crossing currents zarathustra and zhuangzi

8/3/2019 Crossing Currents Zarathustra and Zhuangzi

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/crossing-currents-zarathustra-and-zhuangzi 1/17

C r o s s in g C u rre nts: T h e O v e r - f lo w i n g / F l o w i n g - o v e rSou l in Z a r a th u s tr a & Z h u a n g z i

D a v i d J o n e s*

I . T h e I m a g i n a l G r o u n d o f W a t e r

The highestqficacy s 9 ke w ater,It is becausew ater benqSts eve{Tthing w anw u)Y et vies o dw ell n places loathed~ the crowd

Tha t i t comesnearest oproper wq-makdng.(Laozi: ch. 8)1

I f N i e t z s ch e h a d e v e r o p e n e d t he Z h u a n g ~ , h e m i g h t h a v e f o r s a k e n h i s q u e s t t o

b e c o m e t h e f i r s t t ra g i c p h i l o s o p h e r , a t l ea s t i n th e w a y h e e n v i s io n e d t h e m o v e m e n t

o f th e w i ll t o li fe t h r o u g h t h e t e r r o r o f t h e r e e v a l u a t i o n o f a U v a l u e s u n ti l b e c o m i n g

" o n e s d f t h e e t er n a l jo y o f b e c o m i n g , b e y o n d a ll t e r r o r a n d p i t y - - t h a t j o y w h i c hi n c l u d e d e v e n j o y i n d e s t r o y i n g " ( N i e t z s c h e 1 9 6 8 a: W h a t I O w e t o th e A n c i e n t s 5 ).

N i e t z s c h e l o o k e d t o h i s A n c i e n t s f o r si g ns o f a p r e d e c e s s o r o f th i s t r a ~ c w i s d o m a n d

e v e n c o n c e d e s , a l t h o u g h l a t e r r e n o u n c e s h i s c o n c e s s i o n , t h a t p e r h a p s t h e e t e r n a l

r e c u rr e n c e o f t h e s a m e " ' m i g h t i n t h e e n d h a v e b e e n t a u g h t a l r ea d y b y H e r a c li t u s"

( N i e t z s c h e 1 9 6 9 b : B i rt h o f T r a g e d y 3 ). I f N i e t z s c h e h a d e v e r e n t e r e d t h e Z h u a n g ~

t e xt , h e m i g h t h a v e f o u n d a n a l l - to o - C h i n e s e H e r a c li tu s .

I n i ts f ir s t c h a p t e r , N i e t z s c h e w o u l d h a v e e n c o u n t e r e d a t a s te o f h is o w n t y p e

o f p e r s p e c t i v a l p h i l o s o p h y b e s e t w i t h b e s t ia l i m a g e s n o t s o u n li k e h i s o w n .

H o w e v e r , i n t h e Z h u a n g ~ , u n l i k e i n h i s Z a r a t h m t r a , t h e s e b e a s t s w o u l d c h a n g e

f o r m s a n d b e c o m e t h e ir O t h e r : " I n t h e N o r t h O c e a n t h e r e is a fi sh , i ts n a m e is t h e

K u n ; t h e K u n ' s g i r t h m e a s u re s w h o k n o w s h o w m a n y t h o u s a n d m i le s. I t ch a n ge s

i n t o a b i rd , i ts n a m e i s t h e P e n g ; th e P e n g ' s b a c k m e a s u r e s w h o k n o w s h o w m a n y

t h o u s a n d m i l e s " ( Z h u a n g z i 1 9 81 : 4 3 ). T h e v e r y f ir s t u n d e r t a k i n g i n th e Z h u a n g ~ is

* Associate Professor, Dep artment of History and P hilosophy, Kenne saw S tate University, 1000Chastain Road, Kenn esaw, GA : 30144-5591; email: djones@k suweb.kennesaw .edu.

Dao:AJourna lo fCompara l i ve Ph i losophy une 2005, Vol . Iv , N o. 2 , pp. 235-251.

9 2005 by G lobal Sch olarly Publications. All rights reserved.

I Daodqing translations are from the Da o D e r ing: A Phi losophicalTranslation by Roger T. Ames andDavid L. Hall, Ballantine Boo ks, New York, 2003. Translations fro m Thu s Spoke Z arathustra, Bqo ndG o o d a n d E v i l, E c c e H o m o , and Heracl itus (Markovich 's numbering) are m ine. Some N ietzschetranslations are emended slightly. Zh u a n g ~ i t ransla t ions are f rom Graham's Ch u a u g TZu : Th e I n n e rChapters, wi th Romanizadon converted into hanyupingyin. I am grateful to P eter G ro ff for h is helpfulcomments .



D ao: A Journal o f Comparalive PhilosophyIV. 2 2 3 6

t o r e m o ve the r e a de r 's so l id g r oun d a nd r e p lac e th i s g r ound wi th a f lu id buoya n c y

o f a floa t ing th r ough . T he g r ou nd o f the K un is t he f luid , c ha nge a b le se a a nd the

P e ng ' s is t he f lowing sky c ons ta n t ly t r a ns f o r m e d by l igh t , w ind , c o lo r , s ta rs , a nd

da r kne ss , bu t a c ic a da a nd tu r tl e dove l a ugh a t t hi s t ra ns f o r m a t ion . O n ly the K un ' s

loc a t ion ha s c ha nge d ; i t s va s t s i z e a nd the inhe r e n t l im i t a t ions im pose d by i t s

m a ss ive g i r th r e m a in wi th the P e ng wh o ha s e ve n t r a nsc e nd e d the e a r th ly r e a lm o f

the sea by ente r in g the celes tial rea lm o f sky . T h e c icada and tur t le do ve s to p on an

e lm o r sa nda lwoo d to r e s t a nd e a t a nd a sk: "W ha t ' s a ll t h is a bo u t n ine ty thousa nd

miles up w he n he t rave ls sou th? " (Zhuan gz i 1981: 44). T he i r smal l persp ec t ives of

self , reali ty, and w orl d l imit them too .

Th e a ne c do ta l d i scuss ions in '~ -lhe S or t ing W hic h Ev e ns T h ings O u t " c ha p te r

o f t he Zhuang~ i a re perh aps i ts bes t exam ples o f perspec t iv ism: "W ha t is I t is a lso

Oth e r , wha t i s O the r i s a lso I t. Th e r e the y sa y ~ f ha t 's i t, tha t 's n o t ' f r om on e po in to f v ie w, he r e we sa y q~hat's i t, t ha t 's no t ' f r om a no the r po in t o f vi ew. Ar e the r e

r e al ly I t a nd Oth e r ? O r r e a lly no I t a nd O the r ? " ( Zh ua ngz i 1981 : 53 ). On ly f r o m

t h e p e r sp e c t iv e o f a n " I t " i s t h e r e " O t h e r , " b u t w h e n o n e a s su m e s t h e p e r s p e c t iv e

o f a n " O t h e r , " th is " O t h e r " b e c o m e s a n " I t " a n d t he " I t " b e c o m e s " O t h e r "

ad infini tum. T h i s g o i n g t o a n d f r o ad infinitum c a n q u i ck l y b e c o m e a g o i n g to a n d f r o

ad nauseam i f one i s no t p syc ho log ic a lly p r e pa r e d f o r the c ha ll e nges o f the "pe r -

spe ct iva l l i fe . " Ev e n the z e a lous Za r a thus t ra , t he a dvoc a te o f the c irc le , wh o ha s

ha d h i s G r u n d p u l l e d f r o m u n d e r h i m i n " T h e C o n v a l e s c e n t " te lls h i s m o s t a b y sm a l

t h o u g h t : " H a i l to m e ! C o m e h e re ! G i v e m e y o u r h an d ! H u h ? L e t g o ! H u h h u h !

Na use a , na use a , na use a - - woe un to m e ! " ( N ie tz sc he 1968c : The C onva le sc e n t 1 ) .

F o r se ve n da ys Za r a thus t r a r e s t e d a nd on the se ve n th he r ose a nd h i s a n im a l s

spoke thus to h im : "O Za r a thus t ra . .. . S t e p o u t o f you r ca ve !.... L ike le a ve ne d do ugh

yo u ha ve be e n ly ing; you r sou l r ose a nd swe l le d ove r i ts r im s" ( Nie tz sc he 1968:

T he C onv a le sc e n t 2 ). As Za r a thus t r a c l im bs f r om h i s c a ve , f r om h i s l a st r e m a in ing

and conf in ing persp ec t ive o f sel f, and as h is soul swel ls o ve r i ts r ims an d ru shes

in to the wor ld , h i s a n im a l s sa y to h im , " to those who th ink a s we do , a l l t h ings

the m se lve s a r e da nc ing" ( Nie tz sc he 1968c: Th e C on va le sc e n t 2). A l l t he " I t s " a nd

"O th e r s " o f the wo r ld a r e no longe r s ta tic ; now the y da nc e a s Za r a thus t r a 's a n i-

m a l s do . T he wo r ld i t s e l f be c o m e s a da nc e o f ine luc tab le f o r c e s o f a c t iv ity p l a y ingthe m se lve s ou t in ind iv idua te d f o r m s .

F o r Zhua n gz i , "w he r e ne i the r I t no r O th e r f inds it s oppos i t e i s c al le d the a x is

o f the Wa y . W he n on c e the a xis is f ou nd a t t he c e n t r e o f the c i rc le the r e is no l im i t

to r e spond ing wi th e i the r, on the one ha n d n o l im i t t o wh a t is it, on the o the r n o

l imi t to what i s not . Therefore . . . ' the bes t means i s I l lumina t ion lining ~)~]"'

( Zhua ngz i 1981 : 53 ). N ie tz sc he wou ld be c a pa b le o f unde r s t a nd ing th e shengren

X, the Daois t sage , as one who has th is c la r i ty (ruing ~)~)o f u n d e rs t a n d in g , a s o n e

w h o p la c es h i m s d f a t th e a xis o f dao JR, a t the axis o f the c i rc le w here there i s no

l imi t . At the axis of dao , t he sage is the umbil icus o f y i n g~ a n d y a n g ~ , and da0

b e c o m e s t h e c o n t e x t u a l fi el d o f t h e p e r s p ec t iv a l " I t " a n d " O t h e r . " N o l o n g e r d othe va lue s o f r igh tne ss a nd wr ongne ss e xe r c i se c on t r o l i n the i r dom a in ;2 r a the r

t h e y b e c o m e o n l y i n t er p r et a ti o n s o f t h e p e r s p e c ti v e s o f r ig h t a n d w r o n g . A s

2 "Simultaneouslywith being allowablesomethingbecomesunallowableand simultaneouslywith beingunallowable t becomesallowable" Zhuangzi 1981: 52). Concerningmorality, he Dao istposition holdsthat once suchquestionsarise, he natturalbalance lowofyin/yangalreadyhas beendisrupted.



