He who understands the nature of life does not strive for what life cannot achieve; he who understands the nature of fate does not strive for what knowledge cannot alter. To nourish the body, one must first have material things; yet there are those who have material things in excess but fail to nourish their bodies. To preserve life, one must first not separate from the body; yet there are those whose bodies remain intact while their life has perished. The coming of life cannot be rejected, and its going cannot be stopped. How sad! The people of the world think that nourishing the body is sufficient to preserve life. But if nourishing the body is truly insufficient to preserve life, then what is there in the world worth doing? Although it is not worth doing, one cannot avoid doing it; thus, one’s actions are inevitable.
Now, if one wishes to avoid this toil for the body, nothing is better than to abandon the world. By abandoning the world, one is free from entanglements. Being free from entanglements, one becomes upright and calm. Being upright and calm, one renews oneself along with the universe. By renewing oneself, one draws near to the Dao. Why are affairs worth abandoning, and why is life worth letting go? By abandoning affairs, the body does not toil; by letting go of life, the spirit does not wane. When the body is whole and the spirit is restored, one becomes one with Heaven.
Heaven and Earth are the parents of all things. When they unite, a body is formed; when they scatter, a new beginning is made. If the body and spirit do not wane, this is called the ability to transform. Refining the spirit further, one returns to assist Heaven.
Liezi asked Guan Yin, “The Perfect Man can move underwater without being suffocated, tread on fire without being burned, and walk above all things without trembling. How can he reach such a state?”
Guan Yin replied, “This is due to the guarding of the pure vital breath Qi), not a matter of wisdom, skill, resolve, or courage. Sit down, and I will tell you. All that has form, appearance, sound, and color are merely ‘things.’ How can one thing be so different from another! How can any of them reach the state of being prior to form! They are merely forms.
Only that which creates things is formless, and it rests in that which undergoes no change. He who attains this and exhausts it – how can things stop him! He will dwell in the measure that knows no excess, and hide in the boundary that has no beginning, wandering where all things end and begin. He unifies his nature, nourishes his vital breath, blends his virtue, and communicates with the Creator of things. If one is like this, his heavenly endowment is kept whole, and his spirit has no gaps. How can things enter him!
When a drunkard falls from a cart, though he may be injured, he does not die. His bones and joints are the same as others’, yet the harm he suffers is different because his spirit is whole. He does not know he is riding, nor does he know he is falling. Thoughts of death, survival, fear, and panic do not enter his chest. Therefore, he encounters things without terror. If one who obtains wholeness from wine can be like this, how much more so one who obtains wholeness from Heaven! The Sage hides himself in Heaven, so nothing can harm him.
The avenger does not break the Mo Ye or Gan Jiang swords (blaming the weapon); even a man with a jealous heart does not resent a falling tile (blaming the object). Thus, the world is at peace. Therefore, there are no chaotic wars or punishments of slaughter because of this principle. Do not open the ‘Heaven of Man’ (artificiality), but open the ‘Heaven of Heaven’ (naturalness). He who opens the Heaven of Heaven gives birth to virtue; he who opens the Heaven of Man gives birth to robbery. Do not loathe your Heavenly nature, do not neglect your human duties, and the people will nearly attain their true nature.”
Confucius was traveling to Chu. Emerging from a forest, he saw a hunchback catching cicadas with a sticky pole, picking them up as easily as if he were gathering them from the ground.
Confucius said, “You are skillful! Do you have a method?”
The man replied, “I do have a method. For five or six months, I practiced balancing two balls on the end of the pole without letting them fall; then I rarely missed. When I could balance three without falling, I missed only one in ten. When I could balance five without falling, it was like gathering them from the ground. I stand firm like a tree stump; I hold my arm like a withered branch. Although Heaven and Earth are vast and the ten thousand things are many, I know only the wings of the cicada. I do not turn or look aside; I would not exchange the cicada’s wings for any of the ten thousand things. How could I fail to catch them!”
Confucius turned to his disciples and said, “When the will is not divided, the spirit is concentrated. This is what is meant by the hunchbacked old man!”
