Extensive interpretation of TaoTe Ching (36)
道德經演義（卅六）
He who is to be made to dwindle
in power, must first be caused to expand.
將欲歙之，必固張之，
He who is to be weakened, must
first be made strong.
將欲弱之，必固強之，
He who is to be laid low, must
first be exalted to power.
將欲廢之，必固舉之，
He who is to be taken away from,
must first be given.
將欲奪之，必固與之，
This is the Subtle Light.
是謂微明。
Gentleness overcomes strength:
柔弱勝剛強。
Fish should be left in the
deep pool and sharp weapons of the state should be left where none can see
them.
魚不可脫於淵; 國之利器不可以示人。
Autumn
Floods (1) (52-62)(36。1)
莊子外篇秋水(一)(52-62)(36。1)
52 The
said examples tell us that the same demise and the same way of succession were
deemed as different deeds because of the different time and space: some of them
were deemed as usurping rascals; some of them were deemed as righteous deeds by
the atlases of the state.
根據上面諸多實例，我們就能知道，同樣禪讓，同樣的繼位方式，因時間空間的不同，有的被人認定為篡位的惡徒，有的卻被大眾接受而被稱為義舉，甚至國之棟樑。
53 Hence, my River God! Your knowledge is too little to know what noble family
is, what poor family is, what the generous is, and what the miserly is.”
所以，河神呀！單憑你那點兒見識，是無法懂得，什麼是出身高貴的家庭，什麼是出身低賤的家庭。什麼是大方的，什麼是小器的。」
帝王殊禪，三代殊繼。差其時，逆其俗者，謂之篡夫；當其時，順其俗者，謂之義之徒。默默乎河伯！女惡知貴賤之門，小大之家！」
54 River God were not angry at Sea God’s remark; instead, because he made it clear that Sea God’s experience
was more than his. Standing before the elder full of wisdom, he had to fold his
arrogance. He asked modestly, “What is the noble family? What should a member
of noble family do? What should not do? What should accept? What should
refuse?”
河伯聽了北海若這樣的批評，非但沒有生氣，態度反而更加的謙恭了; 因為他已經清楚地瞭解到了北海若見過的世面確實要比他來得廣而且深，因此，在這位充滿智慧的長者面前，他乖乖的收拾起自己一向高視闊步的態度，謙虛地問道：「那麼應如何才算是出身名門呢？一位出身名門者他應該做什麼，不應該做什麼？他應該接受什麼，又應該拒絕些什麼？」
河伯曰：「然則我何為乎？何不為乎？吾辭受趣舍，吾終奈何？」
55 Sea God replied, “There is no unchangeable definition for nobleness and
humbleness in the light of Tao. There is nobody born noble or humble. There is
no family whose members are born noble race, nor born humble race. Actually, a
man’s culture chooses his nobleness or humbleness.
北海若回答說：「依照道的標準看，貴賤其實是沒有一定規範的。沒有說哪個人天生下來就是高貴的或低賤的，更沒有說哪個家庭出身的就屬於高貴人種，哪個家庭出身的就註定一生低賤。人的高貴與低賤是看他個人的修養而定。
北海若曰：「以道觀之，何貴何賤，是謂反衍；無拘而志，與道大蹇。
56 A man should beware of not be controlled by the impulsive and fierce mood;
he should know that the exciting mood infringes the principle of Tao. He who
can often maintain the sound, tranquil and peaceful mood is deemed as the noble
person.
一個人應該留意，不要經常被一些激烈的，衝動的情緒所控制，因為激動的情緒是違背道的原則的。經常能維持沉穩，安寧，祥和情緒的人，我們就認為他們是高貴的；
57 On the contrary, he, who is excited all day and even is fussy about pretty
disturbance or pretty trouble, is deemed as a man of bad mood.
相反地，一天到晚情緒激動，一點風吹草動就急躁不安而惶惶不可終日，我們認為有這樣情緒的人不好。
58 What’s the generous and what’s the miserly? We hold that he who has seen the
world is generous. He doesn’t consider things in the eyes of the frog in well.
The men of perfect practice know that the Nature has very close bearing on our
people. When they make some achievements, they know that they must be grateful
to the Heaven who bestows it on them and show the humble and the modest
attitude.
至於什麼是大方的？什麼是小器的？我們說見過世面的人落落大方，不會以井底之蛙的心態來看待事情。修行完備的人深深知道，大自然跟我們的關係是非常的密切，因此當他們有了一點小成就時，他們心裏明白，這是上蒼所給予他們的恩賜，因此心存感激，在態度上也就自然的流露出謙卑的神請。
59 To the contrary, some people make some achievements; they become arrogant
and regard themselves as a king or emperor. They think that they can excel the
Heaven and can go around the country by the little knowledge they have.
