04道德经英译本85种-第312章

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　　With　this　lasting　power；　you'll　have　a　firm　foundation　upon　which　to　build　harmonious　relationships　with　others。　This　positive　force　takes　root　deeply　in　the　hearts　of　people　and　also　in　yourself。　It　is　the　Tao　of　longevity　…　a　vision　of　everlasting　harmony　and　leadership。
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　　Ruling　a　large　country　is　like　cooking　a　small　fish
　　Using　the　Tao　to　manage　the　world
　　Its　demons　have　no　power
　　Not　only　do　its　demons　have　no　power
　　Its　gods　do　not　harm　people
　　Not　only　do　its　gods　not　harm　people
　　The　sages　also　do　not　harm　people
　　They　both　do　no　harm　to　one　another
　　So　virtue　merges　and　returns　
　　Governing　a　great　country　is　like　cooking　a　small　fish。　If　you　use　too　much　heat；　you　will　overcook　it；　if　you　keep　turning　the　fish　over　and　over；　it　will　fall　apart。　Similarly；　if　a　ruler　constantly　meddles　in　the　affairs　of　the　people　with　excessive　rules　and　regulations；　the　country　becomes　chaotic　and　everyone　suffers。
　　When　the　Tao　has　arrived　and　is　present　in　the　world；　peace　and　harmony　prevail　so　that　the　demons　of　the　world　lose　the　power　to　exert　their　negative　influence。　Similarly；　when　the　Tao　is　present　in　your　heart；　your　inner　demons　have　no　power　over　you。
　　It　is　not　that　the　demons　are　rendered　powerless　by　the　prevailing　peace　of　the　Tao；　but　that　their　powers　have　no　harmful　effect　on　people。　Similary；　a　true　sage　isn't　someone　who　harbors　absolutely　no　negativity　in　the　heart；　but　someone　who　sees　that　negativity　clearly　so　that　it　cannot　exert　a　harmful　influence　on　life。
　　The　gods　of　the　world　also　keep　to　their　proper　places　and　do　not　disrupt　the　people's　lives。　When　we　apply　this　concept　to　practical；　everyday　cultivation；　it　means　the　wisdom　of　the　Tao　prevents　one　from　taking　foolish　actions　out　of　positive　intentions　…　actions　that；　although　well…intended；　still　end　up　making　things　more　complicated　and　more　difficult。
　　Not　only　do　the　gods　refrain　from　harming　people　out　of　misguided　benevolence；　the　sages　also　refrain　from　meddling　in　people's　lives。　Acting　in　congruence　with　the　Tao；　the　sages　relax；　let　things　be；　and　simply　enjoy　the　process。
　　This　gives　us　a　world　where　gods　and　demons　do　no　harm；　whether　to　one　another　or　anyone　else。　The　rulers　and　the　people　also　coexist　peacefully。　The　goodness　of　this　worldly　manifestation　lets　the　virtue　and　inherent　power　in　everyone　merge　together　and　return　to　the　Tao。
　　Notes
　　In　this　chapter　as　well　as　other　chapters　of　the　Tao　Te　Ching；　governing　a　country　serves　as　a　metaphor　for　running　one's　life。　Thus；　we　can　also　apply　〃cooking　a　small　fish〃　to　practical；　everyday　Tao　cultivation。
　　Just　as　constantly　changing　rules　and　regulations　disrupt　people's　lives；　in　governing　your　own　life　you　also　need　to　be　careful　not　to　second…guess　yourself　too　much。　People　who　succeed　tend　to　make　their　decisions　quickly　and　change　their　minds　slowly；　if　at　all。　Conversely；　people　who　fail　in　life　are　the　ones　who　decide　slowly　but　change　their　minds　at　the　drop　of　a　hat。
　　Once　you　cultivate　the　Tao　to　a　certain　point　and　get　in　touch　with　your　inner　self；　you　learn　to　trust　and　rely　on　the　power　of　your　intuition。　It　is　capable　of　leading　you　to　the　correct　decision　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。　By　contrast；　dwelling　on　too　much　information　has　a　way　of　leading　to　analysis　paralysis　rather　than　better　decisions。
　　Next　time　you　have　a　hunch　or　a　gut　feeling；　go　with　it。　The　more　you　use　your　intuition；　the　more　powerful　and　accurate　it　will　become。
　　61