Yan Yuan asked Confucius, “I once crossed the Deep Abyss of Shangshen. The ferryman handled the boat like a spirit. I asked him, ‘Can the handling of a boat be learned?’ He said, ‘Yes. A good swimmer can learn it quickly. As for a diver, even if he has never seen a boat, he can handle it immediately.’ I asked him, but he did not tell me why. May I ask what this means?”
Confucius said, “A good swimmer learns quickly because he forgets the water. As for the diver who has never seen a boat yet handles it immediately, he views the abyss as a hill, and the boat as a cart rolling backward. The myriad ways in which things might capsize or roll back stand before him, but they cannot enter his inner mind. Wherever he goes, he is at ease.
When one gambles with a tile, he is skillful; when he gambles with a silver buckle, he is apprehensive; when he gambles with gold, he is stupefied. His skill is the same, but because he cares about the stake, he values what is external. Whenever one values the external, one becomes clumsy internally.”
Tian Kaizhi saw Duke Wei of Zhou. The Duke said, “I heard that Zhu Shen was studying the art of nourishing life. You associated with Zhu Shen; what did you hear from him?”
Tian Kaizhi said, “I merely held a broom and served at his door; what could I have heard from the Master!”
The Duke said, “Master Tian, do not decline. I wish to hear it.”
Kaizhi said, “I heard the Master say: ‘One who is good at nourishing life is like a shepherd; he sees the sheep that falls behind and whips it.’”
The Duke asked, “What does this mean?”
Kaizhi said, “There was a man in Lu named Shan Bao. He lived in the rocks and drank water, not competing with people for profit. Though he was seventy years old, he still had the complexion of an infant. Unfortunately, he met a hungry tiger, which killed and ate him. There was another man named Zhang Yi, who frequented noble houses and humble homes alike, running to attend to everyone. At forty, he died of internal fever. Shan Bao nourished his inner self, but a tiger devoured his outer body. Zhang Yi nourished his outer connections, but disease attacked his inner self. These two men both failed to whip the one that fell behind.”
Confucius said, “Do not enter and hide completely; do not go out and shine completely. Stand like a withered stick in the middle. If you can attain these three, your name will surely reach the highest peak.
On a dangerous road, if one man in ten is killed, fathers, sons, and brothers will warn each other, and they will only dare to travel with a large retinue. Is this not wisdom? Yet what people should truly fear lies on their bedding (sexual excess) and in their eating and drinking, yet they do not know to guard against these. This is a fault!”
The officer of prayer, dressed in his ceremonial robes, approached the pigsty and said to the pigs, “Why do you hate death? I will fatten you for three months, observe abstinence for ten days, and fast for three days. I will spread white grass and place your shoulders and rump on the carved sacrificial altar. Would you agree to this?”
Planning for the pig, one would say: “It is better to feed you bran and husks and keep you in the pen.”
Planning for oneself, one desires the honor of a high carriage and official cap while alive, and a fine coffin and funeral mound when dead.
For the pig, one rejects these honors; for oneself, one accepts them. In what way does one differ from the pig?
Duke Huan was hunting in a marsh. Guan Zhong was driving the chariot, and they saw a ghost. The Duke grasped Guan Zhong’s hand and asked, “Father Zhong, what did you see?”
Guan Zhong replied, “I saw nothing.”
The Duke returned, depressed and ill, and did not go out for several days.
A scholar from Qi named Huangzi Gao’ao said, “You have injured yourself; how could a ghost injure you! When the pent-up Qi of anger scatters and does not return, it causes deficiency. If it rises and does not descend, it makes one prone to anger. If it descends and does not rise, it makes one prone to forgetfulness. If it neither rises nor descends, but stagnates in the middle of the body near the heart, it causes illness.”
The Duke asked, “Then, are there ghosts?”
Huangzi said, “There are. In the depths of the water, there isLu. In the stove, there is Ji. In the turmoil of the dust inside the house, Thunder resides. In the northeast, Bei’a and Guilong leap about. In the northwest, Yiyang resides. In the water, there is Wangxiang. On the hills, there is Shen. In the mountains, there is Kui. In the wilds, there is Fanghuang. In the marshes, there is Weiyi.”
The Duke asked, “May I ask what the Weiyi looks like?”
