Extensive Interpretation of Tao Te Ching (24)
道德經演義（廿四）
He who stands on tiptoe does not stand
firm.
企者不立;
He who strains his strides does not
walk well.
跨者不行;
He who reveals himself is not luminous.
自見者不明;
He who justifies himself is not far-famed.
自是者不彰;
He who boasts of himself is not given
credit.
自伐者無功;
He who prides himself is not chief
among men.
自矜者不長。
These in the eyes of Tao are called
“the dregs and tumors of Virtue.” Which are things of disgust.
其在道也，曰: 餘食贅行，物或惡之，
Therefore the man of Tao spurns them.
故有道者不處。
Gengsang Chu(5) (15-19)(24。1)A
莊子演義雜篇庚桑楚(五)(15-19)(24。1)A
15 He who likes flaunting his wealth is known to be a merchant.
一個喜歡炫耀其財富者，我們知道，他是一名商人。
行乎無名者，唯庸有光；志乎期費者，唯賈人也。
16 He who strides with rising head and arrogance is known to be a celebrity.
當我們看到一個人走在路上，昂首闊步，不可一世時，我們會猜想，他可能是社會名流。
人見其跂，猶之魁然。
17 He whose subjective condition gets well along with the objective condition
is welcomed and accepted by the environment that supplements him.
認識到主觀條件與客觀條件的差異，並且能求同存異者，客觀條件對他而言是相輔相成的，因此，他廣受到客觀環境的歡迎與接納。
18 He whose subjective condition gets bad along with the objective condition,
we are sure that his flesh body does not cooperate well with his self-nature,
Buddha-nature, Qi, calmness and refinement too. All
his life must be very painful and disease-ridden.
至於主觀條件與客觀條件不能相輔共容者，他的自性、佛性、氣、拙火、妙用等與其肉身不能合作無間，所以說，此人必定是疾病纏身，痛苦萬分。
19 His relations with others must be poor also. He is very pitiful for no
friend and kin.
他與其他人的關係必定充滿矛盾，無親無友，可憐極了。
與物窮者，物入焉；與物且者，其身之不能容，焉能容人！不能容人者無親，無親者盡人。
Lietse (9) (7-8)(24。1)B
莊子演義雜篇列禦寇(九)(7-8)(24。1)B
7 Generally speaking, there are five kinds of bad characters, among
which the most serious is the bad character of mind.
我們一般說兇德有五大類，而關於心的兇德是最嚴重的。
凶德有五，中德為首。
8 What is bad character of mind? I argue that it is complacence. Men of
complacence are obstinate and consider they always right. They are wrong but
they slander others.
什麼是心的兇德呢？我認為自滿，就是心之兇德。這種人他們自以為是，剛愎自用。自已做錯了，反而毀謗他人。
何謂中德？中德也者，有以自好也而訾其所不為者也。
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark(24。1)A。B
咸池評述(24。1)A。B
1 Man, who like bragging
or flaunting, is like a small jar full of water. The water in it is easy to
spill out.
喜歡誇飾，炫耀的人，他就像是一個裝滿水的小罐子，只要輕輕一搖，水就會溢出來了。
2 He who brags or flaunts
can’t conceal things in his heart. We read out his mind through his deeds.
Actually, man of this kind is simple and pure. It is easy to deal with. A man
speaks frankly out his ideas in details to public and makes people know, isn’t
it good to everybody?
誇飾，炫耀者心中藏不住東西。我們可以從他的行為舉止中輕易的讀出他的念頭和思緒，這種人的思想可以說是既單純又膚淺，認真的說，他是滿好應付的。一個人願意坦誠的將心中的想法一五一十的公諸於世，讓大家都知道、都瞭解，這樣的人又有什麼不好呢？
3 If something is harmful because of his bragging or flaunting, the harm is
done to him, and has nothing to do with others. Because his mind is full that
nothing new can be filled and he lost the chance to have or enjoy new ideas; we
say, he loses something. However, this damage has nothing to do with others.
其實，如果誇飾，炫耀有什麼不好的話，那也只是他本人的問題，與外人無關。他因為罐子滿了，裝不下新的東西，更不能接受新的事物，因此最終蒙受損失的只是他自己; 而這樣的損失，是不足以對他人構成威脅的。
4 Instead, we
should beware of the guy who are humble and bow down before each person. Under
his polite looking, he covers and seals his ideas; we don’t know what he thinks
and intends to do.
