04道德经英译本85种-第55章

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nnot　control　its　movement。　Realising　its　greatness；　he　serves　it。　Thus　he　is　humble　and　feminine。　Humble　and　feminine；　he　allows　himself　to　be　nourished　by　the　Tao。　Being　nourished　by　the　Tao；　he　himself　becomes　great。　Greatness　can　only　be　achieved　through　humility。

　　62

　　Everything　springs　from　the　Tao。　It　shelters　both　the　good　and　the　bad。　Men　may　try　to　succeed　through　their　words　and　actions；　but　they　are　of　benefit　only　if　they　lead　to　the　Tao。　There　is　little　value　in　travelling　a　lifetime　gathering　wealth。　Ultimately　value　can　only　be　found　in　the　Tao。　Why　did　the　ancient　masters　value　the　Tao　so　highly？　Because　with　the　Tao；　what　you　need；　you　get。　Acting　in　accord　with　the　Tao　you　are　infallible。　That　is　why　its　value　is　beyond　measure。

　　63

　　Act　without　expecting　results。　Let　the　Tao　do　your　work。　Taste　without　tasting。　Look　at　the　big　as　small；　think　of　the　many　as　few。　Have　compassion　for　petty　tyrants。　Deal　with　things　when　they　arise。　Complete　great　works　by　gradually　fulfilling　them。　To　become　a　master　of　the　Tao；　take　one　step　at　a　time。　When　your　foothold　is　firm；　the　next　step　will　come　naturally。　The　master　never　aspires　to　greatness；　but　is　immersed　in　every　step。　This　is　his　greatness。　Promises　can　be　broken。　What　is　easy　can　become　difficult。　The　master　realises　he　must　ground　his　step　before　he　can　take　another。　For　this　reason；　he　never　falls。

　　64

　　A　tall　tree　requires　deep　roots；　otherwise　it　will　topple。　If　a　problem　is　prevented；　it　doesn抰　arise。　If　your　attainment　is　brittle　it　will　easily　shatter。　Small　things　are　easily　lost。　Don抰　take　short　cuts；　but　deal　with　everything　fully　before　moving　on。　If　you　do　this　your　progress　will　be　steady。　A　mighty　oak　rises　out　of　an　acorn。　A　human　develops　out　of　a　microscopic　egg。　A　thousand　mile　journey　starts　with　one　step。　These　processes　cannot　be　completed　in　one　act。　If　you　try　to　make　something　great　happen　and　overlook　the　processes　involved；　you　will　fail。　Only　by　letting　the　process　play　out　naturally　can　you　achieve　the　Tao。　Therefore　the　master　doesn抰　try　to　achieve。　He　simply　follows　the　process　calmly　from　start　to　finish。　Death　is　stalking　him；　so　he　has　nothing　to　cling　to。　His　only　desire　is　non…desire；　his　only　learning　is　to　unlearn。　He　shows　people　what　they　have　always　been。　He　loves　nothing　except　the　Tao。　Therefore　he　can　love　everything。

　　65

　　A　master　doesn抰　teach；　but　shows　his　disciples　that　what　they　think　they　know；　they　don抰。　If　a　person　thinks　they　know；　they　are　trapped　in　that　knowledge。　Once　the　master　shows　them　not…knowing；　they　can　guide　themselves。　At　this　stage　the　master抯　task　is　completed。　The　master　doesn抰　try　to　show　his　prowess；　but　lets　his　disciples　discover　theirs。　Therefore　his　disciples　never　resent　him　and　simple　allow　him　to　point　out　their　true　essence。

　　66

　　The　ocean　is　the　destination　of　all　rivers。　Why？　Because　it　is　placed　below　them。　This　shows　the　value　of　humility。　A　father；　who　parents　his　children　with　humility；　follows　them。　By　following　them　they　will　never　feel　oppressed　and　can　develop　naturally。　His　humility　allows　them　to　express　themselves　fully。　He　is　beyond　gratitude。

　　67

　　The　Tao　may　appear　to　be　idealistic；　but　if　you　can　put　it　into　practice；　you　realise　its　greatness。　There　are　three　traits　which　are　required。　1。　Compassion。　2。　Patience。　3。　Humility　Compassionate　and　you　can　face　things　the　way　they　are。　Thus　you　can　forgive　yourself　of　any　mistake。　Patient　and　you　remain　unmoved　until　the　right　opportunity　arises。　Humble　and　you　overcome　self…importance；　thus　the　ego。　In　following　the　Tao；　these　are　your　three　most　valuable　treasures。

　　68

　　The　best　warrior　isn抰　intent　on　killing。　The　best　sportsman　isn抰　concerned　about　winning。　The　best　tactician　enters　the　mind　of　his　opponent。　A　true　businessman　works　for　the　good　of　the　community；　not　to　rape　them　of　their　wealth　and　destroy　the　earth。　A　true　leader　has　no　agenda。　Competition　breeds　violence。　Peace　can　only　be　had　by　doing　away　with　it。

