He Guan Zi (鶡冠子) · Volume 7

龎子問鶡冠子曰聖人學問服師也【服事也】亦有終始乎抑其拾【或作拾下同案或作拾拾字疑當作舍】誦記辭闔棺而止乎鶡冠子曰始於初問終於九道若不聞九道之解拾誦記辭闔棺而止以何定乎【此言非獨白紛如也雖至闔棺而止尚不足以定之也故所貴乎問學者豈誦説之云乎在於得書之體得言之解】龎子曰何謂九道鶡冠子曰一曰道德二曰隂陽三曰法令四曰天官五曰神徵六曰伎藝七曰人情八曰械器九曰處兵龎子曰願聞九道之事鶡冠子曰道德者操行所以為素也【素如獻素之素道德操行之本故曰素也】隂陽者分數所以觀氣變也【周官保章氏云以星土以雲物以十有二歳以十有二風占天地之災祥】法令者主道治亂國之命也天官者表儀祥兆下之應也【此言學問之序道德已明而隂陽次之隂陽已明而法令次之三者備矣然後可以言治矣天官冢宰是也百官取揆故曰表儀造始而已故曰祥兆此以靜唱彼以動和故曰下之應也】神徵者風采光景所以序怪也【祭義所謂其氣發揚於上為昭明焄蒿悽愴此百物之精也神之著也】伎藝者如勝同任【或為住】所以出無獨異也【周官六德則異之以智仁聖義忠和六藝則同之以禮樂射御書數】人情者小大愚知賢不肖雄俊豪英相萬也械器者假乗焉【或作馬】世用國備也處兵者威柄所持立不敗【或作取】之地也九道形心謂之有靈【形著見也】後能見變而命之【物至能名或曰竒見異聞為變列子曰大禹行而見之伯益知而名之蓋此類也】因其所為而定之若心無形靈【或作虛】辭【或有傳字】雖搏捆【捆猶叩防也】不知所之彼心為主【或作至】則內將使外內無巧驗【精不足以揆道麤不足以驗物】近則不及逺則不至龎子曰【或有曾聞字】禮樂仁義忠信願聞其合之於數鶡冠子曰所謂禮者不犯者也所謂樂者無菑【或作薔】者也所謂仁者同好者也所謂義者同惡者也所謂忠者久愈親者也所謂信者無二響者也聖人以此六者【或無者字】卦世得失逆順之經【卦猶卜也】夫離道非數不可以【原缺二字】緒端不要元法不可以心體【猶刳也南華曰墮其肢體黜其聰明又曰夫道覆載天地君子不可以不刳心焉】表術【或無表字】裡原【術如術業之術原如原道之原】雖淺不窮中虛外博雖博必虛龎子再拜曰有問戒哉雖毋如是冥【或無冥字】材乃健弗學孰能此天下至道而世主廢之何哉鶡冠子曰不提生於弗器【器故提之】賤生於無所用中河失船一壺千金【壺瓠也佩之可以濟渉南人謂之腰舟】貴賤無常時使物然常知善善昭繆不易一揆至今不知善善故有身死國亡絶祀滅宗細人猶然不能保夀義則自況【此言細人且爾也況於己乎其義當以自況】

Master Pang asked Heguanzi: "For the sage in learning and in serving his teacher ['serve' means to attend], is there a beginning and end? Or does he pick up [sometimes written 'gather'; the following likewise. Note: sometimes written 'gather'; the character 'gather' should probably be 'give up'] the recited and memorized words until the lid is closed on the coffin?" Heguanzi said: "From the first question to the end of the nine ways. If one has not heard the explanation of the nine ways, and only picks up the recited and memorized words until the coffin is closed, what is there to decide with?" [This says it is not only confusion like a tangle of white silk; even if one goes on until the coffin is closed, it is still not enough to decide. So what is valued in learning, how could it be reciting? It lies in obtaining the body of the book and obtaining the explanation of the words.] Master Pang said: "What are the nine ways?" Heguanzi said: "The first is the Dao and its virtue, the second is yin and yang, the third is law and decree, the fourth is the heavenly officials, the fifth is the spirit signs, the sixth is the arts and skills, the seventh is human feelings, the eighth is implements, and the ninth is the disposition of arms." Master Pang said: "I wish to hear about the matters of the nine ways." Heguanzi said: "The Dao and its virtue are what conduct takes as its plain base [the 'plain' is like the plain silk that one presents. The Dao and virtue are the root of conduct, so they are called plain]; yin and yang are the divisions and numbers used to observe changes in qi [the Zhouguan, Baozhang Shi, says: use the star-fields, clouds and things, twelve years and twelve winds to divine the calamities and good omens of heaven and earth]; law and decree are the ruler's Way and the mandate for governing a disordered state; the heavenly officials are the models and signs of auspicious omens, and the response from below [this says the order of learning: once the Dao and virtue are clear, yin and yang come next; once yin and yang are clear, law and decree come next. When these three are complete, one can then discuss governing. The heavenly officials are the Chief Steward. The hundred officials take their model from him, so they are called models; this is only the beginning, so they are called signs of omens. This side calls in stillness and that side responds in motion, so they are called the response from below]; the spirit signs are the colors and lights of the wind, used to arrange the strange [what the Jiyi says: qi spreads above and becomes brilliance, with steaming mist and chill, which are the essence of the hundred things and the manifestation of spirit]; arts and skills are like being equal to a task, taking the same duty [sometimes written 'dwelling'], used to come out without standing alone as different [the six virtues of the Zhouguan are distinguished as wisdom, benevolence, sageliness, righteousness, loyalty and harmony, and the six arts are brought together as ritual, music, archery, charioteering, writing and numbers]; human feelings, large and small, foolish and wise, worthy and unworthy, outstanding and heroic, differ ten thousandfold; implements are borrowed to ride [sometimes written 'horse'], used in the world and provided in the state; the disposition of arms is the handle of power, used to stand on ground that cannot be defeated [sometimes written 'taken']. When the nine ways appear in the heart, it is called having spirit ['form' means conspicuous and visible], and one can then see change and name it [when a thing comes, one can name it. One view: strange sights and sounds are called changes. The Liezi says: Yu walked and saw it, and Bo Yi knew it and named it. This is probably of that kind], and decide it according to what it does. If the heart has no form and no spirit [sometimes written 'empty'], then though the words [some texts have 'transmission'] strike, bind and knock, it does not know where to go. When that heart acts as master [sometimes written 'arrives'], the inner drives the outer; if inside there is no skillful verification [the fine is not enough to measure the Way, and the coarse is not enough to verify things], the near cannot be reached, and the far cannot be arrived at." Master Pang said [some texts have the two characters 'have heard']: "Ritual, music, benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and trustworthiness: I wish to hear how they accord with number." Heguanzi said: "What is called ritual is what does not offend; what is called music is what has no calamity [sometimes written differently]; what is called benevolence is loving what is the same; what is called righteousness is hating what is the same; what is called loyalty is growing closer the longer it lasts; what is called trustworthiness is having no second echo. The sage uses these six [some texts lack the particle 'zhe'] to divine the channels of gain and loss, opposition and compliance in the world ['gua' is like 'divine']. Leaving the Way is again not number, and one cannot (two characters are missing here in the received text) find the thread; do not pin down the original law, and one cannot (the received text has a rare character here, lost in transcription) the body of the heart [this character is like 'hollow out'. The Nanhua says: drop the limbs and body, cast out cleverness; and it says: the Way covers and carries heaven and earth, and the gentleman cannot fail to hollow out the heart]. Outside it is technique [some texts lack the word 'outside'] and inside it is the source [the 'technique' is like the technique of a craft, and the 'source' is like the source in tracing the Way], and though shallow it will not be exhausted; hollow in the middle and mixed outside, though broad it must be empty." Master Pang bowed twice and said: "There are questions and cautions! Even without such a dark [some texts lack the word 'dark'] material, to be strong and firm, who could do it without study? This is the supreme Way of the world, yet the rulers of the age have discarded it; why?" Heguanzi said: "Not being mentioned is because it is not made into a vessel [once it has been made into a vessel, then it is mentioned]; being cheap is because it has no use. When a boat is lost in midstream, a single gourd is worth a thousand pieces of gold [hu is a gourd; worn on the body it lets one cross a river, and southerners call it a waist-boat]. Noble and base have no fixed rule, and it is time that makes things so. One who always knows how good is good, does not change the zhao and mu order, and there is a single rule down to the present. Not knowing how good is good, there are those who die themselves and see their states lost and their sacrifices cut off and lineages destroyed. Even small people are like this and cannot keep their lifespans; by righteousness one should use it to compare oneself [this says that even small people are like this, how much more oneself? That righteousness should be used to compare oneself]."

