Chapter 41-50 of Tao Te Ching
Extract |November 16, 2023 | Browse: 4306
[Chapter 41] The staff sergeant hears the news, and goes there with diligence. The sergeant heard that if he was alive, he would be dead. The corporal sniffed and laughed. Not laughing is not enough for Tao. Therefore, there is a saying: if you are ignorant, if you will advance, if you will retreat, if you are a barbarian, if you are virtuous, if you are shameful, if you are not virtuous enough, if you are virtuous enough, if you are virtuous enough, if you are honest, if you are generous, if you are successful late, if you want to speak loudly, if you are an elephant, it is invisible. Tao Yin has no name. The only way of a man is to be good at lending.
After listening to the Tao, excellent people diligently follow it. After hearing the Tao, ordinary people still seem to understand something. The vulgar man laughed loudly after hearing the words. If not laughed at by such people, is it true? Therefore, the Jianyan Book says that the Tao is bright, but the world thinks it is dark. It seems decadent to grow in the Tao. There is peace in the Tao, but it seems difficult. The highest morality is like a valley, the great glory seems to be insulted, the broad morality is regarded as insufficient, the vigorous morality is ignored, the real truth is regarded as nothingness, the great space has no corner, the great vessels are formed behind, when the voice is too loud, people can hear nothing in it; When the image is too big, people can't see anything in it. Tao is secret; However, only the Tao can give well and accomplish.
[Chapter 42] Tao generates one, one generates two, two generates three, and three generates all things. All things are negative to yin and embrace yang, and the qi is harmonious [2]. The only evil people can do is to be lonely, widowed, and have no valley. But the prince thinks he is called. A thing may benefit from its loss or benefit from its loss. What people teach, I also teach: a strong beam will not die, and I will be the godfather.
Tao is free before all things, which is his reality, called one. Tao is said to be Tao, which is his name, called Two. The truth of Tao can be described as the reputation of Tao because it has appearance and is called three. The three and one Tao gives birth to all things. All things have the yin of going against the Tao and the yang of going towards the Tao, and they both agitate each other for peace. What people hate is being lonely, widowed and unkind? The prince used these words to describe himself. Therefore, sometimes the pursuit of benefits is damaged, and sometimes the pursuit of losses is beneficial. What my ancestors taught me, I also use it to teach you that those who rely on their strength and go their own way will never end up well. This sentence is the beginning of the lesson.
[Chapter 43] The softest in the world, the strongest in the world. There is no admittance. I think it is beneficial to know nothing. Teaching without words is good for nothing, and the world hopes for it.
[Translation] The weakest in the world, the strongest in the world. Having no substance or space. From this I know the benefits of inaction. Few people in the world can get the benefits of wordless enlightenment and inaction.
[Chapter 44] Who is the relative of name and body? Who has more body or goods? What is the disease? If you love very much, you will spend a lot of money; If you hide more, you will die more. Therefore, it can last for a long time without disgrace and danger.
Which is closer to you, fame or life? Which is more important to you, life or wealth? To gain the world or to lose life, which is a morbid state? Those who are greedy will suffer great damage, and those who hoard wealth will suffer great loss. Therefore, if you know that you are satisfied, you will not be trapped or humiliated; Know to stop, can avoid danger, can enjoy a long life.
[Chapter 45] If there is a lack of great achievements, it will not be harmful. If large profits are rushed, they will be used endlessly. Be straightforward as if you were bending, skillful as if you were clumsy, and eloquent as if you were hesitant. Quietness is better than impatience, and cold is better than heat. Quiet, just for the world.
The perfect one seems to be lacking, but it will never be corrupted. The rich and overflowing ones look like nothing, but they are used endlessly. The most upright is like bending, the most intelligent is like foolishness, and the most eloquent is like being taciturn. Quiet is better than restless, as cold resists heat. Only quietness is the right way in the world.
[Chapter 46] There is a way in the world, but the horse uses dung. There is no justice in the world. The army is born in the suburbs. Nothing is worse than discontent; No sin is greater than desire. Therefore, contentment is often enough.
When there is justice in the world, the best war horse is used for farming. When there is no justice in the world, the mare with a foal will also go to the battlefield. The greatest evil is discontent, and the greatest sin is greed. Therefore, the contentment of people is eternal.
[Chapter 47] Know the world without leaving home; Without peeping into your eyes, you can see the way of heaven. It is far away, but little is known. It is based on the fact that the sage knows when he is not able to see, knows when he is not able to see, and does nothing.
You can see the world without going out of the door, and you can see the way of heaven without looking out of the window. The farther you go, the less you know. Therefore, the sage knows without experience, understands without seeing, and achieves without effort.
[Chapter 48] To learn more and more, to learn more and more, and to lose more and more. Damage and damage, so that inaction. To do nothing is to do nothing. To win the world is always to have nothing to do, and to have something to do is not enough to win the world.
The pursuit of knowledge will become more and more arrogant, and the pursuit of truth will become more and more humble. If you continue to humble yourself, you can achieve the state of inaction. In the realm of inaction, you can do everything. The world is often won by doing nothing. If you try your best, you can't win the world.
[Chapter 49] Sages often have no heart [1] and take people's heart as their heart. The good, I am good; Those who are not good, I am also good; Virtue. I believe those who believe; I also believe those who do not believe; Dexin. Sages are in the world, and they are not. People pay attention to them, and saints are children.
[Translation] Sages do not have a single heart, but a single heart for the people. Good people should treat them with kindness; Those who are not good also treat them with kindness, so as to produce good fruits. Faithful people should be treated with faithfulness; Those who are not faithful also treat them with faithfulness, so as to bear the fruit of faithfulness. The sage is in the world, and his breath makes people feel pure. The people were absorbed, staring and listening, while the saints regarded them as babies.
[Chapter 50] Devote life to death. There are three out of ten living people; Three out of ten are dead; Three out of ten people live in the place of death. Why? He is born thick. Gai Wenshan, a life preserver, will not encounter tigers on the road, and will not be attacked by soldiers; The Si has no horn to throw, the tiger has no claw to use, and the weapon has no blade to hold. Why? So there is no death.
When people are born, they enter death. People live with nine limbs, people die with nine limbs, and people send their lives to death with these nine limbs. Why is that? Because the world is too greedy for the enjoyment of this life. It is said that people who are good at obtaining and keeping true life will not encounter tigers on their way and will not be hurt in war. In front of him, the ferocious ox did not know how to project its horn, the fierce tiger did not know how to stretch its paw, and the enemy soldiers did not know how to wield his knife. Why is that? Because he is out of death!