04道德经英译本85种-第303章

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　　Heaven　is　great
　　Earth　is　great
　　The　sovereign　is　also　great
　　There　are　four　greats　in　the　universe
　　And　the　sovereign　occupies　one　of　them
　　Humans　follow　the　laws　of　Earth
　　Earth　follows　the　laws　of　Heaven
　　Heaven　follows　the　laws　of　Tao
　　Tao　follows　the　laws　of　nature　
　　There　is　something　that　is　formless；　shapeless　and　non…physical；　and　yet　also　complete　and　perfect。　Whatever　it　is；　this　〃thing〃　existed　before　the　universe　came　into　being。
　　How　silent；　tranquil　and　still！　How　ethereal；　empty　and　boundless！　It　is　completely　independent　and　self…sufficient。　Its　nature　is　eternal　and　unchanging。　Its　functions　circulate　within　every　level　of　existence　without　ever　stopping。　Because　it　is　the　source　of　all　creation；　we　can　consider　it　to　be　the　mother　of　all　things。
　　I　do　not　know　its　name；　I　do　not　even　know　that　it　has　a　name。　In　order　to　identify　it；　I　reluctantly　call　it　the　arbitrary　name　〃Tao。〃　If　I　were　forced　to　describe　it；　I　would　have　to　say　it　is　great　beyond　compare。　Being　great；　it　is　always　in　a　state　of　transition。　Being　perpetually　in　motion；　it　seems　to　recede　far　away　from　us。　Being　far　away；　it　returns　again　to　us。　This　great　circle　is　the　nature　of　Tao。
　　Therefore；　the　Tao　is　great。　Heaven　and　Earth；　being　manifestations　of　the　Tao；　are　also　great。　A　leader　who　manifests　the　Tao；　and　can　serve　as　an　example　for　the　people；　is　also　great。　He　or　she　occupies　one　of　the　four　aspects　of　greatness。
　　The　universe　is　an　orchestrated　symphony；　where　human　beings　follow　the　laws　of　the　land　in　which　they　live。　At　a　level　above　this；　the　Earth　follows　the　laws　of　astronomy　…　the　rules　that　govern　the　motions　of　heavenly　bodies。　The　cosmos　in　turn　follow　the　patterns　of　the　Tao　at　a　macroscopic　level。　Ultimately；　the　Tao　itself　follows　natural　laws；　which　arise　from　the　Tao　process。　This　underscores　the　self…sufficiency　and　self…completeness　of　the　Tao。
　　26

　　Heaviness　is　the　root　of　lightness。
　　Quietness　is　the　master　of　restlessness
　　Therefore　the　sage　travels　the　entire　day
　　Without　leaving　the　heavy　supplies
　　Even　though　there　are　luxurious　sights
　　He　is　composed　and　transcends　beyond
　　How　can　the　lord　of　ten　thousand　chariots
　　Applies　himself　lightly　to　the　world？
　　To　be　light　is　to　lose　one's　root
　　To　be　restless　is　to　lose　one's　mastery　
　　Heaviness；　or　gravitas；　lies　at　the　root　of　human　affairs。　Lightness；　or　gaiety；　dances　carelessly　above　them。　Those　who　are　quiet；　unmoved；　deliberate　and　composed　possess　power　over　those　who　are　noisy；　restless；　impulsive　and　impatient。
　　Therefore；　the　sage　traverses　the　Tao　an　entire　day　without　ever　losing　track　of　the　essentials　of　life。　Even　though　there　are　many　colorful　sights　of　luxuries　along　the　way；　the　sage　recognizes　them　as　illusory；　and　so　remains　perfectly　composed　and　unmoved；　transcending　beyond　the　temptation。
　　How；　then；　can　the　king；　who　rules　the　force　of　ten　thousand　war　chariots；　treat　lightly　the　serious　task　of　governing　the　kingdom？
　　To　be　〃light；〃　in　this　context；　is　to　be　disconnected　from　the　important　foundation　of　life。　In　a　similar　way；　being　restless　or　unstable　is　to　lose　one's　power　of　mastery　…　the　power　of　the　true　self！
　　27