卓襄王問龎暖曰夫君人者亦有為其國乎【卓當為悼此趙悼襄王也蓋趙孝成王卒子偃立是為悼襄王襄王三年龎暖將攻燕擒其將劇辛】龎暖曰王獨不聞俞跗之為醫乎已成必治鬼神避之楚王臨朝為隨兵故若堯之任人也不用親戚而必使能其治病也不任所愛必使舊醫【語曰老醫少卜蓋老醫更病多矣堯故使之】楚王聞傳暮在身【蓋病也】必待俞跗【俞跗蓋非楚人此亦寓言傳曰上古之時醫有俞跗治病不以湯液體灑鑱石橋引案機毒熨而割皮解肌訣胍結筋搦髓腦浣腸胃練精易形此雖已成所以必治而鬼神避之也】卓襄王曰善龎暖曰王其忘乎昔伊尹醫殷太公醫周武王百里醫秦申麃醫郢【郢荊所都】原季醫晉【國語曰晉文公使原季為卿】范蠡醫越管仲醫齊而五國霸其善一也然道不同數卓襄王曰願聞其數暖曰王獨不聞魏文侯之問扁鵲耶【扁鵲勃海鄚人也姓秦氏名越人】曰子昆弟三人其孰最善為醫扁鵲曰長兄最善中兄次之扁鵲最為下魏文侯曰可得聞耶扁鵲曰長兄於病視神未有形而除之【此神醫也為之於未有周官疾醫之職以五氣五聲五色視其死生兩之以九竅之變參之以九蔵之動夫昧於在神而以五氣五聲五色視其死生更以參兩驗之亦已麤矣然周官言此而已者蓋中材之法也岐跗豈世有哉】故名不出於家【名在門內而已老子曰太上下知有之其次親之譽之】中兄治病其在毫毛【此明醫也治之於末亂所謂造形而悟者也】故名不出於閭【其閭里知之矣】若扁鵲者鑱血脈投毒藥副肌膚間而名出聞於諸侯【其所能愈麤其所聞愈逺】魏文侯曰善使管子行醫術以扁鵲之道桓公幾能成其霸乎【管仲匡救桓公常在其細故能以其君霸蓋桓公實怒少姬南襲蔡管仲因而伐楚責包茅不入貢於周室桓公實北征山戎而管仲因而令燕修召公之政方是之時諸候莫或知焉此其治毫毛者也】凡此者不病病【一本少一病字至於病而治之不亦晩乎疾甚曰病】治之無名【或作治無名】使【或作便】之無形【夫病之形名著矣然後使醫此桓侯之所以免也】至功之成其【或作六】下謂之自然【針艾之功無所欣賴故其昧者謂之自然推之於治此擊壤之民所以不知堯舜之力也】故良醫化之拙醫敗之雖幸不死創伸股維【維牽攣也】卓襄王曰善寡人雖不能無創孰能加秋毫寡人之上哉【庶幾管仲者出焉】

King Zhuoxiang asked Pang Nuan: “Is there also a method by which a ruler of men governs his state?” [“Zhuo” should be “Dao.” This is King Daoxiang of Zhao. After King Xiaocheng of Zhao died, his son Yan took the throne, and this was King Daoxiang. In the third year of King Xiang, Pang Nuan led troops to attack Yan and captured the Yan general Ju Xin.] Pang Nuan said: “Has Your Majesty not heard how Yu Fu practiced medicine? Illnesses that had already formed he could surely cure, so that even ghosts and spirits avoided him. When the King of Chu held court, because of the war involving the state of Sui (the phrase “because of Sui’s troops” is read by one view as joining what follows, “just as Yao employed people”; another view holds that several sentences here were added later), he was like Yao employing people, not using relatives but surely using the capable; in treating illness, he did not entrust it to those he favored but surely used an old physician [as the common saying goes: old doctors, young diviners. Old doctors have seen many illnesses, and this is why Yao used them]. When the King of Chu heard the report and had a gloom (the received text has a rare character here, lost in transcription) [the word is probably “illness”] in his body, he surely had to wait for Yu Fu [Yu Fu was probably not from Chu, and this too is a parable. The tradition says: in remote antiquity there was a physician Yu Fu, who in treating illness did not use decoctions, sweet wines, stone needles, guiding exercises, massage, or hot compresses, but cut open the skin, loosened the flesh, opened the vessels, tied the sinews, pressed on the marrow and brain, washed the intestines and stomach, refined the essence and changed the form. Although the illness had already formed, he could surely cure it, and even ghosts and spirits avoided him.]” King Zhuoxiang said: “Good.” Pang Nuan said: “Has Your Majesty forgotten? In the past Yi Yin acted as physician for Yin, Taigong acted as physician for King Wu of Zhou, Baili Xi acted as physician for Qin, Shen Biao acted as physician for Ying [Ying was the capital of Chu], Yuan Ji acted as physician for Jin [the Discourses of the States say: Duke Wen of Jin made Yuan Ji a minister], Fan Li acted as physician for Yue, and Guan Zhong acted as physician for Qi, and these states became hegemons thereby. Their goodness was the same, yet their Ways differed and their methods also differed.” King Zhuoxiang said: “I would like to hear those methods.” Pang Nuan said: “Has Your Majesty not heard how Marquis Wen of Wei questioned Bian Que? [Bian Que was from Mo in Bohai, with the surname Qin and the given name Yueren.] He said: ‘You three brothers, which is best at medicine?’ Bian Que said: ‘The eldest brother is best, the middle brother next, and Bian Que is the lowest.’ Marquis Wen of Wei said: ‘May I hear about it?’ Bian Que said: ‘My eldest brother, facing an illness, looks at the spirit, and removes it before it has taken form [this is the divine physician, who acts before anything yet exists. The duties of the Rites of Zhou’s physician for illness are to use the five airs, five sounds, and five colors to see life and death, and to cross-check with the changes of the nine openings and verify with the movements of the nine viscera. Already ignorant of the level of spirit, using the five airs, sounds, and colors to see life and death and then verifying by comparison is already coarse. Yet the Rites of Zhou only speaks of this level, probably a method for people of middling talent. Are Qi Bo and Yu Fu common in the world?], and so his name does not go beyond the household [his name is only inside the door. Laozi said: the highest, those below only know that he exists; the next, they love him and praise him]. My middle brother treats illness at the level of the fine hairs [this is the bright physician, who treats before disorder arises, who is awakened only on seeing form], and so his name does not go beyond the village lanes [his neighborhood knows of him]. As for Bian Que, he pricks the blood vessels with needle and stone, applies poisonous medicine, and cuts open flesh and skin, and after a while his name reaches the feudal lords [the coarser the cure, the farther the fame].’ Marquis Wen of Wei said: ‘Good. If Guanzi were made to practice medicine by the Way of Bian Que, could Duke Huan still have accomplished his hegemony? [Guan Zhong’s correction and rescue of Duke Huan were always at the subtle level, and so he could make his ruler a hegemon. Duke Huan in fact attacked Cai in the south because he was vexed with the lesser consort Shao, and Guan Zhong took advantage of this to attack Chu, blaming it for not sending the bound sedge tribute to the Zhou house; Duke Huan in fact campaigned against the mountain Rong in the north, and Guan Zhong took advantage of this to have Yan restore the government of Duke Shao. At that time none of the feudal lords knew of it, and this is treating at the level of fine hairs.]’ All this is not waiting for illness to become illness [one text lacks one “illness.” To treat when it has become illness, is that not too late? An illness that is severe is what is called “illness”], treating it before it has a name [or “treating the nameless”], and making [or “so that”] it have no form [when the form and name of an illness are both manifest and one then asks a physician, this is why Marquis Huan of Cai could not escape]. When the work is completed, those below [or “six”] say it was natural [the work of needles and moxa is nothing to be glad of, so the ignorant call it natural. Extended to government, this is why the people beating the earth did not know the power of Yao and Shun]. So a good physician dissolves it and a poor physician ruins it; even if by luck one does not die, the wound is pulled open and the thigh is contracted [“wei” means contracted].’” King Zhuoxiang said: “Good. Though I cannot be without wounds, who could add even an autumn hair to my head? [If only someone like Guan Zhong would appear.]”

