| | 道虛: |
儒書言：盧敖游乎北海，經乎太陰，入乎玄關，至於蒙穀之上，見一士焉，深目玄準，鴈頸而戴肩，浮上而殺下，軒軒然方迎風而舞。顧見盧敖，樊然下其臂，遯逃乎碑下。敖乃視之，方卷然龜背而食合梨。盧敖仍與之語曰：「吾子唯以敖為倍俗，去群離黨，窮觀於六合之外者，非敖而已？敖幼而游，至長不倫解，周行四極，唯北陰之未闚。今卒睹夫子於是，殆可與敖為友乎？」若士者悖然而笑曰：「嘻！子中州之民也，不宜遠至此。此猶光日月而戴列星，四時之所行，陰陽之所生也。此其比夫不名之地，猶㟮屼也。若我南游乎罔浪之野，北息乎沉薶之鄉，西窮乎杳冥之黨，而東貫須懞之先。此其下無地上無天，聽焉無聞，而視焉則營；此其外，猶有狀，有狀之餘，壹舉而能千萬里，吾猶未能之在。今子游始至於此，乃語窮觀，豈不亦遠哉？然子處矣。吾與汗漫期於九垓之上，吾不可久。」若士者舉臂而縱身，遂入雲中。盧敖目仰而視之，不見，乃止喜，心不怠，悵若有喪，曰：「吾比夫子也，猶黃鵠之與壤蟲也，終日行，而不離咫尺，而自以為遠，豈不悲哉？」 |
| Daoxu: |
It is chronicled in the books of the Literati that Lu Ao, when wandering near the "Northern Sea," passed the "Great North," and through the "Dark Gate" entered upon the Mongolean plateau. There he beheld an individual with deep eyes, a black nose and the neck of a wild goose. Lifting his shoulders, he soared up, and rapidly came down again, gamboling and disporting all the time against the wind. When he caught sight of Lu Ao, he suddenly took down his arms, and sought refuge under a rock. Lu Ao saw him there resting on the back of a tortoise and eating an oyster.
Lu Ao accosted him saying, "Sir, I believe that, because I have given up what the world desires, separating from my kindred and leaving my home, in order to explore what is outside of the six cardinal points, you will condemn me. I began travelling in my youth. When I had grown up, I did not care for the ordinary duties of man, but managed to travel about. Of the four poles the "Great North" is the only one which I have not yet seen. Now unexpectedly I find you here, Sir. Shall we not become friends?"
The stranger burst out laughing and said, "Why, you are a Chinaman. You ought not to come as far as this. Yet sun and moon are still shining here. There are all the stars, the four seasons alternate, and the Yin and the Yang are still at work. Compared to the "Nameless Region" this is only like a small hill. I travel south over the "Weary Waste," and halt north in the "Hidden Village." I proceed west to the "Obscure Hamlet," and pass east through the "Place of Dimness." There is no earth beneath, and no heaven above. Listening one does not hear, and to the looker-on the objects flit away from sight. Beyond that region there is still shape. Where that ends, one advances ten million Li by making one step. I could not yet get there. You, Sir, reached only this place in your travels, but speak of exploring. Is not that an exaggeration? But, please, remain. I have to meet Han Man on the ninth heaven, and cannot stay longer." The stranger then raised his arms, gave his body a jerk, and off he went into the clouds.
