04道德经英译本85种-第469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！


　　〃Returning　Home。〃　
　　The　path　of　TAO　is　a　return　to　The　Source。　
　　Gentleness　is　its　characteristic。　
　　All　things　under　heaven　derive　their　being　from　the　manifestation　of　TAO；　and　TAO　the　Manifest　is　born　in　TAO　the　Unmanifest。　


　　〃The　Origin　of　Form。〃

　　The　spirit　in　the　Void　never　dies。　It　is　called　the　Mother…Deep。

　　The　openings　of　the　Mother…Deep　are　called　the　Root　of　The　Universe　and　Our　World。
　　Ceaselessly；　ceaselessly；　It　nourishes　and　preserves：　Inexhaustible；　without　effort。


　　〃Self…Manifestation　through　Contraries。〃

　　In　the　manifested　world　all　people；　by　knowing　the　splendor　of　beauty；　know　also　ugliness。　When　beauty　is　absent：　by　knowing　the　excellence　of　goodness；　they　recognize　also　that　which　is　not　good。　

　　Therefore；　contraries　give　rise　to　the　idea　of　each　other：…　existence　implies　non…existence；　That　which　is　difficult　implies　that　which　is　easy　to　achieve；　that　which　is　long　implies　that　which　is　short　in　measurement；　that　which　is　high　implies　that　which　is　low　in　elevation；　that　which　is　shrill　implies　that　which　is　bass　in　musical　tone；　that　which　is　before　implies　that　which　is　behind　in　priority。

　　Therefore；　the　self…controlled　person　dwells　in　the　balance　that　is　beyond　the　action　of　contraries；　they　teach　without　words；　they　inspire　to　action；　but　appear　not　to　act；　they　produce　but　do　not　possess；　they　work　without　regard　to　the　fruit　of　labor；　they　bring　their　work　to　perfection　but　do　not　claim　reward。

　　Holding　nothing　as　their　own；　their　own　can　never　pass　away。


　　〃The　Purpose　of　the　Void。〃

　　The　Universe　and　Our　World　are　impartial；　and　for　their　dispensations；　they　use　all　things　without　distinction。　
　　A　very　wise　person　is　impartial；　they　act　without　deliberation　and　regard　all　beings　as　sacred　and　alike。　
　　The　Void　between　The　Universe　and　Our　World　is　like　a　bellows。　It　is　empty；　yet　not　to　be　exhausted。　It　moves　and　produces　more　and　more。　
　　It　does　not　take　long　before　many　words　lead　to　exhaustion：　do　not　be　like　that；　walk　the　middle　way。　

　　〃The　Hidden　Radiance。〃

　　The　Universe　is　eternal：　Our　World　is　perpetual。　
　　They　live　not　for　themselves；　so　they　are　able　to　endure。　
　　A　very　wise　person　places　their　presence　behind；　yet　it　is　found　in　the　foremost　place。　They　live　not　for　themselves；　yet　their　person　is　preserved。　Being　the　most　unselfish　of　all；　they　endure　and　fulfill　their　prime　purpose。　

　　〃Compensation's　Secret。〃

　　If　there　is　contraction；　then　before　there　was　expansion。　
　　If　there　is　weakness；　then　before　there　was　strength。　If　there　is　strength；　then　before　there　was　weakness。　
　　If　you　aspire　to　exalted　places；　then　first　learn　what　lowly　stations　to　take。　
　　If　you　would　receive；　then　first　learn　how　to　give。　
　　This　is　called　〃Compensation's　Secret；〃where　the　soft　overcomes　the　hard；　the　weak　prevails　against　the　strong。　
　　As　a　fish　out　of　water　is　in　danger；　so　to　a　nation　is　in　peril　when　its　weapons　of　strife　are　paraded。　

　　〃Returning　to　the　Root。〃

　　The　void　is　to　be　filled；　the　tranquil　essence　steadfastly　guarded。　
　　All　things　arise　into　existence；　yet　pass　on　again　to　their　source。　They　blossom　into　perfect　form　and　return　again　to　their　root。　
　　Returning　to　the　Root　is　called　Tranquillity；　by　which　the　Void　is　filled。　
　　Those　who　fill　the　void；　knows　the　nature　of　Eternity。　Realizing　the　Eternal　is　called　Illumination。　
　　Not　knowing　the　Eternal　is　the　cause　of　misery　and　error。　
　　Knowing　the　Eternal　leads　to　the　Integral。　
　　Those　who　are　Integral　are　just。　
　　Those　who　are　just　are　like　the　Universe。　
　　Those　who　are　of　The　Universe　are　close　to　TAO。　
　　And　those　who　are　of　TAO　endure　forever：　though　their　body　vanishes　they　do　not　perish。　

　　〃Tracing　the　Origin。〃

　　From　the　past　there　are　those　possessing　Unity。

　　The　Universe；　possessing　Unity；　is　bright　and　pure。　Our　World；　possessing　Unity；　is　stable　and　secure。　The　Spirit；　possessing　Unity；　is　beyond　all　bodily　form。　Space；　in　possessing　Unity；　is　made　full。　All　creatures；　in　possessing　Unity；　are　endowed　with　life。　Rulers　and　Leaders；　possessing　Unity；　are　models　of　the　world。

　　The　Unity　of　all　these　is　identical　essence。　The　Universe；　without　purity；　would　be　divided。　Our　world；　without　stability；　would　disintegrate。

　　The　Spirit；　with　bodily　form；　would　be　subject　to　corruption。　Space；　without　its　fullness；　would　soon　be　fathomed　and　exhausted。　All　creatures；　without　life；　would　vanish　from　existence。　Governors　and　Leaders；　without　dignity；　would　lose　their　influence。