挈天地而能【或無能字】遊者【南華所謂旁日月挾宇宙者類此】謂之還【或作環又或作繹】名【常住真際而不逐於名】而不還於名之人【區區外慕逐物喪已常為造化負之而走豈能挈天地而遊哉】明照光照不能照已之明是也【離朱方晝拭皆百歩之外明燭鬚眉而不能近視其睫則逐物不反靈於人者雖明照如月光照如日而不能照己之明何足怪哉】獨化終始隨能序致獨立宇宙無封【無畛域也】謂之皇天地【列子湯問於夏革曰四海之外奚有革曰猶齊州也東行至營人民猶是也問營之東復猶營也西行至豳人民猶是也問豳之西復猶豳也】浮懸天地之明【四時之運轉移日月勢若浮懸】委命相鬲謂之時【且然無間謂之命四時之運委之而已然而木敷金斂火炎水列譬如耳目鼻口皆有所用不能相通】通而鬲謂之道【道故有塞有通】連萬物領天地【天地下有建報重九明五字】合膊【膊一作搏或為宇宙二字】同根命曰宇宙【闔天之謂宇闢宇之謂宙二者相須而立故曰合膊同根】知宇故無不容也【有實而無乎處者宇也知宇故無不容】知宙故無不足也【有乎長而無本者宙也知宙故無不足】知德【德或作隱】故無不安也【知德故所遇於地者不擇而安之】知道故無不聽也【知道故所受於天者不辭而聽之】知物故無不然也【因其所然而然之萬物莫不然也】知一而不知道故未能裡也【不能視已之明故曰未能裡也】昔行不知所如徃而求者則必惑【列子亡羊者曰岐之中又有岐焉吾不知所之是以反也心都子曰大道以多岐喪羊學者以多方喪生】索所不知求之象者則必弗得【象者意之筌蹄夫索所不知求之筌蹄而不知求之言意之表豈足以得其粹哉輪人曰公之所讀是古人之糟粕已尋繹鶡冠子之意蓋將發防解惑使人致一而求道於言意之表故有此言而下文雲】故人者莫不蔽於其所不見鬲於其所不聞塞於其所不開詘於其所不能制於其所不勝世俗之眾籠乎此五也而不通此未見而有形【危機雖未兆見而理已有焉】故曰有無軍之兵有無服之喪人之輕死生之故也人之輕安危之故也【以故是以知之】夫蚊防墜乎千仞之谿【注谷曰谿】乃始翺翔而成其容【容或作客成其翺翔之容髙飛曰翺布翼不動曰翔】牛馬墜焉【一本作馬誤】碎【碎或作缽】而無形由是觀之則大者不便重者創深【此言貴髙之蹶其患大矣老子曰奈何萬乗之主而以身輕天下案蹶一本作】兵者渉死而取生陵危而取安是故言而然道而當【當或作富又一作道奠富言而然然後道而當道猶行也】故一蚋膚不寐至旦半糠入目四方弗治所謂蔽者豈必障於帷隱於帷薄哉【細曰□麤曰薄】周平弗見之謂蔽【昔齊人有欲金者清旦之市攫人之金以為取金之時徒見金不見人蓋嗜慾之亂人心如此豈必四周有物障之也哉】故病視而目弗見疾聽而耳弗聞防【或無防字】故知能與其所聞見俱盡【句】鬲【鬲或作髙】故奠務行事與其任力俱終【句】塞故四發上統【上統或作上紇】而不續【原缺二字】而消亡夫道者必有應而後至【後至一作後合至觀之於易見矣】事者必有德而後成夫德知事之所成成之所得而後曰我能成之成無為【成之於無為】得無來【得之於無來夫德至矣故妙須心解而君不能得之臣子不能獻之父則得之在我而已其來豈有自哉案心解下一本無而字】詳【詳或作脺】察其道何由然哉迷徃以觀今是以知其未能彼【案一本無彼字】立表而望者不惑按法而割者不疑固言有以希之也夫望而無表割無法其惑之屬耶所謂惑者非無日月之明四時之序星辰之行也因乎反茲而【茲而一作慈西】之惑也【所謂惑者反之而已豈必無也哉列子云天地四方水火寒暑無不倒錯者蓋類是也】惑故疾視愈亂惇而易方【疾視即上所謂病視四方故書曰譬彼病目見空中華蓋空本無華由妄見故惇猶篤也易方南華所謂天地四方易位是也蓋疾視至於天地四方易位則其病之篤者也非獨目視昏華而已】兵有符而道有驗【蓋弗迷者然後見之】備必豫具慮必蚤定【否則惑矣】下因地利制以五行左木右金前火後水中土營軍陳士不失其宜五度既正【左木右金前火後水中土是也】無事不舉招搖在上【招搖鬥之柄端主指者】繕者作下【禮雲行前朱雀而後武左青龍而右白虎招搖在上急繕其怒即此是也繕猶繼也蓋兵一鼓作氣再而衰三而竭故善戰者常無其怒使再不至於衰三不至於竭此黃帝之所以百戰而兵不敗也】取法於天四時求【或作生】象【四時求象猶言求象四時也】春用蒼龍夏用赤鳥秋用白虎冬用武天地已得何物不可宰理之所居謂之地神之所形謂之天知天故能一舉而四致並起而獨【或作稅】成鳥乗隨隨蜚垂【或作輭未詳】故昔善討者非以求利【一作求勝】將以明數【一作明勝】昔善戰者非以求勝將以明勝獨不見夫隱者乎【或有及字】設使知之其知之者屈已知之矣若其弗知者雖師而説尚不曉也【隱者韜潛故其難知如此此善戰者所以必至於明勝也】悲乎夫蔽象鬲塞之人未敗而崩未死而禽設兵取國武之美也不動取國文之華【或為歸】也士益武人不益文【二句其實一也變文是以不同】一者【或作甚】寡愛【武事刻慘失之少恩】不可勝論耳者可以聽調聲而不能為調聲目者可以視異形而不能為異形口者可以道神明而不能為神明【凡此以明師匠能與人規矩而不能與人巧也故下文雲】故先王之服師術者呼往【迷者不反呼之使勿徃也】發防【南華曰防夫子之發吾覆則吾無以見天地之大全】釋約解刺【約如繩約之約刺如針刺之刺】達昏開明而且知焉故能説適計險【說止息也適如徃也】歴越逾俗軼倫越等知略之見遺跋眾人【或作久】求【或作未】絶紹逺難之在前者能當之難之在後者能章之【章如彰往察來之章】要領天下而無疏【疏之為言失也】則【或作明】逺乎敵國之制【不為敵人所制】戰勝攻取之道應物而不窮以一宰萬而不總【提要而已如每事而總之焉得力而給諸】類類生之耀【或作翟】名之所在【朝廷耀名之所在也傳曰爭名者於朝爭利者於市】究賢【或作則】能之變極蕭楯之元【元或作無蕭蕭斧也幹謂之楯蕭以戮人楯以衛已知此則知兵矣戎之字從戈從甲蓋兵之道如此而已】謂之無方之傳【究變極無則適乎變通之防矣南華曰今蘄行周於魯是猶推舟於陸也勞而無功彼未知夫無方之傳應物而不窮者也】著乎無封之宇【或作博】制事內不能究其形者【或無者字】用兵外不能充其功【不得於內斯不可成於外矣】彼兵者有天有人有地【天時地利人和】兵極人【盡兵之事則人道得矣】人極【或作蔽】地【人極乃地】地極天【地極乃天】天有勝【天時故有勝】地有維【地利故有維】人有成【人和故有成】故善用兵者慎【子之所慎者戰】以天勝以地維以人成三者【案一本作王者】明白何設不可圖所謂天者非以無驗有勝【天事窈冥無所用質然而不可勝也】非以日勢之長而萬物之所受服者邪【日勢五行休王孤虛之屬】彼天生【或作士】物而不物者其原隂陽也四時生長收藏而不失序者【南華曰春夏先秋冬後神明之序也】其權音也【觸於角章於商之屬】音在乎不可傳者其功英也【其功以非糟粕故不可傳也】故所肄學兵必先天權陳以五行戰以五音左倍宮角右挾商羽【句】徵君為隨【徵在其後】以【或作轉】無素之眾【猶群也韓信曰信非得素拊循士大夫所謂敺市人而戰之也其勢非制死地人自為戰寧尚得而用之乎蓋知此矣】陸【或作陛】溺溺人【陸溺陸沈也蓋以竒用兵其隂謀赤地能興風波】故能徃來竇決【不水能致風波則彼雖如川之流可使之竭也荀子曰厭其源開其竇江湖可竭】獨金而不連【偏任金德隆於殺伐不以四行連而輔之故其如下所云】絶道之紀【或作絶】亂天之文幹音之謂違【或作達】物之情天之不綱【或作細】其咎燥【或作慘】兇【燥兇兇旱也四時之和不成故其咎兇旱老子曰必有凶年蓋言是也】欲無亂逆謹司天英天英【或無下天英二字】各失三軍無實夫不英而實孰有其物【言無是也凡物之生英而不實者有矣未有不英而實者也】常聖博【原缺二字】古今復一日者天地之所待而闔耳【或作耳目此言真聖三萬歳而成純則天地與我為一矣五行不能宰五音不能制雖遺隂陽可也茍為不在此域則豈能廢隂陽之術哉故下文雲】故天權神曲五音術兵逸言曰【天權神曲五音術兵逸言疑若兵法一書之名】章以禍福【禍福上或有斯字】若合符節凡事者生於慮成於務失於驚

One who carries heaven and earth in his hand and (or without “can”) roams [what the Zhuangzi calls standing by the sun and moon and tucking the universe under one’s arm is of this kind] is called one who circles (one text reads “huan,” another “yi”) round the name [always dwelling in true reality and not chasing after names], yet is not dragged along by the name [those who vainly look outward with envy, chase external things and lose themselves, are always carried along on the back of creation and transformation; how could they carry heaven and earth and roam?]. Brightness that can illuminate, light that can illuminate, yet cannot illuminate its own brightness; this is it. [Li Zhu wiped his eyes in broad daylight and could see every whisker and eyebrow a hundred paces away, yet could not look at his own eyelashes close up. So one who chases external things without turning back, more spirited than others, though his brightness shines like the moon and his light like the sun, cannot illuminate his own brightness; what is strange about that?] One who alone gives birth and transforms through ending and beginning, ordering and reaching according to what he can do, standing alone in the universe with no boundary [no border], is called the August Heaven and Earth [in the Liezi, Tang asks Xia Ge: what is there beyond the four seas? Ge said: the same as in the central province. Going east to Ying, the people are still like this; asked what lies east of Ying, it is again the same as Ying. Going west to Bin, the people are still like this; asked what lies west of Bin, it is again the same as Bin]. Floating and suspending the brightness of heaven and earth [the revolving of the four seasons moves the sun and moon, and the momentum is like floating and hanging]. To hand over the mandate and separate one from another is called time [when about to be so and with no gap, it is called fate. The revolving of the four seasons is simply allowed; yet wood spreads, metal contracts, fire flares, water arrays, like ears, eyes, nose, and mouth each having its own use and unable to communicate with one another]. To penetrate and then separate is called the Way [the Way originally has blockage and passage]. Joining the myriad things and leading heaven and earth [after “heaven and earth” some texts have the five characters “jian bao zhong jiu ming”], joining the shoulder (“bo” is one reading, another reads “universe”) and sharing the root is called yuzhou, the universe [closing heaven is called yu, opening yu is called zhou, and the two wait on each other to stand, so it is said joined at the shoulder and sharing a root]. By knowing yu, there is nothing that cannot be contained [what has substance but no place is yu; by knowing yu, there is nothing that cannot be contained]. By knowing zhou, there is nothing that is insufficient [what has length but no root or tip (the received text has a rare character here, which the Zhuangzi writes as “piao”) is zhou; by knowing zhou, there is nothing that is insufficient]. By knowing virtue [“virtue” is read by some as “hidden”], there is nothing that is not at ease [by knowing virtue, wherever one lands on earth, one settles without choosing]. By knowing the Way, there is nothing that is not heard [by knowing the Way, what one receives from heaven is heard without declining]. By knowing things, there is nothing that is not so [following what makes them so, the myriad things are all so]. One who knows only the “One” but does not know the Way cannot yet turn inward [he cannot see his own brightness, so it is said he cannot yet turn inward]. In the past, one who walked a road not knowing where to go yet insisted on seeking was surely deluded [in the Liezi, the man who lost a sheep said: there are forks within forks, and I did not know which to take, so I came back. Xindu Zi said: the great Way loses sheep through many forks, and learners lose their lives through many paths]. One who searches for what he does not know yet seeks it in “images” will surely not obtain it [the image is the fish-trap and rabbit-snare of meaning. To search for what one does not know by seeking in the trap, without