反倒是那種謙虛卑下，見人就打躬做揖，對人客氣有禮者，我們應該謹慎小心，提高警惕; 因為這種人在其謙遜的外貌下，他所有的念頭、想法都已經被掩蔽了，使得我們完全摸不清他的主意，更不知道，他是抱著什麼企圖而來。
5 We have to guard on man of this kind.
對這樣的人，我們就得多提防些。
6 To protect ourselves, we should be modest. In the view of selfishness, we
expect people around us to brag and flaunt and have nothing in secret. They
tell us all their ideas frankly.
所以，站在保護自己的立場，我們應該謙虛些。而站在自私的立場，我們反而希望四周的人，一個個都是喜歡炫耀、自誇、毫不保留，一五一十地將心中想法坦誠相告的人。
Tree
on Hill (9) (1-8)(24。2)
莊子演義外篇山木(九)(1-8)(24。2)
1 Yangzi traveled to the State of
陽子到宋國旅行，在途中遇到一位仁兄。這位仁兄，帶著一妻一妾，住在旅舍裏。
陽子之宋，宿於逆旅。逆旅人有妾二人，其一人美，其一人惡。
2 Yangzi found that the guy treated his wife well;
however, he always blamed the concubine who was young and beautiful.
陽子發現，這人對那個大老婆比較好，對那個年輕貌美的小妾，則老是不假辭色的為難。
惡者貴而美者賤。
3 Yangzi felt curious. One day, he seized an
opportunity to ask the guy why.
陽子見了深感奇怪。這一天，他終於逮著了一個機會，特地請教此人其間的原委。
4 The guy replied, “The concubine thinks herself beautiful so she shows her
arrogance and is full of conceit.”
這位仁兄回答說：「小妾她自認長得漂亮，因此在心理上就免不了會產生高人一等的感覺，進而形諸於外，不自覺的表現出一副不可一世的神情。
5 She thinks that only her beauty can make other love her. In fact, the beauty
is far from enough. In most time, a couple must care and serve each other
sincerely and to do his or her best to make each other happy and comfortable.
她自以為，只要有了美貌，就足以吸引他人的注目與喜愛。其實，家庭生活起居，有太多時候，是需要夫妻雙方之間共同拿出真心誠意去關懷對方，侍候對方，讓對方感覺到窩心才最重要，光是漂亮是不足夠的。
6 If a woman neglects what she should do as a wife because of her beauty, her
husband is apt to disfavor her. This is why I love my wife more.
如果一個女人，自恃長得漂亮，因而疏忽了身為一個妻子份內所應當做的事，那就容易失寵了。這就是為什麼我比較疼愛大老婆的原故。」
陽子問其故，逆旅小子對曰：「其美者自美，吾不知其美也；其惡者自惡，吾不知其惡也。」
7 With a great reverence, Yangzi replied, “What you
said wakes me like a thunder. It is a very good motto to me; I admire you for
your intelligence.”
陽子恭恭敬敬回答說：「老兄的一席話如雷貫耳，說得實在太好了，在下感到敬佩不已。」
8 Yangzi told his disciples that: “We, as the men of
practice, should do the same. We should march bravely in the way of practice,
never daunting; however, we should not show our virtue to others so as to
eclipse others. If we could do so, we would be welcomed everywhere.”
根據這件事，陽子對他的弟子們說道: 「我們修行的人也應該如此。在修身上，我們應該勇猛精進，絕不妥協; 可是在別人面前，卻萬萬不可特別彰顯自己的德行，從而令人產生自慚形穢的感覺。能夠做到這一點，則不論走到何處，都將會深受歡迎的。」
陽子曰：「弟子記之：行賢而去自賢之行，安往而不愛哉！」
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark(24。2)
咸池評述(24。2)
1 Relations among
people are based on multi-impression.
人與人之間的關係是建立在多重印象之中的。
2 There are many aspects of impression, appraisal and assess of manager to his
subordinates, such as: friendliness, loyalty, birth place, ability, physique,
education, family, brief, skin, touch, talk, habit, sports, background and age.
If analyze it deeply, we may figure out many more different conditions.
