第 322 节
作者:九米      更新:2021-02-19 21:31      字数:8959
  Overflowing fulness of activity of Inner Life
  With power to impart it to others without words …
  Few men in the world attain to this。
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  Which is more dear to you; your character or your body?
  Which do you treasure more; your body or your wealth?
  Which makes you more unhappy; to gain or to lose?
  But we must sacrifice much to gain true love。
  We must suffer great loss to obtain much treasure;
  To know contentment is to fear no shame。
  To know how to stop is to avoid destruction。
  Thus doing; we shall long endure。
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  Esteem lightly your greatest accomplishment; your patience will not fail。
  Reckon your great fulness to be emptiness; your strength will not become exhausted。
  Count your rectitude as foolishness;
  Know your cleverness to be stupidity;
  Recognize your eloquence to be stammering words;
  And you will find that
  As movement overcomes cold; and as stillness overcomes heat; even sol; he who knows the true secret of tranquillity
  Will become a pattern for all mankind。
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  When Tao was manifested to men;
  Horses were used for cultivating the fields。
  When Tao was hid within itself;
  War horses were reared on the frontiers。
  There is no sin greater than desire;
  There is no misfortune greater than discontent;
  There is no calamity greater than the wish to acquire;
  Therefore to be satisfied is an everlasting sufficiency。
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  Without going out of my door I know the Universe。
  Without opening my window I perceive Heavenly Tao。
  The more I go abroad; the less I understand。
  That is why the self…controlled man arrives without going; names things without seeing them; perfects without activity。
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  By activity in learning we are daily enriched。
  By activity of Tao we are daily diminished; diminished and yet more diminished; until we arrive at activity of Inner Life; and activity of Inner Life becomes stillness of Inner Life。
  By the practice of Inner Life stillness we can continually conquer all things。
  By the practice of returning to possessions; nothing that we conquer will be sufficient for us。
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  The Heart of the self…controlled man is always in the Inner Kingdom。
  He draws the hearts of all men into his Heart。
  If a man is good; he blesses him;
  If a man is not good; still he blesses him with the Blessing of Teh。
  If a man is faithful; he is faithful to him;
  If a man is not faithful; still he is faithful to him with the Faithfulness of Teh。
  The self…controlled man dwells in the world。
  Patiently and persistently
  He brings the whole world into active community of Heart。
  All men turn their ears and their eyes towards him。
  They are all children of the self…controlled man。
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  We come into Life; we enter Death。
  Three out of ten men follow the way of Life。
  Three out of ten men follow the way of Death
  Also there are three out of ten who live as men and yet they move on to the place of Death。
  What a Master is he; therefore; who takes hold of life; of real Life!
  He lives; his ears open to goodness; listening to hidden things。
  In travelling; he fears not the rhinoceros nor tiger。
  In entering the war…chariot; he dreads not the weapons of the soldier。
  Can a rhinoceros with his horn strike the Inner Life?
  Can a tiger with his claw tear the Inner Life?
  Can a soldier with his weapon pierce the valley of Inner Life?
  What a Master is he; therefore; who into the place of Death can bring his Inner Life!
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  Tao gives Life to all beings。
  Teh nourishes them。
  It gives to each being its form。
  It gives the inward urge towards perfectness。
  That is why there is no living creature that does not reverence Tao and honour Teh。
  The veneration of Tao!
  The honour of Teh!
  No Master has decreed it;
  But eternally it affirms the Self。
  Therefore Tao gives Life to all beings;
  It nourishes and makes them grow;
  It rears them and perfects them;
  It sustains; feeds; and protects them。
  It gives them Life; but does not possess them。
  It gives them activity; but does not depend o them。
  It urges them to grow; but does not rule them。
  This is called profound Teh。
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  While in the world gain possession of the Life…Spring in order that you may become a World…Mother。
  When you have attained to Motherhood you will know your children。
  When you know your children you will retain your Motherhood。
  Then; though the body may disappear; You will not be hurt。
  Close the door of the mouth;
  Shut the doors of the senses;
  Throughout life your body will not be fatigued。
  Open your mouth;
  Increase your business affairs;
  Throughout life your body will not be safe。
  To perceive the small is called clear vision。
  To guard the weak is called strength。
  Follow the Light; you will reflect its radiance。
  Neglect the Inner Life; your body will meet with calamity。
  This is called the eternal heritage。
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  If I have knowledge and resolute faith I shall walk in the Great Tao。
  If I fear; I can only behave well outwardly。
  Great Tao is very straight; But the people love by…roads。
  The palace may be well kept; But the fields may be uncultivated And the granaries empty。
  The Princes take more land;
  At their girdle they carry a sword;
  They eat dainty food;
  They take possession of much gold。
  That is called glorification of robbery。
  It is not Tao。
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  He who is established in goodness shall not be uprooted。
  He who cherishes goodness shall not be cast out。
  His children to all generations shall be blessed unceasingly。
  Cultivate it in the body; your Teh shall become true。
  Cultivate it in the family; your Teh shall superabound。
  Cultivate it in the village; your Teh shall endure。
  Cultivate it in the kingdom; your Teh shall flourish。
  Cultivate it in the world; your Teh shall be universal。
  Therefore; according to the body; judge the body。
  According to the family; judge the family。
  According to the village; judge the village。
  According to the kingdom; judge the kingdom。
  According to the world; judge the world。。
  How shall I know that there is some faith in the world?
  The witness is in itself。
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  He who has his foundation in Teh is like a little child。
  Poisonous insects do not sting him; Wild beasts do not seize him; Birds of prey do not strike at him。
  His bones are weak; his muscles soft; Yet he can take hold firmly。
  He is ignorant of sex; but is full of vitality。
  He will grow to maturity。
  All day long he shouts and sings。
  He will arrive at a knowledge of harmony。
  The knowledge of harmony is called eternal。
  The knowledge of eternal things is called clear vision。
  Increase of life does not always bring happiness。
  The life…force that gives birth to human emotion is strong。
  Human emotion comes to full power and then grows old。
  It is not Tao。
  If it is not Tao; it will quickly perish。
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  He who knows; speaks not;
  He who speaks; knows not。
  He closes the mouth;
  He shuts the doors of the senses。
  He rounds off angles;
  He unravels all difficulties。
  he harmonizes Light。
  He brings men into Unity。
  This is called wonderful Unity。
  Favour and disgrace do not touch him;
  profit and loss do not affect him;
  Honour and shame are alike to him;
  Therefore he is held in high esteem by all men。
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  To govern a kingdom; use righteousness。
  To conduct a war; use strategy。
  To be a true world…ruler; be occupied with Inner Life。
  How do I know this is so?
  By this:
  The more restrictive the laws; the poorer the people。
  The more machinery used; the more trouble in the kingdom。
  The more clever and skilful the people; the more do they make artificial things。
  The more the laws are in evidence; the more do thieves and robbers abound。
  That is why the self…controlled man says:
  If I act from Inner Life the people will become transformed in themselves。
  If I love stillness the people will become righteous in themselves。
  If I am occupied with Inner Life the people will become enriched in themselves。
  If I love the Inner Life the people will become pure in themselves。
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  If the government is from the heart the people will be richer and richer。
  If the government is full of restrictions the people will be poorer and poorer。
  Miserable! you rely on coming happiness。
  Happy! you crouch under dread of coming misery。
  You may know the end from the beginning。
  If a ruler is in line with Inner Life his strategy will come right; his bad luck will become good; and the people will be astonished。
  Things have been so for a long time。
  That is why the self…controlled man is just and hurts no one; is true and takes no licence; he shines; and offends not by his brightness。
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  To govern men and to