04道德经英译本85种-第10节

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that　it　is　a　collection　of　wisdom　passed　on　verbally　for　centuries　and　written　down　somewhere　in　history。　Right　there　lies　the　treacherousness　of　the　written　word。　For　only　the　elite；　the　schooled；　the　learned；　the　clergy　and　the　rulers　mastered　script/writing。　They　have　mastered　the　Tao　Te　Ching　and　changed　the　contents　intentionally；　possibly　unconsciously；　so　that　it　suited　their　objectives。　What　was　supposed　to　be　a　pearl　of　clarity；　they　have　consequently　made　into　a　complicated　and　most　incomprehensible　story　to　justify　their　interests；　their　status　and　positions。　The　bizarre　thing　is　that　it　is　the　learned；　about　whom　Lao　Tzu　says　〃they　are　not　wise〃；　who　reflect　their　interpretations　of　the　Tao　Te　Ching；　colored　by　their　follies；　and　so　they　make　up　their　minds　without　understanding　the　true　meaning。　揟raduttore　Traditore？　is　an　old　Italian　saying；　which　means　that　one　can　only　translate　a　writing　correctly　by　understanding　the　aim　of　the　writer　and　therefore　one　must　be　committing　treason　to　this　moral　if　he　doesn抰。　That　is　to　say；　everybody　who　translates　a　script；　translates　it　through　his　own　point　of　view　and　so　adds　something　to　the　writing　which　he　thinks　the　writer　must　have　meant。　And　because　everybody抯　view　is　colored　by　his　or　her　interests；　prejudices　and　convictions；　there　are　as　many　possible　translations　and　interpretations　as　there　are　people；　and　none　of　those　translations　are　able　to　reflect　what　Lao　Tzu　really　meant。　It抯　obvious　that　no　scientist　dares　to　read　therein　that　he　is　a　fool　himself；　no　leader；　that　he　is　an　upgraded　ignoramus；　and　no　philosopher　that　he　is　telling　but　nonsense/bullshit。

　　What　did　Lao　Tzu　mean　to　convey　in　the　Tao　Te　Ching？

　　In　essence　Lao　Tzu　is　a　ringer。　He　is　someone　who　first　asked　himself　what　he　was　really　doing。　He　turned　himself　away　from　the　world　and　as　an　outsider　he　suddenly　saw　that　all　his　fellow　men　are　occupied　by　their　daydreams。　Caught　up　in　their　own　head…trips　they　follow　leaders；　which　don抰　know　as　well　as　they　themselves　do；　stuck　in　many　silly　traditions　and　habits；　talking　about　nothing；　ruled　by　fear；　not　knowing　who　they　are；　anxious　about　everything　and　nothing。　They　are　slaughtering　each　other；　attached　to　their　possessions；　locked　up　in　their　houses；　villages；　cities；　states；　involved　in　labor　and　day…to…day　routines；　and　last　but　not　least；　they　accept　all　this。　He　incites　them　to　free　themselves　from　those　chains；　to　stop　the　nonsense　with　which　they　weary　themselves；　not　to　trust　flattery　from　others　anymore；　not　to　follow　their　leaders　anymore　and　to　just　enjoy　life。　Men；　dare　to　live！

　　What抯　the　weak　spot　in　the　Tao　Te　Ching？

　　The　Tao　Te　Ching　continues　as　an　unfortunate　mixture　of　wisdom　sayings　and　inadequate　descriptions　about　experiencing　reality　and　the　way　Creation　comes　to　expression；　in　other　words；　about　the　creating　process。　And　that抯　exactly　what　cannot　be　said　in　words；　and　every　attempt　at　it　ends　in　mystical　abracadabra。　Wittgenstein　writes　about　this　in　his　Tractatus　Logico…philosophicus：　揥hereof　one　cannot　speak；　thereof　one　must　be　silent？

　　What抯　the　difference　between　this　version　and　all　others？

　　Understanding　Lao　Tzu　means：　live　like　Lao　Tzu。　Living　like　Lao　Tzu　means：　escape　from　the　world；　have　no　opinions　and　convictions　anymore；　have　no　interests　at　all　and　don't　be　tied　to　anything。　To　live　like　Lao　Tzu　is　to　not　believe　anything　anymore；　to　realize　you　can抰　really　know　a　thing；　to　have　no　point　of　view　anymore；　to　have　nothing　to　lose　and　therefore　nothing　to　defend。　The　consequence　of　all　this　is　that　you抣l　consider　possessions　as　totally　superfluous　and　you抣l　no　longer　need　anything　or　anyone。　Then　you　won抰　try　to　force　life　to　conform　to　your　ways　anymore；　but　you　will　let　yourself　flow　with　it　instead。　Only　this　opens　the　gate　to　unconditional　love　towards　your　fellow　men。　This　version　of　the　Tao　Te　Ching　is　the　result　of　a　similar　experience。　We　have　carefully　removed　all　contradictions；　all　compromises　and　inconsequentialities　that　have　defiled　this　simple；　anarchistic　and　revolutionary　wisdom…script　during　the　last　2500　years；　just　like　one　cleans　centuries　of　dust　from　a　diamond　so　that　it　can　sparkle　again　in　its　original　shining　simplicity。