Jones: Crossing Currents 2 3 7

Nie t zsche pu t s it: '~ a re no mo ra l ph en om en a a t a l l, bu t on ly mo ra l i n te r -

p re t a ti ons o f ph en om en a" (Nie tzsche 1968d: w

Ho we ver , a s w e beg in t o li s ten t o t he t eno r o f the app aren t ha rm on ious vo i ces

o f N ie t zsche a nd Zhuan gz i , we beg in t o hea r t he f ir s t sounds o f d i s sonance . Th e

chal lenge for the Da ois t sage i s to forget moral i ty . As XU Y ou ~ tell s Yierzi ~

: ~ in ' T h e T e a c h e r W h o i s T h e U l t im a t e A n c e s t o r " ch a p te r : ' q l a e n w h a t d o y o u

t h i n k y o u 'r e d o i n g h e r e? W h e n Y a o h a s a l re a d y b r a n d e d y o u r h i d e w i t h G o o d w i l l

and D u ty , and sn ipped o f f you r nose wi th h i s ' tha t 's it , tha t 's no t , ' ho w a re yo u

goin g to ro am that f ree and ea sy take-any- turn-you-p lease pa th?" (91) . M oral i ty for

Zh uan gz i is v i ewed as pun i sh me n t , a sn ipp ing o f t he no se f rom the f ace, a

bran ding o f one ' s h ide . Moral i ty res tr ic ts on e to an exclus ively h um an perspect ive;

i t locks one i n to a s ing le d i r ec t i on and p roh ib i t s t he " ram bl ing w i thou t des t i na t ion"

f rom one pe r spec ti ve t o ano the r . The " t ake -any -tu rn -you-p l ease pa th " i s t he pos -sibility o f d a o , t h e poss ib i li ty o f poss ib il ity, and the f lu id w ay o f th e sage .

Th i s f l u id i ty is i ll u st ra t ed i n ano th e r anecdo t e i n '~ Teac her W ho i s Th e

Ul t ima t e An ces to r " chap te r . YAN H ui ~ s a id t o C onfuc ius :

" I m a k e p r o g r e s s . " " W h e r e ? " " I h a v e f o r g o t t e n a b o u t ri te s a n d m u s i c . " " S a ti sf a ct o ry . B u t

y o u s ti ll h a v e f a r t o g o . "

A n o t h e r d a y h e s a w C o n f u c i u s a g a in :

" I m a k e p r o g r e s s . " " W h e r e ? " " I h a v e f o r g o t t e n a b o u t G o o d w i l l a n d D u t y . " " S a ti s fa c -

t o r y . B u t y o u s ti ll h a v e f a r t o g o . "

A n o t h e r d a y h e a g a in s a w C o n f u c iu s :

" I m a k e p r o g r e s s . " " W h e r e ? " " I j u s t si t a n d f o r g e t. " ( Z h u a n g z i 1 98 1 : 9 2 )

C onfuc ius is t aken aback and ques t ions w ha t he means . YAN H ui (who i s C o nfu -

c ius ' favor i te d isciple) explains tha t he l e ts o rgans an d m em bers dro p away so that

he m ay "go a long wi th t he un ive r sa l tho roug hfa re . " Th i s un ive rsa l t ho roug hfa re is

d a o , t h e wo r ld ' s way . C onfuc ius t hen en t r ea t s h im to "Ob l ige me b y accep ti ng m e

as you r d i s cip le" (Zhuangz i 1981 : 92 ) . To go a long wi th no m em ory o f t he good ~ i

@ ) a n d n o r m s ( l igR) i s to erad icate the conscious ru le o f the hero ic ego (das l ch ) a n d

to be respons ively natura l ( ~ ra n ~ , , ) . T h e ' T ' a s the cza r o f t he p syche is a lways

fu ture o r pas t o r ien ted ; i ts raison d 'e tre is t o p rov ide a g round fo r t he co n t i nu i ty o f

the se l f th ro ug h t ime an d respon s ib i li ty i s the te los o f th i s sel f. Th is gro und an d te losalways es tab l i sh themselves as tha t which i s pas t and as tha t which wi l l be , bu t

can no t g rou nd t hemse lves i n t he p resen t . Th i s s e l f is a lways i n t he "has -b een" o r

t he "ye t - t o -be" and can never f i nd i t se l f i n t he m om en t o f t he now . B y g iv ing i ts e l f

t o m em ory and p ro j ec ti ng i t se l f i n to t he fu tu re , t he ' T ' w i lls r emem ber ing as an

act ivi ty tha t fo rces i tsel f into view ing all f ife as essent ial an d substant ial . N ietzs ch e

w ould hav e und ers too d Z hua ngz i ' s ac tive forget t ing sel f. H e a l so finds the joy and

need o f "ac t ive fo rge t t i ng" w hen he wr i t es r ega rd ing promi ses:

[ th a t] t h is p r o b l e m h a s b e e n s o l v e d to a l ar g e e x t e n t m u s t s e e m a ll t h e m o r e r e m a r k a b l e t o

a n y o n e w h o a p p r e ci a te s t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e o p p o s i n g f o r c e , t h a t o f f o r g et fu l n e ss . F o r g e t t i n gis ... a n a c t i v e a n d i n t h e s t r ic t e s t s e n s e p o s i t iv e f a c u l ty o f r e p r e s s i o n , t h a t i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e

f a c t t h a t w h a t w e e x p e r i e n c e a n d a b s o r b e n t e r s o u r c o n s c i o u s n e s s a s l it tl e w h i l e w e a r e d i -

g e s t i n g it ... . T h e p u r p o s e o f a c t i v e f o r g e tf u l n e ss . ., i s li k e a d o o r k e e p e r , a p r e s e r v e r o f p s y c h i c

o r d e r , r e p o s e , a n d e t i q u e t t e : . . , t h e r e c o u l d b e n o h a p p i n e s s , n o c h e e r f u l n e s s , n o h o p e , n o

p r i d e , nopresent , w i t h o u t f o r g e t fu l n e s s . ( N i e t z s c h e 1 9 6 9a : S e c o n d E s s a y 1 ; s e e a l s o N i e t z s c h e

1 9 6 8 d : w



D ao: A Jou rnal of Comparative PhilosophyI V . 2 2 3 8

W i t h o u t t h i s a c t iv e f o rc e , t h e r e c a n b e n o p r e s e n t - - t h e s e l f i s a l w a ys f o r c e d t o

a b i d e a n d s u b s i st in a t im e t h a t d o e s n o t e x i s t a n d t h is is th e t i m e o f m o r a l i t y a n d

p r o m i s e s , t h e ti m e s o f fu t u r e s a n d p a s t s ; t h is is t h e t im e o f " I t " a n d " O t h e r . " O n l y

t h r o u g h a c ti v e f o r g e t ti n g c a n t h e s o u l ri se a n d s w e ll o v e r i ts b r i m i n t o t h e p r e s e n t ;

a n d t h e s o u l c a n o n l y d o t hi s w h e n m o r a l i ty ( t h e y i o f th e C o n f u c i a n s f o r Z h u a n g z i )

h a s b e e n f o r g o t t e n a n d w h e n w e a r e r e m i n d e d t h a t e x i st e n c e i s r ea ll y n o t " a n

i m p e r f e c t t e n se t h a t n e v e r b e c o m e s p r e s e n t " ( N i e tz s c h e 1 95 7: w Y A N H u i ' s

a c ti v e f o r g e t ti n g is to w i ll a w a y t h e m o n a r c h y o f t h e " I " a n d i s a l so g i v e n e x p r e s -

s i o n in t h e c h il d 's f o r g e t t i n g t h e c a m e l ' s b u r d e n s o f t ra d i t io n i n " O n t h e T h r e e

T r a n s f o r m a t i o n s " in Thus Spo ke Zarathuslra. A s A l p h o n s o L i n g is s ta te s :

W hat.. . is . . . noble is the ability to forget: no t merely toflrgive one's hurts and humiliations,one's impotencies, but w hat is more to orget hem, to b e able to pass over the past to w elcome

the rushes o f what com es in the present. Th at is the secret pow er o f the no ble life: the life thatarises innocent before each mo men t, each event, each person, as though the p ast had no claimand n o law , as though all the ghosts and phantom s o f the past dissipated before the light o fthe presen t. (Lingis: 54)

T h e " li fe t h a t a ris es in n o c e n t b e f o r e e a c h m o m e n t " is o n ly a tt a i n e d w h e n t h e

c o n t r o l o f c o n s c io u s n e s s o v e r t h e p s y c h e i s a b d i c a t e d - -- o n l y t h e n c a n t h e p s y c h e ' s

n a t u r a l " r e p o s e " e n t e r t h e e t e rn a l s u c c e s s io n o f b e c o m i n g , " t h e l i gh t o f th e p r e -

s e n t ." T o r e a c h t hi s " r e p o s e " o n e m u s t , li ke Y A N H u i , le t g o o f o n e ' s c o n s c i o u s

r u l e o f t h e s o u l: f i r s t t o l e t g o o f t h e r i te s ( l i ~ ) a n d m u s i c [ y ue ~ ) , t h a t is , t r a d i t i o n a l

v a l u e a n d in h e r i t ed t r ad i t io n f r o m t h e C o n f u c i a n s , t h e n t o l e t g o o f G o o d w i l l a n dD u t y , t h a t i s , m o r a l i t y ~ yi ~ ) , a n d f in a l ly t o l e t th e s d f s l ip a w a y a n d b e s t r e t c h e d o u t

i n t o a n d a c r o s s t h e u t t e r i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t y o f al l t h a t i s , d a0 , o r A b g r u n d . A s t h e s e l f

s li p s a w a y i n t o t h e i n s u b s t a n t i a l it y o f th e w o r l d , i t e n t e r s t i m e f o r t h e f i rs t t i m e a n d

b e c o m e s a p a r t o f t i m e a n d i ts c yc li ca l t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s ; i t e n t e r s t h e m o m e n t . B y

e n t e r i n g th e m o m e n t , s e l f b e c o m e s s ou l.