長官們對部屬的印象，考績，評估等也是多方面的。例如:友善、忠心、省籍、能力、體格、學歷、出身、信仰、膚色、親疏、語言、嗜好、運動、背景、年齡等等;如果再認真分析的話，大概還可以找出更多種不同的條件。
3 Hence, a
subordinate intends to win his manager’s favorite and promotion reward,
actually one or two special conditions are not enough.
所以，部屬想要得到長官的賞識，獲得上司提拔，實際上並不是一、兩個特殊條件就能夠辦到的。
4 In the
manager’s mind, his evaluation includes many different aspects. So, a sales
representative with outstanding performance should not complacent to think that
he himself is the must-be candidate when a supervisor’s position is vacant.
在長官的心目中，他所評估的範圍是非常廣泛的。所以，一個業績突出的業務員，他絕對不能信心滿滿地以為，下一回課長出缺，這個位置必定是他的囊中之物。
5 A super-able,
arrogant and complacent subordinate often makes his manager fretted because of
his excellent performance and behavior. He instead is consigned to limbo, never
being used. Those guys who seek for position, fame and interest should keep it
in mind.
一名趾高氣昂、傲態畢露、能力超強的部屬，常常因為功高震主，反而被冰凍起來，永遠不得超生。在社會上混名利，謀官位的朋友，一定要記住此點。
6 A man working
in the society should surely keep and use his advantages widely; but those
advantages are not necessary the steady guarantee for success. People must know
that there are many other factors behind it. If he is careless just like the
beautiful concubine, she didn’t know how to take care of her husband with small
talk, serving cater; offering slipper, towel, tea and flattering, though she
had beautiful face and magic figurer, she would not be loved by her husband and
he would not be promoted under his manager’s authority.
一個人在社會上謀生，其長處固然應該予以保持，並且發揚光大，可是這絕對不是成功的保證。因為，另外還有數不清的其他因素隱藏在後面，假如不細心經營，那麼，就會像這位漂亮小妾一樣，不知道關切丈夫，對他噓寒問暖，侍候佳餚美酒，拿拖鞋、遞毛巾、奉茶水，沒事美言幾句，以逗得先生開心; 空有一副漂亮臉蛋、魔鬼身材，那還是不夠的。
Webbed Toes (2) (14-23)(24。3)
莊子演義外篇駢拇(二)(14-23)(24。3)
14 Shi You and Zeng
Can are well known for their devoting benevolence and righteousness but even if
your obedience to benevolence and righteousness are the same as theirs, I don’t
think yet that you are a man of perfect virtue.
曾史二人以仁義著稱而聞於世，可是，即使你的仁義標準已經到達他們的水平，我仍然不會認為，你已經是一個德行完備的人。
15 Yu Er is contemporarily famous master of cuisine
but even if your skill of cuisine is the same as his, I don’t think yet that
you are a man of perfect virtue.
俞兒是當代著名的烹飪大師，你的菜做到與他相當，我也不會認為你就是一個完人。
16 Even if your talent of music is the same as Shi Kuang’s,
I don’t think yet that you are a true great musician.
你的音樂才能與師曠相當，我也不會認為你是什麼真正的了不起的樂師。
17 Even if your application of color in fine art is the same as Lizhu’s, I don’t think yet that you are an artist.
美術方面，或許你對色彩的運用辨識已達離朱的境界，然而我也不認為你是什麼藝術大師。
且夫屬其性乎仁義者，雖通如曾、史，非吾所謂臧也；屬其性於五味，雖通如俞兒，非吾所謂臧也；屬其性乎五聲，雖通如師曠，非吾所謂聰也；屬其性乎五色，雖通如離朱，非吾所謂明也。
18 The man of perfection who I think is the one who sincerely takes elaborate
care of his practice of virtue. The man of perfection focuses his attention on
the requirements to content the life instinct. He does not listen to the sound
of objective condition but that of heart in subjective condition. He does not
observe the various change of objective condition but that of subjective
condition—inner change.
