“〈Tom〉 and 〈Jerry〉 follow the way that cannot be traversed” …

Therefore when virtue is encompassed in the unity of the tao and words end
where knowledge can go no further, there is completion. The unity of the tao
transcends virtue, and what is beyond knowledge cannot be explained by
reasoning.

To proliferate names of things as the Confucians and the Mohists do is harmful.
The sea does not turn away the rivers that flow into it from the east: this is the
completion of greatness. The sage enfolds both heaven and earth in his regard.
his magnanimous nature permeates all under the sky, and we do not yet know
from whom it comes.

Hence he has no official rank when he is living and receives no acclaim when he is
dead. Even when he is not recognized and his name is unknown,
he is what is called a great man.

Zhuangzi, trans. by Hyun Höchsmann and Yang Guorong, Book 24 Xu Wugui

I have exercised a writer’s privilege to substitute two common English names, “Tom and Jerry” for the translation of the two Chinese names “Shinan Yiliao and Sun Shu’ao”. Why struggle unnecessarily? Also the change-up parallels the spirit of the passage quoted.

Zhuangzi writes to anchor his point “〈Tom〉 and 〈Jerry〉 follow the way that cannot be traversed.” This is an echo of the well known first lines of the Tao Te Ching. Stephen Mitchell paraphrases those famous lines:

The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

A core insight of the ancient taoist tradition is words only go so far, and words do not go far enough.

Scholarship, professionalization of an area of inquiry develops a specialized vocabulary, shop-talk for those who choose to participate ie. earn the Phd. Anyone aspiring to join the conversation sustained by a subculture must master the vocabulary and the grammar of that specialty… However the bottleneck with respect to homo sapiens, the difficulty of getting along with others, and living to satisfy ourselves while abstaining from damage to the air, water, and soil of the earth – is the conundrum of “human nature.” That is the central concern of philosophy which over time has presented an array of imperfect “solutions.”

Zhuangzi writes here about the limits of reason, the absurdity of creating more and more linguistic distinctions, losing ourselves in the maze of our own creation. Zhuangzi writes, “just stop it” you followers of Confucius and Mozi! The proliferation of ever finer distinctions, though feeding the ego, does nothing to create a more capacious mind and heart… Knowledge which is a matter of definitions and playing language games does not accomplish the job to be done.

You cannot “touch” the relatedness of all things by creating additional linguistic division! So, give it a rest when it comes to your credentials, the “reputation” associated with having followers… “Greatness” is something you cannot own, something not even death can take away.

Words end where knowledge can go no further, – there is completion.