Chapter 14: Universal Love – Part I
The sage, whose task is to govern the world, must know the origin of disorder in order to govern it; if he does not know the origin of disorder, he cannot govern it. This is like a physician treating a patient’s illness: he must know the origin of the disease in order to treat it; if he does not know the origin of the disease, he cannot treat it. How is governing disorder any different? One must know the origin of disorder in order to govern it; if one does not know the origin of disorder, one cannot govern it.
The sage, whose task is to govern the world, must examine the origin of disorder. From where does disorder arise? It arises from a lack of mutual love. When subjects and sons are unfilial to rulers and fathers, this is called disorder. A son loves himself but does not love his father, and thus harms his father to benefit himself; a younger brother loves himself but does not love his elder brother, and thus harms his elder brother to benefit himself; a subject loves himself but does not love his ruler, and thus harms his ruler to benefit himself. This is what is called disorder. Even when fathers are unkind to sons, elder brothers are unkind to younger brothers, and rulers are unkind to subjects, this is also called disorder in the world. A father loves himself but does not love his son, and thus harms his son to benefit himself; an elder brother loves himself but does not love his younger brother, and thus harms his younger brother to benefit himself; a ruler loves himself but does not love his subject, and thus harms his subject to benefit himself. Why is this? It all arises from a lack of mutual love.
Even those in the world who become thieves and robbers are the same: A thief loves his own family but does not love another’s family, and thus steals from another’s family to benefit his own. A robber loves his own body but does not love others, and thus harms others to benefit himself. Why is this? It all arises from a lack of mutual love. Even when ministers bring disorder to each other’s clans and feudal lords attack each other’s states, it is the same: Ministers each love their own clan but do not love another’s clan, and thus bring disorder to another’s clan to benefit their own. Feudal lords each love their own state but do not love another’s state, and thus attack another’s state to benefit their own. All the sources of disorder in the world are contained herein. Examining where these arise, we find they all arise from a lack of mutual love.
If we could make everyone in the world love universally, loving others as they love themselves, would there still be unfilial people? If one regarded fathers, elder brothers, and rulers as oneself, how could one act unfilially? Would there still be unkind people? If one regarded younger brothers, sons, and subjects as oneself, how could one act unkindly? Thus, unfilial and unkind behavior would cease to exist. Would there still be thieves and robbers? If one regarded another’s family as one’s own, who would steal? If one regarded another’s body as one’s own, who would harm? Thus, thieves and robbers would cease to exist. Would there still be ministers bringing disorder to each other’s clans and feudal lords attacking each other’s states? If one regarded another’s clan as one’s own, who would bring disorder? If one regarded another’s state as one’s own, who would attack? Thus, ministers bringing disorder to each other’s clans and feudal lords attacking each other’s states would cease to exist. If we could make everyone in the world love universally, states would not attack each other, clans would not bring disorder to each other, there would be no thieves or robbers, and rulers, subjects, fathers, and sons would all be filial and kind. If this were so, the world would be well-governed.
Therefore, the sage, whose task is to govern the world, how could he fail to prohibit mutual hatred and encourage love? Thus, when the world loves universally, it is well-governed; when it harbors mutual hatred, it falls into disorder. Therefore, Master Mozi said: “One cannot but encourage loving others; this is the reason.”
Note
This opening chapter on Universal Love diagnoses all social chaos as stemming from selfish partiality. It argues impartial equal love for all would end strife, theft and wars, thus bringing universal peace and orderly governance.
Universal Love (Impartial Care):
This is the foundational concept of Mohism. Unlike the Confucian concept of Ren (benevolence), which advocates for graded, differential love based on familial and social proximity, Mozi proposes an impartial, egalitarian love. He argues that partiality (loving oneself, one’s family, or one’s state more than others) is the root cause of all social conflict, from petty theft to interstate warfare.
Utilitarian Diagnosis of Social Chaos:
Mozi approaches social disorder with a highly pragmatic, almost clinical methodology. He compares societal chaos to a medical condition, emphasizing that a cure (governance) is impossible without first accurately diagnosing the root cause. He concludes that all social ills stem from a single, calculable variable: the failure of mutual benefit through universal love.
Reciprocity and Mutual Benefit:
Mozi’s “universal love” is not purely an emotional or moral ideal; it is deeply tied to mutual benefit. He posits that if everyone loves others as they love themselves, the resulting social harmony will naturally yield practical benefits for all, including the preservation of one’s own family and state.
圣人以治天下为事者也，必知乱之所自起，焉能治之；不知乱之所自起，则不能治。譬之如医之攻人之疾者然：必知疾之所自起，焉能攻之；不知疾之所自起，则弗能攻。治乱者何独不然？必知乱之所自起，焉能治之；不知乱之斯自起，则弗能治。
圣人以治天下为事者也，不可不察乱之所自起。当察乱何自起？起不相爱。臣子之不孝君父，所谓乱也。子自爱，不爱父，故亏父而自利；弟自爱，不爱兄，故亏兄而自利；臣自爱，不爱君，故亏君而自利，此所谓乱也。虽父之不慈子，兄之不慈弟，君之不慈臣，此亦天下之所谓乱也。父自爱也，不爱子，故亏子而自利；兄自爱也，不爱弟，故亏弟而自利；君自爱也，不爱臣，故亏臣而自利。是何也？皆起不相爱。
虽至天下之为盗贼者亦然：盗爱其室，不爱其异室，故窃异室以利其室。贼爱其身，不爱人，故贼人以利其身。此何也？皆起不相爱。虽至大夫之相乱家，诸侯之相攻国者亦然：大夫各爱其家，不爱异家，故乱异家以利其家。诸侯各爱其国，不爱异国，故攻异国以利其国，天下之乱物，具此而已矣。察此何自起？皆起不相爱。
若使天下兼相爱，爱人若爱其身，犹有不孝者乎？视父兄与君若其身，恶施不孝？犹有不慈者乎？视弟子与臣若其身，恶施不慈？故不孝不慈亡有。犹有盗贼乎？故视人之室若其室，谁窃？视人身若其身，谁贼？故盗贼亡有。犹有大夫之相乱家、诸侯之相攻国者乎？视人家若其家，谁乱？视人国若其国，谁攻？故大夫之相乱家、诸侯之相攻国者亡有。若使天下兼相爱，国与国不相攻，家与家不相乱，盗贼无有，君臣父子皆能孝慈，若此，则天下治。
故圣人以治天下为事者，恶得不禁恶而劝爱？故天下兼相爱则治，交相恶则乱。故子墨子曰：“不可以不劝爱人者，此也。”
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