I I . T h e E m p t y i n g S o u l

T h e e t e r na l d im e n s i o n o f t h e t e m p o r a l w a s v e r y m u c h a p r o j e c t fo r Z h u a n g z i a n d

N i e t z s c h e . A s t h e a n i m a l s s a y t o Z a r a t h u s t r a , w h o h a d j u st a w a k e n e d o n t h e s e v -

e n t h d a y f r o m h i s d e a d s le e p:

All goes, All comes back; the whee l of being rolls eternally.All dies, All bloom s o n once m ore,eternally runs the year of being. All breaks, All becom es joined anew;, eternally he same h ouseo f being is b uilt . All departs, All greet themselves again; eternally the ring o f be ing rem ainstrue to itself . In each No w being begins; near each He re rolls the sphere There. Th e center isall over. Crooked is the path of eternity. (Nietzsche 1968c: Th e Conv alescent 2)

N i e t z s c h e ' s d e c e n t e r e d a p p r o a c h t o t h e w o r l d ' s u n f o l d i n g r e s o n a te s w i t hZ h u a n g z i ' s v i si o n o f i t a n d othera n d p l a c i n g o n e s e l f a t t h e a x i s o f da 0, w h i c h i s t h e

f lu i d p e r sp e c t i v a l p e r s p e c t i v e t h a t k n o w s i t s e l f a s a p e r s p e c t i v e a m o n g s t i n n u -

m e r a b l e c o m p e t i n g p e r s p e c t i v e s t h a t a r e c o n s t i tu t i v e o f e v e r y t h i n g ( w a n w u g g @ ) .

I t i s t h e f o c u s e d p e r s p e c t i v e , t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , t h e A p o l l o n i a n

o v e r t h e D i o n y s i a n , t h at p ro h i b i ts o t h e r c o m p e t i n g p e r s p e c t iv e s t h d r r ig h t fu l

c l a i m t o w o r l d , r e al it y , a n d t o l if e; i t i s t h e a b s o l u t e d o m i n a n c e o f t h e e g o ' s c o n -



Jones : C ross ing Cur ren ts 2 3 9

sc ious r u l ing pe r spe c t ive ov e r non - c onsc io us f o r c e s t ha t l ay s da i m to t he i r linea ge .

T h i s is w h y N ie t z sc h e p r e se n t s u s w i th a ge ne a logy a nd no t a c r i t i que - -- a ge ne a logy

gives us a genes is o f the v e ry forces a t wo rk in a c r it ique ; i t a llows us to r e -v iew

f r om the i n s ide ( se e D e le uz e : 87 -89). T he s e lf 's pe r spe c t ive o f c onsc iousne s s v i e w s

the v i s t a o f w o r ld a s i t a n d other , as a wor ld tha t has be ing ; a wor ld tha t awa i t s

d iscov ery by som e ex te rna l ly r e la ted se lf . T o a l low th is pe r sp ec t ive pr inc ipa l con-

t r o l is no t t o be i n - the - w or ld i n a l i ve d se nse , i n a l i fe - w or ld , bu t i s t o be a bse n t a nd

w i t h o u t p re s e n c e. E t e r n i t y b e c o m e s o n l y t h a t w h i c h c a n b e t h o u g h t , o r r e m e m -

be r e d l ike t he P l a ton ic I de as . Bo th the D a o i s t s a nd N ie t z sc he kn ow th is E te r n i ty t o

be a non - p l a c e , a r e pub l i c t o w h ic h to e mig r a te ; t he y bo th r e al iz e mo r a l it y is t he

ne c e s sa r y va l ida tion tha t le a ds one th r o ugh the e n t r a nc e to P l a to ' s G o o d a nd the

m ora l un ive r se o f the idea li st ic Co nfuc ians . This t r a nsce nd ence to th e e te rna l i s

w ha t Z a r a thus t r a a nd Y A N H u i w a n t t o f o r ge t . T he y e nga ge in a c t ive f o r ge t t i ngbe c a use t he i r sou l s w i sh to e m p ty in to t he w o r ld ; the y w i sh to g ive t he E te r na l ba c k

to t he w or ld , a nd to g ive e te r n i ty t o r ime .

F o r ge t t i ng s e l f is f unda m e n ta l f o r N ie t z sc he 's p r o j e c t o f D ionys i a n ove r f low ing ;

" I love h im w ho se sou l i s ove r fu ll , so tha t h e forge ts h imse l f , and a l l th ings a re in

h im: in th is wa y al l th ings com e to be h is go ing -und er" (Nie tzsche 1968c: P ro log ue

4 ). I n " P r o lo gue 1 , " w e a r e t o ld by the a dvoc a t e o f t he c irc le , t he a d voc a t e o f l if e,

t ha t h i s " c up .. . w a n t s t o ove r f low , t ha t t he w a te r ma y f low f r o m i t go lde n a nd c a r ry

everyw here the re f lec t ion of [ the s tar 's ] de l igh t [ W o n n e ] . Be h o ld , th i s c up w a n t s t o

be c ome e mp ty a ga in , a nd Z a r a thus t r a w a n t s t o be c ome ma n a ga in" ( N ie t z sc he

1966: P ro log ue 1). Za ra thu s t ra ' s em pty ing is a lea rn ing ho w to " s i t and forg e t" the

se l f , bu t h is empty ing process r equi res an ex is ten t ia l devot ion to the hor ror and

t e r r o r o f t h e A n g s t e xpe r ie nc e , w h ic h i s a ne c e s sa ry c ond i t i on f o r t he t e a c he r o f t he

e te rna l r ecur rence . Such an exper ien ce i s al l bu t m iss ing in YAN H ui ' s fo rge tt ing .

A l though N ie t z sc he ' s Z a r a thus t r a w i l l be c ha l l e nge d a nd be r e qu i r e d to be -

c o m e h i s s o u l ' s " c o m m a n d e r a n d l e g i s l a t o r " b y n u r t u r i n g h i s A n g s t , t h i s c om-

m a nde e r ing i s t e m pe r e d by h i s c h i ld l ike r e in t e g r a t ion in to t he w or ld . T h i s r e in te -

g r a t ion is a c on se que nc e o f h is e m p ty ing . H i s sou l ove r f low s it s c on ta ine r w i th

intoxicat ing bl iss ( W o n n e ) . 3 T h e w o r d W o n n e c a rr ie s c onn o ta t ion s o f ove r flow ing ,

in tox ic at ion , a nd b l is s, w h ic h a r e no t o f t e n b r o ug h t ou t . T o " c a r r y e ve r yw he r e t here f lec t ion of . . .in tox ica t ing-over f lowing-b l i ss" conjures orac les o f ea r th ly m yth o-

log ic a l ima ge s: t he sun 's f ie r y l igh t f low ing a nd m e l t ing be n e a th t he ho r i z on a nd ,

w i th i t, time ' s pa s s ing a w a y, mix ing the tw o opp os in g f o r c e s o f f ir e a nd w a te r in to

a n a l c he mic a l m e a d tha t a r ouse s on e to d r ink it s hon e y - c o lo r e d ne c t a r un t il t he c up

i s e mp ty . T o d r ink th i s D ionys i a n d r a ugh t un t i l one ' s i n t e r io r buz z e s w i th t he

a m b e r - c o l o r e d b l o o d o f t h e g o d s , u n ti l th e v i s ce r a o f t h e s o u l t h r o b s w i t h d i vi n e

b lood a nd induc e s i nhuma n c onvu l s ions , i s Z a r a thus t r a ' s t h i r s t , no t Y A N H u i ' s .

N o t u n t i l t h i s c u p i s e m p t i e d c a n m a n t r a n s f o r m i n t o t h e c h i l d ( F ] o s s ) 4 o f t h e

3 W o n n edoes mean "delight" (Kaufmann)bu t carries strong er feelingso f joy, rapture, ecstasy,bfiss,to be enraptured, and to stand outside on e's self. It is often used in compounds: Wonnebebend(tremb ling w ith delight), Wonnege f#hl ( fee f ing bliss), Wonnetrunken (intoxicatedbliss), and Wonnefloss(colloquialfor a baby).4 F l os salso means a float, buo y, raft and can m ean flowingwater from the verbfl iessen, to flow, run,melt, and pass away. Th e child of the '~ Transformations"anticipates the death o f the manZaxathustra as he is carried nto the current of a surging forth world.



D a o : A J o u r n a l o f C o m p a r a t iv e P h i lo s o p hy IV. 2 2 4 0

" T h r e e T r a n s f o r m a t i o n s " w h o is a n " i n n o c e n c e a n d f o r g e tt in g , a n e w b e g in n i n g ,

a play , a se lf -prope l led wh ee l , a f i r st m ov em en t , a sacred 'Yes ' . " As " th e su n i s new

e a c h da y ' ' f o r He r a c l i tu s , t he wor ld i s ne wly c r e a te d e a c h da y f o r the c h i ld

Z a r at h u st ra ; b u t i n o r d e r f o r Z a ra t h u s tr a t o b e c o m e a m a n ag ain , h e m u s t b e c o m e

a child; he m us t will his k a t h a r s i s a nd pur ge a ll t ha t he ho lds on to in the de p ths o f

h is soul . Al l m us t be re tc hed f ro m th e soul ' s darkes t c rypt , eve n Zara thu s t ra ' s las t

ho ld ing - on - to , h i s m os t a bysm a l though t , m us t to o c om e up ; th i s ove r - r ic h ne c ta r

o f t h e g o d s l e ad s h i m t o t h e o v e r m a n : " U p , a b y sm a l th o u g h t , o u t o f m y d e p t h ! I

a m y our c oc k a nd da wn , s l ee py w or m . Up! Up! M y vo ic e shall ye t c r ow y ou a wa ke !

. .. . A nd on ce y ou a re awake , yo u sha ll r em ain awake e te rna l ly , ' (Nie tzsc he 1966:

C onv a le sc e n t 1). Zhua ngz i ' s YAN Hu i i s a lso a wa ke ne d , bu t the r e i s no su f f oc a t ing

sna ke o f su f f e r ing r obb ing h im o f h i s sou l 's b r e a th . YAN Hui ' s a wa ke n ing e n ta il s

ove r c om ing the su f f e r ing a nd f r us t ra t ion tha t s t e m s f r o m h i s bonda ge , a t t a c hm e n t ,a nd c r a v ing f o r a se l f o f " m e r i t a nd f a m e . " Th e D a o i s t s age's a wa ke n ing i s r e a li z e d

f r om the r e l ea se o f the a n th r o poc e n t r i c pe r spe c t ive ( he nc e the m a ny r e f e r e nc e s to

b io ta in the Z h u a n g ~ ) , t ha t i s, f r om the pe r spe c t ive tha t im p ove r i she s he r s ty le a nd

f lu id ity by m a k ing he r f oc us on a goa l be y on d the na tu r al wor ld .