我所謂完人，是指真心仔細照顧自己德行修養的人。修行完備者，他的注意力集中在如何實現滿足“生命本能” 的各項要求。不是傾聽客觀條件的聲音，而是傾聽主觀條件中發自內心的聲音。不是去觀察客觀條件的種種變化，而是觀察主觀條件，自己內心的內在的變化。
吾所謂臧者，非所謂仁義之謂也，臧於其德而已矣；吾所謂臧者，非所謂仁義之謂也，任其性命之情而已矣；吾所謂聰者，非謂其聞彼也，自聞而已矣；吾所謂明者，非謂其見彼也，自見而已矣。
19 He is not the one who always watches others all days instead of himself. He
is not the one who always concerns possessing the thing of objective condition
and spending no time in elaborating his own treasure.
一個整天只看著別人，不花時間看看自己; 只關心去擁有客觀條件的東西，不花些時間，精力去耕耘自己的寶貝。
20 He is not the one who always holds a load of other’s thing of objective
condition but few things really belong to him.
手中擁有的是一大堆別人的客觀條件的東西，而真正屬於自己的卻貧瘠可數。
21 He is not the one who bustles in catering for others instead of consoling
his own soul.
每天忙忙碌碌地去討別人歡心，而忘了去慰藉自己的心靈。
22 Those who only cater for others and don’t know how
to amuse themselves are reputed to be celebrity as robber Zhi
and Boyi, but I deem that they are fool who go in
wrong way of life.
像這種只知討好別人，不知自娛者，雖然他們在社會上被稱為與盜跖及伯夷一樣的名人，在我眼中，他們只不過是一個又一個走錯人生之路的傻子。
夫不自見而見彼，不自得而得彼者，是得人之得而不自得其得者也，適人之適而不自適其適者也。夫適人之適而不自適其適，雖盜跖與伯夷，是同為淫僻也。
23 I really dare not to waste my precious life in other irrelevant things
because in managing Tao, I am too busy to handle the others.
我實在不敢將可貴的生命，浪費在其他不相干的事物之上。因為僅僅是為了應付道，我已覺力有不逮之處矣！
余愧乎道德，是以上不敢為仁義之操，而下不敢為淫僻之行也。
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark (24.3)
咸池評述(24。3)
1 “Answering a Soul Call”,
which is the right way of practice. What does it mean?
“任其性命之情”，才是修行者正確當行的道路，那麼什麼才是性命之情呢？
2 Is it the appetitive content, or sexual content? Is it the force of making
sexual appeal, loving family, loving nation, loving
residence, requiring safety, or requiring warmth?
是食欲的滿足，還是性欲的滿足？是異性之間相互吸引的力量，是親情、是民族間的感情、是地域的感情，還是安全的要求，抑或是溫暖的要求？
3 Are all above feelings
and emotions that are relative to flesh body the “Soul Call”?
所有上述與這個肉身有關係的感覺，情愫，是不是都算是 “性命之情” 呢？
4 Buddha said that the flesh body is
not atman; atman is not from the flesh body; the flesh body has nothing to do
with atman; atman also has nothing to do with the flesh body. Buddhism term
“atman” is soul, referring to self-nature, Buddha-nature, Qi,
kundanili and refinement; not referring to the flesh
body.
佛家說: 此非我有，我非彼生，彼非我有，我非彼有。佛教徒的 “我” 是指神識，是指自性，佛性，靈魂，氣，妙用等，而並非是肉身的那個 “我”。
5 Atman is not the impermanent, the varying and the eventually would be
scattered flesh body.
所有無常的、會變異、會丟掉的，都不是 “我”。
6 So, feeling and desire that are relative to flesh body apparently aren’t
located in the field of “Answering a Soul Call”.
所以，凡是與肉身相關的情欲，顯然就不屬於 “性命之情” 的範圍了。
7 Then, what’s
“Answering a Soul Call?” In terms of practice, we must make it clear;
otherwise, readers will be guided by this theory to pursuer for their demands
of sexual content. It is like that many artists and actors surrender themselves
to sex, thinking it is unrestrained and amorous. It is too bad that if they had
read this chapter, and found a sound foundation in theory to support their way
of life.
