Monday, August 9, 2021

Zhuangzi 1.3 Knowledge For One Office

故夫知效一官,行比一鄉,德合一君而徵一國者,其自視也亦若此矣。而宋榮子猶然笑之。且舉世而譽之而不加勸,舉世而非之而不加沮,定乎內外之分,辯乎榮辱之竟,斯已矣。彼其於世,未數數然也。雖然,猶有未樹也。夫列子御風而行,泠然善也,旬有五日而後反。彼於致福者,未數數然也。此雖免乎行,猶有所待者也。若夫乘天地之正,而御六氣之辯,以遊無窮者,彼且惡乎待哉!故曰:至人無己,神人無功,聖人無名。

Thus, a man whose knowledge fulfills one office, whose conduct matches one village, whose virtue suits one ruler and who then conducts one country, he regards himself so, just like this (quail). But Song Rongzi still laughs at this. Furthermore, the whole world (could) praise him and (it would) not urge him forward. The whole world (could) condemn him and (it would) not cause dismay. Fixed-the division of internal and external. Distinct-the bounds of glory and disgrace. Here he stopped. That (Song Rongzi), in his regard of the world, was not concerned. However, this is not yet being "established." Liezi charioted the wind and went forth, good at being light and cool, enough to go for fifteen days before turning back. That (Liezi), in regarding things which send fortune, was not concerned. Like this, even without going forward, there is still that for which one waits. If one could ascend the rightness of heaven and earth, and drive the winds of the six divisions (directions), by wandering in that which cannot be exhausted, that - how is that waiting! Therefore it is said: the utmost person (is) without self, spiritual person (is) without merit; the sage (is) without name.

Notes:
can also be “imitation.” Mozi (Minor Illustrations 2) regards imitation as the basis of standards. The critical implication is consistent with the criticisms of fixed standards and imitation in Ch. 2.
is usually comparative in nature. Here the person's behavior matches the behavior of one community, the “moral standard” is derived from conformity to a single location, a single set of preferences, etc.
can indicate matching, combining with, being proper; all of these suggest a form of completing or “fitting” (like the lid of a box). Probably related to these images can also refer to marriage or a marital match. Could this be a subtle joke aiming at the Confucian practice of looking for a lonely prince who longs for moral instruction? We may never know, but now I want a “Lonely Prince Moral Sage” 动画.
舉世 from an early point begins to mean “throughout the world” or “in the whole world.” I wonder if the idea is something like “enumerating examples from the whole world.”
shù tree; plant; cultivate; establish. I like the tree image as the “root” (sorry) of this phrase, for drawing attention to the cultivation of one’s own capacities. This foreshadows Master Shi’s encounter with the sacred tree in Ch. 4. This seems like an ironic contrast with the aerial roaming of Peng, but it may also connect to Peng’s capacity to soar on great heights, and this paragraph’s subsequent discussions on different degrees of cultivation or “being established” (in the Way).
I totally came up with “charioted” before checking Ziporyn and finding he already did this :D
天地之正 this corresponds with Ch. 2’s criticisms of (setting the right standard) and the suggestion to reside in 無竟 (that without borders or limits).

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