For safety against robbers, one must protect property with ropes, locks and bolts. This makes good sense to the property owner, until a strong thief comes along and carries away everything. He has only one fear: That ropes, locks, and bolts may give way.
Thus what the world calls good business is only a way to gather up the loot, pack it, make it secure in one convenient load for the more enterprising thieves. Who is there, among those called smart, who does not spend his time amassing loot for a bigger robber than himself?
……
In the land of Khi, people were living in peace. Fishermen, farmers and others did their work. There were temples and altars for ancestors and spirits. Every canton, county, and district was run according to the laws and statutes – until one morning the Attorney General, Tien Khang Tzu, got rid of the King and took over the whole state. He was not content just stealing the land. He also took over the laws and statutes at the same time, as well as all the lawyers and the police. They all formed part of the same package.
Of course, people called Khang Tzu a robber, but they did not act against him. No small state would say a word against him, no large state would make a move in his direction, so for twelve generations the state of Khi belonged to his family. No one interfered with his acquired rights.
……
The invention of weights and measures makes robbery easier. Signing contracts and settings seals makes robbery more secure. Teaching love and duty provides a fitting language with which to prove that robbery is really for the general good. A poor man must swing for stealing a belt buckle, but if a rich man steals a whole state he is acclaimed as statesman of the year.
Hence if you want to hear the very best speeches on love, duty, justice, etc., listen to statesmen.
….
But when the creek dries up and nothing grows in the valley, when the mound is levelled and the hollow next to it is filled; and when the statesmen and lawyers and preachers of duty disappear, there are no more robberies either and the world is at peace.
Moral: The more you pile up ethical principles and duties and obligations to bring everyone in line, the more you gather loot for a thief like Khang. By ethical argument and moral principle, the greatest crimes are eventually shown to have been necessary, and, in fact, a signal benefit to mankind.
Background: This is yet another Taoist tale from the writings of the Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu, who lived about 2400 years ago. Read also Story No. 057: How should we judge a horse (or any person, for that matter)?
The other great Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu, who lived about 200 years earlier than Chuang Tzu, also expressed the same idea:
The more laws and restrictions there are,
The poorer people become,
The sharper men’s weapons,
The more trouble in the land.
The more ingenious and clever men are,
The more strange things happen,
The more rules and regulations,
The more thieves and robbers.
The story is very relevant in these times of dictators and authoritarian leaders who have taken over countries across the world.
For this story, I have drawn heavily from the book by Thomas Merton: The Way of Chuang Tzu.
Let’s look at it from another angle. There are thieves, robbers and thugs, so long as you possess. There are laws, advocates and advisors, to preach the minute you are in possession. When there is desire for more than what you want, you require to secure them and therefore the fear of theft and the fear of the morrow. People seeking are poor not because they are really poor but because there is a fear of protecting what they have, and the fear the uncertainties of the future. To them applies the law of regulation and host of associated travails. If we ponder over it for a while, we realize that we already have a bounty and the more we give the more it offers. After all, we own nothing other than being the custodians. If we decide to go through a crisis, laws, regulations, security, protection, etc., all become trivial and without significance. If we cultivate the courage of conviction, the very best of energy is endowed upon us to overcome or transcend the greatest of difficulties/tragedies in life. To keep away from dictates, advises, preachers and the like, one has to practice aparigraha (non-possessiveness), whether tangible or intangible, to remain light with tremendous energy. Just give it a try and you will travel deeper and deeper to see a whole new world.
Ref: “The more laws and restrictions there are,
The poorer people become,
…”
Looks like the current president got hold of that snippet of wisdom 🙂
Dear RR,
I have been a reader of Chuang Tzu for over 50 years and stumbled onto your website by accident looking to see if I remembered some of his stories accurately and found deeper crumbs of meaning than the morsels consumed previously. Thank you for the help.
Regards,
BM
Thanks, Barry