Huangzi said, “The Weiyi is as large as a wheel hub and as long as a carriage shaft. It wears purple clothes and a red cap. It is a strange creature; when it hears the sound of thunderous carriage wheels, it raises its head and stands. He who sees it is near to becoming a Hegemon (Supreme Ruler).”
Duke Huan laughed heartily and said, “This is what I saw!” He straightened his clothes and cap and sat with Huangzi. Before the day was over, he did not know that his illness had departed.
Ji Shengzi was raising fighting cocks for the King.
After ten days, the King asked, “Is the cock ready?”
Ji Shengzi said, “Not yet. It is still vain and proud, relying on its Qi.”
After another ten days, the King asked again.
He said, “Not yet. It still reacts to shadows and sounds.”
After another ten days, the King asked again.
He said, “Not yet. It still looks around angrily and is full of aggressive spirit.”
After another ten days, the King asked again.
He said, “It is nearly ready. Although other cocks crow, it remains unchanged. Looking at it, it seems like a wooden cock. Its virtue is complete. No other cock dares to face it; they turn and run away.”
Confucius was viewing the Lüliang waterfall. The water fell thirty ren (a unit of measure) and the foaming current rushed for forty li. Even turtles and crocodiles could not swim there. He saw a man swimming in it and thought he was suffering and wished to die. He ordered his disciples to line up along the bank to save him.
After a few hundred paces, the man came out, hair disheveled, singing, and strolled along the embankment. Confucius followed and asked him, “I thought you were a ghost, but looking closely, you are a man. May I ask: Do you have a method for treading on water?”
The man said, “No, I have no method. I begin with what is familiar, grow with my nature, and complete it through destiny. I enter with the whirlpools and emerge with the currents, following the way of the water and not acting for my own sake. This is how I tread on it.”
Confucius asked, “What do you mean by ‘begin with what is familiar, grow with my nature, and complete it through destiny’?”
The man said, “I was born on the hills and am at peace on the hills; this is what is familiar. I grew up in the water and am at peace in the water; this is my nature. I do not know why I am thus, yet I am so; this is destiny.”
Qing the Carpenter carved wood to make a bell stand Ju). When it was finished, those who saw it were startled, thinking it was the work of spirits or ghosts.
The Marquis of Lu saw it and asked, “What art do you have to make this?”
Qing replied, “I am merely a craftsman; what art do I have? However, there is one thing. When I am about to make a bell stand, I dare not exhaust my vital energy. I must fast to calm my mind.
After fasting for three days, I dare not harbor thoughts of congratulations, rewards, rank, or salary.
After fasting for five days, I dare not harbor thoughts of criticism or praise, skill or clumsiness.
After fasting for seven days, I suddenly forget that I have four limbs and a physical form. At this time, I am unaware of the court or the ruler. My skill is concentrated, and external distractions disappear.
Then I enter the mountain forests and observe the heavenly nature and forms of the trees. When I find the perfect one, the form of the bell stand appears complete before my eyes. Then I set my hand to it; if not, I let it be. Thus, I match Heaven with Heaven. This is why the instrument is suspected to be the work of spirits, is it not?”
Dongye Ji demonstrated his chariot driving to Duke Zhuang. His advances and retreats were as straight as a ink line, and his turns to the left and right were as round as a compass. Duke Zhuang thought that even the legendary driver Zao Fu could not surpass him. He ordered him to make a hundred circuits and return.
Yan He met him and, entering, said to the Duke, “Ji’s horses will collapse.”
The Duke remained silent and displeased.
Shortly after, the horses indeed collapsed and returned. The Duke asked, “How did you know this?”
Yan He said, “His horses’ strength was exhausted, yet he still demanded more of them. Therefore, I said they would collapse.”
Gong Chui could draw a circle with his hand that surpassed the use of compass and square. His fingers transformed with the objects, and he did not examine them with his mind. Therefore, his spiritual mind was unified and unbound.
To forget one’s feet is the comfort of shoes; to forget one’s waist is the comfort of a belt; to forget right and wrong is the comfort of the mind. To change not internally and to follow not externally is the comfort of dealing with events. To begin with comfort and never experience discomfort is the comfort of forgetting comfort.
