not only disturbed society, but more seriously, it disturbed nature. The miasma of filthy smoke darkens the brilliance of the sun and the moon. The water is shallow and the trees are sparse, and the mountains and rivers are stolen. The climate is abnormal, wind and rain from time to time, cold and heat are uncertain. Their knowledge is the tip of the scorpion's tail, which stings people with a vicious venom, and not only people are poisoned and distorted, but also beasts are poisoned and distorted, and they are forced to change their way of life. The three kings sinned, and they also regarded themselves as saints. It's shameless! Do they still know that there is a word for shame in the world?"

Zigong stood there, terrified.

8. Shoe prints are not shoes, and shoes are not owners

After Confucius visited Lao Dan for the first time, he experienced the ups and downs of the political circles of the Lu State, as well as the job hunting and travel of other countries, as well as the compilation of the Six Classics. During this period, he visited Lao Dan many times and intended to cultivate. However, the roots of Confucianism are too deep to extricate themselves. Once complained to the old man, telling the pain of wandering on the wrong path.

Confucius said: "Confucius is not talented, compiling "poems", "books", "rites", "music", "Yi" and "Spring and Autumn", lying on the desk for many years, thinking that he has been grinding long enough, drilling deep enough, and (properly) familiar enough. With my set of knowledge, I have traveled to the world, met with the leaders of seventy and two, preached the principles of the kings of the past dynasties, and carried forward the civilized tradition that Zhou Gongzhao openly created, but no one hired me, should I complain that they are too difficult and too difficult to be persuaded? Or should I complain that it's too difficult and too difficult to explain clearly?"

Lao Dan said: "Fortunately, the people you met are faint! If you meet a gentleman who is eager to cure and entrust you with a heavy responsibility, it will be bad. The Six Classics you have compiled are just shoe prints left by the kings of the past, so how can you be the owner of the shoes? You're whining now, and it's just shoe prints. Shoe prints are made by shoes, but they are not shoes. Shoes are worn by people, but they are not people. Do you think you can govern the country with the Six Classics?"

Confucius was speechless, laughed and ridiculed, and suddenly felt refreshed. Then he asked, "What will I do in the future?"

Lao Dan said: "The white swans swim on the water, the male and female stare at each other, and without turning their eyes, they mate." When the insect flies in the air, the male calls upwind, and the female responds with the downwind, and they mate. It can be seen that there are no strange ways to mate. But there are also restrictions, it must be of the same kind, each male and female, in order to mate. Isn't it the same with interpersonal encounters? Remember, nature cannot be changed, fate cannot be reversed, opportunities will not stop, and the avenue will not be blocked. If you go along the way, you can go no way; It's the opposite, and you can't do anything. ”

Confucius went back and did not go out for three months. Later, he visited Lao Dan again, stated his experience, and said, "I have attained the Tao." Magpies hatch eggs, and oviparous chicks. The fish hatches the eggs with their mouths, spits out foam, and squirts out small fish. The mud bee has no eggs to hatch, and it curses the mulberry worm and turns into a young bee. The pregnancy was a younger brother, and the elder brother cried and protested at night. Oh, how many years have I refused to accept the change of fate. I don't want to accept change myself, how can I change others!"

Lao Dan said, "This is correct. You've got it. ”