04道德经英译本85种-第246部分

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　　The　myriad　things　of　the　world　are　born　of　being
　　Being　is　born　of　non…being　
　　That　which　reverses　course；　reflects　back；　or　returns　to　its　point　of　origin　characterizes　the　cyclical　motions　of　the　Tao。　Because　the　Tao　process　underlies　everything　in　existence；　we　observe　its　cycles　reflected　everywhere　in　the　universe。
　　That　which　exhibits　weakness；　a　soft　touch；　or　a　yielding　nature　characterizes　the　function　and　utilization　of　the　Tao。　This　is　because　the　Tao　drives　life　forward　endlessly；　and　the　living　is　always　pliant　and　flexible　while　death　is　invariably　stiff　and　unyielding。
　　The　above　applies　to　the　mind　as　well。　An　awareness　that　is　in　tune　with　the　Tao　is　open　to　possibilities　and　adaptable　to　new　ways　of　thinking。　In　contrast；　a　mind　that　stubbornly　clings　to　preconceptions　and　automatically　rejects　anything　different　is；　in　a　real　sense；　already　dead。
　　41

　　Higher　people　hear　of　the　Tao
　　They　diligently　practice　it
　　Average　people　hear　of　the　Tao
　　They　sometimes　keep　it　and　sometimes　lose　it
　　Lower　people　hear　of　the　Tao
　　They　laugh　loudly　at　it
　　If　they　do　not　laugh；　it　would　not　be　the　Tao
　　Therefore　a　proverb　has　the　following：
　　The　clear　Tao　appears　unclear
　　The　advancing　Tao　appears　to　retreat
　　The　smooth　Tao　appears　uneven
　　High　virtue　appears　like　a　valley
　　Great　integrity　appears　like　disgrace
　　Encompassing　virtue　appears　insufficient
　　Building　virtue　appears　inactive
　　True　substance　appears　inconstant
　　The　great　square　has　no　corners
　　The　great　vessel　is　late　in　completion
　　The　great　music　is　imperceptible　in　sound
　　The　great　image　has　no　form
　　The　Tao　is　hidden　and　nameless
　　Yet　it　is　only　the　Tao
　　That　excels　in　giving　and　completing　everything　
　　But　〃not　laughing〃　in　itself　is　not　sufficient　to　be　called　the　Tao；
　　and　therefore　it　is　said：
　　The　sparkling　Tao　seems　dark
　　Advancing　in　the　Tao　seems　like　regression。
　　Settling　into　the　Tao　seems　rough。
　　True　virtue　is　like　a　valley。
　　The　immaculate　seems　humble。
　　Extensive　virtue　seems　insufficient。
　　Established　virtue　seems　deceptive。
　　The　face　of　reality　seems　to　change。
　　The　great　square　has　no　corners。
　　Great　ability　takes　a　long　time　to　perfect。
　　Great　sound　is　hard　to　hear。
　　The　great　form　has　no　shape。
　　The　Tao　is　hidden　and　nameless。
　　This　is　exactly　why　the　Tao　is　good　at　developing　and　perfecting。
　　The　true　student　hears　of　the　Tao；　h　is　diligent　and　practices　it。
　　The　average　student　hears　of　it；　sometimes　he　appears　to　be　attentive；　then　again　he　is　inattentive。
　　The　half　hearted　student　hears　of　it；　he　loudly　derides　it。　If　it　did　not　provoke　ridicule　it　would　not　be　worthy　the　name…Tao。
　　Again　there　are　those　whose　only　care　is　phraseology。
　　The　brilliancy　of　the　Tao　is　as　obscurity；　the　advance　of　the　Tao　is　as　a　retreat；　the　equality　of　the　Tao　is　as　inequality；　the　higher　energy　is　as　cosmic　space；　the　greatest　purity　is　as　uncleanness；　the　widest　virtue　is　as　if　insufficient；　established　virtue　is　as　if　furtive；　the　truest　essence　is　as　imperfection；　the　most　perfect　square　is　cornerless；　the　largest　vessel　is　last　completed；　the　loudest　sound　has　fewest　tones；　the　grandest　conception　is　formless。
　　The　Tao　is　concealed　and　nameless；　yet　it　is　the　Tao　alone　which　excels　in　imparting　and　completing。
　　42

