04道德经英译本85种-第103节
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IMAGES OF THE MYSTERY
Without Limit and Perfect; there is a Becoming; beyond Heaven and Earth。
It hath nor motion nor Form; it is alone; it changeth not; it extendeth
all ways; it hath no Adversary。 It is like the All…Mother。
I know not its Name; but I call it the Tao。 Moreover; I exert myself;
and call it Vastness。
Vastness; the Becoming! Becoming; it flieth afar。 Afar; it draweth
near。 Vast is this Tao; Heaven also is Vast; Earth is vast; and theHoly
King is vast also。 In the Universe are Four Vastnesses; and of theseis
the Holy King。
Man followeth the formula of Earth; Earth followeth that of Heaven;and
Heaven that of the Tao。 The formula of the Tao is its own Nature。
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THE NATURE OF MASS
Mass is the fulcrum of mobility; stillness is the father of motion。
Therefore the sage King; though he travel afar; remaineth near his
supplies。 Though opportunity tempt him; he remaineth quietly in proper
disposition; indifferent。 Should the master of an host of chariotsbear
himself frivolously? If he attack without support; he loseth his base;
if he become a raider; he forfeiteth his throne。
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SKILL IN THE METHOD
The experienced traveler concealeth his tracks; the clever speakergiveth
no chance to the critic; the skilled mathematician useth no abacus;the
ingenious safesmith baffleth the burglar without the use of bolts;and
the cunning binder without ropes and knots。 So also the sage; skilledin
man…emancipation…craft; useth all men; understanding the value of everything;
he rejecteth nothing。 This is called the Occult Regimen。
The adept is then master to the zelator; and the zelator assisteth and
honoreth the adept。 Yet unless these relations were manifest; eventhe
most intelligent observer might be perplexed as to which was which。This
is called the Crown of Mystery。
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THE RETURN TO SIMPLICITY
Balance thy male strength with thy female weakness and thou shalt attract
all things; as the ocean absorbeth all rivers; for thou shalt formulate
the excellence of the Child eternal; simple; and perfect。 Knowing thelight;
remain in the Dark。 Manifest not thy Glory; but thine obscurity。 Clothedin
this Child…excellence eternal; thou hast attained the Return of theFirst
State。 Knowing splendour of Fame; cling to Obloquy and Infamy; thenshalt
thou remain as in the Valley to which flow all waters; the lodestoneto
fascinate all men。 Yea; they shall hail in thee this Excellence; eternal;
simple and perfect; of the Child。
The raw material; wrought into form; produceth vessels。 So the sage
King formulateth his Wholeness in divers Offices; and his Law is without
violence or constraint。
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REFRAINING FROM ACTION
He that; desiring a kingdom; exerteth himself to obtain it; will fail。A
Kingdom is of the nature of spirit; and yieldeth not to activity。 Hewho
graspeth it; destroyeth it; he who gaineth it; loseth it。
The wheel of nature revolveth constantly; the last becometh first; and
the first last; hot things grow cold; and cold things hot; weakness
overcometh strength; things gained are lost anon。 Hence the wise man
avoideth effort; desire and sloth。
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A WARNING AGAINST WAR
If a king summon to his aid a Master of the Tao; let Him not advise
recourse to arms。 Such action certainly bringeth the corresponding
reaction。
Where armies are; are weeds。 Bad harvests follow great hosts。
The good general striketh decisively; once and for all。 He does not
risk by overboldness。 He striketh; but doth not vaunt his victory。He
striketh according to strict law of necessity; not from desire of victory
Things become strong and ripe; then age。 This is discord with the
Tao; and what is not at one with the Tao soon cometh to an end。
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COMPOSING QUARREL
Arms; though they be beautiful; are of ill omen; abominable to all
created beings。 They who have the Tao love not their use。
The place of honour is on the right in wartime; so thinketh the manof
distinction。 Sharp weapons are ill…omened; unworthy of such a man;he
useth them only in necessity。 He valueth peace and ease; desireth not
violence of victory。 To desire victory is to desire the death of men;
and to desire that is to fail to propitiate the people。
At feasts; the left hand is the high seat; at funerals; the right。 The
second in command of the army leadeth the left wing; the commander…in…
chief; the right wing; it is as if the battle were a rite of mourning!