knowing to seek beyond words and meaning, how could one reach that essence? The wheelwright said: what you read is already the dregs of the ancients. Tracing the meaning of Heguanzi, it is probably to clear the confusion and let people be single-minded, seeking the Way beyond words and meaning, and so this sentence appears, and the text below says]. So there is no one who is not covered by what he cannot see, separated by what he cannot hear, blocked by what he cannot open, bent by what he cannot do, and controlled by what he cannot overcome. The common multitude of the world are covered by these five and cannot pass this layer: before it is seen, the form is already there [though the omen of crisis has not yet shown, the principle is already present]. So it is said: there are soldiers of an army that does not exist, and mourning for a funeral that has not happened. That people make light of death and life, and make light of safety and danger, is for this reason [it is by this reason that one knows]. Mosquitoes and gadflies fall into a stream a thousand fathoms deep [what pours into a valley is called a stream], and only then begin to soar, making their own form [“form” is read by some as “guest.” Making the form of their soaring. High flight is called “ao,” and spreading the wings without moving is called “xiang”]. When an ox or horse falls [one text has only “horse,” which is wrong], it is smashed [“smashed” is read by some as another word] with no form left. Seen from this, the great is inconvenient, and the heavy’s wound is deeper [this says that when someone of high rank falls, the disaster is great. Laozi said: how can the lord of ten thousand chariots treat the world lightly with his own person? Note: one text has a rare character for “stumbles” (lost in transcription)]. Soldiers wade through death to take life and cross danger to take safety. So when words are right, the Way is carried out fittingly [“fittingly” is read by some as “richly,” and another text reads “the Way is settled richly.” When words are right, the Way is then carried out fittingly. Dao is like “to walk”]. So a single gnat biting the skin means one cannot sleep until dawn; half a grain of chaff in the eye means the four quarters cannot be governed. What is called being screened, must it be behind a curtain (the received text has a rare character here), hidden in a screen? [fine ones are called curtains (the received text is damaged at this word), coarse ones are called screens.] When all four sides are level and one still cannot see, this is called being screened [in the past there was a man of Qi who wanted gold, and early in the morning went to the market and grabbed another man’s gold, thinking that when taking the gold he saw only the gold and not the man. Desires disturb the human heart just like this; must there be something blocking all four sides?]. So when the eyes are sick and one looks, the eye cannot see; when one listens too eagerly, the ear cannot hear. Ignorance (or without this word), so knowledge and ability end together with what they hear and see [punctuate here]. Separation (“ge” read by some as “high”), so planning and acting end together with the strength they are entrusted with [punctuate here]. Blockage, so the four quarters send out and the upper chain (read by some as “upper link”) cannot connect (two words missing) and vanishes. The Way must have a response and then arrives [“arrives afterward” is read by some as “afterward joins and arrives.” One sees this in the Book of Changes]. Affairs must have virtue and then are completed. Virtue knows why affairs are completed and how completion is gained, and only then says “I can complete it.” Completed in non-action [completion lies in non-action], gained from no coming [gaining lies in no coming. Virtue at its utmost is so subtle that it must be understood by the heart; a ruler cannot get it from his ministers, and a son cannot present it to his father, so getting lies only in oneself, and how could its coming have a source? Note: after “understood by the heart” one text lacks “and”]. Examining its Way in detail (“in detail” is read by some as another word), where does it come from? Taking the past to look at today, one knows that he still cannot. One who sets up a marker and looks is not deluded, and one who cuts according to a rule is not doubtful, originally because it is said there is something to aim at. If one looks without a marker and cuts without a rule, is this not of the kind of delusion? What is called delusion is not the absence of the sun and moon’s brightness, the order of the four seasons, or the movement of stars, but being deluded because one has turned against these [“zi er” is read by some as “ci xi”]. [What is called delusion is simply turning it upside down; must it be that there is none? The Liezi says that heaven and earth, four quarters, water and fire, cold and heat are all inverted, probably of this kind.] Once deluded, the more one hurries to look the more confused one is, and when the illness is deep, the directions are changed [“hurried looking” is the sick looking at the four quarters mentioned above. So the book says: it is like those sick eyes that see flowers in the air—originally there are no flowers in the air, it is a false seeing. “Dun” is like “du.” “Changed directions” is what the Zhuangzi calls heaven, earth, and the four quarters exchanging places. When hurried looking reaches the exchange of heaven, earth, and the four quarters, it is a deep illness, and not only eyes seeing flowers]. Soldiers have tallies, and the Way has verification [probably only one who is not deluded can then see]. Preparation must be provided beforehand, and consideration must be settled early [otherwise one is deluded]. Below, rely on the advantages of the earth, and use the five phases to control: wood on the left and metal on the right, fire in front and water behind, earth at the center. In camping the army and drawing up the troops, do not lose what is fitting. When the five measures are set right [wood on left and metal on right, fire in front and water behind, earth in the center], there is no matter that cannot be lifted. Zhaoyao is above [Zhaoyao is the tip of the Dipper’s handle and governs direction], and the one who restores below arises [the Book of Rites says: on the march, the Vermilion Bird in front, the Dark Warrior behind, the Azure Dragon on the left, the White Tiger on the right, with Zhaoyao above, urgently restoring their rage—this is it. “Restoring” is like “continuing.” When soldiers drum once their spirit rises, at the second it fades, at the third it is exhausted, so one who is good at fighting always stores that rage, so that at the second it does not fade and at the third it is not exhausted. This is why the Yellow Emperor fought a hundred battles and his army was not defeated]. Take the model from Heaven, seek images from the four seasons [or “birth”] [seeking images from the four seasons is the same as seeking the image in the four seasons]. In spring use the Azure Dragon, in summer the Red Bird, in autumn the White Tiger, in winter the Dark Warrior. When heaven and earth have been obtained, what thing cannot be mastered? What principle