　　Tao　produces　one
　　One　produces　two
　　Two　produce　three
　　Three　produce　myriad　things
　　Myriad　things；　backed　by　yin　and　embracing　yang
　　Achieve　harmony　by　integrating　their　energy
　　What　the　people　dislike
　　Are　alone；　bereft；　and　unworthy
　　But　the　rulers　call　themselves　with　these　terms
　　So　with　all　things
　　Appear　to　take　loss　but　benefit
　　Or　receive　benefit　but　lose
　　What　the　ancients　taught
　　I　will　also　teach
　　The　violent　one　cannot　have　a　natural　death
　　I　will　use　this　as　the　principal　of　teachings　
　　What　people　dislike　are　abandonment；　loneliness　and　being　unworthy
　　And　yet　kings　and　lords　name　themeselves　with　such　terms
　　Therefore
　　That　which　people　hate　to　think　of　themselves　as　〃orphan；〃　〃lowly；〃　and　〃unworthy〃
　　Yet　the　kings　call　themselves　by　these　names
　　Some　lose　and　yet　gain；
　　Others　gain　and　yet　lose。
　　That　which　is　taught　by　the　people
　　I　also　teach：
　　〃The　forceful　do　not　choose　their　place　of　death。〃
　　I　regard　this　as　the　father　of　all　teachings。
　　That　which　men　hate　is　to　be　kithless；　friendless　and　considered　unworthy；　but　princes　and　dukes　thus　style　themselves。
　　From　this　it　would　appear　that　advantages　are　disadvantageous；　and　disadvantages　are　advantageous。
　　I　teach　that　which　others　have　taught。
　　The　violent　and　the　fierce　do　not　live　out　their　years。
　　I　shall　be　chief　among　the　teachers。
　　43

　　The　softest　things　of　the　world
　　Override　the　hardest　things　of　the　world
　　That　which　has　no　substance
　　Enters　into　that　which　has　no　openings
　　From　this　I　know　the　benefits　of　non…attached　actions
　　The　teaching　without　words
　　The　benefits　of　actions　without　attachment
　　Are　rarely　matched　in　the　world　
　　Our　observation　of　nature　shows　us　that　the　softest　things　have　power　over　the　hardest　things　in　the　world。　Consider　a　horseman　riding　a　powerful；　galloping　steed。　The　rider　cannot　compare　to　the　horse　in　terms　of　physical　strength；　but　there　is　no　question　who　is　controlling　whom。
　　Water　seeps　into　and　dissolves　rocks；　electricity　flows　through　a　block　of　metal。　This　is　how　the　Tao；　which　lacks　substance；　can　permeate　all　things　…　even　if　they　appear　to　be　solid；　without　any　cracks　or　openings。
　　I　can　extrapolate　from　this　to　understand　life。　The　Tao　acts　in　a　wu　wei　manner　and　effortlessly　achieves　the　miracle　of　life。　I；　too；　can　act　without　attachment　in　affairs　of　the　world　to　achieve　great　benefits　effortlessly。
　　The　most　effective　teaching　is　conveyed　through　personal　examples　rather　than　preachy　words。　The　most　effective　results　are　achieved　through　acting　without　any　attachments　to　specific　outcomes。
　　This　is　the　way　of　the　Tao。　Its　power　and　effectiveness　are　unmatched　in　the　world。　At　the　same　time；　it　is　also　rarely　understood　by　most　people。
　　Notes
　　Other　points　to　reinforce　this　concept：
　　1）　When　one　grows　old；　the　teeth　fall　out　but　the　tongue　remains。
　　2）　The　pliant　grass　survives　a　fierce　storm　while　the　unyielding　tree　is　uprooted。
　　44