There was a man named Sun Xiu who went to the door of Bian Qingzi and astonished him, saying, “In my village, I am not considered unrefined; in times of danger, I am not considered lacking in courage. Yet my fields do not yield a good harvest, and in serving my ruler, I do not meet with favorable times. I am ostracized by my village and expelled by the local officials. What crime have I committed against Heaven? Why do I meet with such a fate?”
Master Bian said, “Have you not heard of the conduct of the Perfect Man? He forgets his liver and gall, leaves behind his ears and eyes. Vaguely, he wanders beyond the dust and dirt, roaming freely in the business of non-action. This is called ‘acting but not relying,’ ‘leading but not dominating.’
But now, you decorate your wisdom to startle the foolish, and cultivate your person to highlight the filth of others. You shine brightly as if you were carrying the sun and moon while walking. That you have preserved your body intact, that your nine orifices are complete, and that you have not died prematurely in mid-path from deafness, blindness, or lameness, but are counted among men – this is already your good fortune! What leisure do you have to complain against Heaven? Go away!”
Sun Xiu left, and Master Bian went inside. After sitting for a while, he looked up to Heaven and sighed.
His disciples asked, “Why does the Master sigh?”
Bian said, “Just now, Xiu came, and I told him of the virtue of the Perfect Man. I fear he was startled and may fall into even greater confusion.”
The disciples said, “Not so. If what Sun Xiu said was right, and what you said was wrong, then the wrong cannot confuse the right. If what Sun Xiu said was wrong, and what you said was right, then he was already confused when he came, so what is the harm?”
Master Bian said, “Not so. Once, a seabird landed in the suburbs of Lu. The Marquis of Lu was delighted and provided the Tai Lao sacrifice (ox, sheep, pig) to feast it, and played the Jiu Shao music to entertain it. The bird became sorrowful and dizzy, daring not to eat or drink. This is called ‘nourishing a bird with what nourishes oneself.’
One who nourishes a bird with what nourishes a bird should let it perch in the deep forests, float on the rivers and lakes, eat snakes, and rest on flat land.
Now, Sun Xiu is a man of narrow openings and little knowledge. I told him of the virtue of the Perfect Man. It is like trying to carry a mouse in a carriage and horses, or trying to entertain a small bird with bells and drums. How could he not be startled!”
Note
This Zhuangzi ‑ Da Sheng (Understanding Life) chapter stresses nourishing vital Qi rather than just the body. It features parables like the hunchback cicada‑catcher and the wooden cock, advocating naturalness, focus and wu‑wei.
The Daoist sage and author. In this chapter, he explores the concept of “Understanding Life” (Da Sheng), arguing that true preservation of life comes from nourishing the spirit (Qi) rather than merely the physical body.
A prominent Daoist philosopher. Here, he asks his teacher Guan Yin how the “Perfect Man” can walk through fire and water unharmed, serving as a setup to explain the Daoist concept of guarding one’s pure vital energy.
Guan Yin:
An ancient Daoist master and teacher of Liezi. He explains that supernatural resilience comes from maintaining the “pure breath” Qi) and hiding oneself within the natural order of Heaven, rather than relying on human cleverness.
Confucius (Kong Qiu):
The founder of Confucianism. In Zhuangzi, he is often used as a mouthpiece for Daoist ideas. Here, he praises the hunchbacked cicada catcher and explains the psychology of gambling to illustrate how valuing external things makes one clumsy internally.
Confucius’ most virtuous disciple. He asks Confucius about the ferryman’s skill, leading to the lesson that one must “forget the water” to master it.
A powerful ruler from the Spring and Autumn period. His encounter with a ghost in the marsh illustrates how psychological stress and pent-up Qi cause illness, and how understanding the nature of spirits can cure it.
A renowned statesman and Duke Huan’s prime minister. In the ghost story, he acts as the voice of reason, seeing no ghost, contrasting with the Duke’s fear.
Ji Shengzi:
A legendary cockfighting trainer. His story of training a fighting cock to become like a “wooden chicken” (calm and unreactive) is the origin of a famous idiom about spiritual maturity.
