Chapter 28: The Will of Heaven (III)
Master Mo said, “The reason the world is in chaos is that the gentlemen of the world understand small matters but not great matters.” How do we know this? Because they do not understand the Will of Heaven. We can see this from how people behave when staying in another’s home. If a person offends while staying in another’s home, there is still another home to flee to; yet fathers warn their sons and brothers warn their brothers: ‘Be vigilant! Be careful! If you offend in another’s home, where else is there to go?’ If a person offends in another’s state, there is still another state to flee to; yet they are still warned to be vigilant. But now, people live in the world and serve Heaven. If they offend Heaven, there is nowhere to flee. Yet no one warns each other. Thus, I know they do not understand great matters.
Therefore, Master Mo says: ‘Be vigilant! Be careful! Do what Heaven desires and remove what Heaven hates.’ What does Heaven desire? It desires righteousness and hates unrighteousness. Righteousness is correctness. When there is righteousness, the world is governed; without it, there is chaos. Correctness must come from above, not from below. Commoners are corrected by scholars, scholars by ministers, ministers by feudal lords, lords by the Three Dukes, the Dukes by the Son of Heaven, and the Son of Heaven is corrected by Heaven. People today understand that the Son of Heaven corrects the world, but do not understand that Heaven corrects the Son of Heaven. When the Son of Heaven is unjust or there are disasters, he must offer sacrifices and pray to Heaven. I have never heard of Heaven praying to the Son of Heaven. Thus, Heaven is nobler than the Son of Heaven. Righteousness originates from the noble and wise, and Heaven is the most wise. Therefore, those who wish to practice righteousness must conform to the Will of Heaven.
Conforming to Heaven’s will means universal love. How do we know Heaven loves all people? Because Heaven feeds all people. From ancient times to now, even remote barbarian states offer sacrifices to Heaven and spirits, proving Heaven feeds them all. Since Heaven feeds them, it must love them. Just as the King of Chu loves the people of Chu because he is fed by them, Heaven loves all people because it is fed by the entire world.
Heaven’s love for the people is profound. If someone kills an innocent person, Heaven sends misfortune. If Heaven did not love the people, why would it punish the murderer? We know Heaven rewards good and punishes evil through the sage-kings of the Three Dynasties (Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen, Wu). They practiced universal love, benefited the people, and revered spirits. Heaven rewarded them with the throne and the title of ‘Sage.’ Conversely, the tyrants (Jie, Zhou, You, Li) hated the world, harmed the people, and insulted spirits. Heaven punished them with ruin and the title of ‘Lost Kings.’ Thus, conforming to Heaven is ‘Universal Love‘, and defying it is ‘Partiality’.
Universal Love leads to righteous governance: the great do not attack the small, the strong do not oppress the weak, and no one uses weapons or poison to harm others. This benefits Heaven, spirits, and people, and is called ‘Heavenly Virtue.’ Partiality leads to rule by force: the great attack the small, and the strong oppress the weak. This harms all three and is called ‘Thievery.’
Master Mo established the Will of Heaven as a standard, just as a wheelwright uses a compass and a carpenter uses a square to measure roundness and squareness. Using this standard, I see that today’s gentlemen are far from righteousness. Consider a great lord who boasts, ‘If I do not attack small states, how will I show my greatness?’ He attacks innocent states, destroys crops, burns temples, and enslaves people. He and his neighbors call this glorious and record it in their archives as a model for descendants, rather than the righteous governance of Kings Wen and Wu. They do not understand this is unrighteous. This is failing to understand great matters.
Regarding small matters, if someone steals peaches or plums from an orchard, they are punished. Stealing cattle, breaking into vaults, or killing an innocent person is punished even more severely. Yet when feudal lords invade and annex states, killing millions and stealing countless treasures, they call it ‘Righteousness!’ Is this not like confusing black and white, or sweet and bitter? If a person sees a little black and calls it black, but sees much black and calls it white, we say his vision is confused. If he tastes a little sweet and calls it sweet, but tastes much and calls it bitter, we say his taste is confused. Today’s rulers punish individual murders but praise mass slaughter as righteous. This is no different from confusing black and white.
Therefore, Master Mo established Heaven as the standard. It is not only Mozi who does this; the ancient book Da Xia says: ‘Heaven told King Wen: I admire your virtue. You do not use loud voices or force, but simply follow Heaven’s rules.’ This instructs us to take Heaven’s will as our law. If gentlemen truly wish to practice benevolence and benefit the state, they must examine the Will of Heaven, for it is the constant principle of righteousness.
Note
This chapter holds Heaven’s will the absolute moral gauge. It criticizes people’s moral double standard: punishing petty crimes yet glorifying interstate wars, and stresses universal love as the only righteous path conforming to Heaven.
Lord Zhi:
Refers to the powerful Zhi clan during the late Spring and Autumn period, specifically Zhi Yao (Zhi Bo). He was notorious for his arrogance and aggressive expansionism, demanding territory from other states and eventually triggering a coalition against him. Mozi uses him as the prime contemporary example of a ruler who glorifies unrighteous warfare.