至於“任其性命之情” 又是什麼意思呢？站在修行者的立場，我們非得清楚的點明才行，否則讀者拿著這個理論，整天追逐性慾的滿足與實踐，就像許多藝術家、演藝人員們，他們放任其“性” 的關係，而且還自認為瀟灑、風流。如果讓他們 “有幸”讀了莊子這一章，使得他們能夠更直接的為自己找到理論基礎及支持點的話，那就糟了。
8 What’s “Answering a Soul Call”? In the eyes of a yogi, it is to keep
improving of the relation between man and nature. In the beginning of practice,
we grovel to worship Buddha—the power of nature; after practice for some time,
we just bow with hands clasped; after more time, we are allowed to sit there,
or lay our head on the ground or the table to receiving Buddha’s bliss.
那麼，所謂神識的“性命之情” 又是什麼呢？站在無上瑜伽修行者的立場上看，就是不斷提升其與大自然的關係，這好比剛開始時，我們對大自然的力量--佛--作五體伏地的膜拜; 當練到一段時間後，就只要鞠躬，做揖即可; 再過一段時間之後，我們將被允許坐在那兒，最多頭伏地上或案頭上，以接受佛所給予我們的加持與祝福。
9 The changing
rites before Buddha seem to mean that our position in nature has been raised.
As we know, in the transmigration of six destinies, only in the destiny of
mankind, people have the possibility and chance to accomplish the mission of
rising position.
這前後不同的儀式，乍看起來，似乎是我們在大自然的力量--佛-- 跟前的地位提升了; 而這個提升的工作，是六道輪迴中，唯有做人這一輪，才有機會，才有可能完成的重要工作。
10 Samadhi or permanent staying in Samadhi is to ask man of practice to spend
most time and energy in sitting, meditating, practice of Zen and
yoga.
所謂行三昧，恒入三昧的意思，就是要修行者，盡量花工夫，花時間在打坐、默想、禪修、以及修練瑜伽上面。
11 Practice of
Samadhi and yoga is the most important work of “Answer a Soul Call”, and the
missions we should do as we are in the mankind destiny. Anything else may be
done perfunctorily to save the precious time in our short life.
只有行三昧，練瑜伽才是 “任其性命之情” 的重要工作，也是身為人時所應該要把握及實踐的。其他的事情能夠大略應付即可，切勿認真，更別因此而延誤了自己寶貴的時光。
Tree on Hill (4) (1-16)(24。4)
莊子演義外篇山木(四)(1-16)(24。4)
1 Confucius was surrounded by a mob in a place between the state of
Chen and the state of Cai.
It had been seven days for him not to eat cooked food. In this dangerous
moment, an old man called Ren paid a visit to comfort
him.
孔子在陳蔡兩地之間被亂民包圍，困在那兒己經七天沒有吃熱食了。大公任知道了，立刻專程去探望孔子。
孔子圍於陳蔡之間，七日不火食。
2 Seeing Confucius, Ren said, “You almost be killed
by the mob.”
大公任一見面就說：「你差點就遇害身亡了，是嗎?」
大公任往吊之，曰：「子幾死乎？」
3 Confucius embarrassed and replied, “Yes. Almost.”
孔子一臉尷尬地說：「是啊！真是好險。」
4 Ren asked again, “Being a master, are you afraid of
death too?”
大公任又說：「莫非，你也怕死嗎？」
曰：「然。」「子惡死乎？」
5 Confucius answered, “Of course. Being a man, there is no exception, everyone
afraid of death.”
孔子說：「當然，只要是人，沒有不怕死的。」
6 Taking this opportunity, Ren intended to convey more
knowledge about religion and philosophy to this master, since Confucius was
against such intangible ideas and insisted that people don’t
know life, not to mention death.
大公任立刻抓住這個機會，想讓這位大師，多接觸一些宗教及哲學方面的知識。我們這位大師很排斥看不見，摸不到的宗教及哲學觀念。他主張“不知生，焉知死”。
7 Ren said, “Let me teach you how to escape the
threats of hardship and death.
大公任說：「讓我來教你如何避開苦難及死亡的威脅吧！
曰：「然。」任曰：「予嘗言不死之道。
8 There is a big bird called Yidai. It looks silly.
Its flying range is limit and skill is so-so. Its nest is built as close to other
birds as possible, though there is noisier.
東海有一隻大鳥叫意怠。這只鳥看起來笨笨地，飛行技術也不怎麼樣。它的飛行距離不長，築巢時，也儘量找與大家緊鄰的地方，雖然吵些，也不敢離得太遠。
9 When flying it never dare to be the first one. On the way flying back it
daren’t be the last. It always seeks for protection in the group. When eating,
it daren’t scramble for food, so it always eats the remains of other’s.