Qing the Carpenter (Zi Qing):
A master craftsman who carved a bell stand so perfect it looked like the work of spirits. His method of “fasting of the mind” to align with nature is a key Daoist metaphor for artistic creation.
Gong Chui:
A mythical master craftsman (often associated with the inventor of tools). He represents the pinnacle of skill where one’s fingers transform with the object, surpassing the need for compasses and squares.
Sun Xiu:
A complaining scholar who visits Master Bian. His story illustrates the futility of complaining about fate and the danger of showing off one’s virtue to the ignorant.
Bian Qingzi (Master Bian):
A Daoist sage who scolds Sun Xiu for his arrogance and compares teaching him high philosophy to “entertaining a small bird with bells and drums.”
Qi (Vital Breath/Energy):
The fundamental life force in Chinese philosophy. The text emphasizes “guarding the pure Qi” to achieve invulnerability and health.
Wuwei (Non-Action):
The Daoist principle of effortless action. The chapter illustrates this through the swimmer who follows the water’s way without acting for his own sake.
Fasting of the Mind (Xin Zhai):
A spiritual practice mentioned in the Carpenter Qing story. It involves abstaining from thoughts of reward, praise, and even one’s own physical form to achieve a state of pure focus.
Tai Lao (The Great Sacrifice):
The highest specification of ancient sacrificial offerings (ox, sheep, pig). In the story of the pig, it represents the hollow honors of human society that animals (and wise men) would reject in favor of simple survival.
Cockfighting:
A popular pastime in ancient China. The text uses it as a metaphor for spiritual cultivation, where the ultimate winner is not the most aggressive, but the most composed.
Gambling Stakes (Tiles vs. Gold):
Confucius uses the analogy of gambling with clay tiles versus gold to explain how anxiety about external rewards (“valuing the external”) ruins internal performance (“clumsy internally”).
Wooden Chicken:
Originating from Ji Shengzi’s story. Originally, it described a fighting cock so spiritually mature and calm that it looked like a wooden statue, scaring away opponents. It meant “perfect composure.” (Note: In modern Chinese, it has evolved to mean “dumbstruck” or “stunned,” but the original Daoist meaning is positive).
Hunchback Catching Cicadas:
The story of the old man who catches cicadas as easily as picking them up because his will is undivided. It illustrates the power of intense focus and concentration.
Forgetting the Water:
From the ferryman story. It means that when you are perfectly adapted to your environment, you no longer struggle against it. It is a metaphor for mastery through naturalness.
Nourishing a Bird with What Nourishes Oneself:
From Master Bian’s critique. It refers to the mistake of imposing one’s own values (like high philosophy or fancy food) on others who cannot understand or accept them, often causing harm.
Whipping the Lagging Sheep:
A metaphor for balancing one’s life. If you focus too much on the inner spirit (like Shan Bao) or too much on the outer world (like Zhang Yi), you neglect the other side. One must “whip” the weaker aspect to maintain balance.
Forgetting Comfort:
From the Gong Chui story. It means that true comfort is when you forget you are comfortable (e.g., you forget your feet when shoes fit perfectly). It represents a state of seamless harmony with the world.
