Heaven and Earth are heartless
treating creatures like straw dogs
sages are heartless too
they treat people like straw dogs
between Heaven and Earth
how like a bellows
empty but inexhaustible
each stroke produces more
talking only wastes it
better to protect what’s inside
Lao-tzu’s Tao Teching
Interpreted by Red Pine
Heaven and Earth have no preference
A man may choose one over another
but to Heaven and Earth all are the same
The high, the low, the great, the small—
all are given light
all gets place to rest
The Sage is like Heaven and Earth
To him none are especially dear
nor is there anyone he disfavors
He gives and gives without condition
offering his treasure to everyone
The universe is like a bellows
It stays empty yet is never exhausted
It gives out yet always brings forth more
Man is not like this
When he blows out air like a bellows
he becomes exhausted
Man was not made to blow out air
He was made to sit quietly and find the truth within
Lao-tzu’s Tao Teching
Interpreted by Jonathan Star
HU SHIN Says, “Lao-tzu’s statement that Heaven and Earth are heartless undercuts the ancient belief that Heaven and Humankind were of the same lineage and thereby created the basis for natural philosophy” (Chung-kuo-che-hsueh-shih to-kang, P. 56).
S CH’E says, “Heaven and Earth aren’t partial. They don’t kill living things out of cruelty or give them birth out of kindness. We do the same when we make straw dogs to use in sacrifices. We dress them up and put them on the altar, but not because we love them. And when the ceremony is over, we throw them into the street, but not because we hate them. This is how sages treat the people’
HUAI-NAN-TZU says, “When we make straw dogs or clay dragons, we paint them yellow and blue, decorate them with brocade, and tie red ribbons around them. The shaman puts on his black robe, and the lord puts on his ceremonial hat to usher them in and to see them off. But once they’ve been used, they’re nothing but clay and straw.” A similar description appears in Chuangtzu: 14.4•
WU CH’ENG says, “Straw dogs were used in praying for rain, and these particular bellows were used in metallurgy.”
WANG PANG says, “A bellows is empty so that it can respond. Something moves, and it responds. It responds but retains nothing. Like Heaven and Earth in regard to the ten thousand things or sages in regard to the people, it responds with what fits. It isn’t tied to the present or attached to the past’
WANG AN-SHIN Says, “The Tao has no substance or dimension, yet it works the breath of emptiness between Heaven and Earth and gives birth to the ten thou-sand things’
WANG TAO says, “The Tao cannot be talked about, yet we dismiss it as heartless. It cannot be named, yet we liken it to a bellows. Those who understand get the meaning and forget the words. Those who don’t understand fail to see the truth and chatter away in vain’
HSIN TU-TZU says, “When the main path has many side trails, sheep lose their way. When learning leads in many directions, students waste their lives in study” (Liehtzu: 8.25).
HO-SHANG KUNG Says, “Whenever the mouth opens and the tongue moves, disaster is close behind. Better to guard your inner virtue, nurture your vital essence, protect your spirit, treasure your breath, and avoid talking too much.”
SUNG CH’ANG-HSING Says, “If our mouth doesn’t talk too much, our spirit stays in our heart. If our ears don’t hear too much, our essence stays in our genitals. In the course of time, essence becomes breath, breath becomes spirit, and spirit returns to emptiness”
Cultivating the heartless center between Heaven and Earth, sages delight in the endless creation of something out of nothing without becoming attached to anything. The Chinese phrase pu jen (no heart) not only means “unkind” but also refers to any fruit that has no seed or kernel in its center. The straw dogs used in ceremonies in ancient China were much like Christmas trees in the West — used for a day, a week, a month, but not for long. The only textual variation of note involves the appearance in both Mawangtui texts of wen (hear) in place of yen (talk) in line nine. But since wen (hear) was often used for wen (ask), the meaning would not be significantly different whichever reading one prefers. I’ve retained the standard version. Lines five through eight are also present in the Kuotien texts.
[1] Jen refers to humanness, human-kindness, or benevolence, but in this context it refers to the partiality of humans and a condition based on personal bias, preference, and conditions. Pu jen (without humanness) represents dispassion, showing no favorites, treating all as equal. Translations such as “amoral,” “ruthless” (Lau), “inhuman,” and “not humane” (Duy) carry moral connotations that are not suggested here. “Unkind” (Yutang) and “heartless” (Pine) also miss, “Benevolent” (Chung) and “not sentimental” (Wu) are closer to the mark.
[2]Tien ti pu jdn: “Heaven and earth do not act from motives of benevolence.” (Alexander); “Heaven and earth have no special love.” (Chalmers); “Heaven and earth entertain no benevolence, making the innumerable objects serve their respective purposes, just as we utilize the straw hounds in exorcising at sacrifices.” (Parker)
[3]Ch’u kou (straw dogs): “Before the straw dog has been offered in sacrifice,” replied Shih Chin, “it is kept in a box, wrapped up in an embroidered cloth, and the augur fasts before using it. But when it has once been offered up, passersby trample over its body, and fuel-gatherers pick it up for burning.” —Chuang-tsu (Giles, p. 145)
[4]” I am the same to all beings. I favor none and I hate none. But those who worship me with devotion, they live in me and I live in them.” Shagavad Gita (9:29). (See NOTES)
[5]>Alt: wen (hear, learning)—MWT
[6] Shu literally means “number” and suggests a repetition, continuity, course, or history of things; it can also mean truth, principle, or one’s lot in life (Chan). Wang Pi interprets shu as the tendency or inertia of existence. Lit: “number, counting.”
[7] Chung, center, one’s center. Chung also implies “one’s own nature,” “the inner path,” or “the path of truth.” “Inner essence” (Medhurst); “that which dwells within the heart” (Ould) >Alt: chung (void, empty)—HSK
[8] Pu ju shou chung: “More words count less. / Hold fast to the center.” (Feng); “By many words wit is exhausted./ Rather, therefore, hold to the core.” (Yutang); “By many words one’s reckoning is exhausted./ It is better to abide by the center.” (Chen); “Many words add up to much exhaustion:/ Not as good as holding to your own nature.” (Janwu); “All your talk leads to exhaustion. Better hold to the silence of your own center” (Ming) ‘ No amount of words can fathom it. / Better to look for it within you. (Wu)