04道德经英译本85种-第527章

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　　〃The　Mysterious　Virtue。〃

　　They　who　know　the　TAO；　tell　it　not：　they　who　tell　it；　know　it　not。　They　who　know；　close　their　lips；　shut　the　doors　of　their　senses；　subdue　the　impulses；　and　checks　irregularities。　They　who　diffuse　the　Light；　gather　people　into　unity；　and　descend　to　the　level　of　dust。　This　is　the　Mysterious　Virtue。　Such　people　are　beyond　familiarity　and　reserve：　gain　and　loss　do　not　affect　them：　praise　and　blame　are　regarded　by　them　alike。　Therefore　they　are　honored　above　all。


　　〃The　Emanations　of　TAO。〃

　　TAO　produces　Unity；　
　　Unity　produces　Duality；　
　　Duality　produces　Triplicity；　
　　In　Triplicity　all　things　have　life；　and　from　it　they　proceed。　
　　The　darkness　of　the　Unmanifested　is　behind　all　things：　the　light　of　the　Manifest　is　before　them；　and　they　are　brought　into　harmony　by　the　Breath　of　the　Great　Deep。　


　　〃Apprehending　the　Mystery。〃

　　Before　The　Universe　and　Our　World　existed　there　was　something　undefined　but　already　perfect。　How　calm　it　was　and　formless！　Self…sufficient　and　unchanging：　all…pervasive　without　effort。　

　　I　do　not　know　its　name；　but　for　a　title　call　it　TAO。　If　forced　to　describe　it。　Call　it　Great。　Being　Great；　it　is　ever…flowing；　flowing　on；　It　becomes　remote；　becoming　remote；　it　returns　again。　Therefore；　TAO　is　Great：　The　Universe　is　Great：　Our　World　is　Great：　The　Source　is　Great。

　　Four　are　the　kinds　of　universal　greatness　of　which　being　The　Source　is　one。　The　individual　finds　his　or　her　law　on　Our　World：　Our　World　finds　its　law　as　a　part　of　the　Universe：　the　Universe　finds　its　law　in　TAO；　but　the　law　of　TAO　consists　in　being　what　it　is。


　　〃The　TAO　of　The　Universe〃

　　Universal　TAO　is　like　the　bending　of　a　bow：　that　which　is　too　high　is　lowered；　that　which　is　too　low　is　raised　up。　Where　there　is　an　excess；　it　is　lessened；　where　there　is　too　little；　it　is　increased。　The　Providence　of　The　Universe　gives　to　all　things　that　which　is　their　due。　But　the　providence　of　people　is　not　like　that　of　TAO；　for　people　take　from　those　in　need　of　more；　to　increase　their　own　excess。　Who　are　they　who；　possessing　most；　can　supply　the　wants　of　all？　Only　they　who　have　the　TAO！　That　is　why　Enlightened　People　act　without　looking　for　reward；　accomplishing　their　task　without　claiming　any　merit。　By　this　means　they　hide　their　mastery。


　　〃The　Exercise　of　Enlightenment。〃

　　TAO　appears　quiescent：　its　activity　is　all　within　yet　there　is　nothing　that　it　does　not　do。　

　　If　people　and　their　government　were　able　to　maintain　it；　all　would　be　transformed　from　within　themselves。　If　this　transformation　became　an　object　of　desire；　it　would　still　that　desire　by　the　ineffable　Simplicity。　The　nameless　Simplicity　brings　absence　of　desire；　absence　of　desire　brings　stillness；　so　the　world　would　become　perfect　from　within　itself。


　　〃Supernal　Simplicity。〃

　　Immutable　TAO　has　no　name。　Small　though　it　appears　in　its　original　simplicity；　the　servant　of　TAO　may　stand　against　the　world。　If　a　leader　could　hold　and　keep　it；　the　world　of　itself　would　submit　at　once　to　that　leader　and　spontaneously　pay　homage。　The　Universe　and　Our　World　would　unite　to　nourish　that　leader；　and　all　people　without　pressure　would　harmonize　in　peace。　When　TAO　proceeds　to　action；　it　has　a　name。　Having　a　name　people　may　learn　how　to　rest　in　it；　knowing　how　to　rest　in　it；　they　are　free　from　error　and　decay。　TAO　is　to　world　like　the　great　River　and　Sea　are　to　the　streams　from　the　valleys。


　　〃The　Perfect　Achievement。〃

　　All…pervading　is　the　Great　TAO。　
　　It　extends　simultaneously　to　the　right　and　to　the　left。　
　　All　beings　live　by　receiving　it；　and　all　are　in　its　care。　
　　It　accomplishes　its　works；　but　claims　no　title　of　merit。　
　　It　cherishes　and　nurtures　all；　but　does　not　assume　their　mastery。　
　　It　ever　seeks　the　innermost；　and　its　name　is　the　smallest。　
　　All　things　at　last　return　to　it。　TAO　is　their　final　root。　But　TAO　is　not　increased　thereby；　nor　claims　to　be　their　ruler；　and　its　name　is　the　greatest。　
　　That　is　why　the　highest　people　never　magnify　themselves；　thus　they　become　perfect　in　their　greatness。　
　　〃Returning　Home。〃　
　　The　path　of　TAO　is　a　return　to　The　Source。　
　　Gentleness　is　its　characteristic。　
　　All　things　under　heaven　derive　their　being　from　the　manifestation　of　TAO；　and　TAO　the　Manifest　is　born　in　TAO　the　Unmanifest。　