Lu Ao stared after him, until he became invisible. His heart was full of endless joy and at the same time he was grieved, as though he had lost somebody. "Compared with you, my master, said he, I am nothing more than an earth-worm is to a wild goose. Crawling the whole day, I do not advance more than some feet, but myself consider it far. It is pitiable indeed." |
| | 道虛: |
儒書言：齊王疾痟，使人之宋迎文摯。文摯至，視王之疾，謂太子曰：「王之疾，必可已也。雖然，王之疾已，則必殺摯也。」太子曰：「何故？」文摯對曰：「非怒王，疾不可治也。王怒，則摯必死。」太子頓首強請曰：「苟已王之疾，臣與臣之母以死爭之於王，必幸臣之母。願先生之勿患也。」文摯曰：「諾，請以死為王。」與太子期，將往，不至者三，齊王固已怒矣。文摯至，不解屨登床，履衣，問王之疾。王怒而不與言。文摯因出辭以重王怒。王叱而起，疾乃遂已。王大怒不悅，將生烹文摯。太子與王后急爭之而不能得，果以鼎生烹文摯。爨之三日三夜，顏色不變。文摯曰：「誠欲殺我，則胡不覆之，以絕陰陽之氣？」王使覆之，文摯乃死。夫文摯、道人也，入水不濡，入火不燋，故在鼎三日三夜，顏色不變。 |
| Daoxu: |
The books of the Literati contain the statement that the king of Qi being dangerously ill, a messenger was sent to Song to fetch Wen Zhi. When he arrived and saw the king's sickness he said to the heir-apparent: "The king's illness can certainly be cured, but when it has been, the king is sure to kill me."
The heir-apparent inquired what for, Wen Zhi replied, "Without anger the king's illness cannot be cured, but when the king gets angry, my death is certain." The heir-apparent bowed his head, and entreated him saying," Should you cure the king's sickness, myself and my mother are going to forcibly restrain the king at the cost of our lives. The king will certainly please my mother. We are wishing that you, master, shall have no trouble."
Wen Zhi gave his consent and said that he was prepared to die. The king with his eldest son fixed a time. Thrice the physician was expected, but did not come so, that the king of Qi was already very angry. When he came at last, he did not put off his shoes, but walked upon the bed and tread upon the sheets. He asked the king about his sickness, but the king was so furious, that he did not speak with him. Then he said something which but aggravated the king』s wrath. The king abused him, and rose up, and his disease was gone. He was so enraged and so little pleased, that he wished to boil Wen Zhi alive. The heir-apparent and the queen forthwith interfered, but could obtain nothing. Wen Zhi was actually boiled alive in a cauldron: After three days' and three night's cooking, his appearance had not yet changed. Wen Zhi said, " If one really is anxious to kill me, why does one not put on the lid to intercept the Yin and the Yang fluids."
The king had the lid put on, whereupon Wen Zhi died. Wen Zhi was a Daoist, in water he was not drowned, and in fire he did not burn. Hence he could remain three days and three nights in the kettle without changing colour. |
| | 道虛: |
世學道之人，無少君之壽，年未至百，與眾俱死，愚夫無知之人，尚謂之尸解而去，其實不死。所謂「尸解」者，何等也？謂身死精神去乎？謂身不死得免去皮膚也？如謂身死精神去乎？是與死無異，人亦仙人也。如謂不死免去皮膚乎？諸學道死者，骨肉具在，與恆死之尸無以異也。夫蟬之去復育，龜之解甲，虵之脫皮，鹿之墮角，殼皮之物解殼皮，持骨肉去，可謂尸解矣。今學道而死者，尸與復育相似，尚未可謂尸解。何則？案蟬之去復育，無以神於復育，況不相似復育，謂之尸解，蓋復虛妄失其實矣。 |
| Daoxu: |
The ordinary students of Dao have not Li Shao Jun's age. Before Reaching a hundred years they die like all the others. Yet uncultured and ignorant people still hold that they are separated from their bodies, and vanish, and that, as a matter of fact, they do not die.
What is understood by separation from the body? Does it mean that the body dies, and the spirit disappears? Or that the body does not die, but drops its coil? If one says that the body dies, and the spirit is lost, there is no difference from death, and every one is a genius. And if one believes that the body does not die, but throws off its coil, one must admit that the bones and the flesh of all the deceased Daoists are intact and in no wise different from the corpses of ordinary mortals.
When the cricket leaves its chrysalis, the tortoise drops its shell, the snake its skin, and the stag its horns, in short, when the horned and skinned animals lose their outward cover, retaining only their flesh and bones, one might speak of the separation from the body. But even if the body of a dead Daoist were similar to a chrysalis, one could not use this expression.Why? When the cricket leaves the chrysalis, it cannot be considered as a spirit with regard to the chrysalis. Now to call it a separation from the body, when there is not even a similarity with the chrysalis, would again be an unfounded assertion missing the truth. |
