第 341 节
作者:九米      更新:2021-02-19 21:31      字数:8791
  Success of failure: which is more destructive?
  If you look to others for fulfillment;
  you will never truly be fulfilled。
  If your happiness depends on money;
  you will never be happy with yourself。
  Be content with what you have;
  rejoice in the way things are。
  When you realize there is nothing lacking;
  the whole world belongs to you。
  45
  True perfection seems imperfect;
  yet it is perfectly itself。
  True fullness seems empty;
  yet it is fully present。
  True straightness seems crooked。
  True wisdom seems foolish。
  True art seems artless。
  The Master allows things to happen。
  She shapes events as they come。
  She steps out of the way
  and lets the Tao speak for itself。
  46
  When a country is in harmony with the Tao;
  the factories make trucks and tractors。
  When a country goes counter to the Tao;
  warheads are stockpiled outside the cities。
  There is no greater illusion than fear;
  no greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself;
  no greater misfortune than having an enemy。
  Whoever can see through all fear
  will always be safe。
  47
  Without opening your door;
  you can open your heart to the world。
  Without looking out your window;
  you can see the essence of the Tao。
  The more you know;
  the less you understand。
  The Master arrives without leaving;
  sees the light without looking;
  achieves without doing a thing。
  48
  In pursuit of knowledge;
  every day something is added。
  In the practice of the Tao;
  every day something is dropped。
  Less and less do you need to force things;
  until finally you arrive at non…action。
  When nothing is done;
  nothing is left undone。
  True mastery can be gained
  by letting things go their own way。
  It can't be gained by interfering。
  49
  The Master has no mind of her own。
  She works with the mind of the people。
  She is good to people who are good。
  She is also good to people who aren't good。
  This is true goodness。
  She trusts people who are trustworthy。
  She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy。
  This is true trust。
  The Master's mind is like space。
  People don't understand her。
  They look to her and wait。 She treats them like her own children。
  50
  The Master gives himself up
  to whatever the moment brings。
  He knows that he is going to die;
  and her has nothing left to hold on to:
  no illusions in his mind;
  no resistances in his body。
  He doesn't think about his actions;
  they flow from the core of his being。
  He holds nothing back from life;
  therefore he is ready for death;
  as a man is ready for sleep
  after a good day's work。
  51
  Every being in the universe
  is an expression of the Tao。
  It springs into existence;
  unconscious; perfect; free;
  takes on a physical body;
  lets circumstances complete it。
  That is why every being
  spontaneously honors the Tao。
  The Tao gives birth to all beings;
  nourishes them; maintains them;
  cares for them; comforts them; protects them;
  takes them back to itself;
  creating without possessing;
  acting without expecting;
  guiding without interfering。
  That is why love of the Tao
  is in the very nature of things。
  52
  In the beginning was the Tao。
  All things issue from it;
  all things return to it。
  To find the origin;
  trace back the manifestations。
  When you recognize the children
  and find the mother;
  you will be free of sorrow。
  If you close your mind in judgements
  and traffic with desires;
  your heart will be troubled。
  If you keep your mind from judging
  and aren't led by the senses;
  your heart will find peace。
  Seeing into darkness is clarity。
  Knowing how to yield is strength。
  Use your own light
  and return to the source of light。
  This is called practicing eternity。
  53
  The great Way is easy;
  yet people prefer the side paths。
  Be aware when things are out of balance。
  Stay centered within the Tao。
  When rich speculators prosper
  While farmers lose their land;
  when government officials spend money
  on weapons instead of cures;
  when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible
  while the poor have nowhere to turn…
  all this is robbery and chaos。
  It is not in keeping with the Tao。
  54
  Whoever is planted in the Tao
  will not be rooted up。
  Whoever embraces the Tao
  will not slip away。
  Her name will be held in honor
  from generation to generation。
  Let the Tao be present in your life
  and you will become genuine。
  Let it be present in your family
  and your family will flourish。
  Let it be present in your country
  and your country will be an example
  to all countries in the world。
  Let it be present in the universe
  and the universe will sing。
  How do I know this is true?
  By looking inside myself。
  55
  He who is in harmony with the Tao
  is like a newborn child。
  Its bones are soft; its muscles are weak;
  but its grip is powerful。
  It doesn't know about the union
  of male and female;
  yet its penis can stand erect;
  so intense is its vital power。
  It can scream its head off all day;
  yet it never becomes hoarse;
  so complete is its harmony。
  The Master's power is like this。
  He lets all things come and go
  effortlessly; without desire。
  He never expects results;
  thus he is never disappointed。
  He is never disappointed;
  thus his spirit never grows old。
  56
  Those who know don't talk。
  Those who talk don't know。
  Close your mouth;
  block off your senses;
  blunt your sharpness;
  untie your knots;
  soften your glare;
  settle your dust。
  This is the primal identity。
  Be like the Tao。
  It can't be approached or withdrawn from;
  benefited or harmed;
  honored or brought into disgrace。
  It gives itself up continually。
  That is why it endures。
  57
  If you want to be a great leader;
  you must learn to follow the Tao。
  Stop trying to control。
  Let go of fixed plans and concepts;
  and the world will govern itself。
  The more prohibitions you have;
  the less virtuous people will be。
  The more weapons you have;
  the less secure people will be。
  The more subsidies you have;
  the less self…reliant people will be。
  Therefore the Master says:
  I let go of the law;
  and people become honest。
  I let go of economics;
  and people become prosperous。
  I let go of religion;
  and people become serene。
  I let go of all desire for the common good;
  and the good becomes common as grass。?br》
  58
  If a country is governed with tolerance;
  the people are comfortable and honest。
  If a country is governed with repression;
  the people are depressed and crafty。
  When the will to power is in charge;
  the higher the ideals; the lower the results。
  Try to make people happy;
  and you lay the groundwork for misery。
  Try to make people moral;
  and you lay the groundwork for vice。
  Thus the Master is content
  to serve as an example
  and not to impose her will。
  She is pointed; but doesn't pierce。
  Straightforward; but supple。
  Radiant; but easy on the eyes。
  59
  For governing a country well
  there is nothing better than moderation。
  The mark of a moderate man
  is freedom from his own ideas。
  Tolerant like the sky;
  all…pervading like sunlight;
  firm like a mountain;
  supple like a tree in the wind;
  he has no destination in view
  and makes use of anything
  life happens to bring his way。
  Nothing is impossible for him。
  Because he has let go;
  he can care for the people's welfare
  as a mother cares for her child。
  60
  Governing a large country
  is like frying a small fish。
  You spoil it with too much poking。
  Center your country in the Tao
  and evil will have no power。
  Not that it isn't there;
  but you'll be able to step out of its way。
  Give evil nothing to oppose
  and it will disappear by itself。
  61
  When a country obtains great power;
  it becomes like the sea:
  all streams run downward into it。
  The more powerful it grows;
  the greater the need for humility。
  Humility means trusting the Tao;
  thus never needing to be defensive。
  A great nation is like a great man:
  When he makes a mistake; he realizes it。
  Having realized it; he admits it。
  Having admitted it; he corrects it。
  He considers those who point out his faults
  as his most benevolent teachers。
  He thinks of his enemy
  as the shadow that he himself casts。
  If a nation is centered in the Tao;
  if it nourishes its own people
  and doesn't meddle in the