外篇·达生第十九
达生之情者，不务生之所无以为；达命之情者，不务知之所无奈何。养形必先之以物，物有余而形不养者有之矣。有生必先无离形，形不离而生亡者有之矣。生之来不能却，其去不能止。悲夫！世之人以为养形足以存生，而养形果不足以存生，则世奚足为哉！虽不足为而不可不为者，其为不免矣！夫欲免为形者，莫如弃世。弃世则无累，无累则正平，正平则与彼更生，更生则几矣！事奚足弃则生奚足遗？弃事则形不劳，遗生则精不亏。夫形全精复，与天为一。天地者，万物之父母也。合则成体，散则成始。形精不亏，是谓能移。精而又精，反以相天。
子列子问关尹曰：“至人潜行不窒，蹈火不热，行乎万物之上而不栗。请问何以至于此？”关尹曰：“是纯气之守也，非知巧果敢之列。居，予语女。凡有貌象声色者，皆物也，物与物何以相远！夫奚足以至乎先！是色而已。则物之造乎不形，而止乎无所化。夫得是而穷之者，物焉得而止焉！彼将处乎不淫之度，而藏乎无端之纪，游乎万物之所终始。壹其性，养其气，合其德，以通乎物之所造。夫若是者，其天守全，其神无隙，物奚自入焉！夫醉者之坠车，虽疾不死。骨节与人同而犯害与人异，其神全也。乘亦不知也，坠亦不知也，死生惊惧不入乎其胸中，是故遻物而不慴。彼得全于酒而犹若是，而况得全于天乎？圣人藏于天，故莫之能伤也。复仇者，不折镆干；虽有忮心者，不怨飘瓦，是以天下平均。故无攻战之乱，无杀戮之刑者，由此道也。不开人之天，而开天之天。开天者德生，开人者贼生。不厌其天，不忽于人，民几乎以其真。”
仲尼适楚，出于林中，见痀偻者承蜩，犹掇之也。仲尼曰：“子巧乎，有道邪？”曰：“我有道也。五六月累丸二而不坠，则失者锱铢；累三而不坠，则失者十一；累五而不坠，犹掇之也。吾处身也，若蹶株拘；吾执臂也，若槁木之枝。虽天地之大，万物之多，而唯蜩翼之知。吾不反不侧，不以万物易蜩之翼，何为而不得！”孔子顾谓弟子曰：“用志不分，乃凝于神。其佝偻丈人之谓乎！”
颜渊问仲尼曰：“吾尝济乎觞深之渊，津人操舟若神。吾问焉曰：‘操舟可学邪？’曰：‘可。善游者数能。若乃夫没人，则未尝见舟而便操之也。’吾问焉而不吾告，敢问何谓也？”仲尼曰：“善游者数能，忘水也；若乃夫没人之未尝见舟而便操之也，彼视渊若陵，视舟若履，犹其车却也。覆却万方陈乎前而不得入其舍，恶往而不暇！以瓦注者巧，以钩注者惮，以黄金注者殙。其巧一也，而有所矜，则重外也。凡外重者内拙。”
田开之见周威公，威公曰：“吾闻祝肾学生，吾子与祝肾游，亦何闻焉？”田开之曰：“开之操拔篲以侍门庭，亦何闻于夫子！”威公曰：“田子无让，寡人愿闻之。”开之曰：“闻之夫子曰：‘善养生者，若牧羊然，视其后者而鞭之。’”威公曰：“何谓也？”田开之曰：“鲁有单豹者，岩居而水饮，不与民共利，行年七十而犹有婴儿之色，不幸遇饿虎，饿虎杀而食之。有张毅者，高门县薄，无不走也，行年四十而有内热之病以死。豹养其内而虎食其外，毅养其外而病攻其内。此二子者，皆不鞭其后者也。”仲尼曰：“无入而藏，无出而阳，柴立其中央。三者若得，其名必极。夫畏途者，十杀一人，则父子兄弟相戒也，必盛卒徒而后敢出焉，不亦知乎！人之所取畏者，衽席之上，饮食之间，而不知为之戒者，过也！”
祝宗人元端以临牢筴，说彘曰：“汝奚恶死！吾将三月㹖汝，十日戒，三日齐，藉白茅，加汝肩尻乎雕俎之上，则汝为之乎？”为彘谋曰：“不如食以糠糟而错之牢柙之中。”自为谋，则苟生有轩冕之尊，死得于腞楯之上、聚偻之中则为之。为彘谋则去之，自为谋则取之，所异彘者何也！