dwells in is called earth; what spirit gives form to is called heaven. By knowing heaven, one can with a single move reach all four sides, move all together and yet complete alone (or “tax”). A bird rides on and flies (the received text has two rare characters here, lost in transcription), hanging (the received text has a rare character here) [or “soft,” uncertain]. So in the past those who were good at punitive campaigns did not do it to seek gain [one text says “seek victory”], but to make the numbers clear [one text says “make victory clear”]; in the past those who were good at fighting did not do it to seek victory, but to make victory clear. Have you not seen the recluse? [Some have “ji.”] If one lets others know of him, the one who knows has already bent and already known; as for those who do not know, even if they bow to him as teacher to hear, they still do not understand [the recluse conceals himself deeply, and so is as hard to know as this. This is why one who is good at fighting must reach “making victory clear”]. Alas! Those who are covered, imaged, separated, and blocked collapse before they are defeated and are captured before they are dead. To set out troops and take a state is the beauty of the martial; to take a state without moving is the flower of the civil [or “return”]. Scholars add to the martial, and people do not add to the civil [the two sentences are really one, and are phrased differently, so they differ]. One (or “very”) lacks love [martial affairs are harsh and cruel, and the fault is lacking kindness], which is hard to finish saying. The ear can hear well-tuned sounds but cannot itself make well-tuned sounds; the eye can see different forms but cannot itself make different forms; the mouth can talk of spirit and brightness but cannot itself make spirit and brightness [all this is used to show that teachers and masters can give people compass and square but cannot give people skill. So the text below says]. So those who practiced the technique of being teachers in the time of the former kings: call out to those lost on the road [those who are lost and do not turn back, call them not to go forward], lift the covering and veil [the Zhuangzi says: the Master lifted the covering for me, otherwise I would have no way to see the whole of heaven and earth], untie the cords and pull out the needles and thorns [“cords” as in cord-binding; “thorns” as in needle thorns], break through the dim and open the bright, and know it themselves. So they can stop and can go forward [“stop” is rest; “go” is like “proceed”], pass beyond common custom and rise above the ranks. In knowledge and strategy, their insight leaves the multitude (or “long”) behind; seeking (or “not yet”) to connect with the distant. What is difficult in front can be withstood, what is difficult behind can be made clear [“clear” as in “illuminate the past and examine the future”]. Grasping the guiding thread of the world without neglect [“neglect” means loss], they are (or “clearly”) far from the restraint of enemy states [not controlled by the enemy]. The Way of winning battles and taking cities responds to things without exhaustion; using “one” to master the ten thousand and not trying to take in every item [only lifting the main thread. If one tried to take in every matter, where would the strength to supply it come from?]. Each kind produces that place of glorious name (or “Zhai”) [the court is the place of glorious names. The tradition says: those who contend for fame are at court, those who contend for profit are in the market]. Exhausting the changes of the worthy and capable, reaching the utmost of the xiao and the shield (“yuan” is read by some as “nothing.” Xiao is the xiao axe; shield is the name for a defensive shield. The xiao is used to kill and the shield to guard oneself. To know this is to know soldiery. The character for “rong” consists of “spear” and “armor,” and the Way of soldiering is no more than this), is called transmission without direction [exhausting changes and reaching the utmost of that “nothing,” one enters the direction of adaptation. The Zhuangzi says: now to seek to apply the Zhou way in the state of Lu is like pushing a boat on dry land, laboring without result. He does not know the transmission without direction, responding to things without exhaustion], lodged in the boundless universe (or “vast”). One who inside cannot exhaust the form in managing affairs (or without “zhe”) cannot fill out the achievement when using troops outside [what is not obtained within cannot be completed outside]. As for soldiering, it has heaven, humans, and earth [the season of heaven, the advantage of earth, the harmony of humans]. The utmost of soldiering is people [when the business of soldiering is carried to the end, the Way of people is attained]; the utmost (or “screen”) of people is earth [the utmost of people is earth]; the utmost of earth is heaven [the utmost of earth is heaven]. Heaven has victory [the season of heaven is why it has victory], earth has the anchor [the advantage of earth is why it has the anchor], and people have completion [the harmony of people is why they have completion]. So one who is good at using troops is careful [what Confucius was careful about was war]: using heaven to win, using earth to anchor, and using people to complete. When these three (note: one text reads “the king”) are clear, what arrangement cannot be planned? What is called heaven is not that there is victory without verification [the affairs of heaven are dark and obscure, with no substance to use, yet it cannot be overcome], is it not because of the long duration of the day’s momentum and what the myriad things receive and obey? [The day’s momentum is the waxing and waning of the five phases, the void-and-solitary and the like.] That heaven gives birth (or “scholars”) to the myriad things but does not itself become a thing, its source is yin and yang; the four seasons give birth, grow, harvest, and store without losing their order [the Zhuangzi says: spring and summer first, autumn and winter after, is the order of spirit and brightness], and their authority is sound [touching on the jiao note, manifest in the shang note, and the like]. Sound lodges where it cannot be transmitted, and its achievement is the flower [its achievement is not dregs, and so it cannot be transmitted]. So the soldiers who are drilled in learning to fight must first place the authority of heaven in front. Arrange the formation by the five phases and fight by the five notes, doubling the gong and jiao on the left and holding the shang and yu on the right (punctuate here). The zhi ruler follows behind [zhi is behind it], to gather and (or “transfer”) the multitudes who have had no regular training [this word is like “group.” Han Xin said: I never trained the officers and men in ordinary times, as the saying goes, driving market people to fight; if the situation did not put them on ground of death where they fight for themselves, could they be used? Probably this is it]. Lu (or “bi”) drowning submerges people [lu-ni is lu-chen. Probably this means using troops by surprise, whose hidden scheme stirs the earth red and can raise wind and waves], so it can go