在飛行時，它從來不敢飛在前頭。在回家的路上，它也不敢落在後面。它總是躲在眾鳥之中，以尋求保護。吃東西時，它也不敢跟別的鳥兒爭，總是獨自揀著吃其他鳥兒所吃剩下的食物。
10 Hence, it never is left alone; and there is no one intends to hurt him.
因此它永遠不會落單，永遠也不會受到傷害。
東海有鳥焉，名曰意怠。其為鳥也，翂翂翐翐，而似無能；引援而飛，迫脅而棲；進不敢為前，退不敢為後；食不敢先嘗，必取其緒。
11 A straight tree always is the first one to be felled down. Well where water
is sweeter is the first one to become dry. Sir, you go around to publicize your
knowledge to the ignorant people and give them big surprise. Your adorned
virtue makes the common people eclipse before you. You shine around as if the
moon and the sun were followed you. Your image is too prominent which brings
you disaster.
軀幹筆直的樹，總是第一棵被砍倒。水質甘美的井，也是第一口被吸乾。孔先生，你到處遊歷奔走，向那些無知的百姓宣揚你的學問，令他們大感吃驚。你盡力修飾你的美德，使得一般人在你面前顯得汙穢。你在人們面前光芒四射，好像日月都跟著你走似的。由於你的形象太突出了，所以為自己帶來了災禍。
是故其行列不斥，而外人卒不得害，是以免於患。直木先伐，甘井先竭。子其意者飾知以驚愚，修身以明汙，昭昭乎如揭日月而行，故不免也。
12 I heard from Laotse: ‘He who is conceited will not
do himself credit; he who is intoxicated with his success will come to ruin; he
who rests on his fame will suffer from losses’. In other word, he who brags of
himself is not recorded on the book of merits; he who is very successful will
lose his reputation at last; successful man will eventually retreat from the
life stage.
我聽老子說，“自伐者無功，功成者墮，名成者虧”。換句話說，就是自吹自擂的人，功勞簿上不會有他的名字。功勞卓越者終有失去光環的一天。功成名就的人也有退出歷史舞臺的時候。
13 There are few people in the world who would like to give up fame and success
and willing to be an earthling.
天底下肯放棄功名，甘心成為一名凡夫俗子者，實在是太少了。
昔吾聞之大成之人曰：『自伐者無功，功成者墮，名成者虧。』孰能去功與名而還與眾人！
14 Tao disperses everywhere but it never sports itself. Virtue’s influence goes
far but it never cares reputation.
我們看 “道”。牠無處不在，卻從來不刻意彰顯自己。德的影響力更是無遠弗屆，可是牠卻從不在乎名聲。
15 A man of perfect practice always asks himself to be an honest and sincere
earthling. Sometime, he is like a fool and been treated unfairly, but he
doesn’t care. He often reminds himself not to be a man under limelight. Power
and nobility are vainness that he is eager to abstain from.
修行完備的人總是告誡自己，要誠誠懇懇地做一名平凡的人，有時吃些小虧，像個傻子似的也無所謂。他時時提醒自己，要避免成為公眾人物，所謂的權貴更是他避之惟恐不及的虛位。
16 Don’t live for fame and success. Thus you won’t remark others and others
surely won’t remark you. The man of perfect virtue seeks to be the unknown. He
knows that it is bad for a man to be famous and it is bad for a pig to be fat.”
不要為求功名而活，這樣你就不會去批評別人，別人當然也不會批評你。德行完備的人是不求出名的。他們知道人怕出名，豬怕肥的道理。」
道流而不明，居得行而不名處；純純常常，乃比於狂；削跡捐勢，不為功名。是故無責於人，人亦無責焉。至人不聞，子何喜哉！」
Xianchi’s interpretation and
remark(24。4)
咸池評述(24。4)
1 What’s official rank?
Why people under the sun cannot refuse its temptation? Why are they guided to
follow it?
功名到底是什麼？為什麼天底下大多數人都逃不出它的誘惑，都被它牽著鼻子走呢?
