#guanzi

Hills of heather in bloom, Scotland. H/t Alain-Robert Nadeau

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To be partial which is bad, yet I talk so much about human nature and how important it is to abide in that. I’m currently reflecting on a few of my ramblings on Twitter/X. And, being the overtly critical, fault-finding person that I am, I can see how one could read my musings (babbles) on Twitter and come to the conclusion I promote relativism, subjective, selfish thinking and behaviors. In fact, I was accused (respectfully of course) for having a relativists stand point on religions spiritual validity, so this is not all just me being hard on myself. But this post isn’t on the spiritual validity of beliefs I firmly reject. This is again, about human nature, the heart, and partiality. I firmly believe to hold my self accountable for such words — no one else will. Though I think now I can at least, somewhat coherently explain what I mean. This articulation gave rise from reading the very brief Hsin Shu Hsia 心術下 from the Guanzi (Kuan-Tzu) 管子. I will present two passages first in the Chinese from Ctext then the English translated by W. Allyn Rickett. On the surface, these passages will appear extremely contradictory to each other, but in fact, like most “paradoxes,” they are not. The second passage will sound somewhat familiar if you, the reader, have been reading a few things I’ve been babbling about on Twitter/X about Human Nature 性: https://x.com/weidaoduzun3/status/1804336340382695893?s=46&t=sqwZ_lq9YqUTL8wOG2k5qw & https://x.com/weidaoduzun3/status/1804570445775069285?s=46&t=sqwZ_lq9YqUTL8wOG2k5qw. Let’s get into it then, shall we?

私者，亂天下者也。凡物載名而來，聖人因而財之，而天下治，實不傷不亂於天下而天下治。

6a. "Partiality is what brings confusion to the world. It is ever so that things come bearing names. The sage relies on these to make decisions about them so the world will be well regulated. If actualities are not violated [by their names] there will be no confusion in the world and the world will be well regulated."

豈無利事哉，我無利心，豈無安處哉？我無安心，心之中又有心意以先言，意然後形，形然後思，思然後知，凡心之形，過知失生。

G. "Can there be affairs which are not beneficial? Yes, if they are not beneficial to my heart. Can there be a place where one may not rest? Yes, if my heart cannot be at rest there. Within the heart there is another heart. Intellect comes before words. After intellect come forms, and after forms come thoughts. After thoughts comes knowledge. It is ever so that if the form of the heart acquires excessive knowledge life is lost."

As I have suggested in the introduction, this may appear paradoxical. In 6a we are told not to abide in partiality. As it causes great confusion in the world. But now, in G. it seems to suggest that one should show partiality to what is of and not of the heart. My work around for this is to not think of and follow the Heart made manifest (your emotions). Do not abide in the thoughts — which are manifests of Intellect.

When one abides in the essence of their Intellect; the essence of their Heart, this is the essence of human nature 性. The essence of human nature is a persistence and following of Ziran 自然 (Naturalness unmanifested), and by extension, of Dao 道. When one doesn’t muddle with the emotions and excessive knowledge that generates anthropocentric partiality — this is to have an empty heart and mind. This is to fast the heart and mind 心斋 (Xin Zhai). This is to have use of Dao, yet never exhaust such usage.

As 6a suggests, yes things manifest. Things become partial to each other. "6a. It is ever so that things come bearing names." There is Good and there are things not-Good. Heaven and Earth naturally create such names, and such biases. This is of Ziran and the sage is not ignorant of such naturally distinguished things provided by Heaven and Earth (in fact, the partiality and distinction between Heaven and Earth are indeed of the unmanifested Naturalness of Dao -- Ziran). There are those who do good things for the sheer greed of wanting to “appear good.” We don’t need textual examples and evidence for this but here is one — See here in the Essential Huainanzi 16.77:

There are also those who do things that are “not-Good” yet do so virtuously — see chapter 10 of the Zhuangzi:

To be able to discern these situations and persons is to have Dao. To see with the Eye of Heaven, Tian Mu 天眼 if you like. This is to abide and differentiate in the actualities of names and partialities and not confuse them, as 6a suggests. To be empty of your emotions, and your thoughts — i.e. empty of partiality! To know what is truly of the Good and what is not — is not to have our subjective opinions and emotions into such subjects as “Good” and “no-Good.” But have and use the objectivity of the Eye of Heaven in our decisions and actions of these names and subjects. To see with the Eye of Heaven, I believe is to be in accordance with human nature, which is not distinct from Ziran. Abiding in the heart, in human nature, in Ziran, effortlessly begets a natural inclination too accord with all things of Dao. To be able to discern Yin from Yang — but realize it is all One. This is what the sentence in between 6a and G alludes to I believe.

7a. "The sage decides about things but is not manipulated by them."

The sage — in perfect alignment with their human nature, which at its purest iteration is an extension of Ziran (Naturalness of Dao), can know which affairs are beneficial and not beneficial, as G suggests. The Sage can abide in their heart and know what is beneficial to them, because “what is beneficial to the sage” is not discriminated from what is beneficial to Dao. The sage can decide on things, listen to the essence of their heart but is never manipulated or confused by their decisions. Thus, what is good to the sage is not partial at all — not relative or subjective in the slightest. Of course, the attainment of sage-hood which begets such a effortless clairvoyance of Yin and Yang is not easy to achieve. I don’t know if I, or you the reader will ever be able to achieve such a thing. But it is possible. It is possible to regulate and fast the heart, and to see with the Eye of Heaven. It is possible and good to abide in your human nature. Which is not the self made manifest, but the essence of one’s heart, the essence of one’s intellect that is naturally inclined and aligned with Dao. I want us all to try and see things with the objective Eye of Heaven, to know right from wrong, to abide in the essence our hearts. To realize our heart within our heart, is connected to the Naturalness of Dao (Ziran).

This is not a “kill your emotions” and become an e-stoic bro propaganda message. This is not an anti-intellectual approach to governing yourself. Studying, evaluating, and pronouncing upon knowledge and emotions is what we all have to do in the Realm of Desire — this is a beautiful thing. It’s also very ugly. Cause and Effect is both beautiful and ugly! Know what triggers love, know what triggers anger and vengeance. Know what knowledge cultivates your tranquility. One cannot, not do that.

What I am suggesting though is when one empties, or perhaps knows when to stop listening; being dictated by excessive knowledge and stop being ruled by emotions — we can become Still and Tranquil. Becoming Still and Tranquil, we can make room for the pneumas of Dao, which in turn will naturally reveal to us the patterns of Yin and Yang. Reveal to us that indeed The Realm of Desire, Form and Formlessness is within and without. Know that Dao is within and without. Such paradoxes of holding to impartiality and abiding in human nature/the heart are thus vanished for the sage.

Of course, this is all easier said then done, and my articulation (albeit probably a clumsy one) of this doesn’t mean to suggest I have a mastery of “seeing the patterns of Yin and Yang.” Nor that I can see and discern every aspect of my life with the objective Eye of Heaven. Far from it. I do look up and admire the great sages and the great Immortals; indeed I do try to model my behavior on their actions. But I wouldn’t say my goal is “sage-hood.” I don’t want to be a Laozi, I don’t want to be a Kongzi, I don’t want to be a Zhunagzi. Rather, I just wish and need to be myself — which again I must reiterate “myself” is not “me” manifested. When I state that I and other should be their selves, I’m saying one should abide in their human nature, which again is an extension of the Naturalness of Dao (Ziran). All Things are One through Dao.