Sage-Kings vs. Tyrants:
Mozi repeatedly contrasts the sage-kings (Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen, Wu) who practiced Universal Love and followed Heaven’s will, with the tyrants (Jie, Zhou, You, Li) who practiced Partiality and defied Heaven. This binary serves as the ultimate historical validation for Mohist ethics.
Universal Love vs. Partiality:
“Universal Love” is the ultimate expression of Heaven’s will, resulting in righteous governance and mutual benefit. “Partiality” is the rejection of Heaven’s will, resulting in rule by force, oppression, and chaos.
Heaven as the Ultimate Standard:
Mozi uses the analogy of a wheelwright’s compass and a carpenter’s square to argue that the Will of Heaven is an objective, unyielding moral metric. Just as craftsmen do not rely on subjective feelings to determine shape, rulers must measure their policies against Heaven’s will.
The Paradox of Scale in Moral Judgment:
A profound sociological observation by Mozi. He points out that people easily recognize and punish petty theft or individual murder (small matters), but when rulers commit mass slaughter and annexation on a grand scale, society paradoxically praises it as “righteousness” or “glory.” Mozi equates this moral blindness to confusing black with white or sweet with bitter.
The Da Xia (大夏):
An ancient canonical text (often associated with the Book of Documents or lost Mohist texts). Mozi quotes it to show that his doctrine of the Will of Heaven is not a novel invention, but the orthodox teaching passed down from antiquity, specifically citing Heaven’s direct endorsement of King Wen’s humble and righteous virtue.
The Wheelwright’s Compass and Carpenter’s Square:
A recurring philosophical motif in the Mozi. It represents the necessity of an objective, universal standard in both craftsmanship and statecraft, emphasizing that morality and governance must be measured against an external, absolute truth (Heaven’s will) rather than subjective human desires.
子墨子言曰：“天下之所以乱者，其说将何哉？则是天下士君子，皆明于小而不明于大。”何以知其明于小而不明于大也？以其不明于天之意也。何以知其不明于天之意也？以处人之家者知之。今人处若家得罪，将犹有异家所以避逃之者；然且父以戒子，兄以戒弟，曰：“戒之！慎之！处人之家，不戒不慎之，而有处人之国者乎？”今人处若国得罪，将犹有异国所以避逃之者矣；然且父以戒子，兄以戒弟，曰：“戒之！慎之！处人之国者，不可不戒慎也！”今人皆处天下而事天，得罪于天，将无所以避逃之者矣；然而莫知以相极戒也。吾以此知大物则不知者也。