III . Depth

Those of old who weregood at o~ging heir wqy (dao) n the world..

Subtle and mysteffous, dark and penelralin

Tbeirprofund i(y was b qo nd comprehensionIt is because hq werebeyondcomprehension....

[They are] so v ast and vacant, h'ke a m ountaingorge

Those whoprize wqy-makaJgdo no t seek ullness,"It is only because h q do not want to be ul l

Th at they are able o remain hidden and unfinished.(Laozi:ch. 15)

Nie tz sc h e a nd Z hua ng z i f oc us the i r a t t e n t ion on a c e n tr a l on to log ic a l p r ob le m ,

w h i c h i s r o o t e d i n t h e p s y c ho l og i ca l: h o w t o g e t t o t h e w o r l d o f t h e h e r e a n d n o w

a nd ho w to be c om e who we a r e . S o f a r , i t ha s be e n sugge s te d tha t t he i r so lu t ions

to th is pro blem at ic a re similar . A t leas t tha t i s the imaginal grou nd w i th res pec t to

t h e t h e m e s o f f o r g e t ti n g m o r a l it y a n d s e l f t h a t a re f o m e n t e d b y s o m e f o r m o f a n

ide al iz e d good . H ow e ve r , t he A n g s t a ppa r e n t in N ie tz sc he ' s Z a r a t h u s t r a is missing

in a l l Zhua n gz i ' s c ha r a cte rs . YAN Hui ' s m a t t e r o f f a c t r e spon se do e s n o t d i sp lay

any of the exis tent ia l c r i s i s exper ienced by Zara thus t ra . The qua l i ty and s ty le of

r e ac h i ng t h e h e r e / n o w a n d b e c o m i n g w h o w e a re s e e m t o d i v e rg e a s tw o s tr ea m s

a f t e r m o m e n ta r i ly m ix ing the i r wa ter s a n d the n the i r wa ys . T he d i f f e r e nc e in s ty l e

is f ou nd in the t e x tu r e a nd n a tu r e o f the i r r e sponse s . T o c om pa r e r e sponse s r e -

qu i re s a sho r t e xc ur s ion in to the th e m e o f no th ingne ss , wh ic h wi ll r e ve al wh e r e

the y c r oss a n d f low in pa r t ing d i r e ct ions .A n e x pr e ss ion o f the Da o i s t s e nse f o r no th ingne ss i s f ound in the D a o d q i n g .

Way-makingbeingempty [chon~ zbong]

You makeuse of itBut do no t fill t up.

So abysmallydeep--



D ao: A Jou rnal of Comparative PhilosophyI V . 2 2 4 2

t io n , a n a s s e r ti o n , a n d a s s u r e d l y n o t a n ' i m m e d i a t e c e r t a i n t y " ' ( N i e t z s c h e 1 9 6 6 b:

w T h e q u e s t f o r c e r t a i n ty b e g i n n i n g w i t h P l a t o w a s a r e a c t i o n t o t h e f e a r o f

b e c o m i n g . H y p o t h e s i z e d B e i n g b e c a m e l i f e ' s p h a r m a k m r - - a c u r e f o r t h e d e a d l y

d i s e a s e o f c h a n g e , a c u r e f o r th i s d e a d l y d i s e a s e o f l if e .

T h e m i c r o c o s m i c e x p r e s s io n o f t hi s f e a r w a s m a n i f e s te d i n th e d e v e l o p m e n t o f

t h e e g o . S u c h e g o d e v e l o p m e n t b e l o n g s t o a m e t a p h y s i c s o f B ein g~ " I t is this [b as i c

p r e s u p p o s i t i o n o f t h e m e t a p h y s ic s o f la n g u a ge o r r e as o n ] w h i c h s e es e v e r y w h e r e

d e e d a n d d o e r ; t h i s w h i c h b e l i e v e s in w i ll as c a u s e i n g e n e r a l ; t h is w h i c h b e l i e v e s i n

t h e ' e g o ' [Ich], in the eg o a s b e i n g [Sein], in th e e g o a s s u b s t a n c e , a n d w hi ch projec ts

i ts b e l i e f i n t h e e g o - s u b s t a n c e [Ich/Substan~ o n t o a ll t h i n g s - o n l y th u s d o e s i t create

t h e c o n c e p t ' th i n g " ' ( N i e t z s c h e 1 96 8a : R e a s o n i n P h i l o s o p h y 5) . N o t o n l y d o e s

N i e t z s c h e d e n y t h i s d e l u s io n a l e g o a s s el f, b u t e v e n m o r e r a di c al ly , h e d e n i e s t h e

s u b s t a n t i a l s e l f a l t o g e t h e r a l o n g w i t h t h e s u b s t a n t i a li t y o f al l n a m e d t h in g s .T h r o u g h o u t t h e h is t o ry o f C h i ne s e p h i l o so p h y , p h i l o s o p h e r s w o u l d c o n s t a n t ly

n e e d t o " r e c t i fy n a m e s " ( zhengming E ~ ) t o a d d r e s s t h e s e i ss u e s a s w e l l. N i e t z s c h e

d o e s n o t c o n s c r i p t a n y " t e c h n i c a l" te r m s s u c h a s " e g o " f o r s e r v i c e - - n o r w o u l d t h e

C h i n e s e t h in k e r s , g i v e n t h e i r p h i l o s o p h i c a l o r i e n t a t i o n , n e e d s p e ci a l t e r m s f o r t h is

r e if ie d s e l f b u t s im p l y u s e s t h e G e r m a n w o r d f o r " I ." T h is c h o i c e i n di c at e s a n

e v e n m o r e r a di c al m o v e o n h i s p a r t b e c a u s e h e d e n i e s t h e s e l f a s a b e i n g o r t h e

b e i n g o f s e lf . T h e r e i s n o s e lf ; t h e s e l f i s m e r e l y a f i c t io n . W h a t i s l e f t f o r h i m t o

a f f i r m is t h e s e l f a s e v e n t , a st ru g g le o f f o r c e s , a b e c o m i n g , a n i n n o c e n c e b e f o r e

e a c h d a w n i n g m o m e n t w h e r e t h e " p h a n t a s m s o f th e p a s t " p al e i n t h e f l am e o f t h e

p r e s e n t . U p t o t h i s p o i n t t h e r e s o n a n c e b e t w e e n N i e t z s c h e a n d Z h u a n g z i s t i l l

r e s o u n d s , b u t a s w e m o v e d e e p e r , t h e i r s il en c e s s p e a k m o r e a u d ib l y.

Z a r a t h u s tr a 's i n n o c e n c e b e f o r e t h e d a w n i n g m o m e n t i s n o t a ch il dl ik e i n n o c e n c e

o f n o n - d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n l i k e Z h u a n g z i ' s Y A N H u i ; i t i s r a t h e r a n i n n o c e n c e t h a t h a s

b e e n i n f o r m e d b y t h e l io n 's r o a r, a r o a r o f f o r c e , o f o n e f o r c e c o m m a n d i n g a n d

i m p o s i n g i ts p e r s p e c t i v e o n o t h e r f o r c e s w i t h i n t h e s o u l ' s c ha o s . T h e r o a r i n g f o r c e

o f t h e l io n is m o r e t h a n a h e t e r o n o m o u s N e i n t o e x t e r n a l d o m i n a t i n g f o r c e s ; i t t o o i s

a " n o " t o t h e f i c ti ti o u s s e lf c o n s t r u c t e d b y t h o s e v e r y e x t e r n a l f o r c e s - - a s e l f t h a t f a il s

t o s e e i t s e l f a s e x t e r n a l t o i t s e l f u n t i l i t c a n u l t i m a t e l y d e n y i t s e l f t h a t h a le s t h e s o u l ;

t h e l i o n ' s r o a r i s a l s o a " n o " t o d a s I c h ' s c o n t r o l o v e r t h e d o m i n i o n o f s o u l a n d i t sD i o n y s i a n p la y . O n l y w i t h t h is " n o " c a n w e r e a li z e " o u r b o d y is n o t h i n g b u t o n e

s o c ia l g a t h e r i n g o f m a n y s o u l s " ( N i e t z s c h e 1 9 6 8 d : w T h i s se n s e f o r a m u l t ip l e

s o u l i s n o t w i t h o u t i ts C h i n e s e c o u n t e r p a r t . C h i n e s e p h i l o s o p h e r s , e s p e c i a ll y C o n -

l u c iu s , m a k e t h e p o i n t t h a t w e a r e t h e r o le s w e l i v e a n d t h a t t h e r e i s n o s e l f b e y o n d

t h e se l iv e d r o l e s - - e v e n t h e d e a d a n c e s t o r s r e m a i n a li ve as l o n g a s w e r e m e m b e r

t h e m . I t s o v e r l a p p i n g r e l a ti o n s o f i n t i m a c y w i t h o t h e r s p a s t , p r e s e n t , a n d i n t h e f u t u r e

d e f in e th i s se l f ( see K asu li s) . A t a n y g iv en t im e , th e s e l f i s a g a th e r in g o f o th e r s .

