one's days in fishing,—this is mere inaction, affected by wanderers who have turned their backs upon the world and have nothing better to do.
Exhaling and inhaling,
- The "breathing" theory. See ch. vi., ad init.
getting rid of the old and assimilating the new, stretching like a bear and craning like a bird,—
- As these creatures are supposed to do in order to get good air into their systems.
—this is but valetudinarianism, affected by professors of hygiene and those who try to preserve the body to the age of P'êng Tsu.
- See ch. i.
But in self-esteem without self-conceit, in moral culture without charity and duty to one's neighbour, in government without rank and fame, in retirement without solitude, in health without hygiene,—there we have oblivion absolute coupled with possession of all things; an infinite calm which becomes an object to be attained by all.
Such is the Tao of the universe, such is the virtue of the Sage. Wherefore it has been said, "In tranquillity, in stillness, in the unconditioned, in inaction, we find the levels of the universe, the very constitution of Tao."
- Almost verbatim from ch. xiii, p. 158, where the passage appears as part of Chuang Tzŭ's own text, and not as a quotation from any other author.
Wherefore it has been said, "The Sage is a