　　〃The　Origin　of　Form。〃

　　The　spirit　in　the　Void　never　dies。　It　is　called　the　Mother…Deep。

　　The　openings　of　the　Mother…Deep　are　called　the　Root　of　The　Universe　and　Our　World。
　　Ceaselessly；　ceaselessly；　It　nourishes　and　preserves：　Inexhaustible；　without　effort。


　　〃Self…Manifestation　through　Contraries。〃

　　In　the　manifested　world　all　people；　by　knowing　the　splendor　of　beauty；　know　also　ugliness。　When　beauty　is　absent：　by　knowing　the　excellence　of　goodness；　they　recognize　also　that　which　is　not　good。　

　　Therefore；　contraries　give　rise　to　the　idea　of　each　other：…　existence　implies　non…existence；　That　which　is　difficult　implies　that　which　is　easy　to　achieve；　that　which　is　long　implies　that　which　is　short　in　measurement；　that　which　is　high　implies　that　which　is　low　in　elevation；　that　which　is　shrill　implies　that　which　is　bass　in　musical　tone；　that　which　is　before　implies　that　which　is　behind　in　priority。

　　Therefore；　the　self…controlled　person　dwells　in　the　balance　that　is　beyond　the　action　of　contraries；　they　teach　without　words；　they　inspire　to　action；　but　appear　not　to　act；　they　produce　but　do　not　possess；　they　work　without　regard　to　the　fruit　of　labor；　they　bring　their　work　to　perfection　but　do　not　claim　reward。

　　Holding　nothing　as　their　own；　their　own　can　never　pass　away。


　　〃The　Purpose　of　the　Void。〃

　　The　Universe　and　Our　World　are　impartial；　and　for　their　dispensations；　they　use　all　things　without　distinction。　
　　A　very　wise　person　is　impartial；　they　act　without　deliberation　and　regard　all　beings　as　sacred　and　alike。　
　　The　Void　between　The　Universe　and　Our　World　is　like　a　bellows。　It　is　empty；　yet　not　to　be　exhausted。　It　moves　and　produces　more　and　more。　
　　It　does　not　take　long　before　many　words　lead　to　exhaustion：　do　not　be　like　that；　walk　the　middle　way。　

　　〃The　Hidden　Radiance。〃

　　The　Universe　is　eternal：　Our　World　is　perpetual。　
　　They　live　not　for　themselves；　so　they　are　able　to　endure。　
　　A　very　wise　person　places　their　presence　behind；　yet　it　is　found　in　the　foremost　place。　They　live　not　for　themselves；　yet　their　person　is　preserved。　Being　the　most　unselfish　of　all；　they　endure　and　fulfill　their　prime　purpose。　

　　〃Compensation's　Secret。〃

　　If　there　is　contraction；　then　before　there　was　expansion。　
　　If　there　is　weakness；　then　before　there　was　strength。　If　there　is　strength；　then　before　there　was　weakness。　
　　If　you　aspire　to　exalted　places；　then　first　learn　what　lowly　stations　to　take。　
　　If　you　would　receive；　then　first　learn　how　to　give。　
　　This　is　called　〃Compensation's　Secret；〃where　the　soft　overcomes　the　hard；　the　weak　prevails　against　the　strong。　
　　As　a　fish　out　of　water　is　in　danger；　so　to　a　nation　is　in　peril　when　its　weapons　of　strife　are　paraded。　

　　〃Returning　to　the　Root。〃

　　The　void　is　to　be　filled；　the　tranquil　essence　steadfastly　guarded。　
　　All　things　arise　into　existence；　yet　pass　on　again　to　their　source。　They　blossom　into　perfect　form　and　return　again　to　their　root。　
　　Returning　to　the　Root　is　called　Tranquillity；　by　which　the　Void　is　filled。　
　　Those　who　fill　the　void；　knows　the　nature　of　Eternity。　Realizing　the　Eternal　is　called　Illumination。　
　　Not　knowing　the　Eternal　is　the　cause　of　misery　and　error。　
　　Knowing　the　Eternal　leads　to　the　Integral。　
　　Those　who　are　Integral　are　just。　
　　Those　who　are　just　are　like　the　Universe。　
　　Those　who　are　of　The　Universe　are　close　to　TAO。　
　　And　those　who　are　of　TAO　endure　forever：　though　their　body　vanishes　they　do　not　perish。　

　　〃Tracing　the　Origin。〃

　　From　the　past　there　are　those　possessing　Unity。

　　The　Universe；　possessing　Unity；　is　bright　and　pure。　Our　World；　possessing　Unity；　is　stable　and　secure。　The　Spirit；　possessing　Unity；　is　beyond　all　bodily　form。　Space；　in　possessing