H o w e v e r f o r N i e t z s c h e , a s t h e s e f o r c e s g a t h e r a n d s c a t te r , d if f e r e n t a n d n e w s o u ls a r e

c o n s t a n t l y b e i n g b o r n , a r e c o n s t a n t l y d y i n g , a n d i n t h e c h a o s a w i l l e m e r g e s f o r m o r e ,

f o r m o r e p o w e r : " e v e r y li v in g th i n g d o e s e v e r y t h in g i t c a n n o t t o p r e s e r v e i t se l f b u t t o

b e c o m e m o r e " a n d " w h a t m a n w a n t s , w h a t e v e r y s m a l le s t p a r t o f a li vi n g o r g a n i s m

w a n t s , i s a n i n c r e as e o f p o w e r " ( N i e t z s c h e 1 9 6 7: w w T h e w i ll in g t h a t w ills

m o r e i s t h e p r i m a l p o t e n c y b e n e a t h a l l f o u n d a t i o n s a n d f o r m s ; i t i s c h a o s a n d

N i e t z s c h e c a l l s t h i s g r o u n d l e s s c h a o s w i l l t o p o w e r . T h e w i l l t o p o w e r i s w i t h o u t

g r o u n d (Abegruna); the wil l t o p o w e r i s a n a b y ss , "a n o - g r o u n d b e h i n d e v e r y g r o u n d "



Jones: Crossing C urrents 2 4 3

(Nietzsche 1 968d: w

Th e w i ll t o po w er i s the po t ency o r pow er ( M a c h o tha t i s necessary to c rea te

( m a c h e n ) t h i n g s o f exis tence ; i t is the fo rce tha t fo rm s world . How ever , th i s force

mus t no t be mi scons t rued a s a un i f i ed fo rce t ha t makes o the r fo rce s poss ib l e

because th i s too w ou ld fa ll in to the m etaphys ica l t rap--- th i s was N ie tzsche ' s

com pla in t aga ins t the Ato m is ts and th e D aois t s ' warning to th ose m ore ideal is tic

Confuc i ans w ho he ld t he un ive rse t o be a m e taphys i ca l ly mo ra l one . Th e w i ll t o

pow er i s the poss ib i li ty o f pow er t o c rea te , to g ive b ir t h t o new fo rms th a t c ry ou t

fo r more . Eac h c rea t ed fo rm reveals i ts d i f fe rence f rom o the r fo rm s and a f f u~ s

the m an i fo ld ex is tence o f t he " my r i ad th ings" ( w a n w u ) . As Nie tzsche says , "Eve-

rythin g simple is imaginary, is no t ' t rue . ' But w hate ver is real , wh ateve r is t rue, is

ne i the r one no r even reducib le t o on e" (N ie t zsche 1967 : w Th i s w ill t o pow er

is a d iverse g round , a g roun d w i thou t g round . Th i s g round le s s g roun d i s t he danceof D ionusos , " fo r on e m us t s till have chaos w i th in onese l f, t o be capab le o f g iv ing

bi r th to a danc ing s ta r" (Nie tzsche 1968c : Prolog ue 5) . T o see th i s deep s ta r sh ine ,

Za ra thus t ra m us t go und e r . A l though C h inese ph i losophe rs had the i r ow n fo rce s

i n y i n , y a n g , a n d q i, t h e t emp e r o f the d i f fe rence be tw een N ie t z sche and Zhuan gz i ' s

phi lo sop hy is d i sc losed in Z ara thus t ra ' s wi ll ing an d wi ll ing-hess to go-u nde r an d

Zh uang z i ' s des ire to s tay a f loa t and m ov e wi th da0's current , the ba lanced ten s ion

o f y i n / y a n g an d q i t h a t f lows thro ug h a l l th ings .

IV. Deeper Depth

Yo u uil l n ot ck'scover he u tmo st vergeof he souleven f.you ravel ts every a th

so de ~ a logos t hasHeraclitus

Before h e i s able to em pty h is cup, h i s inher i ted encapsula ted soul, and before h e

can re sou l t he d e se r t o f w o r ld l ong l e f t d ry, Za ra thus t ra mu s t go -unde r . Za ra thus -

t ra 's d i rec t ion is a lways dow nw ard befo re m ov ing outward . Th is i s the te r ra in of h i s

psychologica l and ontologica l topography. Za ra thus t ra wishes to go d ow n as fa r ashe i s capable because he m ust accept the Orac le ' s l egacy of "K no w ing Him se l f . "

Th e images in A l s o ~ )r a ch Z a r a t h u s t r a a re ones o f dep th : " M an ' s hea r t [Gerai i th] is

deep; his r iver [Str0ra] rushes in un de rgr ou nd ca ves" (Nietzsche 1968c: O n Lit t le

O l d a n d Y o u n g W o m e n 1 8); " I m u s t d e s ce n d [steigen] t o t he dep th [Tiefi]: as you do

in the evening, w he n yo u go b ehind the sea and s til l br ing l ight to the un derwo rld ,

yo u over-rich star!" (Nietzsche 1968c: Prolo gue 1); "I lov e him, w ho se s oul is deep

even in be ing woun ded , and w ho o f a small exper ience can per ish : in th i s way he

goes gladly over the br idge " (Nietzsche 1968c: Pro logu e 4); "Slow is the exp erience

ofaU deep springs : long m us t they wai t , unt i l they know , w hat in to the i r dep th fe l l"(Nie tzsche 1968c: On the F l ies of the M arke t P lace 12). Th ere a re m an y mo re .

Z a r a t h u st r a co m e s f r o m h i s c a v e o n t h e m o u n t a i n 's s u m m i t d o w n t o t h e v il-

lage of men; th i s i s h i s go ing -under (U n ter gang) : " I want to descend," he te l l s h i s

evening s ta r . His going-under i s a descent in to a profound abyss ; but f i rs t and

for em ost i t i s a descent in to h is o w n abyss and th i s ques t in to h is abyss is h i s de-

scen t i n to t he w or ld o f men . H e k now s tha t one m us t f ir s t c rack one 's ow n abyss



Da o: A Journal o f ComparalivePhilosophy V . 2 2 4 4

t o becom e the tr ag ic p h i losophe r be fo re D ionys i an dep th is pene t ra t ed . N ie t z sche

places the wo rd Tiefe (depth ) in to t he mo uth o f Za ra thus t ra i n t he above quo te , bu t

th i s w ord carries con nota t ion s tha t go b ey on d di rec t ion and loca t ion . In fac t, the

t e rm has no th ing to do w i th d i rec ti on o r l oca t ion as i nd ica t ed by stdgen. Steigenmean s to a scend , soa r, go up , m oun t , c limb , bu t i n co n tex t c an on ly m ean to de -

scend b ecause i t wo uld m ake l it tl e li te ra l sense to say tha t " I m us t ascend to the

dep th . " Ho we ver , th i s i s prec isely w hat Zar a thus t ra te ll s h i s s ta r. Z ara thu s t ra g ives

us a c lue, a s ign that te lls us his que st has l it tle to d o w ith logic and i ts hu m an m ad e

law s o f con t rad ic t ion , bu t ha s m ore t o do w i th t hose m ytho log ica l ques ts t ha t a re

repea ted aga in and aga in by h is G reek fore fa thers such as O dysseus , Hera ldes , and

Theseus . Za ra thus t ra know s tha t on ly gods and he roes can jou rney in to the deq~,i n to t he unde rw or ld .

Za ra thus t ra ' s de scen t i n to t he deep g ive s h im p ow er (S~ m ) , a s t rong cu r ren t(S /r0m), and m akes h im f lood (S l ro m) l ike a to rren t (S/r0m), wh ich enables h im to

soar to the he ights of gods and heroes . Zara thus t ra ' s r iver rushes and roars

(rauschen) w i th th e in toxica t ion (Ra u sch ) of t he gods . Za ra thus t ra ' s ove rcoming

drowning in the Dionys ian depths of h i s in te rna l r iver i s qua l i ta t ive ly d i f fe rent

f r o m t h e S w i m m e r i n t h e Z h u a n g ~ wh ose sole purp ose i s to s tay a floa t. M uch o f

A l s o @ r a chZara lhuslra is Za ra thus t ra 's de scen t t o t he w or ld o f man and to h i s soul.

As he explores the d epth o f soul , a s he t ravels i ts every pa th , h i s sou l responds as

tho ug h a hydraul ic ram and th is hydraul ic ac t iv i ty ma kes h is cup overf lo w in to the

w or ld - - -a s he goes und e r he empt i e s in to an d re - sou l s t he w or ld , a w or ld l e f t d rysince the t ime o f Th ales ' successors. 6 F or the hy draul ic system to beg in i ts dis-

p l acement o f soul, Za ra thus t ra m us t de scend deep an d roa r i n to h i s unde rg ro undcaves; his spring is dee p, an d lon g m us t he w ait unt i l he final ly real izes wh at fe ll into

i ts m os t un fa thom able dep th . I n h i s und e rg rou nd caves he f inds h is c a s t o f cha r-

acters: the Spirit o f Grav i ty, the D wa rf, So othsay er, Scholars, Priests , Tara ntulas,

t he Sp ir it o f Revenge , t he F i re -hound , and so fo r th ~ a l l sp l in t e r cha rac te r s o f h is

mu l t ip le -psyche (see Parkes 199 1:53 -77 and Parkes 1994: ch . 9). Ho we ver , he

m us t w a i t l ong fo r t he deepes t , m os t p ro fo un d and a rcha ic f ragment o f h i s sou l t o

be spew ed fo r th~ the f ragment Za ra thus t ra had g l impsed a s a shade on h i s

jou rney to t he un de rw o r ld t h roug h the e t e rnal ly smoking , f i re - spew ing m oun ta inno t fa r f ro m his b lessed i sles , wh ere he lea rned tha t " the grea tes t events - - a re not

ou r loudes t , bu t our s ti ll es t ho ur " (N ie tzsche 1968c : O n Gr ea t Eve nts 18).

V . W a t e r s D e e p

W ate r is an im por t an t image in t he Z h u a n g ~ , bu t i ts fee l ing- tone has a m uc h di f -

fe rent teno r tha n the abov e images re la t ing to Zara thus t ra . W ater is a lways on i ts

w a y i n t h e Z b u a n g ~ ; i t i s flu id ity and m ot io n tha t are emph as ized, no t the h id den

secre ts o f the wate r 's depth . T he sage 's authent ic response to the cha l lenge o f

w a te r is t o " ge t w i th t he f l ow " o f dao:

6 Th is hy drody nam ic activi ty of # b e ~ i e s s e n (overflowing) and un t e ~g eb en s crucia l for Nietzsc he. A cup

tha t wan t s t o ove r f low mus t f i r s t go down . Th i s D ionys i an ove r f low i s e ssen t i a l fo r t he p l ay o f

s e l f- o v e r c om i n g t h r o u g h g o i n g - o v e r ( u b e ~ e h e n )a n d u n t e ~ g e b e n n Nietzsche 1968c: Prolog ue 4 .