相反的，有些人稍有一點作為，就趾高氣揚，傲傲然不可一世，自己稱公道寡，以為人定勝天，憑自己那點兒知識就能行遍天下。
60 They who master Tao have no prejudice. Like a mirror, they adjust the pace
of actions according to the changes of environment.
能夠掌握道的人，心中沒有成見，他們配合道，恰像一面鏡子似的，隨著周遭環境的變化而隨時調整行動步伐。
何少何多，是謂謝施；無一而行，與道參差。
61 Cultivated by no-self, the men of perfect practice have no selfishness. They
don’t figure for their own interest. They integrate themselves with the
surroundings. What they think and do are for the whole group’s interest.
Edified by the deeds, they concern everything, and then the whole universe and
the Nature. Finally they melt into the Nature and become one part of the
Natures.
在無相的修為下，修行完備的人是完全沒有私心的。他們不會為了自己的利益而去謀取什麼。他們將自己與大環境緊密的聯繫在一起，心中想的，平日所做的都是為了整體考慮。在這種修為的薰陶下，他們的心變得無窮遠大，擴及整個宇宙，關心整個大自然，最終與大自然合而為一，成為大自然的一份子。
62 Wise men are compatible with all things, never excluding something on
purpose, because they know that in different places and at different time there
is someone who will benefit or help him. The bosom that is compatible with all
things is called impartiality.
修行的人心胸開闊，海納百川，絕不刻意排斥什麼東西。因為他們知道，在某個時空之下，何人會對他們有益，並且還能幫助他。這種兼容萬物的胸懷，我們稱之謂“無方”。
嚴乎若國之有君，其無私德；繇繇乎若祭之有社，其無私福；泛泛乎其若四方之無窮，其無所畛域。兼懷萬物，其孰承翼？是謂無方。
Xianchi’s interpretation and
remark (36。1)
咸池評述(36。1)
1 Affected by
genes and the growing environment, the development of people’s characters are
different in the very beginning. For the reason, Einstein announced that gene
or God mostly decides mankind’s deeds.
一般人因為受基因以及生長環境的影響，他們的人格發展在出發點上難免就有些不同; 所以愛因斯坦才說，人的行為絕大部分是由基因或上帝來決定的。
2 If people have
faults in deeds, God should be blamed, instead of people; because God asks them
to do so. Nevertheless, in the view of practice, man of practice should correct
all seeds that accumulate in Alaya Vijnana. Through all kinds of practice, he purifies the
seeds, eliminates them and finally enters into Nirvana, and never be confined
in these seeds anymore.
由此可見，一般人如果在行為上出現了什麼缺失，那麼被責怪的不應該是這個人而應該是上帝，因為是上帝要他這樣做的。然而站上修行者的立場，修行者所要做的事，就是要透過修行來純化、淨化，最後全部消除這些在阿賴耶識中積存的種子，從而進入涅槃境，再也不必受這些種子的縛束。
3
The way of practice that Buddha, Laotse and Chuang Tzu agree on in common is to make a sound, tranquil
and peaceful mind. The precondition of the way is no- self: no- myself, no-
himself, no- themselves and no- self of life. Without self, desires, avarice,
wrath and obsession find no base to exert themselves.
世尊及老莊所共同認知的修行方法，就是設法營造一個沉穩，安寧，祥和的心境，而其先決條件之一就是無相; 無我相、無人相、無眾生相、無壽者相。當人無相之後，貪、瞋、癡、慾望等人性基因所賴以發揮作用的基礎也就不復存在了。
4 Without the
urgency of avarice, wrath and obsession, man’s mind naturally becomes stable,
tranquil and peaceful. Way to sage or Buddha is very clear and flat in fact;
however, desert ego is not that easy for common people.
貪、瞋、癡等失去了賴以生存及鼓動的力量，此時人的心自然就平靜安寧矣！成聖、成佛的道路其實是極平坦而明確的，只是要人們自覺的拋棄其心中自我的觀念，並不是那麼的容易罷了。
Tree
on Hill (1) (10-15)(36。2)
莊子外篇山木(一)(10-15)(36。2)
10 The rule of Tao is different from the rule of traditional
operation of human.
道的法則與人類傳統的運作法則，是所有差異的。
若夫萬物之情，人倫之傳，則不然。
11 The traditional operation of human is: it parts once combine; it is ruined
once accomplished.
