Chapter 32 way of life

Han Feizi's "Shuo Lin" <Part 2> contains Huan He's words: the way to carve is nothing like a big nose; nothing like a small eye.The nose can be big or small, but small can't be big; the eyes can be small and big, but big can't be small.The same is true for doing things, and those who are irreversible will lose few things. This is to use the technique of sculpture as a metaphor for the way of being a person and dealing with the world.If the nose is engraved too large, it can still be trimmed down, but if the nose is engraved too small, it cannot be enlarged; but if the eyes are engraved small, it can be enlarged again, but if the eyes are engraved first, they cannot be reduced any more.This means that there must be room and retreat in everything, so as not to suffer frequent failures.

Han Fei's thought is listed in Legalism, but if you look at the words of Huan He quoted by him, it must be the same. Isn't it close to the Confucian doctrine of the mean?It can be seen that the study of Confucius and Mencius does have truths that conform to heaven and respond to people.People have the same heart and the same reason. The Chinese people's philosophy of life has always been to avoid being full and greedy. No matter how you treat yourself or others, you should always leave room for it.That is to say, when you act and speak, you should first think about it for yourself, and then think about it for others. There is no hindrance.Therefore, if you teach people to deal with things calmly, you will have aftertaste; if you are calm, you will have more years.And it is most forbidden to go to extremes, or to be too full and greedy all at once.It's like the work of carving, there is still room for correction, and the common people will be defeated by accidents.

Unfortunately, modern people are becoming more and more greedy due to excessive competition; He did not hesitate to take risks and eventually ruined his reputation.Excessive greed, the small ones are personal misbehavior; the big ones are criminals in gangs, all because of this. Greedy behavior manifests itself in wanting to be even more full when one is full.And the desire to be more satisfied is to never be satisfied; and the more desires that are never satisfied, the more disappointed; and the more disappointed, you will express dissatisfaction with everything, so that your behavior is perverted and your speech is abnormal , and inexplicably gave birth to many complaints, but they were full of complaints.If this kind of impermanent mind appears in political desires, it is the same.

Man is a rational animal, and if he loses his rationality, he also loses his wisdom.Therefore, those who blindly go to extremes should not be taken by the wise.Otherwise, its failure is inevitable.Because people's desires are infinite, but life is limited, how can there be a time when they can be the most fulfilled?Life is only a few decades of cold and heat, and if you want something, it lies in the three immortal ears of virtue, meritorious service and words. The way of being a person and dealing with the world should be like the method of carving and using things, step by step, leaving room for everything at all times, neither can be rushed, nor can it be done overnight.Instead, you should use a normal mind to accomplish extraordinary things.It is not a crime to think for oneself, but it is a virtue to think for others.Those who are like this can be said to have lived a life without vain.