Selections from Chuang-tzu

Chuang-Tzu was a Taoist philosopher born in 4th century China. It is believed that Chuang-tzu wrote the first seven chapters of his self-titled book, and that is was completed by his disciples. One of Chuang-tzu's greates concerns was the limitation of knowledge. He claimed that man is limited by too many influences (culture, language, age, etc.) to be able to understand the unlimited--the universal truths. In many places Chuang-tzu takes a similar approach in philisophical instruction to Plato's Dialogues. He does not embrace the logical rationale, however, that Socrates espouses. Chuang-tzu feels that there is no objective truth which men may perceive--only a subjective experience. Most of Chuang-tzu's instruction takes the anecdotal form popular in Chinese philosophy; he shares stories about his own experience, and such figures as Confucius and Lao Tzu.

The first chapter is translated as "wandering beyond." Chuang-tzu believes that man must challenge himself to search beyond his limitations, to imagine beyond what he has perceived, to entertain ideas beyond what he believes is true. In this way he can overcome his natural limitations. A man must leave his life behind to begin this journey to better understanding--he must let go of his preconceptions and his own will before he can see the direction he must travel. This journey must be taken alone, for it must be without the familiar and without distraction.

"You will cross many rivers and come at last to a lake so wide that, gaze as you will, you cannot see the further shore. Yet you will go on, without knowing whether it will ever end. At the shores of this lake all that came with you will turn back. But you will still have far to go. What matter? "He who needs others is for ever shackled; he who is needed by others is forever sad." I would have you drop these shackles, put away your sadness, and wander alone with Tao in the kingdom of the Great Void."

The second chapter discusses the nature of things--plants, animals, humans, time--and man's understanding of them. Chuang-tzu discusses the tale of a wizard who could manipulate the nature of stone, fire, and water. The wizard shows the king through a "journey of the soul" that once a man lets go of doubts, his innate understanding will allow him to perform miracles. In a similar story, a reknowned carver tells a king that his skill was born of the understanding he gained by perceiving matter with his soul. "My sense-organs are in abeyance, but my soul still works. Unerringly, my knife follows the natural markings, slips into the natural cleavages, finds its way into the natural cavaties."

The above image is Zhuangzi Dreaming of a Butterfly by Lhu Zi, painted on silk in the 16th century Ming Dynasty. It can be found here.