Jones : Cross ing Cur rents 2 4 5

Confucius looked at th e v iew in Lti-liang. Th e w aterfallhung d ow n three hundred feet, itstreamed foam for thirty miles, it was a place wh ere fish and turtles and crocodilescouldnot swim, but he saw one fellowswimming here. He took him for som eone n troublewho

wanted to d ie, and sent a disciple along he b ank to pull him up. B ut after a hund red pacesthe man came out, and strolledund er the b ank with his hair do wn his b ack, singing as hewalked. Confucius took the oppo rtunity o questionhim. "I thought you were a g host, butnow I see you close up y ou'rea man. May I ask whether you hav e a Way to stayafloat n thewater?" (Zh uangzi 1981: 136)

Al tho ugh the "gh os t ly" swim m e r d ive s f r om the he igh t s o f the wa te rf a ll i n to

t h e d e p t h s o f t h e p o o l , h e d o e s n o t s t ay u n d e r l o n g ; h e c o m e s u p q u ic k ly a n d

s w im s a c o u p l e h u n d r e d p a c e s w i th t h e c u r re n t . T h e s w i m m e r w is h e s o n l y to

swim , to m ove wi th the wor ld ' s c u r r e n t , a nd by swim m ing a long the m a n i s i n -

subs ta n t ia l i n the wo r ld 's non- d i f f e r e n t i a ting flow; he m ove s e f f o rt l es s ly ( w u w e i~ ) in h is f r a c ta l c on ne c t io n wi th th e wor ld ' s be c om ing ; he ha s d i sc ip line d h im se l f

" in o r d e r to be on e se l f t he e t e rna l joy o f be c om ing ' ' ( s e e Jon e s a nd C u l liney ) .

H o w e v e r , t h e s w i m m e r o f L i i- li an g w i s h es n o t t o s ta y u n d e r a n d e n j o y t h e u n -

de r g r o und c a ves ; he h a s n o de s i re to jou r ne y to h i s o r a ny o th e r unde r w or ld ; t hi s is

no t h is ques t , nor h is pass ion . Ins tead , he sur faces imm edia te ly and s t ro l l s a lon g

the bank s an d s ings a song. In resp on se to C onfu c ius ' ques t io n he replies : '~No, I

ha ve n o W a y . I be ga n in wh a t is na t ive to m e , g re w up in wh a t i s na tu ra l to m e ,

m a tu r e d in wh a t is de s t ine d f o r m e . I e n te r w i th the in f low, a nd e m e r ge wi th the

o u t fl o w , f o l lo w t h e W a y o f t h e w a t e r a n d d o n o t i m p o s e m y s el fi sh n es s u p o n it.

Th is is ho w I s tay a f loa t in i t " (Z huang z i 1981: 136) .T h e s h e n g r e n ( sage) does go under wi th the swir ls and eddies as he kni fes

th r ou gh th e de p th , bu t s e e m s li tt le c onc e r ne d wi th th e psyc ho log ic a l r e qu i r e m e n t

d i sp la ye d by Za r a thus t r a b e c a use he im m e dia te ly floa ts ou t w i th the ou t f lows . Th e

swirling u nde r c u r r e n t s p ose l it tl e in te r e st . Th e y d o no t t a n ta li z e h im , n o r do the y

cause h im seas ickness as they do for Zara thus t ra . T he re is no nausea o f the swir ling

de p ths o f sou l. Th e r e is no que s t i n to the unde r w or ld f o r the sa ge . T he e m pha s i s

o f th i s pa ssa ge i s to " f o l low the W a y o f the wa te r " a nd to s t ay a float . F o l lowing the

wa y o f the wa te r is t o be a t tune d to da0 . As the D a o d e f i n g sta tes: " th e highes t eff icacy

is li ke w a te r " ( C ha p te r 8 ) a nd "W a y- m a k ing ( d a o ) i s an easy- f lowing s t ream, wh ich

c a n na n in a ny d i r e c t ion" ( C ha p te r 34 ). C on f uc ius wa s r igh t to se e the sw im m e r a s

a ghos t be c a use he i s suspe nde d in the z h o n g ~ (empt iness) of al l th ings and m ov ing

with i t s f low ( c h o n g ~@), bu t do es n ot see the sw imm er ' s qu es t as my tholog ica l or

psych ologica l ( like Zara thus t ra ' s ) .

B e ing a f loa t on wa te r is t o be suspe nd e d in the c h o n g / z h o n g o f a ll th ings . Th e

i d e n t i t y o f t h e w a t e r i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y i t s n o t h i n g n e s s - - i t h a s n o f o r m , b u t

con - form s, i t i s always in m ot io n an d has no locus , it i s a lways here , the n there . Th e

s h e n g r e n ' s r e s p o n s e t o t h e c h a ll en g e o f w a t e r is t o g e t w i t h t h e f l o w - - t o b e c o m e

a t t u n e d t o t h e n o t h i n g n e s s o f i ts b e c o m i n g ( z h o n g ~ ) a n d s u rg i ng fo r t h ( c h o n g }r

This i s no t w i thou t pa ra l le l i n N ie tz sc h e s inc e he to o i s a n a dvo c a te o f be c om ing :"a f f i r m a t ion o f pa ss ing a wa y a n d d e s t ro y i n g ,w h i c h is t h e d e t e r m i n a n t o f a D i o w s i a n

ph i losophy , a Ye s - sa y ing to oppos i t ion a nd wa r , B e c o m i n ~ a long wi th a radica l

r e fu s a l o f t h e v e r y c o n c e p t o f B e i n g - - t h e r e i n un de r a ll ci r c um s ta nc e s it m us t be

a c know le dge d tha t i t is m o r e k ind r e d to m e , tha n a n y th ing tha t ha s c om e til l no w "

( Nie tz sc he 1965: T he B i r th o f T r a ge d y 3 ). T he Da o i s t s a ge 's r e sponse , how e ve r ,

a ppe a r s p r im a r ily on to log ic a l, t ha t is , to bo r r ow He ide gg e r ' s e m pha s i s o n the



D a o : A J o u r n a l o f C o m p a r a l iv e P h i l o so p h y IV. 2 2 4 6

pa r ti c ipa tion o f hu m an be ings i n t he emergence o f Be ing , and seconda ri ly psy -

chological . Nie tzsche , on the o ther h and , i s forem ost psychologica l and the n on -

tological. A gain, Heideg ger is helpfu l here: "B eing as wh ole reveals i tse lf a s p h y s i s . . .

w hich he re does n o t ye t me an a pa r ti cu la r sphe re o f be ings bu t r a the r beings a s

such as a wh ole , specifically in the sense o f eme rgin g pre sen ce" (Heidegger: 129).

For Nie tzsche , who vis i ted these rea lms long before Heidegger , to ge t to th i s

"em erging presen ce" requires an ob l iga tory U n t e r g a n g . N ot on ly is t h is go ing-unde r

the process o f Zara thus t ra ' s becom ing, it i s h i s necessary po int o f depar ture f or h i s

whole excurs ion in to se l f -overcoming. The i r pre fe rences for depar ture indica te

m ore c lear ly a major d ivergence in the cu rrents o f the tw o phi losophies .

Confuc ius a sks t he man w ha t he mean t by beg inn ing w i th w ha t i s na t i ve ,

grow ing up w i th wha t is na tura l, and m atur ing wi th wh at i s des t iny and rece ives

th is re sponse : " H av ing been born on d ry l and I am a t ho m e on d ry l and i t' sna t ive t o me . H av ing g row n up in w a te r I am a t ho m e in w a te r i t' s na tu ral t o me .

I t is so w i thou t m e know ing w hy it i s so - - i t ' s de s t ined fo r me " (Zhuangz i 1981 :

136) . For the Daois t sage not knowing and the acceptance of h i s fa te i s enough

because h is d es t iny i s conn ec ted w i th da0; h i s des t iny is the f lowing of d a o. T h e

cha l lenge for the sh en g r~n is to br ing h is bod y and soul (h is na ture ) in to the cu rrent

o f da0 and to respo nd na tura lly ( ~ ir a n ~ , l iterally "bein g so o f i tse lf ' ) .

A di f fe ren t current , how ever , ca rr ies Nie tzsche ' s a m o r f a t i . His current rushes as

a t o r ren t t h ro ugh a na r row c anyon a f t e r ea rly sp r ing me l t. O n e m us t l ove one ' s f a te

in o rde r t o becom e w ha t one i s, and the su f fe r ing and nausea o f t he deepes t dep ths

is a necessary condi t ion fo r th i s becoming ; fa te br ings chaos to soul as a necessary

cond i t i on fo r t he sou l 's subsequen t b l is s o f ove r f low ing in to t he w or ld , o f en -sou l ing the w or ld . Za ra thus t ra , the p r oph e t o f t he ([Tbermensch and e te rna l recur-

rence , can ne ver be sat is fied wi th an " i t is so wi th ou t me kno win g w hy i t i s so"

because t o k no w is t o su f fe r , and th is su f fe r ing m us t be a f f irmed . I t t o o m us t be

a joy! " M y fo rmula fo r g rea tne s s i n a human be ing i s a m o r f a t i : t ha t one w i l l edno th ing to be o the rw i se , no t fo rw a rd , no t backw ard , no t i n a l l e t e rn i ty . N o t

mere ly t o su f fe r w ha t i s nece ssa ry .. .bu t to love i t " ( N i e tz s c he 1 9 6 5: W h y I A m S o

Clever? 10) . T he O b e r m e n s c h m u s t e v e n l o v e th e c h a o s o f hi s s ou l. H e m u s t l o v e

the suffe r ing and nause a tha t the e te rna l re turn br ings beca use i t i s necessary .Za ra thus t ra ' s su f fe r ing m us t be kn ow n and cu l ti va ted ; he w i ll no t be sa ti s fi ed

w i th t he S w im mer o f L iJ -liang 's de s t iny . In D a o i sm , t he j oy i s r eun ion w i th w or ld

t h r o u g h s e lf - o v er c o m i n g , t h e o v e r - c o m i n g o f i t / o t h e r , b u t w i t h o u t Z a r a t h u s t r a 's

ex i st en ti a l and psycho log ica l ly d r iven need to dea l w i th t hose w re t ched dem on s

t h a t n e e d r e t c h i n g f r o m t h e s o u l ' s d e p t h s . T h e o v e r m a n n e e d s t o k n o w a n d

expe r i ence su f fe r ing and nausea because t h ey a re t he requ is it e rou t e s b ack in to

the w or ld .