人類傳統上運作的法則是: 一旦會合則立即分離，一旦完成就立刻走向損毀。
12 Once a knife is ground sharp, it becomes dull gradually at once.
刀子一旦磨得鋒利，它即刻逐步變得厚鈍;
13 Once you are promoted to a high and noble position, you will be confronted
with heartless criticism at once. Anything that you do would hurt somebody or
devastate something.
一旦被推舉到尊貴的位子，你立刻就會面臨無情的批判。無論做任何一件事，都會造成某部份人、事、物的傷害；
14 The wise and able men bully others; and the stupid and ignorant men are
treated unfairly.
聰明能幹的人欺侮別人，愚蠢無知的人就會被別人佔便宜。
合則離，成則毀；廉則挫，尊則議，有為則虧，賢則謀，不肖則欺。
15 Alas! In the society of human, we seem not to see anything eternal. So I
pressingly tell you that the world is transience and the eternality is found
only in Tao.”
天啊！在人類社會裏，我們似乎看不到，任何一件是恒常的東西。所以，你千萬要記住，人世無常，要想找尋持久不變的東西，唯有到道中去尋找，方可獲得。」
胡可得而必乎哉！悲夫，弟子志之，其唯道德之鄉乎！」
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark (36。2)
咸池評述(36。2)
1 With analysis, we discover that
nature in this world of form is impermanent, same as human.
認真地分析，這有色世界的自然界也都是無常的，其無常之特性也與人類世界中的無常並無二致。
2 For the reason, Buddha asks us to
make greatest effort to go out of this world of form and nature of
transmigration, so as to march to Nirvana that is really permanent.
正因如此，所以世尊才要我們盡己所能，努力的走出這個有色世界、走出這個輪迴的大自然，以邁向真正 "常" 的涅槃界。
3 Laotse and Chuang Tzu’s Tao is vague in the definition of permanent
and impermanent. It sometime refers to sunset, sunrise, alteration of seasons
which is impermanent; sometime it means Nirvana which is permanent.
Nevertheless, analyzing it carefully, we may find the distinction between them.
Buddhism definition in this regards is much coherent, clear and rational.
老莊意義的道，在 “常” 與 “無常” 之間的界限未免有些含糊，它有時是指大自然日出日落、春夏秋冬的運作，在我們看這是 “無常”，然而它有時又指向 ‘常” 的涅槃界; 可是，這中間畢竟還是有所區分的。在這方面，還是佛家表現得始終如一，也比較清晰合理。
Lietse (9) (9-11)(36。3)
莊子雜篇列禦冠(九)(9-11)(36。3)
9 We can
forecast a man’s fate through his look, attitude and conduct, as clear as there
are organs in our body.
我們可以從人的長相、態度、行為中辨別出，他一生的命運，就像人身體中有五臟六腑一樣明確。
窮有八極，達有三必，形有六府。
10 If he has characters in the following eight aspects: being handsome, bearded,
tall, broad, muscular, pleasing, courageous and resolute, we say that he is
doomed to lead an unsettle and eventful life. The more characters he has, the
more troubles he will meet.
一個生得美、有長長的鬍鬚、個子高高的、體格健壯、孔武有力、風度優雅、有勇氣、什麼都敢嘗試，有這八種特質的人，我們說他註定將過一個不平靜而多事的人生，具備這種特質愈多愈麻煩。
美、髯、長、大、壯、麗、勇、敢，八者俱過人也，因以是窮；
11 The other kind of person is conservative, submissive and rule-followed. He
is the one who is always there just to make up the number in a group. He might
lead a tranquil, peaceful, sound life.
另外一種人保守、循規蹈矩、順從，在團體中老是屬於濫竽充數那類的人。這種人，我們認為他將有一個安寧、平靜、沉穩、安祥的人生。
緣循、偃仰、困畏不若人，三者俱通達。
Xianchi’s interpretation and
remark (36。3)
咸池評述(36。3)
1 Since the goal
of seeking in life is different, the forecast of fate and remark are different.
各人對人生追求的目標不同，對 “相” 的看法以及評論自然就各不相同了。
2 Mundane people
seek for fame, interest, beauty and official post. Thus nice beard, bigness,
strong body and brave etc. are good conditions, which are also the common
people’s standard to choose son-in-law. They say “wise eyes detect hero”. Their
standards are the said eight too.
世俗人以追求名利、美眷、權勢為目標，所以美髯，高大，健壯，勇敢等是好的條件; 一般人選擇女婿大概也都是朝著這個方向去作出評估。而所謂「慧眼識英雄」，大概也是以這八項標準去進行挑選的。
3
However, man of practice seeks sound, tranquil and peaceful life as if people
shrunk to hide to escape labor service from official. Man of practice wish that
he have a life without disturbance. Therefore, he likes the obedient and common
look, so as to escape being chosen for labor service and the trouble for being
involved in the intricate world.