　　Of　what　use　is　it　to　throw　everything　away　and　become　wise？

　　Up　until　now　your　luck　has　depended　on　the　behavior　of　others；　their　compliments　and　appreciation；　and　your　achievements　and　possessions；　on　kids；　sex；　alcohol　and　drugs；　on　the　weather；　on　wishes　and　expectations　which　bring　you　only　short　moments　of　joy　and　satisfaction。　When　you抳e　gotten　what　you　wanted　the　pleasure　is　over；　and　that　makes　you　want　more　again　and　again　and　again；　and　the　result　you　hoped　for　is　lost。　You抣l　always　have　to　have　more。　The　Tao　Te　Ching　describes　the　road　back；　back　to　oneness　and　simplicity；　back　to　contentment；　back　to　yourself；　back　to　what　you　once　were　as　a　child。　With　every　step　in　the　right　direction　you抣l　have　to　do　less；　until　you　finally　don抰　have　to　do　anything　anymore；　don抰　want　anything　at　all；　without　a　thing　to　lose。　Then　you　will　never　be　afraid　again；　you　won't　know　pain　and　grief　anymore；　you抣l　never　get　sick　again；　never　be　tense　or　restless；　you　will　have　no　expectations　so　will　experience　no　disappointments　ever　again。　Then　you　will　be　wise　and　invulnerable。　



　　1

　　The　Ineffable；　about　which　is　spoken；　is　not　the　eternal　Ineffable
　　A　name　for　the　Unnameable；　is　but　a　name
　　The　Unnameable　is　what　makes　everything　what　it　is
　　By　naming　things　you　divide　the　Indivisible
　　Only　one　who　gives　up　all　his　desires　can　experience　the　Indivisible
　　One　who　still　cherishes　desires；　will　experience　only　dissension
　　Both　will　see　the　same　reality；　but　experience　it　differently
　　One　who　goes　from　the　false　reality　into　the　other；
　　Will　pass　through　the　narrow　gate　and　receive　the　secret　of　true　life

　　2

　　When　people　think　‘this？is　beautiful；　they　must　think　‘that？is　ugly
　　When　people　say　‘this？is　good；　than　they　have　to　say　‘that？is　evil
　　This　is　Inevitable
　　People　create　a　false　reality　out　of　the　real　one
　　Hard　and　easy　are　relative
　　Long　and　short　depend　upon　each　other
　　High　and　low　are　determined　by　a　position
　　Sound　and　voice　need　one　another
　　Before　and　beyond　assume　a　point　of　view
　　That抯　why　a　wise　man　acts　without　intentions
　　And　won抰　decide　for　others　what　to　do
　　He抣l　let　anything　happen　as　it　happens
　　He　won抰　consider　what　he　does　as　his　own　merit
　　And　only　therein　is　he　praiseworthy

　　3

　　When　you　praise　people　for　their　achievements；　people　will　compete
　　When　you　call　things　valuable；　people　will　steal
　　When　people　flaunt　desirable　things；　it　will　make　other　people　restless
　　Therefore　the　sage　sets　himself　to　the　task　of　emptying　their　heads　
　　To　make　sure　they抮e　not　hungry；　discourage　their　ambitions　and　strengthen　their　bodies
　　So　people　will　be　without　anxiety　and　without　the　desire　for　knowledge
　　And　the　scientists　will　be　played　off　the　field
　　When　people　won抰　labour　anymore
　　All　will　live　in　peace

　　4

　　That　which　maintains　the　Creation
　　Is　like　an　empty　barrel　that抯　inexhaustible
　　It　is　like　a　fathomless　emptiness；　filling　the　whole　Creation
　　Its　sharpness　brings　about　curves
　　Its　angles　dissolve
　　It　dims　its　light
　　It　restrains　its　touch
　　How　pure　and　calm　it　stays；　like　deep　waters
　　I　don抰　know　its　origin
　　It　seems　like　it　is　even　older　than　that　by　which　it　is　brought　forth

　　5

　　The　Creation　does　not　pretend　to　be　friendly
　　It　treats　all　things　impartially
　　One　who　is　wise　doesn抰　act　friendly
　　All　people　are　equal　to　him
　　The　Universe　is　like　bellows
　　Although　empty；　it　fills　continuously
　　The　harder　it　works；　the　more　it　brings　forth
　　The　more　you　talk　about　it；　the　wearier　you　get
　　Therefore；　you'd　better　stick　to　what　really　matters

　　6

　　The　spirit　of　depth　never　dies
　　People　sometimes　call　it　the　Great　Mother
　　The　gate　through　which　she　breathes
　　Is　the　foundation　of　Creation
　　It　appears　to　be　everlasting
　　When　you　rely　on　that；　life　will　be　effortless

　　7

　　The　Universe　is　everlasting
　　The　reason　why　it　is　everlasting
　　Is　because　it　doesn抰　exist　for　itself
　　Therefore　it　can　last
　　Therefore　a　wise　man　behaves　as　the　least
　　And　because　he　is　least；　he　is　the　greatest
　　He　is　detached　and　therefore　he　is　safe
　　Couldn抰　it　be　possible　that　he　is　perfect；
　　Just　because　he　is　disinterested？

　　8

　　A　perfect　human　being　is　like　the　water
　　That　benefits　all　things　and　competes　with　nothing
　　It　stays　in　places　which　others　despise
　　But　in　this　way　it　follows　its　origin
　　In　his　heart　the　wise　cherishes　simplicity
　　In　contact　with　others　he　is　amiable
　　In　his　words　he　is　reliable
　　In　his　leading　he　is　peaceful
　　In　what　he　does　he　is　competent
　　He　does　everything　at　the　moment　it　needs　to　be　done
　　He　won抰　fight
　　And　therefore　he　is　impeccable

　　9

　　It　is　better　to　carry　an　empty　barrel　than　a　full　one
　　Sharpen　a　knife