　　Fame　or　the　self；　which　is　dearer？
　　The　self　or　wealth；　which　is　greater？
　　Gain　or　loss；　which　is　more　painful？
　　Thus　excessive　love　must　lead　to　great　spending
　　Excessive　hoarding　must　lead　to　heavy　loss
　　Knowing　contentment　avoids　disgrace
　　Knowing　when　to　stop　avoids　danger
　　Thus　one　can　endure　indefinitely　
　　Which　do　you　hold　more　dear；　fame　or　your　true　self？
　　Which　do　you　value　more；　your　true　self　or　material　possessions？
　　Which　is　more　painful；　gain　or　loss？
　　Therefore　we　always　pay　a　great　price　for　excessive　love
　　And　suffer　deep　loss　for　great　accumulation。
　　Knowing　what　is　enough；　you　will　not　be　humiliated。
　　Knowing　where　to　stop；　you　will　not　be　imperiled
　　And　can　be　long…lasting。
　　Gain　or　loss；　which　is　worse？
　　Excessive　love　implies　excessive　outlay。　Immoderate　accumulation　implies　heavy　loss。
　　Who　knows　contentment　meets　no　shame。　Who　knows　when　to　stop　incurs　no　danger。　Such　long　endure。
　　45

　　Great　perfection　seems　flawed
　　Its　function　is　without　failure
　　Great　fullness　seems　empty
　　Its　function　is　without　exhaustion
　　Great　straightness　seems　bent
　　Great　skill　seems　inept
　　Great　eloquence　seems　inarticulate
　　Movement　overcomes　cold
　　Stillness　overcomes　heat
　　Clear　quietness　is　the　standard　of　the　world　
　　That　which　is　absolutely　perfect　and　complete　seems　flawed；　just　as　the　Tao　can　seem　imperfect　or　incomplete　to　human　beings；　despite　being　the　essence　of　great　perfection。　The　utilization；　or　functioning；　of　the　great　perfection　of　Tao　is
　　That　which　is　absolutely　filled　seems　empty
　　That　which　is　perfectly　straight　seems　bent；　or　crooked。
　　Pure　silence　and　clear　stillness　should　be　the　standard；　or　model；　for　the　world　to　set　everything　right。
　　；　yet　functions　without　a　hitch。
　　Great　fullness　seems　empty；　yet　functions　without　exhaustion。
　　Great　straightness　seems　crooked；
　　Great　skill　seems　clumsy；
　　Great　eloquence　seems　stammering。
　　Excitement　overcomes　cold；　stillness　overcomes　heat。
　　Clarity　and　stillness　set　everything　right。
　　The　greatest　attainment　is　as　though　incomplete；　but　its　utility　remains　unimpaired。
　　The　greatest　fullness　is　as　a　void；　but　its　utility　is　inexhaustible。
　　The　greatest　uprightness　is　as　crookedness；　the　greatest　cleverness　as　clumsiness；　the　greatest　eloquence　as　reticence。
　　Motion　overcomes　cold；　stillness　conquers　heat。
　　Purity　and　stillness　are　the　world抯　standards。
　　46

　　When　the　world　has　the　Tao
　　Fast　horses　are　retired　to　fertilize　the　grounds
　　When　the　world　lacks　the　Tao
　　Warhorses　must　give　birth　on　the　battlefield
　　There　is　no　crime　greater　than　greed
　　No　disaster　greater　than　discontentment
　　No　fault　greater　than　avarice
　　Thus　the　satisfaction　of　contentment
　　Is　the　lasting　satisfaction　
　　When　the　world　follows　the　Tao；　harmony　prevails。　People　know　contentment　and　there　is　peace　between　nations。　Since　there　is　no　war；　fast　horses　no　longer　have　a　military　function；　so　they　are　taken　off　the　army　and　redirected　to　till　farmlands　in　order　to　fertilize　them　for　crops。
　　When　the　world　does　not　follow　the　Tao；　strife　prevails。　People　bicker　among　themselves　and　nations　clash　endlessly。　Because　of　constant　warfare；　all　the　horses　are　drafted　into　battle；　so　that　even　pregnant　mares　end　up　having　to　give　birth　on　the　battlefield。
　　The　driving　force　behind　warfare　and　conflicts　is　excessive　desire　at　the　expense　of　others。　That　is　why　there　is　no　greater　crime　than　greed；　no　greater　disaster　than　not　knowing　when　one　has　enough；　and　no　greater　fault　than　avarice；　or　covetousness。
　　From　all　this