桓公田于泽，管仲御，见鬼焉。公抚管仲之手曰：“仲父何见？”对曰：“臣无所见。”公反，诶诒为病，数日不出。齐士有皇子告敖者，曰：“公则自伤，鬼恶能伤公！夫忿滀之气，散而不反，则为不足；上而不下，则使人善怒；下而不上，则使人善忘；不上不下，中身当心，则为病。”桓公曰：“然则有鬼乎？”曰：“有。沈有履。灶有髻。户内之烦壤，雷霆处之；东北方之下者，倍阿鲑蠪跃之；西北方之下者，则泆阳处之。水有罔象，丘有峷，山有夔，野有彷徨，泽有委蛇。”公曰：“请问委蛇之伏状何如？”皇子曰：“委蛇，其大如毂，其长如辕，紫衣而朱冠。其为物也恶，闻雷车之声则捧其首而立。见之者殆乎霸。”桓公辴然而笑曰：“此寡人之所见者也。”于是正衣冠与之坐，不终日而不知病之去也。
纪渻子为王养斗鸡。十日而问：“鸡已乎？”曰：“未也，方虚骄而恃气。”十日又问，曰：“未也，犹应向景。”十日又问，曰：“未也，犹疾视而盛气。”十日又问，曰：“几矣，鸡虽有鸣者，已无变矣，望之似木鸡矣，其德全矣。异鸡无敢应者，反走矣。”
孔子观于吕梁，县水三十仞，流沫四十里，鼋鼍鱼鳖之所不能游也。见一丈夫游之，以为有苦而欲死也。使弟子并流而拯之。数百步而出，被发行歌而游于塘下。孔子从而问焉，曰：“吾以子为鬼，察子则人也。请问：蹈水有道乎？”曰：“亡，吾无道。吾始乎故，长乎性，成乎命。与齐俱入，与汩偕出，从水之道而不为私焉。此吾所以蹈之也。”孔子曰：“何谓始乎故，长乎性，成乎命？”曰：“吾生于陵而安于陵，故也；长于水而安于水，性也；不知吾所以然而然，命也。”
梓庆削木为鐻，鐻成，见者惊犹鬼神。鲁侯见而问焉，曰：“子何术以为焉？”对曰：“臣，工人，何术之有！虽然，有一焉：臣将为鐻，未尝敢以耗气也，必齐以静心。齐三日，而不敢怀庆赏爵禄；齐五日，不敢怀非誉巧拙；齐七日，辄然忘吾有四枝形体也。当是时也，无公朝。其巧专而外骨消，然后入山林，观天性形躯，至矣，然后成见鐻，然后加手焉，不然则已。则以天合天，器之所以疑神者，其是与！”
东野稷以御见庄公，进退中绳，左右旋中规。庄公以为文弗过也。使之钩百而反。颜阖遇之，入见曰：“稷之马将败。”公密而不应。少焉，果败而反。公曰：“子何以知之？”曰：“其马力竭矣而犹求焉，故曰败。”
工倕旋而盖规矩，指与物化而不以心稽，故其灵台一而不桎。忘足，屦之适也；忘要，带之适也；知忘是非，心之适也；不内变，不外从，事会之适也；始乎适而未尝不适者，忘适之适也。
有孙休者，踵门而诧子扁庆子曰：“休居乡不见谓不修，临难不见谓不勇。然而田原不遇岁，事君不遇世，宾于乡里，逐于州部，则胡罪乎天哉？休恶遇此命也？”扁子曰：“子独不闻夫至人之自行邪？忘其肝胆，遗其耳目，芒然彷徨乎尘垢之外，逍遥乎无事之业，是谓为而不恃，长而不宰。今汝饰知以惊愚，修身以明汙，昭昭乎若揭日月而行也。汝得全而形躯，具而九窍，无中道夭于聋盲跛蹇而比于人数亦幸矣，又何暇乎天之怨哉！子往矣！”孙子出，扁子入。坐有间，仰天而叹。弟子问曰：“先生何为叹乎？”扁子曰∶“向者休来，吾告之以至人之德，吾恐其惊而遂至于惑也。”弟子曰：“不然。孙子之所言是邪，先生之所言非邪，非固不能惑是；孙子所言非邪，先生所言是邪，彼固惑而来矣，又奚罪焉！”扁子曰：“不然。昔者有鸟止于鲁郊，鲁君说之，为具太牢以飨之，奏九韶以乐之。鸟乃始忧悲眩视，不敢饮食。此之谓以己养养鸟也。若夫以鸟养养鸟者，宜栖之深林，浮之江湖，食之以委蛇，则安平陆而已矣。今休，款启寡闻之民也，吾告以至人之德，譬之若载鼷以车马，乐鴳以钟鼓也，彼又恶能无惊乎哉！”
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