　　69

　　There　is　a　saying：擨t　is　sometimes　better　to　wait　and　see　than　to　act　first。　It　is　safer　to　retreat　a　foot；　than　to　advance　and　inch。？br》　
　　Following　this　saying；　energy　is　conserved。　When　the　correct　course　of　action　becomes　apparent；　you　are　able　to　act。　In　trying　to　overcome　the　ego；　it　can抰　be　defeated　directly。　Don抰　see　it　as　bad；　and　there　will　be　no　conflict　in　you。　If　you　create　conflict；　your　three　treasures　will　be　lost；　and　you　will　become　an　enemy　to　yourself。　To　overcome　the　ego；　yield　to　it；　and　simply　be　aware　of　its　motivations。　Once　its　motivations　are　apparent；　it　is　discredited　and　will　lose　all　power　over　you。

　　70

　　The　way　of　the　master　is　simple；　and　easy　to　practice。　But　your　mind　cannot　understand；　and　you　can抰　try　to　attain　it。　Ordinary　people　are　interested　in　the　mundane　world；　and　even　if　they　hear　of　the　Tao　they　don抰　grasp　its　depth。　Few　and　far　between　are　those　who　follow　the　way。　They　realise　those　who　don抰　follow；　aren抰　ready；　so　don抰　try　to　persuade　them。　Those　who　become　ready　have　to　lose　all　hope。　Once　all　hope　is　lost；　there　is　hope。

　　71

　　You　can　only　know　when　there　is　no　knowing。　Thinking　you　know　is　a　delusion。　If　you　realise　the　delusion　is　your　own；　it　can　be　cleared。　The　master　has　rejected　all　knowing；　and　his　delusion　has　cleared。　He　is　now　enlightened。

　　72

　　The　master抯　sense　of　wonder　is　constant；　like　a　d閖？vu　that　never　ends。　He　realises　this　wonder　is　missing　from　others；　but　leaves　them　be　unless　they　ask　for　help。　Having　no　self；　he　understands　them。　If　he　would　push　or　prod；　they　would　distance　themselves。　He　has　let　go　of　the　idea　that　people　can　be　helped。

　　73

　　Acting　passionately　can　lead　to　trouble。　Being　indifferent；　there　is　no　trouble。　The　reasons　why　things　happen　can　hardly　be　known；　so　we　can抰　know　if　something　is　good　or　bad。　By　not　trying　to　succeed；　everything　is　successful。　Without　speaking；　everything　is　said。　By　not　seeking；　it　can　be　found。　The　natural　way　covers　everything　and　every　event　like　a　net。　Though　its　meshes　may　be　wide；　nothing　slips　through。

　　74

　　Death　is　a　natural　part　of　life；　and　it　is　your　fate。　If　you　accept　this　fully；　there　is　no　fear。　Having　no　fear；　your　actions　are　powerful。　If　you　try　to　manage　your　life；　you　won抰　live。　Because　of　death　there　is　no　risk；　hence　nothing　to　manage。　A　life　based　on　death　will　be　fulfilling。　A　life　based　on　life　will　lead　to　death。

　　75

　　If　you　require　many　concessions　from　children；　they　won抰　be　able　to　fulfil　their　own　hearts。　Give　them　many　rules　to　follow　and　they　will　rebel。　When　people　outwardly　value　life；　death　is　taken　lightly。　If　death　is　taken　lightly；　life　will　easily　be　sacrificed。

　　76

　　When　a　baby　is　born；　it　is　soft　and　flexible。　When　a　man　dies　he　is　static　and　stiff。　A　living　plant　bends　and　flowers。　Dead；　it　is　brittle　and　barren。　Stiff　and　static；　you　are　as　if　dead。　Flexible　and　soft；　you　are　a　beacon　of　life。　That　which　is　stiff　and　brittle　will　easily　snap；　and　be　destroyed。　That　which　is　soft　and　flexible　will　bend；　and　endure。

　　77

　　The　Tao　functions　like　a　bending　bow。　When　something　is　gained；　something　else　is　lost。　If　there　is　excess　here；　there　will　be　deficiency　there。　A　rich　man；　who　takes　more　from　those　who　are　lacking；　will　become　deficient　in　the　Tao。　The　master　gives；　therefore　he　has。　He　doesn抰　need　recognition　and　acts　with　no　thought　of　reward。　With　no　thought　of　reward；　everything　he　does　is　rewarding。

　　78

　　Water　is　the　softest　thing　in　the　world。　But　in　dissolving　things　that　are　hard；　nothing　can　better　it。　This　is　because　it　can抰　be　broken；　thus　it　endures。　Everybody　knows　the　soft　is　stronger　than　the　hard；　and　the　passive　overcomes　the　aggressive；　but　few　put　this　into　practice。　The　master　is　humble；　therefore　he　is　great。　Because　he　can　follow；　he　is　able　to　lead。　Truth　is　paradoxical。

　　79

　　Behind　every　failure；　is　a　success。　If　you　blame；　you　will　be　blamed。　The　master　takes　responsibility　for　himself　and　is　not　concerned　with　the　actions　of　others。　He　expects　nothing　from　them；　and　doesn抰　rely　on　them。