and come and break open caves [it is not water yet can produce wind and waves, so even if the other side is like a river, it can be made dry. Xunzi said: block its source and open its channels, and rivers and lakes can be drained]. Using only metal without linking [relying solely on the virtue of metal and stressing killing and attack, not using the other four phases linked to assist, so its harm is as the text below says], it cuts off the Way’s thread (or “cuts”), disorders heaven’s pattern, disturbs the names of the notes, and goes against (or “reaches”) the nature of things. Heaven does not make it the guiding thread (or “fine”), and its fault is drought (or “cruelty”) and misfortune [drought and misfortune means harvest failure from drought. The harmony of the four seasons is not achieved, so the fault is harvest failure and drought. Laozi said: there will certainly be years of misfortune, probably meaning this]. If you want to be without disorder or reversal, carefully guard heaven’s flower. When heaven’s flower (or without the two words “heaven’s flower” below) is lost in each case, the three armies have no fruit. To be a flower without fruit, where is there such a thing? [This says there is no such thing. In the birth of all things, there are flowers without fruit, but none are fruit without flower.] The constant sage, broad (two words missing) over past and present, who repeats a single day, is what heaven and earth wait for with closed ears (or “ears and eyes”) [this says that when the true sage has three myriad years and becomes pure, heaven and earth are one with me. The five phases cannot rule him, the five notes cannot control him, and even if he drops yin and yang it is fine. If he is not yet in this domain, how could he abandon the arts of yin and yang? So the text below says]. So the “Tian Quan,” “Shen Qu,” “Wu Yin,” “Shu Bing,” and “Yi Yan” say [“Tian Quan,” “Shen Qu,” “Wu Yin,” “Shu Bing,” and “Yi Yan” are probably titles of books on the art of war]: make plain with calamity and blessing (“calamity and blessing” is preceded by “si” in some texts), fitting like tallies. In all affairs, they are born in consideration, completed in effort, and lost in alarm.

原聖心之作【句】情隱防而後【或作以】起【情如情天地之情言聖人盡天下之情然後應物】散無方而求【或作永】監焉【道中庸故求監焉】軼眇而後無【軼如軼倫之軼言聖人超天下之理然後忘物】抗澂幽而思謹焉【道中庸故思謹焉】截六際而不絞【情隱防而求監軼眇而思謹此道之所以大而不蕩小而不廹也故能截六際而不絞六際六合也絞者廹切之辭截言以此為界蓋六合之外聖人存而不論六合之內聖人論而不議】觀乎孰莫【或作暮孰莫猶無何也】聽乎無罔極乎無系論乎窈冥湛不亂紛故能絶塵埃而立乎太清徃無與俱【獨徃】來無與偕【獨來】希備寡屬【食於茍簡之田故云希備遊於寂寞之鄉故云寡屬】孤而不伴【未嘗設對案一本作設封非】所以無疵【澡雪之至案疵一本作疪】保【或作□】然獨至【保猶安也所謂不行而至者是】傳未有之將然【見於未萌】領無首之即次【和而不召案召一本作唱】度十五而用事【或作度十十耑肝事徃來】量徃來【或作力】而廢興【巳徃者廢方來者興】因動靜而結生【元作笙結猶實也生猶華也】能天地而舉措【能天能地】自然形也不可改也竒耦數也不可增減也成敗兆也非而長也【而女也長如長民之長】故其得道以立者地能立之其得道以僕【或作邳】者地弗能立也其得道以安者地能安之其得道以危者地弗能安也其得道以生者天能生之其得道以死者天弗能生也其得道以【案一本無以字】存者天能存之其得道以亡者天弗能存也彼安危勢也存亡理也何可責於天道鬼神奚與【直而推之曲而任之自安自危自存自亡天道豈容有責而鬼神亦奚與哉】一者【或作曰】德之賢也【未離乎數】聖者賢之愛也【愛猶慕也】道者聖之所吏也【吏猶任也】至之所得也【不離於真謂之至人故道者聖人之所吏至人之所得也案真一作貞】以至【或作聖】圖【或作國】弗能載名弗能舉口不可以致其意貎不可以立其狀若道之象門戸是也【道猶言也】賢不肖愚知由焉出入而弗異也道者開物者也【能使之由而已】非齊物者也【不能序之】故聖道也道非聖也【夫聖人者道之主也故聖道也而道非聖也】道者通物者也聖者序物者也是以有先王之道而無道之先王【此申聖道也道非聖也之義】故聖人者後天地而生而知天地之始先天地而亡而知天地之終力不若天地而知天地之任氣不若隂陽而能為之經不若萬物多而能為之正不若眾美麗而能舉善指過焉不若道德富而能為之崇【易曰崇髙莫大乎富貴髙者貴也崇者富也】不若神明照而能為之主【或作王】不若鬼神潛而能著其靈不若金石固而能燒其勁不若方圓治【或作活】而能陳其形昔之得道以立至今不遷者四時太山是也其得道以危至今不可安者苓【或作芩】巒堙【或作甄】谿【苓如零落之零堙塞也】橐木降風【橐蘀落之蘀降下也】是也其得道以生至今不亡者日月星辰是也其得道以亡至今不可存者苓葉遇霜朝露遭日是也故聖人者取之於勢而弗索於察勢者其專而在已者也察【按一本作蔡非】者其散而之物者也物乎物芬芬份份【離亂之貎】孰不從一齣【皆出於一】至一易【至一而易】故定審於人觀變於物口者所以抒心誠意也或不能俞受【或作愛】究暁【俞之言然受聽受也】其所謂或過其實故行異者相非道異者相戾詖辭者革【或作庠】物者也【詖辭蓋若告子之類告子外義聖人無之故曰革物者也】聖人知其所離淫辭者因物者也【淫辭蓋若墨子之類墨子兼愛聖人有之故曰因物者也】聖人知其所合詐辭者沮物者也【詐猶邪也】聖人知其所飾【又從而為之辭】遁辭者請物者也【夷之曰命之矣】聖人知其所極【極猶窮也】正辭者物者也【不詖不淫不邪不遁謂之正辭】聖人知其所立立者能効【或作郊】其所可知也莫能道其所不及【防妙之防意不能到況於言乎】明諭【或為論】外內後能定人【表裡俱通而後可以印證】一在而不可見道在而不可專切譬於淵其深不測凌凌乎泳澹波而不竭【涵泳溢流莫之能竭】彼雖至人能以練其精神修其耳目整飾其身【或作飾其身體】若【或作與】合符節小大麴制無所遺失逺近邪【或作幹】直無所不及是以徳萬人者謂之俊徳千人者謂之豪徳百人者謂之英故聖者言之凡也【一本凡也下雲而察人聖者之功也此所以虛傳章文顯能未立上下異奏賢不如尊卑之術也合百家為聖人故曰言之凡也凡者統要之辭】

Tracing back to the origin of the sage's mind as it stirs [punctuation here is conjectural], the feelings are subtle and clear and only then [some texts read “thereby”] arise [“feelings” as in “to feel the feelings of heaven and earth.” This says the sage exhausts the feelings of the world and only then responds to things]. Scattering toward no fixed place to seek [some texts read “forever”] oversight and illumination [the Way is the Mean (using the middle, not a mediocre compromise), so it seeks oversight]. Surpassing the dark and subtle, and only then having nothing [“surpass” as in surpassing one's peers: the sage rises above the world's principles and only then forgets things], holding up the clear and deep while being careful in thought [the Way is the Mean, so thought is careful]. Cutting off the six limits without tightening them [the feelings are subtle and so one seeks oversight; surpassing the dark and subtle, one is careful in thought; this is how the Way is great without being unrestrained and small without being cramped, and so it can cut off the six limits without constricting. The six limits are the six directions. “Constrict” is a word for pressing. “Cut” means taking this as the boundary. Probably beyond the six directions the sage preserves but does not discuss, and within the six directions the sage discusses but does not debate]. Looking at what is “no-where” [some texts read “dusk.” “Shu mo” is like “wu he,” nothing in particular], listening to what has no net, reaching to the point of no ties, discussing the dim and obscure, lucid and still without confusion or tangle, and so cutting off dust and dirt and standing within the Great Clarity. Going, nothing goes with him [going alone], coming, nothing comes with him [coming alone], with few provisions and few subordinates [eating in fields of simplicity, so it is said few provisions; wandering in villages of solitude, so few subordinates], solitary yet without a companion [never setting up a counterpart. Note: one text reads “setting up boundaries,” which is wrong], and so without flaw [washed and cleansed to the utmost. Note: one text reads a variant for “flaw”]. Still [some texts have a missing character] he arrives alone [“still” is like “at peace.” What is called arriving without walking is this]. Passing on what has not yet been, what is about to be so [seeing it before it sprouts], leading what has no head, taking order nearby [harmonizing without summoning. Note: one text reads “chanting” for “summoning”]. Measuring fifteen and handling affairs [some texts read a garbled phrase], gauging going and coming [some texts read “strength”] and rise and fall [what has gone falls, what is about to come rises], binding fruit in accord with movement and stillness [the original reads “sheng.” “Binding” is like “fruit,” and “birth” is like “flower”]. Able to be heaven and earth in raising and setting [able to be heaven and able to be earth]. The natural form cannot be changed; the numbers of odd and even cannot be added to or subtracted from; the omens of success and failure are not for you to lengthen [“er” is “ru” (you); “lengthen” as in “to head the people”]. So one who gains the Way and stands, the earth can stand him; one who gains the Way and falls [some texts read a variant], the earth cannot make him stand. One who gains the Way and is secure, the earth can secure him; one who gains the Way and is in