The Three Principle Texts of Daoism translated by ... - Bad Request

no retribution. But gold, jade, and precious stones, storesof grain, silk stuffs, and other kinds of property, arethings accumulated by men, not bestowed upon us byNature. So who can complain if he gets into trouble bystealing them?"Mr Hsiang, in a state of great perplexity, and fearing tobe led astray a second time by Mr Kuo, went off toconsult Tung Kuo, a man of learning. Tung Kuo said tohim: “Are you not already a thief in respect of your ownbody? You are stealing the harmony of the Yin and theYang in order to keep alive and to maintain your bodilyform. How much more, then, are you a thief with regardto external possessions! Assuredly, Heaven and earthcannot be dissociated from the myriad objects of Nature.To claim any one of these as your own betokensconfusion of thought. Mr Kuo's thefts are carried out ina spirit of justice, and therefore bring no retribution. Butyour thefts were carried out in a spirit of self-seekingand therefore landed you in trouble. Those who takepossession of property, whether public or private, arethieves. [2] Those who abstain from taking property,public or private, are also thieves.“For no one can help possessing a body, and no one canhelp acquiring some property or other which cannot begot rid of with the best will in the world. Such thefts areunconscious thefts.“The great principle of Heaven and earth is to treatpublic property as such and private property as such.Knowing this principle, which of us is a thief, and at the