Le MOZI - Quelques courts extraits
Le Mozi est un ouvrage attribué à Mo
Zi (ca 480-392 av. J.-C.), dont l'influence pendant les Royaumes Combattants, (l'école mohiste qui s'opposait notamment à l'école de
Confucius - les Wu et les Mo) a imprégné la pensée chinoise jusqu'à l'avènement de l'empire des Han. On retrouvera notamment ici la
définition mohiste de notions communes qui, au-delà de l'école de Confucius, ont largement traversées la pensée chinoise préimpériale.
La pensée de Mo Zi s'articule sur la notion d'utilité dont la critique sera également reprise dans le Zhuangzi.
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Livre X - Canon 1
Zhi (intelligence/consciousness) is the capability.
The 'intelligence': it being the means by which one knows, one necessarily does know. Like the eyesight.
Lü (thinking/forethought) is the seeking. 'Thinking': by means of one's intelligence one seeks something, but does not necessarily find
it. Like peering.
Zhi (knowing) is the connecting. 'Knowing': by means of one's intelligence, having passed the thing one is able to describe it. Like
seeing.
Zhi (understanding/wisdom) is the illumination. 'Understanding': by means of one's intelligence, in discourse about the thing one's
knowledge of it is apparent. Like clearness of sight.
To be Rén (benevolent/humane/kind) is to love individually. Love of oneself is not for the sake of making oneself useful. Not like
loving a horse.
To be Yi (righteous/dutiful/moral) is to benefit. In intent, he takes the whole world as his field; in ability, he is able to benefit
it. He is not necessarily employed.
To be Cheng (sincere/whole-hearted) is to reveal oneself spontaneously. The manifestation of his intent and his zeal enables others to
know him. Not like the tinkle of metal or jade pendants.
To be Zhong (to serve loyally/do one's utmost) is to be energetic in sustaining the responsibility when one deems something
beneficial.
Sheng is the body being located with the intelligence.
Huà (transformation) is the distinguishing marks of one thing changing to the distinguishing marks of
another. For example, a frog becoming a quail.
Sun (reduction/loss) is the removal of some without the rest. "Some but not the rest": it is a unit in a total. Of its units, if one is
removed and the other remains, we say that the one which remains is reduced.
The Zhong (center) is [the place from which (?)] they are the same in length. Distances outward from this are alike.
Wei (constitute/become/deem/make/cure/govern). Keep as it is, get rid of, exchange, dissolve, govern, transform. Of coinciding with a
complement (?): "keep as it is". Of illness: "get rid of". Of buying and selling: "exchange". Of sleet or ashes: "dissolve". Of instructing and
leading: "govern". Of frog and quail: "transform".
Livre VII - La volonté du Ciel
Mo Zi said : The gentlemen of the world all understand only trifles but not things of importance. How do we know ? We know this from one's
conduct in the family. If one should offend the patriarch of the family, there are still the homes of the neighbours in which to seek shelter.
Yet parents, brothers, and friends all keep on reminding one to be obedient and careful. For, how can one offend the patriarch and stay in the
family? Not only is this true about conduct in the family, but also in the state. If one should offend the lord of the state there are still
the neighbouring states whither he may flee. Yet parents, brothers, and friends all keep on reminding one to be obedient and careful. For, how
can one offend the lord of the state and stay in it ? From these there are yet shelters to flee to, yet there are such constant counsels.
Should there not be more counsels in a case from which there is nowhere to flee ? As the saying goes: "Sinning in broad daylight, whither can
one flee ?" Really there is nowhere to flee. For, Heaven clearly discerns it even if it be in the woods, valleys, or solitary caves where there
is no man. But, contrary to our expectation, regarding Heaven, the gentlemen of the world do not understand mutually to give counsel. This is
how we know the gentlemen in the world understand only trifles and not things of importance.
Now, what does Heaven desire and what does it abominate ? Heaven desires righteousness and abominates unrighteousness. Therefore, in leading
the people in the world to engage in doing righteousness I should be doing what Heaven desires. When I do what Heaven desires, Heaven will also
do what I desire. Now, what do I desire and what do I abominate ? I desire blessings and emoluments, and abominate calamities and misfortunes.
When I do not do what Heaven desires, neither will Heaven do what I desire. Then I should be leading the people into calamities and
misfortunes. But how do we know Heaven desires righteousness and abominates unrighteousness ? For, with righteousness the world lives and
without it the world dies; with it the world becomes rich and without it the world becomes poor; with it the world becomes orderly and without
it the world becomes chaotic. And if Heaven likes to have the world live and dislikes to have it die, likes to have it rich and dislikes to
have it poor, and likes to have it orderly and dislikes to have it disorderly. Therefore we know Heaven desires righteousness and abominates
unrighteousness.
Moreover, righteousness is the standard. A standard is not to be given by the subordinates to the superior but by the superior to the
subordinates. Therefore, while the common people should spare no pains at work they may not make the standard at will. There are the scholars
to give them the standard. While the scholars should spare no pains at work, they may not make the standard at will. There are the ministers
and secretaries to give them the standard. While the ministers and secretaries should spare no pains at work, they may not make the standard at
will. There are the high duke and feudal lords to give them the standard. While the high duke and the feudal lords should spare no pains at
work, they may not make the standard at will. There is the emperor to give them the standard. The emperor may not make the standard at will
(either). There is Heaven to give him the standard. That the emperor gives the standard to the high dukes, to the feudal lords, to the
scholars, and to the common people, the gentlemen in the world clearly understand. But that Heaven gives the standard to the emperor, the
people do not know well. Therefore the ancient sage-kings of the Three Dynasties, Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu, desiring to make it clear to the
people that Heaven gives the standard to the emperor, fed oxen and sheep with grass, and pigs and dogs with grain, and cleanly prepared the
cakes and wine to do sacrifice to God on High and the spirits, and invoked Heaven's blessing. But I have not yet heard of Heaven invoking the
emperor for blessing. So I know Heaven gives the standard to the emperor.