danger, the earth cannot secure him. One who gains the Way and lives, heaven can give him life; one who gains the Way and dies, heaven cannot give him life. One who gains the Way and [Note: one text lacks the word “thereby”] survives, heaven can preserve him; one who gains the Way and perishes, heaven cannot preserve him. Safety and danger are circumstance, and survival and ruin are principle; how can one blame the Way of Heaven, and what part did ghosts and spirits ever take? [Push the straight, let the crooked go; each is safe or in danger by himself, each survives or perishes by himself; how could the Way of Heaven allow blame, and what part did ghosts and spirits ever take?] “The One” [some texts read “says”] is the worthy among virtues [not yet apart from number]; the sage is whom the worthy admire [“admire” is like “yearn for”]; the Way is what the sage employs [“employ” is like “entrust”], and what the perfected person attains [not leaving the true is called the perfected person. So the Way is what the sage employs and what the perfected person attains. Note: “true” is written as another character in one text]. If one takes the perfected [some texts read “sage”] to draw it [some texts read “state”], a drawing cannot hold it, a name cannot list it, the mouth cannot use it to convey meaning, and the appearance cannot use it to set up a form. Like the image of the Way, the door is just that [“Way” is like “speak”]. The worthy and the unworthy, the foolish and the wise, go in and out from here, and yet there is no difference. The Way is what opens things [it merely lets people walk through here], not what equalizes things [it cannot give them an order]. So the sage is the Way, but the Way is not the sage [the sage is the master of the Way, so the sage is the Way but the Way is not the sage]. The Way is what connects things, and the sage is what orders things. So there is the Way of the former kings, but no “former kings of the Way” [this explains the meaning of “the sage is the Way but the Way is not the sage”]. So the sage is born after heaven and earth yet knows the beginning of heaven and earth; he dies before heaven and earth yet knows the end of heaven and earth. His strength is not equal to heaven and earth, yet he knows what they bear; his breath is not equal to yin and yang, yet he can serve as their warp; he is not as numerous as the myriad things, yet he can be their rectifier; he is not as beautiful as the many things, yet he can raise the good and point out faults; he is not as rich as Way and virtue, yet he can serve as their exalter [the Changes says: nothing exalted is greater than wealth and honor. “High” is honor and “exalted” is wealth]; he does not illuminate like the spirits, yet he can serve as their lord [some texts read “king”]; he does not lie hidden like ghosts and spirits, yet he can bring out their numinous power; he is not as solid as metal and stone, yet he can burn away their rigidity; he is not as well-ordered [some texts read “lively”] as the square and the round, yet he can lay out their forms. In the past, those who gained the Way and stood, and have not moved to this day, are the four seasons and Mount Tai; those who gained the Way and were in danger and cannot be made safe to this day are Ling [some texts read a variant] peaks, Yin [some texts read a variant] streams, Tuo trees, and Jiang winds [“Ling” is like the “ling” of “scattering”; “Yin” means “to block”; “Tuo” is the “tuo” of “fallen bark”; “Jiang” means “descend”]. Those who gained the Way and live, and have not perished to this day, are the sun, moon, and stars; those who gained the Way and perished and cannot be made to survive to this day are the ling leaf meeting frost and the morning dew meeting the sun. So the sage takes from circumstance and does not seek in scrutiny. Circumstance is what is concentrated and located on one's own side; scrutiny [Note: one text reads a different character, which is wrong] is what is scattered and falls on things. Things, oh things, in confusion and multitudes [a look of disorder], which does not come out of “the One” [all come from the One]? The perfect One is easy [the perfect One is easy]. So settle and examine in people, and observe change in things. The mouth is used to express the mind and speak the meaning sincerely, yet some cannot comply [some texts read “love”], fully investigate and understand, and instead trumpet (the base text has a rare character, the common text reads “trumpet”) what they say, or even exceed the facts. So those whose conduct differs blame each other, and those whose Ways differ oppose each other. One-sided speech is what changes [some texts read “school”] things [one-sided speech is probably like Gaozi and the like; Gaozi puts righteousness outside, and the sage has no such aspect, so it is said to change things]; the sage knows where it departs; excessive speech is what follows things [excessive speech is probably like Mozi and the like; Mozi's universal love is something the sage also has, so it is said to follow things]; the sage knows where it fits; deceitful speech is what obstructs things [“deceit” is like “crookedness”]; the sage knows what it covers up [and then makes words for it]; evasive speech is what pleads for things [Yi Zhi's saying: it has already been decreed]; the sage knows where it ends [“end” is like “exhaust”]; upright speech is what benefits (the base text has a rare character, the common text reads “benefits”) things [neither one-sided, nor excessive, nor crooked, nor evasive is called upright speech]; the sage knows what it establishes. Those who establish can imitate [some texts read “suburb”] what they can know, and no one can speak of what they cannot reach [at the level of the profound, even meaning cannot arrive, how much less words?]. Understanding the outer and inner and making them clear [some texts read “discuss”], only then can one settle on people [when outer and inner are both penetrated, one can then verify]. “The One” is there yet cannot be seen; the Way is there yet cannot be monopolized. Compared close up it is like an abyss, whose depth cannot be fathomed, and one swims gently in its calm waves without it running dry [swimming and overflowing, nothing can make it run dry]. Even the perfected person can use it to refine his spirit, cultivate his ears and eyes, and adorn his body [some texts read “adorn his bodily frame”], like tallies fitting together, with nothing lost in small or large, curved or regulated, and nothing out of reach near or far, crooked [some texts read a variant] or straight. So one whose virtue surpasses ten thousand is called a hero, one whose virtue surpasses a thousand is called a champion, and one whose virtue surpasses a hundred is called an eminent. So the sage is the sum total of words [one text has after “is the sum” the added sentence: and being able to read people is the work of the sage. This is how empty chapters and displayed ability are not yet established, how those above and below play different tunes, and how the worthy are not equal to the arts of high and low rank. Gathering the hundred schools to make a sage, so he is called the sum of words. “Sum” is a word for the essential summary].