2 Official rank is an official position. Namely, it is
the man who calls the shot in a group. In the school, monitor is a leader of
class, who is elected by classmates. In every class, he orders all classmates
to stand up to salute teacher. In rites of raising flag, he stands before the
class and convenes all classmates. As a monitor he is rather perky at that
time.
功名又稱地位，也就是領袖，一個團體中發號司令的人。在學校裡，班長是一個班級的領袖，他被同學推選出來，每節課由他司令，叫大家站起來，對老師行禮致敬; 升旗時由他集合隊伍，他站在全班前面，這時的班長可以說是挺神氣的。
3 The big brother in a faction is the leader whom all brothers are led by. He
took up large part of the interest. Underlings always follow his order and
advice. Here the official rank symbolizes power and interest.
在一個幫派組織中，老大是頭，其他的兄弟們都必須聽從他的指揮。幫中的利益，他佔絕大部份，兄弟對他言聽計從。因此，功名及地位在這裡就代表了權力及利益。
4 The distribution
of power and interest in a political party is similar to that in a faction. The
nuance is that the size of power and interest a political party playing is
bigger than faction’s.
政黨中黨員的權力與利益分配與幫派大同小異，只是政黨玩得更大一些，範圍也更廣一些。
5 Through the above analysis, we know that the essential meaning of official
rank is the extension of dignity, willpower and interest.
從上面的分析，我們瞭解到，功名的實質意義就是: 尊嚴、意志力、利益範圍等的延伸。
6 Being admired or being awed is the
method to satisfy the demand of vanity. Outspread of willpower is to ask
someone to fulfill one’s desire and realize one’s dream. Acquirement of
interest is to ensure comfortable life, safety, comfort, makeup, vanity and
desire.
受人尊敬、敬畏是一種虛榮心的滿足; 而意志力的延伸，顧名思義，就是有人幫助自己以完成個人的心願，亦是一種慾望的滿足。而種種利益的獲得，則是生活溫飽、安全、舒適、美麗妝扮、虛榮心以及慾望等等之所達成的保障。
7 The above
analyses reveal that what official rank involves is objective, impermanent and
temporary. As Buddha said, these are sources which would bring suffering to us.
從這些分析之中，我們發現到，功名所牽涉到的都是客觀條件的應對，都是無常變異，不容易長期持有的東西。套句世尊的話，這些皆是能為我們帶來痛苦的源頭。
8 So, as Chuang Tzu said: “He who boasts of himself is not given
credit; he who succeeds is depraved; he who gains fame is lost”. A man who
seeking for official rank and at the end of day all his efforts are doomed to
be vain, depraved and lost.
所以莊子說: “自伐者無功，功成者墮，名成者虧”。 由此可見，在名利場的追逐上，―個人最後所獲得的不外是做白功，是墮，是虧。
9 They say that no
one would do a business which is doomed at a loss. Then fame, interest and
official rank should not be the goals what we seek for. If we knew at the
beginning the thing after long time searching would be a rotten egg. Why to do it?
大家都說，虧本的生意沒人做。那麼，所謂功名、利祿也就不是我們大家所應該追求的了; 花了大半天時間尋尋覓覓，結果得來的卻是一個臭雞蛋，那又何必呢?
10 As we know clearly that the fame, interest and official rank are not the
targets we should seek for, then what would be the goal should we look for? Or
how can we kill the time when we are living as a man?
如果我們不追求功名利祿的話，那麼，我們又應該追求什麼呢？或著說，在我們投胎做人的這段時光中，我們應該如何打發才是呢？
11 In the view of man of practice, we hold that this is a good time to improve
self-nature, Buddha-nature, soul, Kuntalini and refinement. Namely, we should
practice and stay in Samadhi, as well as do Zen practice.
站在修行者的立場，我們認為生時是利於自己提升自性、佛性、挫火、靈、妙用等位階的好時機，也就是行三昧，常入三昧，多練功，禪修為上。
12 Beside that what can a common people do? Chuang
Tzu said that the common people should desert official rank and live
comfortably with their neighbors; be pure and constant, do as what they want;
but don’t live for fame and success.
那麼一般人又該怎麼辦呢？莊子說，應該去功與名而還與眾人，“純純常常，乃比於狂，削跡捐勢，不為功名。”
13 The conclusion of analysis is that living in this world better being act
like a fool, being act as an ordinary man. We don’t know why we come here and
don’t know why we have to leave and where we would go. Between these unclear
situations, we better not give ourselves too much trouble.
