04道德经英译本85种-第245部分

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　　If　a　ruler　（anything　from　the　leader　of　a　nation　to　the　master　of　one's　own　self）　is　able　to　hold　on　to　this　principle　and　embody　it；　then　everything　around　him　or　her　（people；　circumstances；　relationships）　will　naturally　transform　themselves　into　alignment　with　him　or　her。
　　Once　transformed　in　this　manner　and　aligned　with　the　ruler；　the　people　may　want　to　move　ahead　with　action　which；　if　unchecked；　can　lead　to　chaos。　Similarly；　those　who　become　allies　in　our　cause　may　do　more　harm　than　good　out　of　zeal；　or　a　strong　desire　to　take　some　sort　of　action。　Our　own　thoughts　and　emotions；　once　aligned　with　a　personal　goal；　may　also　get　away　from　us　out　of　sheer　enthusiasm。
　　In　these　situations；　we　can　restore　balance　by　applying　the　concept　of　p'u；　or　the　principle　of　plainness　and　simplicity。　The　fundamental　nature　of　the　nameless　Tao　is　plain　and　simple。　This　total　absence　of　contrivance　and　complexity；　if　understood；　can　lead　to　a　lessening　of　the　urge　to　overact。　This　moderating　effect　can　in　turn　lead　to　stillness。
　　This　stillness；　quietness　and　tranquility　will　bring　everything　and　everyone　back　into　balance。　Thus　the　environment　becomes　naturally　settled　and　peaceful　…　in　tune　with　the　Tao。
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　　High　virtue　is　not　virtuous
　　Therefore　it　has　virtue
　　Low　virtue　never　loses　virtue
　　Therefore　it　has　no　virtue
　　High　virtue　takes　no　contrived　action
　　And　acts　without　agenda
　　Low　virtue　takes　contrived　action
　　And　acts　with　agenda
　　High　benevolence　takes　contrived　action
　　And　acts　without　agenda
　　High　righteousness　takes　contrived　action
　　And　acts　with　agenda
　　High　etiquette　takes　contrived　action
　　And　upon　encountering　no　response
　　Uses　arms　to　pull　others
　　Therefore；　the　Tao　is　lost；　and　then　virtue
　　Virtue　is　lost；　and　then　benevolence
　　Benevolence　is　lost；　and　then　righteousness
　　Righteousness　is　lost；　and　then　etiquette
　　Those　who　have　etiquette
　　Are　a　thin　shell　of　loyalty　and　sincerity
　　And　the　beginning　of　chaos
　　Those　with　foreknowledge
　　Are　the　flowers　of　the　Tao
　　And　the　beginning　of　ignorance
　　Therefore　the　great　person：
　　Abides　in　substance；　and　does　not　dwell　on　the　thin　shell
　　Abides　in　the　real；　and　does　not　dwell　on　the　flower
　　Thus　they　discard　that　and　take　this　
　　Those　who　possess　the　higher　form　of　virtue　are　not　intentionally　virtuous。　Their　actions　are　natural　and　unforced。　This　is　why　we　say　they　have　true　virtue。
　　There　are　also　those　who　possess　a　lower　kind　of　virtue。　They　never　lose　sight　of　virtue　because　they　have　to　constantly　remind　themselves　to　be　virtuous。　This　is　why　we　say　they　have　no　true　virtue。
　　Those　who　possess　the　higher　form　of　virtue　do　not　act　with　contrivance。　Their　actions　are　without　ulterior　movies。　They　act　out　of　virtue　because　it　is　natural；　not　because　they　want　to　〃look　good〃　doing　it。
　　Those　with　the　lower　form　of　virtue　are　the　opposite。　When　they　act　in　ways　that　seem　virtuous；　they　do　so　for　a　specific　personal　agenda　…　perhaps　improving　their　image；　assuaging　guilty　feelings；　etc。
　　Those　who　possess　a　higher　form　of　benevolence　are　a　bit　different。　They　contrive　to　act　in　benevolent　ways；　but　because　they　do　so　out　of　love　and　compassion　for　others；　their　actions　are　free　of　personal　agenda。
