04道德经英译本85种-第319节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
In their out…come they become different in Name but in their depth they are One。
In a depth; still deeper yet; is the Door of many mysteries。
2
All men know the existence of beauty;
Beauty; cleft asunder; is ugliness。
All men know the existence of Love。
Love; cleft asunder; is hatred。
Therefore 〃possessions〃 and 〃Inner Life〃 interdepend in life。
Difficult and easy interdepend in completeness。
Long and short interdepend in form。
High and low interdepend in alternation。
Tone and voice interdepend in harmony。
Before and after interdepend in sequence。
That is why the self…controlled man
makes it his business to dwell in the Inner Life;
he teaches not by words; but by actions;
he brings all beings into action; he does not refuse them;
he gives them life; but does not possess them;
he acts; but does not look for reward;
he works out perfectness; but claims no credit。
The Master; indeed; rests not on rewards。
That is why he passes not away。
3
Exalt not men; so that the people may not fight。
Prize not rare objects; so that the people may not steal。
Look not on desirable things; so that the people's hearts be not troubled。
That is why the self…controlled man governs by stilling the emotions; by quieting thought; by mastering the will; by increasing strength。
He always teaches the people to know the Inner Life; to desire the Inner Life。
He teaches the Masters of knowledge to cease from activity; to act through activity of the Inner Life; then Inner Life will govern all。
4
Tao is infinite。
If we use It; we find It inexhaustible;
Deep!
It appears to be Ancestor of all things。
It rounds our angles。 It unravels our difficulties。 It harmonizes our Light。 It brings our atoms into Unity。
Pure!
It appears to be everlasting in principle。
I do not know whose Son It is;
It existed before God was manifest in Form。
5
Heaven and earth are impartial; they regard all creatures as sacred。
The self…controlled man is impartial; he regards all people as sacred。
The space between Heaven and Earth is like a bellows。
Emptied; it loses not power;
Moved; it sends forth more and more wind。
Many words lead to exhaustion。
Be not thus; keep to thy center。
6
The Spirit of the Valley dies not; it is called Mother…substance of the Deep。
The Door of Mother…substance of the Deep is called the Root of Heaven and Earth。
Continuously; continuously;
It nourishes and preserves。
Use it;
Thy strength shall not fail。
7
Heaven and Earth can endure long。
If Heaven and Earth endure long;
It is because they do not live for self;
Therefore they can long endure。
That is why the self…controlled man puts himself last;
Yet he is found in the foremost place。
He regards his body as outside of himself;
Yet his body is preserved。
Is it not that his chief interest is in the Inner Life?
Therefore he can perfect his chief interest。
8
Heavenly Love is like water。
Water blesses all things;
It does not hurt them。
It loves the lowly place that men dislike;
Therefore it comes very near to Tao。
The Master loves to dwell upon the earth。
In his heart he loves Infinity;
In his benevolence he loves giving;
In his words he loves sincerity;
In his government he loves peace;
In his business affairs he loves ability;
In his movements he loves punctuality。
The Master; indeed; does not fight;
Therefore his Inner Life increases。
9
Let Heavenly Love fill you and overflow in you;
Not according to your measure of fulness。
Prove it; probe deeply into it;
It shall not long withstand you。
You may fill a place with gold and precious stones;
You will not be able to guard them。
You may be weighted with honours and become proud。
Misfortune then will come to your Self。
You may accomplish great deeds and acquire fame;
Retire yourself;
This is Heavenly Tao。
10
Bring soul and spirit into unity; they will become welded in the Inner Life。
Conquer vital force until it yields to you; you will become as a new…born child。
Purify the channels of deep perception; you will dwell safely in the Inner Life。
Govern a kingdom by loving the people; they will learn to act from the Inner Life。
Open and shut the doors of heaven; you will have repose of mind in active life。
Let your purity shine forth in all directions; men will see that you have an Inner Life。
Give it birth; nourish it;
Give it birth; but do not seek to possess。
Act but do not appropriate。
Endure but do not rule。
That is called profound Teh。
11
Thirty spokes surround one nave; the usefulness of the wheel is always in that empty innermost。
You fashion clay to make a bowl; the usefulness of the bowl is always in that empty innermost。
You cut out doors and windows to make a house; their usefulness to a house is always in their empty space。
Therefore profit comes from external form; but usefulness comes from the empty innermost。
12
The five colours blind the eyes of man。
The five musical notes deafen the ears of man。
The five flavours dull the taste of man。
Violent running and hunting disturb the emotions of man。
Greed for rare objects is hurtful to the actions of man。
That is why the self…controlled man occupies himself with the unseen; he does not occupy himself with the things visible; he puts away the latter and seeks the former。
13
Dread glory as you dread shame。
Prize great calamity as you prize your body。
What does this mean:
〃Dread glory as you dread shame〃?
Glory comes from below。
Obtain it; you are afraid of shame;
Lose it; you are still afraid of shame。
That is why it is said;
〃Dread glory as you dread shame。〃
What does this mean:
〃Prize great calamity as you prize your own body〃?
We who meet with great calamities; meet them because we have a body。
If we had not a body what calamity could reach us?
Therefore he who honours the kingdom as his body can govern the kingdom。
He who loves the kingdom as his own body can be trusted with the kingdom。
14
Looking at it; you do not see it; you call it Invisible。
Listening to it; you do not hear it; you call it Inaudible。
Touching it; you do not grasp it; you call it Intangible。
These three cannot be described; but they blend; and are One。
Above; it is not bright;
Below; it is not dim;
Unceasingly; unceasingly;
It cannot be called by a Name;
It enters into Form; and returns into Spirit。
That is why it is called Spiritual Form of Form; Spiritual Image of Image。
That is why it is called vague and indeterminate。
Meet it; you cannot see its beginning;
Follow it; and you cannot see its end。
Consider the Tao of Old in order to arrange affairs of Now。
To be able to know the Life…Spring of Old is to give expression to the Thread of the Tao。
15
Of old; those who were leaders in good actions examined mysteries with deep penetration; searching deeply; they did not understand; even Masters did not understand; therefore their actions were void of strength。
They were timid; as those who cross a torrent in winter; irresolute; as those who fear their neighbours; grave; as strangers before their host; they effaced themselves as ice that melts; they were rough as undressed wood; empty as a valley; confused as troubled water。
Who is able by quietness to make pure the troubled heart?
Who is able by repose to become conscious of Inner Life?
He who safely maintains his consciousness of Life will find it to be inexhaustible。
Therefore he will be able; though not faultless; to renew perfectness。
16
To arrive at ultimate quietness
Steadfastly maintain repose。
All creatures together have form;
I see them return again to their root。
The Master creatures come to perfect form;
Continuously they return to their root。
Continuous return to the root is called repose;
Repose is called the law of return;
The law of return is called eternity。
To know eternity is called illumination。
To ignore eternity is to draw misfortune on oneself;
To know eternity is to be great of Soul;
To be great of soul is to be a ruler;
To be a ruler is to be greater than all;
To be greater than all is to be conscious of Life;
To be conscious of Life is to endure。
The body shall disappear but not decay。
17
In ancient times
The people knew that they had rulers。
Then they loved and praised them;
Then they feared them;
Then they despised them。
The rulers did not trust the people;
The people did not trust the rulers。
The rulers were grave; their words were precious。
The people having finished their work;
and brought it to a successful issue;