　　The　large　country　is　like　the　lowest　river
　　The　converging　point　of　the　world
　　The　receptive　female　of　the　world
　　The　female　always　overcomes　the　male　with　serenity
　　Using　serenity　as　the　lower　position
　　Thus　if　the　large　country　is　lower　than　the　small　country
　　Then　it　can　take　the　small　country
　　If　the　small　country　is　lower　than　the　large　country
　　Then　it　can　be　taken　by　the　large　country
　　Thus　one　uses　the　lower　position　to　take
　　The　other　uses　the　lower　position　to　be　taken
　　The　large　country　only　wishes　to　gather　and　protect　people
　　The　small　country　only　wishes　to　join　and　serve　people
　　So　that　both　obtain　what　they　wish
　　The　larger　one　should　assume　the　lower　position　
　　In　this　chapter　Lao　Tzu　points　out　that　the　virtue　of　humility　applies　not　only　to　individuals　and　personal　interactions；　but　also　to　diplomacy　and　international　relations。　In　fact；　the　microcosm　of　the　personal　reflects　the　macrocosm　of　the　national；　so　principles　that　work　in　one　level　operate　equally　well　in　the　other。
　　Thus；　we　can　see　this　chapter　not　only　as　sage　advice　to　sovereign　states；　but　also　to　all　of　us。　In　the　context　of　everyday　living；　the　large　country　would　be　someone　who　has　more　power；　while　the　small　country　would　be　someone　with　less。　Because　everything　is　relative；　we　can　oftentimes　be　called　upon　to　play　either　role。　For　instance；　a　mid…level　manager　can　be　a　small　country　to　senior　executives；　and　at　the　same　time　be　a　large　country　to　the　rank　and　file。
　　The　large　country　may　be　quite　powerful　and　has　a　lot　more　resources　than　small　countries；　but　if　it　does　not　understand　or　practice　the　virtue　of　humility；　it　will　quickly　devolve　from　a　well…respected　world　leader　to　a　despised　empire。　History　shows　clearly　that　empires　come　and　go；　and　when　an　empire　falls；　the　smaller　countries　that　used　to　cower　at　its　feet　will　suddenly　rise　up　against　it。
　　When　we　apply　this　idea　to　the　individual　level；　we　see　the　wisdom　of　treating　people　well　on　one's　way　up　…　because　it　is　indeed　true　that　one　will　see　all　of　them　again　on　one's　way　down。
　　62

　　The　Tao　is　the　wonder　of　all　things
　　The　treasure　of　the　kind　person
　　The　protection　of　the　unkind　person
　　Admirable　words　can　win　the　public's　respect
　　Admirable　actions　can　improve　people
　　Those　who　are　unkind
　　How　can　they　be　abandoned？
　　Therefore；　when　crowning　the　Emperor
　　And　install　the　three　ministers
　　Although　there　is　the　offering　of　jade　before　four　horses
　　None　of　it　can　compare　to　being　seated　in　this　Tao
　　Why　did　the　ancients　value　this　Tao　so　much？
　　Is　it　not　said　that　those　who　seek　will　find；
　　And　those　with　guilt　will　not　be　faulted？
　　Therefore；　it　is　the　greatest　value　in　the　world　
　　Of　all　the　myriad　things　in　existence；　the　Tao　is　the　most　wondrous　and　valuable。　Good；　kind　people　understand　this　and　treat　it　as　a　cherished　treasure。　Those　who　do　not　understand　the　Tao　may　not　regard　it　as　anything　to　value；　but　the　Tao　still　provides　for　all　the　necessities　they　need　to　stay　alive。　Water；　air；　the　sun。。。　everything　comes　from　the　protective　embrace　of　the　Tao。
　　In　following　the　Tao；　the　good　person　attains　spiritual　refinement；　which　can　then　be　expressed　through　spoken　or　written　words。　These　words　are　uplifting　and　admirable；　so　that　when　they　are　revealed　to　the　public；　they　inspire　people。
　　Good　people　not　only　express　spiritual　truths　through　words；　but　also　demonstrate　these　truths　in　everyday　actions。　Their　honor；　integrity　and　compassion　serve　as　great　examples　for　others。
　　Those　who　have　not　achieved　this　level　of　refinement　are　not　capable　of　inspiring　words　or　actions。　And　yet；　everyone　has　the　potential　to　become　enlightened。　Because　this　is　so；　the　Tao　cannot　possibly　abandon　them。
　　The　highest　and　most　important　ceremony　in　ancient　China　was　the　crowning　of　the　Emperor　and　the　installation　of　the　Emperor's　three　ministers。　In　order　to　emphasize　its　significance；　the　ceremony　including　offerings　of　jade　and　horses。　The　jade　used　in　the　ceremony　was　extremely　rare；　large　and　valuable；　the　horses　were　a　team　of　four；　each　steed　the　fastest　and　finest　in　all　of　China。
　　As　valuable　as　these　offerings　were；　the　Tao　surpassed　them　all。　No　material　thing　could　compare　to　sitting　down　with　an　open　mind　to　discuss；　explain　and　get　into　the　Tao。　When　people　have　attained　an　understanding　that　suddenly　resolves　their　perplexity　and　liberates　them　from　ignorance；　they　too　will　understand　that　the　Tao　is　truly　priceless。
　　Why　did　the　ancients　cherish　the　Tao　so　much？　It　was　not　because　the　Tao　brought　them　riches　or　mater