是故子墨子言曰：“戒之！慎之！必为天之所欲，而去天之所恶。”曰天之所欲者，何也？所恶者，何也？天欲义而恶其不义者也。何以知其然也？曰：义者，正也。何以知义之为正也？天下有义则治，无义则乱，我以此知义之为正也。然而正者，无自下正上者，必自上正下。是故庶人不得次己而为正，有士正之；士不得次己而为正，有大夫正之；大夫不得次己而为正，有诸侯正之；诸侯不得次己而为正，有三公正之；三公不得次己而为正，有天子正之；天子不得次己而为正，有天正之。今天下之士君子，皆明于天子之正天下也，而不明于天之正天子也。是故古者圣人明以此说人，曰：“天子有善，天能赏之；天子有过，天能罚之。”天子赏罚不当，听狱不中，天下疾病祸福，霜露不时，天子必且犓豢其牛羊犬彘，洁为粢盛酒醴，以祷祠祈福于天，我未尝闻天之祷祈福于天子也。吾以此知天之重且贵于天子也。是故义者，不自愚且贱者出，必自贵且知者出。曰：谁为知？天为知。然则义果自天出也。今天下之士君子之欲为义者，则不可不顺天之意矣。
曰：顺天之意何若？曰：兼爱天下之人。何以知兼爱天下之人也？以兼而食之也。何以知其兼而食之也？自古及今，无有远灵孤夷之国，皆犓豢其牛羊犬彘，洁为粢盛酒醴，以敬祭祀上帝、山川、鬼神，以此知兼而食之也。苟兼而食焉，必兼而爱之。譬之若楚、越之君：今是楚王食于楚之四境之内，故爱楚之人；越王食于越，故爱越之人。今天兼天下而食焉，我以此知其兼爱天下之人也。
且天之爱百姓也，不尽物而止矣。今天下之国，粒食之民，杀一不辜者，必有一不祥。曰：“谁杀不辜？”曰：“人也。”“孰予之不辜？”曰：“天也。”若天之中实不爱此民也，何故而人有杀不辜，而天予之不祥哉？且天之爱百姓厚矣，天之爱百姓别矣，既可得而知也。何以知天之爱百姓也？吾以贤者之必赏善罚暴也。何以知贤者之必赏善罚暴也？吾以昔者三代之圣王知之。故昔也三代之圣王，尧、舜、禹、汤、文、武之兼爱之天下也。从而利之，移其百姓之意焉，率以敬上帝、山川、鬼神。天以为从其所爱而爱之，从其所利而利之，于是加其赏焉，使之处上位，立为天子以法也，名之曰圣人，以此知赏善之证。是故昔也三代之暴王，桀、纣、幽、厉之兼恶天下也，从而贼之，移其百姓之意焉。率以诟侮上帝、山川、鬼神。天以为不从其所爱而恶之，不从其所利而贼之，于是加其罚焉，使之父子离散，国家灭亡，抎失社稷，忧以及其身，是以天下之庶民属而毁之，业万世子孙继嗣，毁之贲，不之废也，名之曰失王。以此知其罚暴之证。今天下之士君子欲为义者，则不可不顺天之意矣。
曰：顺天之意者，兼也；反天之意者，别也。兼之为道也，义正；别之为道也，力正。曰：“义正者，何若？”曰：大不攻小也，强不侮弱也，众不贼寡也，诈不欺愚也，贵不傲贱也，富不骄贫也，壮不夺老也。是以天下之庶国，莫以水火、毒药、兵刃以相害也。若事上利天，中利鬼，下利人，三利而无所不利，是谓天德。故凡从事此者，圣知也，仁义也，忠惠也，慈孝也，是故聚敛天下之善名而加之。是其故何也？则顺天之意也。曰：“力正者，何若？”曰：大则攻小也，强则侮弱也，众则贼寡也，诈则欺愚也，贵则傲贱也，富则骄贫也，壮则夺老也。是以天下之庶国，方以水火、毒药、兵刃以相贼害也。若事上不利天，中不利鬼，下不利人，三不利而无所利，是谓之贼。故凡从事此者，寇乱也，盗贼也，不仁不义，不忠不惠，不慈不孝，是故聚敛天下之恶名而加之，是其故何也？则反天之意也。
故子墨子置立天之以为仪法，若轮人之有规，匠人之有矩也。今轮人以规，匠人以矩，以此知方圜之别矣。是故子墨子置立天之以为仪法，吾以此知天下之士君子之去义，远也！何以知天下之士君子之去义远也？今知氏大国之君，宽者然曰：“吾处大国而不攻小国，吾何以为大哉？”是以差论爪牙之士，比列其舟车之卒，以攻罚无罪之国，入其沟境，刈其禾稼，斩其树木，残其城郭，以御其沟池，焚烧其祖庙，攘杀其牺牷，民之格者，则刭拔之，不格者，则系操而归，丈夫以为仆圉、胥靡，妇人以为舂酋。则夫好攻伐之君，不知此为不仁义，以告四邻诸侯曰：“吾攻国覆军，杀将若干人矣。”其邻国之君，亦不知此为不仁义也，有具以皮币，发其总处，使人飨贺焉。则夫好攻伐之君，有重不知此为不仁不义也，有书之竹帛，藏之府库。为人后子者，必且欲顺其先君之行，曰：“何不当发吾府库，视吾先君之法美。”必不曰“文、武之为正者，若此矣”，曰“吾攻国覆军，杀将若干人矣。”则夫好攻伐之君，不知此为不仁不义也。其邻国之君，不知此为不仁不义也。是以攻伐世世而不已者，此吾所谓大物则不知也。
所谓小物则知之者，何若？今有人于此，入人之场园，取人之桃李瓜姜者，上得且罚之，众闻则非之，是何也？曰：不与其劳，获其实，已非其有所取之故，而况有逾于人之墙垣，抯格人之子女者乎！与角人之府库，窃人之金玉蚤□者乎！与逾人之栏牢，窃人之牛马者乎！而况有杀一不辜人乎！今王公大人之为政也，自杀一不辜人者，逾人之墙垣，抯格人之子女者，与角人之府库，窃人之金玉蚤累者，与逾人之栏牢，窃人之牛马者，与入人之场圃，窃人之桃李瓜姜者，今王公大人之加罚此也；虽古之尧、舜、禹、汤、文、武之为政，亦无以异此矣。今天下之诸侯，将犹皆侵凌攻伐兼并，此为杀一不辜人者，数千万矣，此为逾人之墙垣，抯格人之子女者，与角人府库，窃人金玉蚤累者，数千万矣！逾人之栏牢，窃人之牛马者，与入人之场圃，窃人之桃李瓜姜者，数千万矣！而自曰：“义也！”
故子墨子言曰：“是紊我者，则岂有以异是紊黑白、甘苦之辩者哉！今有人于此，少而示之黑，谓之黑；多示之黑，谓白。必曰：’吾目乱，不知黑白之别。’今有人于此，能少尝之甘，谓甘；多尝，谓苦。必曰：’吾口乱，不知其甘苦之味。’今王公大人之政也，或杀人，其国家禁之。此蚤越有能多杀其邻国之人，因以为文义。此岂有异紊白黑、甘苦之别者哉？”
故子墨子置天之以为仪法。非独子墨子以天之志为法也，于先王之书《大夏》之道之然：“帝谓文王，予怀明德，毋大声以色，毋长夏以革，不识不知，顺帝之则。”此诰文王之以天志为法也，而顺帝之则也。且今天下之士君子，中实将欲为仁义，求为上士，上欲中圣王之道，下欲中国家百姓之利者，当天之志而不可不察也。天之志者，义之经也。
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