Guanzi: Xinshu Shang
Here’s an important passage from the Guanzi:
德者，道之舍。物得以生，生知得以職道之精。故德者得也。得也者，其謂所得以然也。以無為之謂道，舍之之謂德，故道之與德無閒，故言之者不別也。閒之理者，謂其所以舍也。
Allyn Rickett translates:
“Power is a dwelling of the Way. Things must obtain it in order to live. The living must know how to obtain it in order to grasp the essence of the Way. Therefore, Power is obtainment, and obtainment refers to obtaining the means for things to be what they are. When nonassertive, we call it ‘the Way.’ When dwelling in things, we call it ‘the Power.’ Therefore, the Way and Power cannot be separated, and so those who talk about them treat them as the same. The reason for distinguishing between them is to indicate that in which the Way dwells.” (Rickett p. 77)
– Note: Rickett follows Guo Moruo in emending 其謂所得以然也 to 謂得其所以然也 and follows others in deleting the “以” in 以無為之謂道”.”
Harold Roth translates:
“Inner Power is the lodging place of the Way. Things attain it and are thereby born. The living attain it and thereby understand the vital essence of the Way. Therefore ‘Inner Power’ is to attain. ‘To attain’ means to attain the means by which things are so. It is what does not act that is called the Way. It is what lodges (the Way), that is called Inner Power. Therefore, there is no gap between the Way and Inner Power. Therefore to speak of them is not to separate them. That there is no gap between them addresses how Inner Power lodges the Way.” Harold Roth (Sources of Chinese Tradition p. 262)
There’s a few differences. I’m unsure about the translation of a few things, for example “It is what lodges (the Way), that is called Inner Power” (舍之之謂德). Does anyone reading this (if there is anyone), have any comments?
Note: She 舍 a dwelling, abode; to dwell, to lodge, to rest also is used in the Guanzi to refer to the heart-mind, which needs to be kept clean.
January 19th, 2009 at 11:43 am
I think that 舍之之謂德 just reiterates the first line, 德者，道之舍. Dao lodges in De, that makes pretty much sense to me. Beautiful lines. I prefer Rickett’s translation.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Hi Harmen!
Regarding: “Dao lodges in De”
These “Art of the Mind” texts in the Guanzi sometimes treat Dao as something which is not omnipresent. And “De” is a location? How would you translate Dao and De here?
Thanks!
January 21st, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I think Dao and De are like ‘ti’ 體, ‘form’ and ‘yong’ 用, ‘function’. De is the form of Dao, it is what you can see when you assert Dao. That is why it says, ” ‘when nonassertive, we call it ‘the Way.’ When dwelling in things (i.e. embodied HM), we call it ‘the Power.’ ” Dao can be done (or you can act according to Dao), and when you do it, it becomes visible in De. That does not make De necessarily a location - it can also be a verb, or a position.
I hesitate to translate Dao and De, because every translation narrows the field of meanings that is attached to these terms. It is like translating ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ - every effort gives a very incomplete picture.
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:38 am
That’s quite interesting Harmen.
德者，道之體。 or 體道，謂德。
為道，謂德。 or 德者，得道也。
I’ve been thinking about this the past few days. It makes sense. But I’m still unsure about why She 舍 is used here.
January 24th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
She 舍 is a resting and a lodging place, it is where the Dao is present yet does not act or exercise itself. It is like qi 氣 in the body: it does not ‘do’ but it enables you to ‘do’. If there would not be Dao in De you would not be able to ‘De’.