VI. Deep Suffering

I t is by ck'sease ha thealth sp k a s a n t (Heraclitus)

As we have seen, suffe r ing i s less pro m inen t in the Z h u a n g z i and i s no t cent ra l, or

even c rucial , to the Da ois t projec t. Fo r Z ara thus t ra , how ever , he m us t wai t long to



J o n e s : C r o s s i n g C u r r e n t s 2 4 7

d i s c o v e r w h a t fe ll i n t o h i s d e e p e s t s p ri n g; h e m u s t w a i t t o f in d w h a t h a s c r a w l e d

i n t o h is t h r o a t a n d d o w n t o h is s o u l a s h e lie s s l e e p i n g - - " U p , a b y s m a l t h o u g h t , o u t

o f m y d e p th ! .. . . L e t g o! .. . . N a u s e a , n a u s e a , n a u s e a - - w o e u n t o m e ! " W h a t w i ll c r a w l

f r o m Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s s o u l w i ll b e b o t h b e a u t i f u l a n d d is g u s ti n g. O n c e a g a in , t h e

a n i m a l s ' s p e e c h i n 'q 2 a e C o n v a l e s c e n t " :

O h Zarathust ra, thereupon the a nimals said, for those w ho think as we do, al l things them -selves are dancing: they come and reach out thei r hands and laugh and run away-~and com eback.

All goes, Al l com es b ack; the w heel of being rol ls eternally. Al l dies, Al l bloom s on oncemore, eternal ly uns the year of being.

Al l breaks, All becomes joined anew; eternally the same hou se o f being is bui l t Al l de-par ts , All greet them selves again; eternal ly he r ing o f be ing remains t rue to i tsel f. In each N owbeing begins; near e ach Here rol ls the sphere There. Th e center i s al l-over . Crooked is the

path of eterni ty. (Nietzsche 1968c: Th e Conv alescent 2)

I n t h i s p a s s a g e t h e e x q u i s it e n a t u r e o f t h e e t e r n a l r e t u r n i s p o r t r a y e d . F o r o n e ' s s e l f

t o b e c e n t e r e d o n e m u s t b e w i t h t h e w o r l d ' s c e n t e r, w h i c h is e v e r y w h e r e ; th e s o u l

m u s t o v e r f l o w i n t o t h e w o r l d w h e r e t h e " c e n t e r is a l l- o v e r ." S u c h a d e - c e n t e r e d

e t e r n a l w o r l d i s a l s o c e n t r a l i n t h e Z h u a n g ~ w h e r e d e - c e n t e r i n g t h e h u m a n p e r -

s p e c t i v e o f " I t / O t h e r " ( a n im a l s d o n o t s h a r e th i s d u al is ti c p e r s p e c t i v e ) is t h e f i rs t

l e v e l o f d i s c ip l in i n g f o r t h e s a g e . H o w e v e r , Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s s n a k e is a t h a n d ( th r o a t) .

Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s a n i m a l s a t t e m p t t o c h e e r h i m a f t e r a s e v e n - d a y d e a d s le e p i n h is

u n d e r w o r l d : " M y a b y s s s p e a k s , I h a v e t u r n e d m y f in a l [ l e t , 4 e d e p t h [ T i e f e ] i n t o

l i g h t " ( N i e t z s c h e 1 9 6 8 c : T h e C o n v a l e s c e n t 1 ). 7 Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s e a g l e h a s p l a c e d t w o

s a cr if ic ia l i a m b s a t h is f e e t , w h i c h h a v e b e e n r o b b e d f r o m l e ss e r s h e p h e r d s . H i s

a n i m a l s t e ll h i m t o s t e p o u t o f h i s c a v e b e c a u s e t h e " w o r l d a w a i ts [ h im ] li k e a

g a r d e n " a n d t h e " w i n d is p l a y i n g w i t h h e a v y f r a g r a n c e s " t h a t w i s h t o f ic k le h i s

n o s t ri ls ; b u t a ll i s n o t r o s e s i n Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s E d e n . H e l o v i n g l y c al ls t h e a n i m a l s o f

h i s p s y c h e p o l i t i c " r o g u i s h - f o o l s " ( S c h a l k s - N a r r e n ) a n d " b a r r e l o r g a n s " ( D r e h o r g e l n ) ,b e c a u s e h e k n o w s t h e r e i s a n o t h e r s id e t o th e e t er n a l r e tu r n , a d a r k e r m a s k e d s id e .

H e r e m i n d s t h e m h o w " t h a t m o n s t e r c ra w l e d d o w n [h is] t h r o a t a n d c h o k e d [h im ]

a n d h o w h e b i t o f f i t s h e a d a n d v o m i t e d i t o u t . " T h i s s u f f o c a t i o n is h i s e n c o u n t e r

w i t h h i s a u t h e n t i c b e c o m i n g ; h e m u s t c o m e t o g r i p s w i t h h i s A n g s t i f h e i s e v e r t oa c c e p t t h e e t e r n a l r e t u r n . A n g s t r e v e a l s t h i s e x p e r i e n c e t h r o u g h i t s L a t i n r o o t a n g o

a n d G r e e k r o o t a g c h o , w h i c h m e a n t o p r e s s to g e t h e r , s t ra n g le , to c h o k e , t o o c c l u d e

t h e s o u l ( p s u c h e o f i t s b r e a t h ( p s u c h O . Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s f i n al d e p t h ( l e t z te T i e f e ) , h is m o s t

d e e p - s e a t e d A n g s t h a s b e e n b r o u g h t t o l ig h t. I n s p i t e o f th e a p p a r e n t a f fi n it ie s

b e t w e e n N i e t z s c h e a n d Z h u a n g z i , Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s f in a l d e p t h xx fill r e p r e s e n t a n

a b y s m a l d i v e r g e n c e b e t w e e n t h e t w o t ra d i t io n s .

V I I . " I S e a r c h e d M y s e lf " ( H e r a c l i t u s )

Z a r a t h u s t r a m u s t l e a rn a n d is u n c o n s c i o u s l y d r i v e n t o d i s c o v e r t h e d i s g u s ti n g n a -

t u r e o f h is la s t m o n s t e r . I n t h e f o l l o w i n g p a r a g r a p h s , Z a r a t h u s t r a a p p r i s e s h is a n i -

7N ot on ly does t he G er m an l e t z t e mean f inal , bu t i t also has the con notat ions o f deep, which fur theremphasizes the noun T i e f e . In "The Convalescent " Nie tzsche want s to make a poin t about therelation of depth and suffering.



D a o : A J o u r n a l o f C o m p a r a tiv e P h i lo s o p h y I V . 2 2 4 8

m a l s o f t h e c r u d t y o f m a n w h o is " t h e c r u e l e s t a n i m a l " a n d f in a ll y r e a li z es t h a t it

w a s " t h e g r e a t d i sg u s t w i t h m a n " t h a t h a d c r a w l e d i n to h i s th r o a t a n d c h o k e d h i m .

I t i s t ru e t h a t Z h u a n g z i t o o w a s d i s g u s te d w i th t h e s m a l ln e s s o f m a n a n d s u g g e s t e d

t h e r e w a s " d i s i l lu s i o n , n o t t o s a y d i s g u s t , w i t h h u m a n l if e a s i t i s o r d i n a r i l y l i v e d "

( C re el : 99 ) a n d t h a t " th e m a n w h o h a s f r e e d h i m s e l f f r o m c o n v e n t i o n a l s t a n d a rd s

o f j u d g m e n t c a n n o l o n g e r b e m a d e t o s u f f e r " ( Z h u a n g z i 1 96 4 : 6 ). E v e n C o n f u c i u s

s h a r e s t h i s d i s g u s t w i t h t h e x i a o r e n d ~ ) ,, t h e s m a l l p e r s o n . H o w e v e r , f o r Z h u a n g z i ,

t h e s u f f e r in g o f d is g u s t is t o b e o v e r c o m e f o r i t is m e r e l y il lu s io n , n o t c u l t i v a te d a s

i t m u s t b e f o r Z a r a t h u s t ra , b e c a u s e f o r Z a r a t h u s t r a n o t o n l y d o e s t h e g r e a t e st m a n

r e c u r , b u t t h e s m a l le s t r e c u r s a s w e l l. Z a r a t h u s t r a , t h e p r o p h e t o f t h e o v e r m a n a n d

t h e t e a c h e r o f t h e e t e rn a l re t u rn , m u s t n o w b e c o m e a s e m i o lo g i s t o f s u f fe r in g ; h e

m u s t b e c o m e t h e h i d d e n g o d o f D e l p h i , D i o n u s o s , w h o " n e i t h e r sp e a k s n o r k e e p s

s e c r e t b u t r e v e a l s w i t h a s i g n " ( H e r ac l it u s: F r a g m e n t 1 4) a n d o f f e r t h e w o r l d a s i g no f s u f fe r i n g s o i t t o o c a n k n o w t h e n e c e s s i ty o f s u ff e ri n g : " T h e e t e rn a l r e t u r n e v e n

o f t h e s m a l l e s t !- - -- ~ a t w a s m y d i s g u s t w i t h a l l b e i n g - t h e re ! A l a s , N a u s e a ! N a u s e a !

N a u s e a ! " Y e t h is a n i m a l s w i ll n o t l e t h i m g o , a n d s a y t o h i m :

D o no t speak on, you convalescent!. ., but go out there where the w orld awai ts you l ike agarden. Go out to the roses and bees and dovecotes. But especial ly o the songb irds: that youmay learn how to sing f rom them ! Singing s for this same convalescent. .. . [M]akeyou rself alyre as i t ought to be, a new lyre! Fo r behold sti ll , oh Zarathust ra! Fo r your new songs newlyres are necessary. Sing and overf low, oh Zarathust ra, heal your sou l wi th new songs: that youmay carry your great fate, wh ich has no t y et been any man 's fate! F or yo ur animals know wel l,

oh Zarathust ra, who you are and must b ecom e: behold, you are the teacher o f the eternalretu rn-- , that i s now your fate! CNietzsche1968c: Th e Con valescent 2)

T o f ul fi ll h i s d e st in y , Z a r a t h u s t r a m u s t l o v e h is f a te ; h e m u s t e m b r a c e t h e r e -

t u r n i n g m o m e n t t h a t h a s a n n o u n c e d h e is t h e t e a c h e r o f t h e e t er n a l r e tu r n , t h e

t e a c h e r o f t h e e t e r n a l r e t u r n o f t h e g r e a t e s t a n d s m a l l e s t, th e g r e a t e s t a n d s m a l le s t

b o t h w i t h i n a n d w i t h o u t . H i s s o u l m u s t b e h e a l e d w i t h t h e p h a r m a k o n - - t h e c u r e

a n d p o i s o n - - - o f n e w s o n g s , s o n g s o f th e c h i ld Z a r a t h u s t r a t h a t w il l o v e r f l o w

( b r a u s e i i b e r ) h is s o u l 's b r i m a n d b e c o m e a n e x e m p l i f i c a ti o n o f h i s o v e r f l o w i n g

D i o n y s i a n i n t o x i c a t io n . F o r Z a r a t h u s t r a , h i s c h o i c e is c l e a r - - e i t h e r t o l iv e a u -

t h e n t i c a l l y o r d i e . I n t h e Z h u a n g ~ i , d e a t h i s t r e a t e d a s j u s t a n o t h e r e v e n t t o b e a c -c e p t e d a s p a r t o f t h e p r o c e s s , a s s e e n e s p e c ia l l y i n th e s e c t i o n s o n Z h u a n g z i ' s w i fe ' s

d e a t h a n d t h e h o l l o w s k ul l (C h a p t e r 1 8 ) a n d t h e s t o ry o f G a p t o o t h a n d W A N G N i

( C h a p t e r 2 ) . B u t f o r Z a r a t h u s t r a t h e r e is a w r e n c h i n g c h o i c e t h a t m u s t b e a f f m ' n e d ;

h e t e a c h e s t h a t o n e s h o u l d d i e a t t h e r ig h t ti m e : " M a n y d i e t o o l a te , a n d s o m e d i e

t o o e a rl y. T h e d o c t r i n e a s y e t s o u n d s s t ra n g e : ' D i e a t t h e r i g h t t i m e ! ' D i e a t t h e r i g h t

t im e : t h u s t ea c h e s Z a r a t h u s t r a " ( N i e t z sc h e 1 9 68 c : O n F r e e D e a t h 2 1 ) .

