04道德经英译本85种-第175章

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　　The　character；　〃Teh；〃　is　usually　translated　〃virtue。〃　This　is　correct　as　a　mere　translation　of　the；　character；　but　is　in；　no　sense　adequate　to　the　content　of　the　thought　in　Laotzu's　mind。　To　him；　Teh　meant　precisely　what　is　meant　in　the　account　of　the　healing　of　the　woman　who　touched　the　hem　of　Jesus'　robe：　〃Jesus　was　conscious　that　virtue　had　passed　from　him。〃　Teh　includes　the　meaning　of　vitality；　of　virility；　of　beauty　and　the　harmony　that　we　think　of　as　that　part　of　life　that　is　abounding　and　joyous。　The　third　word　is　the　negative　expression；　〃Wu　Wei。〃　Translated；　this　means　〃not　acting；〃　or　〃non…assertion。〃　When　Laotzu　urges　men　to　〃wu　wei；〃　he　is　not　urging　them　to　laziness　or　asceticism。　He　means　that　all　men　are　to　cherish　that　wise　humility　and　diffidence　and　selflessness　which　comes　from　a　consciousness　that　the　Tao　is　infinitely　wise　and　good；　and　that　the　part　of　human　wisdom　is　to　hold　one's　self　in　such　a　restrained　and　receptive　manner　that　the　Tao　may　find　one　a　suitable　and　conforming　channel　for　its　purpose。　The　title　of　Laotzu's　book；　Tao　Teh　King；　is　carelessly　translated；　The　Way　of　Virtue　Classic；　or　The　Way　and　Virtue　Classic。　This　is　very　inadequate。　The　Vitality　of　the　Tao　is　very　much　better。

　　Most　commentators　think　that　Laotzu's　teachings　fit　in　especially　well　with　Buddhist　philosophy　This　conclusion　is　arrived　at　by　the　common　interpretation　of　wu　wei　as　submission　that　will　logically　end　in　absorption　of　the　spirit　in　Tao　as　Nirvana。　This　understanding　of　wu　wei；　which　Henri　Borel　shares　in　a　measure；　is；　we　believe；　incorrect；　inasmuch　as　Laotzu　consistently　teaches　a　finding　of　life　rather　than　a　losing　of　it。　Laotzu's　conception　of　Tao　as　the　underived　Source　of　all　things；　finding　expression　through　spiritual　Teh　in　universal　creative　activity；　is　very　close　to　Plato's　doctrine　of　the　good　as　the　One　ineffable　Source　of　all　things；　whose　Ideas　and　Forms　of　Goodness；　Truth　and　Beauty　radiated　outward　as　spiritual　logos　in　creative　activity　through　Spirit；　Soul　and　Nature　to　the　farthest　confines　of　matter。

　　While　it　is　true　that　Laotzu's　teachings　would　find　little　in　common　with　the　Old　Testament　anthropomorphic　autocracy；　and　would　find　almost　nothing　in　common　with　the　modern　Ritschlean　system　of　ethical　idealism　which　has　for　its　basis　a　naturalistic　evolution　of　human　society　by　means　of　philanthropy；　laws；　cultural　civilizations；　and　human　governments　backed　by　force　of　arms；　nevertheless　his　teachings　are　entirely　in　harmony　with　that　Christian　philosophy　of　the　Logos；　which　is　a　heritage　from　the　Greeks；　through　Plato；　Philo；　St。　Paul；　Plotinus；　and　Augustine；　and　which　is　the　basis　of　the　mystical　faith　of　the　Christian　saints　of　all　ages。　While　Laotzu　would　find　little　in　common　with　the　busy；　impertinent　activities　of　so…called　Christian　statesman　building　by　statecraft　and　war；　he　would　find　much　in　common　with　Apostolic　Christianity　which　held　itself　aloof　from　current　politics　and　refused　to　enter　the　army；　content　to　live　simply；　quietly；　full　of　faith　and　humble　benevolence。

　　And　most　of　all　would　he　find　himself　in　sympathy　with　the　teacher　of　Nazareth。　At　almost　every　Sonnet；　one　thinks　of　some　corresponding　expression　of　Jesus；　who　had　a　very　similar　conception　of　God；　but　who　recognized　in　Him　that　personal　element　of　Love　which　made　God　not　only　Creative　Principle　but　Heavenly　Father。

　　Laotzu's　vision　of　the　virile　harmony；　goodness；　and　Spirituality　of　the　Tao　was　what　Jesus　saw　as　the　Fatherhood　of　God；　self…expressing　his　love…nature　endlessly　in　all　creative　effort；　and；　through　universal　intuition；　endlessly　drawing　his　creation　back　to　himself　in　grateful　and　humble　affection。　Laotzu　saw　in　a　glass　darkly　what　Jesus　saw　face　to　face　in　all　his　glory；　the　Divine　Tao；　God　as　creative　and　redemptive　Love。

　　As　you　read　these　verses；　forget　the　words　and　phrases；　poor　material　and　poor　workmanship　at　best；　look　through　them　for　the　soul　of　Laotzu。　It　is　there　revealed；　but　so　imperfectly　that　it　is　only　an　apparition　of　a　soul。　But　if　by　it；　vague　as　it　is；　you　come　to　love　Laotzu；　you　will　catch　beyond　him　fleeting　glimpses　of　the　splendid　visions　that　so　possessed　his　soul；　visions　of　Infinite　Goodness；　Humility　and　Beauty　radiating　from　the　Heart　of　creation。