　　Those　who　possess　the　higher　form　righteousness　are　similar　to　those　who　possess　the　lower　form　of　virtue　in　that　they　also　take　contrived　actions。　They　do　so　out　of　a　powerful　sense　of　self…righteousness；　and　because　they　feel　so　strongly　justified　in　themselves；　their　actions　always　reflect　their　own　motives。
　　Those　who　posses　the　higher　form　of　etiquette　are　yet　another　step　down。　They　act　with　contrived　politeness　and　propriety。　They　fall　back　on　protocol　and　rules　to　mask　their　true　intentions；　and　if　they　fail　to　elicit　from　others　the　response　they　are　looking　for；　they　will　use　physical　means　to　force　their　views　upon　others　aggressively。
　　From　these　observations；　the　sages　conclude　that　when　people　lose　the　naturalness　of　the　Tao；　they　resort　to　virtue。　Virtuous　practices　allow　people　to　approximate　the　goodness　that　flow　naturally　from　the　Tao。
　　If　people　lose　their　virtues；　then　the　next　best　thing　would　be　benevolence。　If　people　can　still　hold　on　to　the　mindset　of　love；　compassion　and　kindness；　then　they　can　at　least　treat　one　another　in　a　way　that　is　gentle　and　humane。
　　What　if　people　lose　their　benevolence　too？　Then　they　will　have　no　choice　but　to　resort　to　righteousness。　Their　actions　can　no　longer　be　guided　by　love；　compassion　and　kindness。　Instead；　they　will　act；　choose　and　decide　based　on　correctness　or　a　sense　of　justice。　Everything　becomes　more　muddled　because　right　and　wrong　can　often　be　so　subjective。
　　Finally；　what　if　people　can　no　longer　rely　on　righteousness？　Then　etiquette　is　all　that's　left。　Following　etiquette；　customs　and　propriety　may　or　may　not　be　right；　benevolent；　or　virtuous。。。　but　at　least　there　is　something　to　follow。
　　This　sort　of　etiquette　is　artificial　and　disingenuous。　Those　who　practice　it　are　little　more　than　thin　shells　without　substance；　pretending　to　be　loyal　and　sincere　while　possessing　neither　quality。　Such　people　are　the　source　of　chaos；　discord　and　strife。
　　In　a　similar　way；　people　who　possess　knowledge　without　righteousness；　benevolence　or　virtue　are　also　thin　shells　lacking　substance。　Like　flowers；　they　give　a　pleasing　appearance　but　possess　none　of　the　satisfying　goodness　of　fruits。　That's　what　we　mean　when　we　call　them　the　flowers　of　the　Tao。　Such　people　may　project　a　knowledgeable　appearance；　but　are　in　fact　ignorant　in　basic；　fundamental　ways。
　　To　summarize；　the　truly　great　person　would　be　the　antithesis　of　the　above。　That　is；　they　focus　on　substance　instead　of　the　thin　veneer　of　superficiality。　Their　emphasis　is　on　the　real　inner　self；　and　not　on　the　facade　of　external　appearance。　They　discard　the　fakery　of　etiquette　and　knowledge；　and　reach　for　benevolence；　justice；　virtues。。。　and　finally　the　Tao。
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　　Those　that　attained　oneness　since　ancient　times：
　　The　sky　attained　oneness　and　thus　clarity
　　The　earth　attained　oneness　and　thus　tranquility
　　The　gods　attained　oneness　and　thus　divinity
　　The　valley　attained　oneness　and　thus　abundance
　　The　myriad　things　attained　oneness　and　thus　life
　　The　rulers　attained　oneness　and　became　the　standard　for　the　world
　　These　are　all　from　oneness
　　The　sky；　lacking　clarity；　would　break　apart
　　The　earth；　lacking　tranquility；　would　erupt
　　The　gods；　lacking　divinity；　would　vanish
　　The　valley；　lacking　abundance；　would　wither
　　Myriad　things；　lacking　life；　would　be　extinct
　　The　rulers；　lacking　standard；　would　be　toppled
　　Therefore；　the　honored　uses　the　lowly　as　basis