　　Good　traveling　does　not　leave　tracks
　　Good　speech　does　not　seek　faults
　　Good　reckoning　does　not　use　counters
　　Good　closure　needs　no　bar　and　yet　cannot　be　opened
　　Good　knot　needs　no　rope　and　yet　cannot　be　untied
　　Therefore　sages　often　save　others
　　And　so　do　not　abandon　anyone
　　They　often　save　things
　　And　so　do　not　abandon　anything
　　This　is　called　following　enlightenment
　　Therefore　the　good　person　is　the　teacher　of　the　bad　person
　　The　bad　person　is　the　resource　of　the　good　person
　　The　one　who　does　not　value　his　teachers
　　And　does　not　love　his　resources
　　Although　intelligent；　he　is　greatly　confused
　　This　is　called　the　essential　wonder　
　　Skilled　travelers　in　the　journey　of　life　follow　the　path　of　nature。　They　do　not　force　their　way　through　obstacles　or　trample　over　the　paths　of　other　travelers。　Therefore；　they　leave　no　signs　of　their　passing。　Similarly；　those　who　are　skillful　in　the　art　of　conversation　do　not　use　words　to　highlight　the　faults　of　others。　Such　actions　breed　contention　…　and　conflicts　leave　many　tracks　indeed！
　　There　are　those　who　are　good　at　capturing　people's　attention；　imagination；　and　heart。　They　do　not　need　to　lock　people　in　to　keep　them　around。　People　would　naturally　not　wish　to　leave。　They　can　also　be　skillful　in　bonding　with　people。　When　they　have　connected　with　people　at　a　deep　level；　it　is　a　bond　that　is　stronger　than　any　knots　tied　with　ropes。
　　This　is　how　sages　deal　with　people。　Because　of　their　genuine　virtue；　they　maintain　a　captive　audience　without　having　to　physically　force　anyone　to　be　present。　They　cherish　everyone　and　all　things；　and　it　becomes　clear　to　the　people　that　the　sage　would　never　abandon　them。　This　is　part　of　the　powerful　bond　that　the　sage　naturally　establishes　with　others。
　　One　reason　why　sages　don't　give　up　on　anyone　is　that　everyone　plays　a　role　in　the　overall　stage　of　life。　Everyone　has　an　impact　on　everyone　else；　and　it　is　up　to　an　individual　to　make　use　of　that　impact。　A　good　person　can　serve　as　a　teacher　and　be　a　great　example　for　us　to　emulate。　Not…so…good　individuals　is　just　as　useful；　because　we　can　observe　the　negative　consequences　of　their　negative　actions；　and　learn　from　that　as　what　not　to　do。
　　In　this　way；　the　sages　see　everyone　as　valuable　teachers　or　resources。　They　do　not　praise　the　good　people　and　condemn　the　bad；　because　they　feel　genuine　love　and　affection　for　all　of　them。　Most　of　us　are　not　quite　that　way　…　we　quickly　develope　likes　and　dislikes；　preferences　and　aversions　in　dealing　with　others。　We　lack　the　ability　to　deal　everyone　with　the　same　degree　of　universal　love　that　sages　possess；　we　can　only　look　upon　this　essential　aspect　of　their　character　with　a　sense　of　wonder。
　　Perhaps　one　day；　when　we　have　reached　a　certain　level　of　cultivation；　we　can　also　possess　the　essential　wonder　of　universal　love。　When　that　happens；　we　will　no　longer　see　people　we　despise　…　only　people　who　represent　certain　aspects　of　the　greater　oneness　that　is　also　us。
　　28

　　Know　the　masculine；　hold　to　the　feminine
　　Be　the　watercourse　of　the　world
　　Being　the　watercourse　of　the　world
　　The　eternal　virtue　does　not　depart
　　Return　to　the　state　of　the　infant
　　Know　the　white；　hold　to　the　black
　　Be　the　standard　of　the　world
　　Being　the　standard　of　the　world
　　The　eternal　virtue　does　not　deviate
　　Return　to　the　state　of　the　boundless
　　Know　the　honor；　hold　to　the　dishonor
　　Be　the　valley　of　the　world
　　Being　the　valley　of　the　world
　　The　eternal　virtue　shall　be　sufficient
　　Return　to　the　state　of　plain　wood
　　Plain　wood　splits；　then　becomes　tools
　　The　sages　utilize　them
　　And　then　become　leaders
　　Thus　the　greater　whole　is　undivided

　　29

　　Those　who　wish　to　take　the　world　and　control　it
　　I　see　that　they　cannot　succeed
　　The　world　is　a　sacred　instrument
　　One　cannot　control　it
　　The　one　who　controls　it　will　fail
　　The　one　who　grasps　it　will　lose
　　Because　all　things：
　　Either　lead　or　follow
　　Either　blow　hot　or　cold
　　Either　have　strength　or　weakness
　　Either　have　ownership　or　take　by　force
　　Therefore　the　sage：
　　Eliminates　extremes
　　Eliminates　excess
　　Eliminates　arrogance　
　　There　are　those　who　want　to　meddle　with　the　world；　or　the　environment。　They　want　to　control　it；　manipulate　it；　and　interfere　with　it。
　　What　I　observe　is　that　they　cannot　possibly　achieve　what　they　desire。　The　world　is　a　sacred　thing；　beyond　the　insignificant　power　of　mere　mortals。
　　None　of　us　can　control　the　world。　Those　who　try　will　fail；　and　those　who　hang　on　to　it　and　refuse　to　let　go　will　still　lose　their　grip。
　　In　nature；　all　things　live　in　balance　with　one　another。　Some　of　them　lead　while　others　follow。　Some　blow　air　to　impart　warmth；　while　others　do　so　to　cool　things　down。　Some　are　strong；　while　others　are　weak。　Some　occupy　their　own　niche　in　the　environment；　while　others　sur