Zhuangzi 2.5 This and That

Original

物無非彼，物無非是。

自彼則不見，自知則知之。

故曰：彼出於是，是亦因彼。

彼是，方生之說也。

 

雖然，方生方死，方死方生；

方可方不可，方不可方可；

因是因非，因非因是。

是以聖人不由，而照之于天，亦因是也。

 

是亦彼也，彼亦是也。

彼亦一是非，此亦一是非。

果且有彼是乎哉？

果且無彼是乎哉？

 

彼是莫得其偶，謂之道樞。

樞始得其環中，以應無窮。

是亦一無窮，非亦一無窮也。

故曰「莫若以明」。

 

Translation

There is nothing without “that,” there is nothing without “this.

From the method of “that” (it) is not seen; (only) from the method of knowing (awareness) it is known.

Therefore it is said: “that” emerges from “this,” and “this” depends on “that” (*)

“That” and “this,” it is said they are born together.

 

Even though: together born and passing away, together passing away and being born;

Together admissible and inadmissible, together inadmissible and admissible;

(There is still) “because (this is) right and because (that is) wrong,” or "because (that is) wrong and because (this is) right."

Therefore the sagely person does not use this method, but rather illuminates things together in Heaven, which is also "because of this."

 

“This” is also “that,” and “that” is also “this.”

“That” is merely one “right and wrong,” and “this” is merely one “right and wrong.”

Does (this) result in having “this” and “that?”

Does (this) result in not having “this” and “that?”

 

“That” and “this” have not reached their coincidence, (which) is called the Pivot (Hinge) of Dao.

The hinge is found in the center of circumstances, taking affirmation without exhaustion.

Affirmation without exhaustion, negation without exhaustion.

Thus it is said, (there is) nothing like using clarity!

 

There is Nothing without That/This

As noted recently by one colleague, “the linguistic contradictions of the Qi Wu Lun either delight someone’s heart or give them chills.” I suspect he had this passage in mind. You are free to guess how I feel (which should not be difficult). The key to the passage is that any linguistic distinction (whether this-or-that or this-and-not-this) is an act of conceptual abstraction. Or, any conceptual abstraction is also a linguistic distinction. For Zhuangzi, linguistic distinctions occur within the world, and thus can never fully encapsulate or capture the world.

 

Consider the problem from the earlier question: “how is the way obscured by language?” In Zhuangzi’s view, the world is irreducibly complex. The Way is the totality of complex interdependent relationships that drives all transformation and the experience of change. For Zhuangzi, any attempt to reduce the world to language will be insufficient and partializing. The problem is a problem of demarcation, abstraction, conceptualization, and oversimplification. Every act of linguistic demarcation (this-or-that, (is-the-case, is-not-the-case) is an incomplete abstract conceptualization that creates the possibility of opposition. By virtue of stating “this” we create a “that.” By virtue of identifying anything as “this” we raise the possibility of “not this” or “opposite to this.” This is the “birth of opposites.” The problem is a problem of language, and it is a problem for all language.

 

The Hinges of Dao

The name of this blog and the center of all affirmation and negation. Zhuangzi’s broader point is that disputation reduces discourse to arguments based on limited perspectives and partisan distinctions. When forced to give advice the sage keeps their own views hidden and provides discourse that provides possibilities of transformation. Instead of trying to emerge victorious in disputations about what is or is not, or what should or should not be, the sage provides insights related to what is possible and what could be possible. This moves the goal of the argument from proving-right-versus-wrong to establishing models of possible action that integrate the concerns of all parties involved. Or at least those parties wise enough to listen to sage.

 

Notes

Legge, Watson, and Ziporyn all utilize quotation marks to highlight the role of linguistic denotation in discourse and disputation. I follow their practice here. I think this is warranted due to the frequent use of shi/fei in both content and grammar (structure). The terms are frequently used to preface or mark statements the speaker thinks should be affirmed or negated.