　　DWIGHT　GODDARD。

　　ALL　WE　KNOW　ABOUT　LAOTZU

　　SZE　MA…CH扞EN　（136…85　B。C。）　wrote　that　Laotzu　was　born　of　the　Li　family　of　Ch抲…jen　Village；　Li　County；　Wu　Province；　Ch抲　State。　His　proper　name　was　Err；　his　official　name　was　Poh…yang；　his　posthumous　title　was　Yueh…tan。　He　held　the　position　of　custodian　of　the　secret　archives　of　the　State　of　Cheu。

　　Confucius　went　to　Cheu　to　consult　Laotzu　about　certain　ceremonials；　Laotzu　told　him：　〃The　bones　of　these　sages；　concerning　whom　you　inquire；　have　long　since　decayed；　only　their　teachings　remain。　If　a　superior　man　is　understood　by　his　age；　he　rises　to　honor；　but　not　being　understood；　his　name　is　like　a　vagrant　seed　blown　about　by　the　wind。　I　have　heard　it　said　that　a　good　merchant　conceals　his　treasures；　as　though　his　warehouses　were　empty。　The　sage　of　highest　worth　assumes　a　countenance　and　outward　mien　as　though　he　were　stupid。　Put　aside　your　haughty　airs；　your　many　needs；　affected　robes　and　exaggerated　importance。　These　add　no　real　value　to　your　person。　That　is　my　advice　to　you；　and　it　is　all　I　have　to　offer。〃

　　Confucius　departed　and　when　he　later　described　to　his　students　his　visit　to　Laotzu；　he　said：　〃I　understand　about　the　habits　of　birds；　how　they　can　fly；　how　fish　can　swim；　and　animals　run。　For　the　running　we　can　make　snares；　for　the　swimming　we　can　make　nets；　for　the　flying　we　can　make　arrows。　But　for　the　dragon；　I　cannot　know　how　he　ascends　on　the　winds　and　clouds　to　heaven。　I　have　just　seen　Laotzu。　Can　it　be　said；　he　is　as　difficult　to　understand　as　the　dragon？　He　teaches　the　vitality　of　Tao。　His　doctrine　appears　to　lead　one　to　aspire　after　self…effacement　and　obscurity。〃

　　Laotzu　lived　in　Cheu　for　a　long　time；　he　prophesied　the　decay　of　that　state　and　in　consequence　was　obliged　to　depart；　and　went　to　the　frontier。　The　officer　at　the　border　post　was　Yin…hi；　who　said　to　Laotzu；　〃If　you　are　going　to　leave　us；　will　you　not　write　a　book　by　which　we　may　remember　you？〃　Thereupon　Laotzu　wrote　a　book　of　sonnets　in　two　parts；　comprising　in　all　about　five　thousand　characters。　In　this　book　he　discussed　his　conception　of　the　Vitality　of　the　Tao。　He　left　this　book　with　the　soldier；　and　departed；　no　one　knows　whither。　

　　1

　　The　Tao　that　can　be　understood　cannot　be　the　primal；　or　cosmic；　Tao；　just　as　an　idea　that　can　be　expressed　in　words　cannot　be　the　infinite　idea。

　　And　yet　this　ineffable　Tao　was　the　source　of　all　spirit　and　matter；　and　being　expressed　was　the　mother　of　all　created　things。

　　Therefore　not　to　desire　the　things　of　sense　is　to　know　the　freedom　of　spirituality；　and　to　desire　is　to　learn　the　limitation　of　matter。　These　two　things　spirit　and　matter；　so　different　in　nature；　have　the　same　origin。　This　unity　of　origin　is　the　mystery　of　mysteries；　but　it　is　the　gateway　to　spirituality。

　　2

　　When　every　one　recognizes　beauty　to　be　only　a　masquerade；　then　it　is　simply　ugliness。　In　the　same　way　goodness；　if　it　is　not　sincere；　is　not　goodness。　So　existence　and　non…existence　are　incompatible。　The　difficult　and　easy　are　mutually　opposites。　Just　as　the　long　and　the　short；　the　high　and　the　low；　the　loud　and　soft；　the　before　and　the　behind；　are　all　opposites　and　each　reveals　the　other。

　　Therefore　the　wise　man　is　not　conspicuous　in　his　affairs　or　given　to　much　talking。　Though　troubles　arise　he　is　not　irritated。　He　produces　but　does　not　own；　he　acts　but　claims　no　merit；　he　builds　but　does　not　dwell　therein；　and　because　he　does　not　dwell　therein　he　never　departs。

　　3

　　Neglecting　to　praise　the　worthy　deters　people　from　emulating　them；　just　as　not　prizing　rare　treasures　deters　a　man　from　becoming　a　thief；　or　ignoring　the　things　which　awaken　desire　keeps　the　heart　at　rest。

　　Therefore　the　wise　ruler　does　not　suggest　unnecessary　things；　but　seeks　to　satisfy　the　minds　of　his　people。　He　seeks　to　allay　appetites　but　strengthen　bones。　He　ever　tries　by　keeping　people　in　ignoranc