　　The　higher　uses　the　lower　as　foundation
　　Thus　the　rulers　call　themselves　alone；　bereft；　and　unworthy
　　Is　this　not　using　the　lowly　as　basis？　Is　it　not　so？
　　Therefore；　the　ultimate　honor　is　no　honor
　　Do　not　wish　to　be　shiny　like　jade
　　Be　dull　like　rocks　
　　The　Tao　is　the　central　principle　at　the　core　of　everything　between　Heaven　and　Earth。　〃Oneness〃　is　where　the　Tao　resides；　it　can　also　be　a　synonym　for　the　Tao。　This　oneness　manifests　itself　in　many　different　ways：　clarity；　tranquility；　divinity；　life；　and　more。
　　Oneness　manifests　clarity　in　Heaven；　tranquility　on　Earth；　divinity　in　gods；　and　abundant　life　in　all　living　things。　In　the　same　way；　when　we　connect　with　the　Tao　described　by　Lao　Tzu；　we　gain　clarity　in　the　mind；　tranquility　in　the　heart；　divine　power　in　spirituality；　and　abundant　energy　to　live　life　to　the　fullest。　Those　who　wish　to　lead　must　have　this　oneness　in　order　to　establish　the　standard　of　leadership。
　　Conversely；　when　we　lack　that　connection；　our　experience　is　quite　the　opposite。　We　struggle　with　confusion　in　the　mind；　we　feel　unsettled　and　ill　at　ease；　the　spiritual　strength　we　enjoyed　before　has　become　an　empty　void；　we　are　tired；　listless；　and　unable　to　stir　ourselves　into　action。　Whatever　leadership　we　may　want　to　establish　collapses　with　nothing　to　hold　it　up。
　　How　can　we　gain　this　oneness？　How　can　we　lead　with　the　Tao；　if　called　upon　to　lead？　The　clues　are　everywhere。　Nature　shows　us　that　the　high　must　be　built　upon　the　low。　Tall　trees　grew　from　short　saplings；　in　a　mountain；　its　lower　half　supports　the　higher　half；　and　most　of　the　mountain　supports　its　majestic　peak。　It　is　the　same　in　life：　the　highest　honor　must　be　built　upon　low…profile；　sincere　humility。
　　This　is　why　the　sages　never　wish　to　shine　brightly　like　expensive　jewelry。　Instead；　they　prefer　to　be　more　like　plain　rocks；　with　only　steadfast；　solid　consistency；　and　no　dazzling　brilliance　whatsoever。　This　is　also　why　the　rulers　of　ancient　China　tended　to　use　the　lowliest　terms　to　refer　to　themselves。　Over　time；　the　practice　lost　its　meaning；　but　its　original　intent　was　very　much　congruent　with　the　Tao。
　　Notes
　　The　concept　of　establishing　a　personal　connection　to　the　Tao；　and　thereby　attain　the　power　and　energy　of　oneness　is　one　that　can　cause　much　confusion。　Isn't　the　Tao　already　in　everything？　How　can　one　connect　to　it　if　one　is　never　disconnected　from　it　in　the　first　place？
　　The　Tao　that　we　are　inseparably　part　of　is　the　all…encompassing　Tao。　It　contains　everything；　with　no　distinctions　whatsoever。　In　human　beings；　it　is　represented　as　the　ambivalent；　indeterminate　state　before　any　choices　are　made。　In　that　state；　the　potential　for　every　possible　outcome　exists　…　fulfilling；　satisfying　outcomes　as　well　as　disastrous；　miserable　outcomes。
　　The　Tao　of　which　Lao　Tzu　speaks　is　a　particular　path　through　this　wealth　of　options。　This　path　is　quite　specific。　It　is　the　path　of　silence；　calmness；　kindness　and　humility。　It　is　not　the　path　of　cacophony；　agitation；　cruelty　and　arrogance。　Both　paths　are　part　of　the　overall　Tao　that　includes　everything；　but　Lao　Tzu　points　to　one　of　them　as　the　path　that　will　best　lead　us　to　happiness　and　fulfillment。
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　　The　returning　is　the　movement　of　the　Tao
　　The　weak　is　the　utilization　of　the　Tao
　　The　myriad　things　of　the　world　are　born　of　being
　　Being　is　born　of　non…being　
　　That　which　reverses　course；　reflects　back