武靈王問龎煥【或作暖】曰【武靈趙武靈也龎煥蓋暖之兄】寡人聞飛語流傳曰百戰而勝非善之善者也不戰而勝善之善者也願聞其解龎煥曰工者貴無與爭【工猶善也】故大上用計謀其次因人事其下戰克用計謀者熒惑敵國之主使變更淫【或作謡】俗【使為淫俗所移】哆恭防恣而無聖人之數愛人而與無功而爵未勞而賞喜則釋罪怒則妄殺法民【或作居】而自慎【或作填刑民而自以為慎】少人而自至【狹人而自以為至】繁無用嗜【或作蓍】龜占【專任卜筮而已】髙義下【或作不】合意內之人所謂因人事者結幣帛用貨財閉近人之復其口【以賂買其近臣使順其口】使其所謂是者盡非也所謂非者盡是也離【或作雖】君之際用忠臣之路【離之言間】所謂戰克者其國已素破兵從而攻之因句踐用此【或作因陽用此無句踐二字】而吳國亡楚用此而陳蔡舉【靈王八年使棄疾滅陳十年使棄疾定蔡因為陳蔡】三家用此而智氏亡【或作殘三家晉韓魏也】韓用此而東分【晉頃公十二年韓宣子與趙魏共分祁氏羊舌氏十縣東分其謂是乎】今世之言兵也皆強大者必勝小弱者必滅是則小國之君無覇王者而萬乗之主無破亡也昔夏廣而湯狹殷大而周小越弱而吳強此所謂不戰【或作能一】而勝善之善者也此隂經之法【隂經黃帝之書也】夜行之道天武之類也今或殭屍百萬流血千里而勝未決也以為功計之每已不若是故聖人昭然獨思【或作得恩】忻然獨喜若夫耳聞金鼓之聲而希功目見旌旗【或作祀祺】之色而希陳手握兵刃之枋而希戰【枋柄也】出進合鬬而希勝是襄主之所破亡也武靈慨然嘆曰存亡在身微乎哉福之所生寡人聞此日月有以自觀昔克徳者不詭命得【案一本無得字】要者其言不眾

King Wuling asked Pang Huan [some texts read “Nuan”]: [Wuling is King Wuling of Zhao. Pang Huan was probably the elder brother of Pang Nuan.] “I have heard that a rumor goes about: winning a hundred battles is still not the best of the good; winning without fighting is the best of the good. I should like to hear its explanation.” Pang Huan said: “What matters for a skillful person is that no one competes with him [“skilled” is like “good”]. So the highest uses stratagems, the next relies on human affairs, and the lowest depends on winning in war. One who uses stratagems confuses the ruler of the enemy state, makes him change his ways and be carried away [some texts read “rumor”] by custom [makes him be moved by licentious custom], makes his show of reverence grand and then also arrogant and without limit (the base text has a rare variant, the common text reads “arrogant and unrestrained”), yet without the sage's arts; he loves people but gives carelessly, enfeoffs without merit, rewards without toil, lets off the guilty when pleased, and kills at random when angry; he governs the people [some texts read “dwell”] with law yet considers himself careful [some texts read a variant. He governs the people with filling-up punishment yet considers himself careful]; he looks down on others yet considers himself to have reached the limit [narrows people in his view yet thinks he has arrived]; he busies himself with useless things in fussy detail and is fond [some texts read a variant] of tortoise divination [which is only entrusted to divination]; he elevates righteousness very high yet stoops [some texts read “not”] to accord with those who suit his own heart. What is called relying on human affairs is tying up silks and using goods and wealth to block the ruler's close ministers, making them repay that mouth [buying off the close ministers with bribes, so they follow that mouth], making everything he considers right become wrong and everything he considers wrong become right; sowing division [some texts read “although”] in the ruler's occasions and blocking the path of loyal ministers [“separate” means to sow discord]. What is called winning in war is that the state has already been broken beforehand and troops then follow to attack. Goujian used this [some texts read ‘Yin Yang used this’ without the words ‘Goujian’] and the state of Wu fell; Chu used this and Chen and Cai were taken [In the eighth year of King Ling of Chu he sent Qi Ji to destroy Chen, and in the tenth year he sent Qi Ji to settle Cai, thus making Chen and Cai]; the three houses used this and the Zhi clan was destroyed [some texts read “ruined.” The three houses are Han and Wei of Jin]; Han used this and then divided to the east [in the twelfth year of Duke Qing of Jin, Han Xuanzi with Zhao and Wei divided ten counties of the Qi and Yangshe clans. Does ‘divided to the east’ refer to this?]. Those who discuss war in the world today all say that the large and strong must win and the small and weak must perish; if so, the rulers of small states would never become hegemons or kings, and the lords of ten thousand chariots would never be ruined. In the past Xia was broad and Tang narrow, Yin was large and Zhou small, Yue was weak and Wu strong, and this is what is called winning without fighting [some texts read “able to unite”], the best of the good. This is the method of the Yin Classic [the Yin Classic is a book of Huangdi], the way of night travel, the kind of heavenly martial arts. Sometimes today there are a million corpses lying and blood flowing a thousand li, and victory and defeat are not yet decided. Reckoned by merit, it is often already not as good as this. So the sage clearly thinks alone [some texts read “obtains grace”] and delights alone. As for those whose ears hear the sound of gongs and drums and hope to achieve merit, whose eyes see the colors of banners [some texts read a variant] and hope to array formations, whose hands grip the haft of weapons and hope to begin battle [“bing” means handle], and who go out, advance, and join combat hoping to win: this is the road by which the ruler Xiang was ruined (a ruler who clings to battle and entrusts victory and defeat to the battle line).” Wuling sighed in deep feeling and said: “Survival and ruin are in oneself. How subtle, the place where blessings arise! Having heard this, the sun and moon will find their own way to look.” In the past, one who could overcome with virtue did not stray from fate; one who got [Note: one text lacks the word “got”] the essentials did not need many words.