He that hath slain most men should weep for them most bitterly; sothen
the place of the victor is assigned to him with philosophical propriety。
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THE WISDOM OF THE
The All…Tao hath no name。
It is That Minute Point yet the whole world dare not contend
against him that hath it。 Did a lord or king gain it and guard it;all
men would obey him of their own accord。
Heaven and Earth combining under its spell; shed forth dew; extending
throughout all things of its own accord; without man's interference。
Tao; in its phase of action; hath a name。 Then men can comprehend it;
when they do this; there is no more risk of wrong or ill…success。
As the great rivers and the oceans are to the valley streams; so isthe
Tao to the whole universe。
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THE DISCRIMINATION (VIVEKA) OF THE
He who understandeth others understandeth Two; but he who understandeth
himself understandeth One。 He who conquereth others is strong; buthe
who conquereth himself is stronger yet。 Contentment is riches; andcontinuous
action is Will。
He that adapteth himself perfectly to his environment; continueth for
long; he who dieth without dying; liveth for ever。
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THE METHOD OF ATTAINMENT
The Tao is immanent; it extendeth to the right hand as to the left。
All things derive from it their being; it createth them; and all comply
with it。 Its work is done; and it proclaimeth it not。 It is the
ornament of all things; yet it claimeth not fief of them; there is
nothing so small that it inhabiteth not; and informeth it。
All things return without knowledge of the Cause thereof; there is
nothing so great that it inhabiteth not; and informeth it。
In this manner also may the Sage perform his Works。 It is by not
thrusting himself forward that he winneth to his success。
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THE GOOD WILL OF THE TEH
The whole world is drawn to him that hath the likeness of the Tao。
Men flock unto him; and suffer no ill; but gain repose; find
peace; enjoy all ease。
Sweet sounds and cates lure the traveler from his way。 But the Wordof
the Tao; though it appear harsh and insipid; unworthy to hearken orto
behold; hath his use all inexhaustible。
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THE HIDING OF THE LIGHT
In order to draw breath; first empty the lungs; to weaken another;first
strengthen him; to overthrow another; first exalt him; to despoil
another; first load him with gifts; this is called the Occult Regimen。
The soft conquereth the hard; the weak pulleth down the strong。
The fish that leaveth ocean is lost; the method of government must be
concealed from the people。
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THE RIGHT USE OF GOVERNMENT
The Tao proceedeth by its own nature; doing nothing; therefore thereis
no doing which it comprehendeth not。
If kings and princes were to govern in this manner; all things would
operate aright by their own motion。
If this transmutation were my object; I should call it Simplicity。
Simplicity hath no name nor purpose; silently and at ease all thingsgo
well。
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CONCERNING THE THE
Those who possessed perfectly the powers did not manifest them;
and so they preserved them。 Those who possessed them imperfectly feared
to lose them; and so lost them。
The former did nothing; nor had need to do。 The latter did; and had
need to do。
Those who possessed benevolence exercised it; and had need it; so also
was it with them who possessed justice。
Those who possessed the conventions displayed them; and when men would
not agree; they made ready to fight them。
Thus; when the Tao was lost; the Magick Powers appeared; then; by
successive degradations; came Benevolence; Justice; Convention。
Now convention is the shadow of loyalty and good will; and so the herald
of disorder。 Yea; even Understanding is but a Blossom of the Tao; and
foreshadoweth Stupidity。
So then the Tao…Man holdeth to Mass; and avoideth Motion; he is attached
to the Root; not to the flower。 He leaveth the one; and cleaveth tothe
other。
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THE LAW OF THE BEGINNING
These things have possessed the Tao from the beginning: Heaven; clearand
shining; Earth; steady and easy; Spirits; mighty in Magick;
Vehicles; overflowing with Joy; all that hath