Z a r a t h u s t r a , t h e t e a c h e r o f th e o v e r m a n a n d t h e e t e r n a l r e t u r n a l so t e a c h e s

d e a t h , o r h o w t o d ie a u th e n ti ca l l y. I n t h e p e n u l t i m a t e p a s s a g e o f 'q ~ h e C o n v a l e s -

c e n t , " Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s a n i m a l s s p e a k f o r h i m a s t h o u g h t h e y to o a r e p a r t o f h is s o u la n d p r o c l a i m t h e e n d o f Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s g o i n g - u n d e r , t h e e n d o f h is s e t ti n g ( U n t e r -g e h e n ) a n d p e r i s h i n g ( U n t e r g e h e n ) , a n d t h e b e g i n n i n g o f h is r e -b i rt h : " L o v i n g a n d

p e r i s h i n g [ U n t e r g e h e n ] ,t h a t h a s r h y m e d f o r e t e rn i ti e s . T h e w i l l t o l o v e t h a t i s a l s o

a w i ll t o d e a t h " ( N i e t z sc h e 1 9 68 c : O n t h e I m m a c u l a t e P e r c e p t i o n ) . T h e r e is n o

f u r th e r p r o v i n c e t o b e e x p l o r e d w i t hi n ; th e c u p , t h e c o n t a i n e r o f his s o u l, h a s b e e n

s h a t t e r e d a n d i ts i n s id e s e m p t i e d o u t s id e . Z a r a t h u s t r a ' s U n t e r g e h e n i s h i s p a s s i v e




nihil is tic affm 'nat ion, his l io n 's ro ar tha t creates the possibi l i ty o f th e active nihi list ic

a f f irma t ion o f t he Ch i ld 's " y e s . " The re is no nega t ive a f f i rma t ion o f t he L ion ' s roa r

in t he Z h u a n g z i , bu t ra ther a pos i t ive a ff irm at ion naviga t ing us bac k in to the f low.

The animals of Zara thus t ra ' s polycent r ic psyche re fuse to per i sh a t th i s t ime

and speak thus :

A n d i f y o u d e s ir e d t o d i e n o w , o h Z a r a t h u s tt a : b e h o l d , w e a l so k n o w , h o w y o u w o u l d s p e a k

t h e r e t o t h e e : - - b u t y o u r a n i m a l s e n t r e a t y o u , t h a t y o u d o n o t d i e y ef l

Y ou w ou ld speak. . .w i thout t rembl ing .. .! - -

" N o w I d i e a n d f a d e a w a y .. .a n d i n n o t i m e I a m n o t h i n g . S o u ls a r e a s m o r t a l a s b o d ie s .

B u t t h e k n o t o f o r i g i n a l - e v e n t s [ U r s a c h e n ] , t u rns a ga i n , i n wh i c h I a m e n t wi ne d [ve r -

s c h l u n g e n ] , - - i t wi ll c re a t e m e a ga in ! I my s e l f be l on g t o t h e o r i g i na l - e ve n t s o f t he e t e rna l r e tu rn .

I c om e a ga in , w i t h t h i s s un , w i t h t h i s e a r t h , w i t h t h i s e a gl e, a nd w i t h t h i s s e rpe n t [ S c b l a n g e ]- - n o t t o a n e w l i f e o r a b e t t e r l if e o r a s im i la r li fe :

- - I c om e e t e rna ll y a ga in t o t h i s s a m e a nd s e l f s a me l if e, w i t h i n t he g re a t e s t a nd a l s o t hes ma l l e st , t ha t I a ga in t e a c h t he d oc t r i ne o f e t e rna l r e t u rn o f a ll th i ngs , - -

- - t h a t I s p e a k a g ai n t h e w o r d o f g r ea t e a r t h a n d o f m a n ' s - n o o n , t h a t I a ga in t o m e n

proc l a i m t he ove rm a n . (Ni e t z s c he 1968c : "T he C o nva l e s c e n t " 2 )

Zara th us t ra ' s de a th i s n ot a li te ra l dea th ; h i s going -und er is l ike the f ight o f the

se t t ing sun tha t is brou gh t to the un derw orld each n ight . Th e rec iproca l re lat ion-

ship be tw een l ife and d ea th i s es tabl ished as an in tegral turning o f a ll th ings in the

becom ing o f t he w or ld , i n the be ing o f becom ing . Za ra thus t ra ha s a l igned h im se l f

w i th t he be ing o f becom ing and ha s beco m e entw ined o r ( in t e r)w oven in to t he

mul t i f a r ious fab r i c o f t he w or ld . The D ao i s t s age i s en tw ined in t he kno t o for ig ina l -events by ente r ing the axis o f da0, or cente r o f the cusp o f y i n a n d y a n g . Y et

t h e s h e n g r e n ' s blend ing in to the tapes t ry o f li fe requires acceptance o f the na tura l

course o f a ll th ings , no t the a ff i rmat ion of w i ll ing tha t th i s f i fe as no w l ived wil l

repea t i tse l f inf in ite t imes an d th a t on e m us t lea rn to d ie a t the r ight t ime . Th e

Da ois t sage wi ll re turn as well, but as a lea f, the t ree , the in s e c t . . , because "d ea th

and l ife a l te r noth ing in h im se l f" (Z huang z i 1981: 58) .

Zara thus t ra re - turns wi th h is animals : the eagle of th e sky and th e se rp ent o f the

ear th . The se rpent , the c rea ture c loses t to the ea r th tha t touc hes th e ea r th wi th a l l

a reas o f her un der -bo dy as she s li thers tow ard he r des t ina t ion , is an an c ient image

of t ha t w i sdom. Za ra thus t ra , t he redeem er o f t he ea r th , needs t o b i t e o f f t he head

o f w i s d o m t h a t r e m o v e d s o u l f ro m w o r l d w i t h it s lo v e o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a n d

metaphys ica l. Th e s c h l u n g e n o f v e r s c h l u n g e n s v iv id ly cogn a te wi th S c h l a n g e , serpent .

Zara thus t ra is ( re ) threaded in to the fabr ic of exis tence , bu t in ord er to be entw ined

in th i s e te rna l wo rld ly we b o f forces , he m ust b i te o ff h is in te rna l snake ' s head

be fo re h i s sou l c an f ina lly f l ow ou t i n to t he f l ow ing o f t he w o r ld .

T h e s h e n g r e n ' s t rip seems m ore benign; he h as no in te rna l mo nste rs imped ing h is

return b ack into the flow. Zarathus tra 's internal batt le , how ever, leaves him bo nd ed

eternally to th e prim eval forces ( U r s a c h e n ) n a d ifferen t way. Z arathu stra real izes this

bo nd as the heavies t o f a ll we ights ; h i s soul is no w s t re tched back th roug h t ime an dall ied with the forces that ma ke l ife possible . Th us ends his going-u nder. Zhu ang zi 's

characters, how ever, seem to kn ow all o f this with ou t experiencing the suffering o f

the snake 's head an d the taste o f its severed and disem bodied wisdom . Th e s h e n g n , n ' sjourn ey lacks Zara thustra 's turmoil ; he seems to float effort lessly (wuwe/~ ~ ) to the

cente r once he h as real ized h is t rue na ture , h is "be ing jus t so o f h i m sd f ' ( z ir a n t ~ ) .T he te rminus o f the i r t rips back in to the wo rld is the same, but Zara thus t ra and



D ao: A Jou rnal of Comparative Philosophy V. 2 2 5 0

Zhuan gzi's w ays diverge and are driven b y distinct currents.

Zarathustra's an im als finish their speec h to Zarathustra and his internal dia-

logu e is stilled. Th ey wa it for his respon se, bu t Zarathustra remains silent. H e lies

with his eyes do sed , bu t is no t asleep "for he w as then co nversing with his soul."

H e te lls his soul that there is no soul mo re loving, vast (umfangender)and volumi-

nous (umJ'dngh'cheO and a sks: '"Where w ou ld future and p ast be nearer togeth er

than in yo u?" Zarathustra , the advo cate o f suffering, has n ow truly beco m e the

advoc ate o f the d rd e -- p a st and future f ind their e ternal sense in the en-circ ling

(umfangender)o f the timeless rhythms o f soul. Zarathustra con clud es his conversa-

tion with his soul by imparting that he has n ow accorded his tota li ty m her care .Zarathustra spo ke thus:

O h m y s o u l , n o w I g a v e y o u a ll a n d e v e n m y d e e p e s t [ L etz te s] , a n d a ll m y h a n d s h a v e b e c o m e

e m p t y t o y o u : - - t h a t I c o m m a n d e d y o u m s i n g , b e h o l d , t h a t w a s m y d ee pe st ll

T h a t I c o m m a n d e d y o u t o s i ng , s p e ak n o w , s pe ak : w h o o f u s h a s n o w - - t o r e m m

t h a n k s ? - - B e t t e r a g a i n st il l: s in g t o m e , s i n g , o h m y s o ul ! A n d a l lo w m e m r e t u r n t h a n k s ! - -

( N i e t z s c h e 1 96 8c : O n t h e G r e a t D e s i r i n g 2 7 8 )

There is Nothing in Da oism , just like this . - -

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crossing currents zarathustra and zhuangzi

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