How do we know Heaven loves the people ? Because it teaches them all. How do we know it teaches them all? Because it claims them all. How do we
know it claims them all? Because it accepts sacrifices from them all. How do we know it accepts sacrifices from all? Because within the four
seas all who live on grains feed oxen and sheep with grass, and dogs and pigs with grains, and prepare clean cakes and wine to do sacrifice to
God on High and the spirits. Claiming all the people, why will Heaven not love them? Moreover, as I have said, for the murder of one innocent
individual there will be one calamity. Who is it that murders the innocent ? It is man. Who is it that sends down the calamity? It is Heaven.
If Heaven should be thought of as not loving the people, why should it send down calamities for the murder of man by man ? So, I know Heaven
loves the people.
The emperor is the most honourable of the world and the richest of the world. So, the honoured and the rich cannot but obey the will of Heaven.
He who obeys the will of Heaven, loving universally and benefiting others, will obtain rewards. He who opposes the will of Heaven, by being
partial and unfriendly and harming others, will incur punishment. Now, who were those that obeyed the will of Heaven and obtained rewards, and
who were those that opposed the will of Heaven and incurred punishment?
Mo Zi said : The ancient sage-kings of the Three Dynasties, Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu, were those that obeyed the will of Heaven and obtained
reward. And the wicked kings of the Three Dynasties, Jie, Zhou, You, and Li, were those that opposed the will of Heaven and incurred
punishment. How did Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu obtain their reward ?
Mo Zi said : In the highest sphere they revered Heaven, in the middle
sphere they worshipped the spirits, and in the lower sphere they loved the people. Thereupon the will of Heaven proclaimed: "All those whom I
love these love also, and all those whom I benefit these benefit also. Their love to men is all-embracing and their benefit to men is most
substantial." And so, they were raised to the honour of Sons of Heaven and enriched with the heritage of the empire. They were succeeded by
descendants for ten thousand generations to continue the spread of their righteousness all over the world. And people praise them unto this
day, calling them righteous sage-kings. How did Jie, Zhou, You, and Li incur their punishment ?
Mo Zi said : In the highest sphere they blasphemed against Heaven, in the middle sphere they blasphemed against the spirits, and in the sphere
below they oppressed the people. Thereupon the will of Heaven proclaimed: "From those whom I love these turn away and hate, and those whom I
want to benefit they oppress. Their hate of men is without limit and their oppression of men the most severe." And, so, they were not permitted
to finish out their lives, or to survive a single generation. And people condemn them unto this day, calling them wicked kings.
To obey the will of Heaven is to accept righteousness as the standard. To oppose the will of Heaven is to accept force as the standard. Now
what will the standard of righteousness do?
Mo Zi said : He who rules a large state does not attack small states: he who rules a large house does not molest small houses. The strong does
not plunder the weak. The honoured does not demean the humble. The clever does not deceive the stupid. This is beneficial to Heaven above,
beneficial to the spirits in the middle sphere, and beneficial to the people below. Being beneficial to these three it is beneficial to all. So
the most excellent name is attributed to such a man and he is called sage-king. The standard of force is different from this. It is
contradictory to this in word and opposed to this in deed like galloping with back to back. Leading a large state, he whose standard is force
attacks small states; leading a large house he molests small houses. The strong plunders the weak. The honoured disdains the humble. The clever
deceives the stupid. This is not beneficial to Heaven above, or to the spirits in the middle sphere, or to the people below. Not being
beneficial to these three, it is beneficial to none. So, the most evil name in the world is attributed to him and he is called the wicked
king.
Livre IX - Critique des confucéens
The Confucianist holds tenaciously to the dogma of fate and argues : "Old age or early death, poverty or wealth, safety or danger, order or
chaos are destined by the fate of Heaven and cannot be modified. Failure or success, reward or punishment, luck or adversity, are all settled;
the wisdom and power of man can do nothing." When the different officers believe this they will neglect their several duties. When the common
people believe this they will neglect their work. Lax government will lead to disorder; inefficient agriculture will lead to poverty. And
poverty is the root of disorder and insurrections. Yet the Confucianists take this teaching about fate to be the Dao and the principle of life.
This is to destroy the people of the empire.
The Confucianist says : "The superior man must be ancient in mode of speech and in dress before he can be magnanimous."
We answer him : The so-called ancient speech and dress were all modern once. When the ancients first used that speech and wore that dress they
would not be superior men (according to the Confucianists' criteria). Do you therefore mean to say that one has to wear the dress of the
non-superior man and speak the speech of the non-superior man before he can be magnanimous?
Livre VIII - Condamnation de la musique
Mo Zi dit : ...il s'agit de poursuivre ce qui dans le monde procure des avantages et détruit ses calamités. Quand établi dans les limites de la
loi, un projet apporte des bénéfices au peuple, il sera fait ; sinon, non...
Livre IX - Condamnation de la musique
Mo Zi demanda : Pour quelle raison fait-on de la musique ?
« La musique est joie (Yuè-Lé).»
Vous n'avez pas répondu à ma question. Si je vous demande pour quelle raison on construit des maisons, et que vous me répondiez : « Pour se
protéger du froid l'hiver, de la chaleur en été et pour garantir la séparation des hommes et des femmes », alors vous m'auriez donné la raison
pour laquelle on construit des maisons. Or, je vous demande pour quelle raison on fait de la musique, et vous me répondez que la musique, c’est
pour la joie, c'est comme si, à la question : « Pourquoi des maisons ? », vous me répondiez : « Les maisons, c’est pour les maisons. »
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