6 THE OPERATIONS AND MANIFESTATIONS 



men, carrying great responsibilities. They were men of 

 non-action because they did nothing by the effort of mere 

 artificial creations of knowledge, but in perfect harmony with 

 the Tao. The possession of the Tao is not an easy matter. 

 It is difficult. There must be great training of the heart, 

 the suppression of the senses, concentration of the spirit; 

 given these, ''the Spirit will soon settle en your person, and 

 the Tao will dwell with you." 



The method of this essay is a good example of the style 

 and treatment of all the others, and in fact, of much Chinese 

 composition and lines of thought. The general theme is 

 stated in recondite and sometimes allegorical language, then 

 follows the exposition and treatment which is generally 

 composed of short concrete examples. In this essay the 

 existence, nature, manifestation of the Tao is stated in two 

 or three pages, and the remainder, about 23 pages, is wholly 

 occupied with historical incidents showing how the Tao- 

 operates, and confirming its existence and justice. 



In our reading it is necessary to try and put ourselves 

 in the position of the author and consider the limitations of 

 his history and surroundings. Many of the examples seem 

 somewhat puerile to us, and the meaning is often elusive. 

 It should also be remembered that the paucity of the 

 materials may account for the tenuity of the evidence. 



The Theme Stated. 



Great-Purity asked Exhaustless, "whether he knew 

 anything about the Tao." 



Exhaustless replied, "No, nothing." Non-action being 

 asked the same question replied that he had some knowledge 



Great-Purity is the Essence of the Primal Fluid 

 Exhaustless is the Formless or Idea 



of it. "Is the knowledge you have finite?" "My knowledge 

 is finite," Non-action replied. "How much then do you 



Non-action is Phenomena or Form without activities 

 Because it has form therefore it knows, i.e. 

 It is the result of Tao in operation 



know of the Tao?" "I know such things as the following 

 are possible through the energies of the Tao, viz : yieldingness 

 and firmness, courtesy and severity, the negative and the 

 positive, the recondite and the clear. Thus it is possible for 

 the Tao to enwrap Heaven and Earth, and to operate with 

 perfect response in the whole Universe. This is the limit of 

 knowledge." 



Great-Purity also asked Without-Beginning, saying: 

 "Formerly I asked Exhaustless about the Tao who 