　　The　root　of　dignity　is　in　humility：　the　foundation　of　the　exalted　is　in　lowliness。

　　Therefore；　Governors　and　Leaders　speak　of　themselves　in　lowly　terms；　as　〃alone；〃〃rejected；〃〃unworthy；〃do　they　not　acknowledge　by　this　the　root　of　their　Unity　is　in　humility？
　　The　several　parts　of　a　vehicle　do　not　produce　its　Unity；　and　those　who　find　Unity　neither　wish　to　be　isolated　like　a　single　gem；　nor　lost　in　the　medley　of　common　pebbles。

　　〃Aspects　of　TAO。〃

　　That　which　people　dislike　is　called　〃alone；〃〃rejected；〃and　〃unworthy；〃yet　these　are　the　names　taken　by　Governors　and　Leaders。　
　　So　it　is　that　some　are　increased　by　being　diminished；　and　some　are　diminished　by　being　increased。　
　　That　which　people　teach　by　their　actions；　I　make　use　of　to　instruct。　
　　So；　those　who　are　violent　and　headstrong　do　not　reach　their　normal　end。　
　　This　is　the　foundation　of　my　Doctrine。　


　　〃The　Use　of　Non…Existence。〃

　　Thirty　spokes　unite　in　the　hub　of　a　wheel；　but　the　usefulness　of　the　wheel　depends　on　the　empty　inner　center。　Molded　clay　is　fashioned　into　a　vessel；　but　the　usefulness　of　the　vessel　depends　on　the　empty　inner　center。　Doors　and　windows　are　cut　to　make　a　dwelling…place；　but　the　usefulness　of　the　house　depends　on　its　empty　inner　space。
　　The　value　of　existent　things　comes　from　the　use　of　non…existence。


　　〃Emptiness　and　Nothingness。〃

　　Moderate　your　speech　and　attain　spontaneity。　
　　A　gust　of　wind　does　not　outlast　the　morning；　a　squall　of　rain　does　not　outlast　the　day。
　　To　what　power　are　these　things　due？　
　　The　inner…relations　of　The　Universe　and　Our　World。　
　　Even　The　Universe　and　Our　World　do　not　persist　in　the　same　action；　so；　how　much　can　people？　

　　〃Practicing　Serenity。〃

　　It　is　better　to　withhold　than　to　fill　to　overflowing：　it　is　better　to　refrain　than　to　push　to　the　extreme。　
　　Continual　excess　wears　away　the　keenest　instrument。　
　　You　may　fill　your　house　with　gold　and　precious　stones；　but　who　can　guard　them　with　security？　Wealth　and　glory　lead　to　vanity；　to　cares　that　spoil　your　peace。　
　　To　accomplish　great　deeds；　to　merit　honor；　and　then　to　retire　into　oneself…　this　is　the　way　of　The　Universe。　

　　〃Reverting　to　Simplicity。〃

　　Those　who　knows　paternal　strength　but　still　retain　maternal　greatness　becomes　a　universal　channel　of　Everlasting　Grace。　
　　As　a　universal　channel；　this　Grace　will　never　leave；　so　they　regain　the　innocence　of　pure　childhood。　
　　Those　who　know　the　Light　of　The　Universe　but　still　remain　obscure　in　Our　World　becomes　a　universal　model。　
　　As　a　universal　model；　Eternal　Grace　will　never　fail　them；　they　thus　regain　pristine　freedom。
　　Those　who　know　their　inner　glory；　but　still　keeps　their　lowliness；　become　a　universal　chalice。　
　　As　a　universal　chalice；　the　Eternal　Grace　will　fill　them；　they　regains　their　simple　essence。
　　By　the　spreading　of　their　simple　essence；　the　very　wise　person　makes　a　useful　vessel；　that　with　wise　administration　bless　all　beings　impartially。　

　　〃Going　back　to　the　Cause。〃

　　In　manifesting　the　world；　TAO　becomes　the　Universal　Mother。　
　　In　the　knowledge　of　the　mother　is　the　knowledge　of　her　children。　
　　And　this　childhood　being　known；　there　is　access　to　the　Mother。　
　　So　life　is　unaffected　though　body　fades　away。　
　　Those　who　close　their　lips　and　shut　the　doors　of　their　senses；　all　their　life　are　free　from　turmoil。　
　　Those　who　open　their　mouth　and　spend　their　breath　in　vain　pursuits；　all　their　life　cannot　be　kept　safe。　
　　In　the　perception　of　the　smallest　is　the　secret　of　clear　vision；　in　the　guarding　of　the　weakest　is　the　secret　of　all　strength。　
　　Those　who　neglect　the　Inner　Light　are　lost　in　body's　darkness。　
　　Those　who　follow　the　light　of　The　Universe　forever　reflect　its　radiance。　
　　This　is　called　the　Eternal　Heritage。　


　　〃Holding　on　to　TAO。〃

　　In　the　regulation　of　people　and　in　the　serving　of　The　Universe；　there　is　nothing　that　surpasses　Moderation。　
　　In　this　economy　of　action　is　the　secret　of　foresight。　
　　From　the　following　of　this　foresight　comes　continual　storing　of　merits。　
　　From　this　abundance　of　inner　Grace　comes　the　power　that　none　can　conquer。　
　　If　the　inner　power　cannot　be　conquered；　then　its　limits　are　unknown。　
　　To　have　the　power　that　knows　no　limits　is　to　gain　the　leadership　of　nations。　
　　He　who；　by　moderation；　has　gained　the　root　of　sovereignty；　will　surely　endure。　
　　This　it　is　deep　rooted　and　has　a　firm　foundation　in　the　lasting　life　and　the　vision　of　the　Everlasting　TAO。　


　　〃The　Virtue　of　Hum