像個傻子似的，做一個平平凡凡的人，糊裡糊塗的不明究理的來，糊裡糊塗不明究理的走，去一個自己也搞不清楚的地方。明乎此，在這來去之間，我們就別為自己找太多麻煩吧！
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark of
Tao Te Ching (24) a。24
咸池評述道德經演義（廿四）a。24
1 Chapter
twenty-four and Chapter twenty-two of Tao Te Ching
are all focus on the same topic—being modest and humble to treat people and
conduct oneself. One states it in positive attitude; the other states it in
negative one; however, the gist and conclusion are the same.
道德經廿四章與廿二章是討論同一件事--待人處世，要謙虛、謙卑、虛心。這兩章一個由正面，一個是由負面來看待問題，其主旨及結論都是相同的。
2 As yoga doers,
in principle, we stay in tranquility and leisure, keep an arm’s length from
this world.
身為無上瑜伽的修行者，原則上，我們是居閒靜處，與世俗則是保持一定的距離以減少接觸。
3 This is the
difference between Laotse and Buddha, or Chinese
thinker and religionist and Indian thinker and religionist.
老子與世尊，或者說中國的思想家和宗教家、以及印度的思想家和宗教家們，他們之間的差別也就在這裡。
4 Chinese, as realist, make much of practice in current life. They gain harmony
and congeniality with everything in this world. From this view, Laotse’s Tao Te Ching is
purely the codes of conduct for individuals, which is very different from those
in sutra about nirvana, suffering, origination, cessation and path.
中國人比較現實，比較重視現世的修行。他們對於在人世間如何與各種人、事、物、還有環境取得和諧，並且保持密切的關係看得非常重要。就這點看，老子的道德經，它可以說是個人修養與處世的典範。這與佛經中談涅槃志，談苦、集、滅、道等是有著很大的區別的。
5 Of course sutra has many codes on conduct too, which are very similar to Tao
Te Ching, however, there are big difference between what sutra and Tao
Te Ching emphasis. Sutra stresses how to stay
independently without worry.
當然佛經中也有許多談論處世之道的經典。這與道德經中所提醒大家的頗為類似。只是兩者所強調的重點則有很大的差異性。佛經強調的是修行人應如何才能在此世間維持獨立自處而無憂。
6 Buddha doesn’t
agree on the worldly affairs that people seek for more power or higher rank.
Buddha doesn’t think that man of practice should seek for worldly glory and
make cause. If he has to make a living, he just does it perfunctorily.
Aspiration or ambition is not encouraged.
世尊對於千方百計，希望能在這個世間走得更遠、爬得更高、獲得俗人更多更高權位等俗事是不太贊同的。世尊始終認為，修行者應是不求世榮、不作事業; 如果非得討生活，那也是在維持基本需求上，大致上能應付就好，因為遠志是不適合於修行人的。
7.
We often make some plan for company, such as five-year plan but these long-term
plan only works for our reference. The plan for yearly target and monthly
target are more practical to the management.
我們在公司裡經常會做一些計劃，所謂五年計劃。不過這種長遠的計劃也大都是只供參考，重要的是年度指標、月指標，畢竟這樣才比較實際。
8 When a manager
of company finds that there is a little gap in sales to the monthly target, he
will conduct some special promotion activities on certain products or with some
dealers at the end of this month to improve the sales. This kind of promotion
always is an effective way to reach the monthly target.
一旦公司經理人員發現，當月的業績跟營業目標之間尚有一段距離時，只要月底一到，他們就會馬上進行一些特別的促銷活動，專門針對某些經銷商或是某個產品來實施促銷，以期目標的達成。而這種促銷活動，往往都是一針見血，很有實效。
9 Therefore, it
is not bad for a man to have a great long-term goal, but he had better bend
himself to short tactic to deal with emergency. Too much devote oneself to the
long-term goal would make one frustrated at end of the day.
所以說，一個人擁有遠大的目標也許不是壞事，可是，除此之外，他是否也應該掌握一系列短程的策略，以應付眼前隨時都會發生的急事。太過於專注在一個遙遠的目標之上，結果不免是會栽跟頭的。