可是對修行的人來說，他們是力求擁有一個安寧、平靜、祥和、沉穩的生活。就比如官方在找人出勞役時，大家都想縮起來、躲起來，不希望被人抓到是同樣的道理; 修行的人希望有一個不太會被人打擾的生活，因此他們大都喜歡保守順從，盡力維持看起來毫不起眼的外表，以避免被人相中，從而避開勞役，以及置身在凡塵瑣事之中。
4 Su Dongpo’s poem goes like:
蘇東坡的詩:
This world is worry-ridden;
縱橫憂患滿人間，
Sir often is blamed idle;
頗怪先生日日閒。
Yesterday you slept in breeze
in city wall;
昨日輕風眠北墉，
today you feel nice in west hill.
今朝氣爽在西山。
The poem reflects the
atmosphere that a man is out of the entanglement of this world. As far as Su Dongpo is concerned, it is none but his ideal. His life was
fluctuating. By Chuang Tzu’s standard, Su Dongpo was an example of failure.
這首詩就是描寫這種人的心境，以及不在紅塵中與人糾纏的境界。當然對蘇東坡而言，這也不過是他的理想罷了; 他的一生起起伏伏，難得清靜，依照莊子的標準，蘇先生大概也是一個失敗的例子吧！
Extensive interpretation of Tao Te Ching (36) a。36
咸池評述道德經演義（卅六）a。36
1 Buddha all alone stress that impermanence
is suffering. He said: the objective conditions are impermanent and varying.
世尊一直強調無常是苦。他說，客觀條件是無常的，是變異的。
2 A cause will collapse in the future despite of your greatest effort to expend
it. Eighteen to ninety century witnessed
一個事業，不論你再怎麼努力的將之擴充、壯大，它總有一天會面臨分崩離析的危機。英國在十八、十九世紀的全盛時期，其興旺的家族及遍以及全世界的貿易組織，今天剩下的又有幾家?
3 Muhammad Ali, who dominated the boxing circle of
美國拳王阿里，在７０年代稱霸拳壇時，其有名的蝴蝶步法如今安在？
4 Worldly affairs are so, rising and falling in turn.
世事就是這樣，興興衰衰輪迴不已。
5 Indian philosophers found in long time ago that there is nothing really happy
or joyful in this world.
印度的哲學家很早就發現，這個世上並沒有什麼真正的快樂，也沒有什麼真正值得高興的事。
6 Happiness and joy
mostly are based on objective conditions, such as acquiring something or
possessing something. For example, I earn ten million dollars so I am happy. I
win champion in match of tennis, so I am happy. Today the board promotes me as
general manager, so I am happy.
人的興奮、快樂大都是建立在客觀條件中某件東西的獲得與持有上。比如我賺進一千萬，我很高興。網球比賽我拿到冠軍覺得很高興。今天公司在董事會上提昇我為總經理，我很高興。
7 Nevertheless, all
of these lie on the base of impermanence. Your earning ten million means that
your business is big, so you have the possibility to lose ten million sometime.
然而，所有這些高興都是建立在一個無常的基礎上。你賺進一千萬，表示你生意做得很大，然而，這也意味著你有機會會賠上一千萬。
8 He who wins the
championship and becomes the one that other top players want to compete with.
Once you have loosed your training, you possibly be defeated by others. Chicago
Bull after 1998 is a good example.
在球場上競逐獲得冠軍，最後成為眾家高手的競爭對象，一旦放鬆訓練就有被別人幹掉的危險。1998年後的芝加哥公牛隊就是一個現成的例子。
9 Mr. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, ever was esteemed as the god of business in
GE前任董事長魏許在位時，被美國人奉為經營之神。如今退休下來，卻因為退休福利被人罵得狗血淋頭; 對此，魏先生的心裡又何嘗平靜。
10 All those
phenomena reveal that the dependence, devotion and seeking of objective conditions
are the sources of regret, pain, unfairness and unhappiness.
上述這些現象都在在的告訴我們，對客觀條件的依靠、索取、熱愛等都是會為自己引來遺憾、痛苦、不平、以及不快的根源。
11 Laotse said that the gentleness overcomes strength or the
soft convinces the hard. As a matter of fact, the soft needs exact definition.
Under the objective conditions, if the soft is to squat, it is ready for
leaping. As a result, it still is located in the hope, acquirement and
disappointment cycle.
老子說柔弱勝剛強，其實所謂柔弱的解釋還是要嚴加界定的。在客觀條件下，柔弱如果解釋為蹲下，那麼他極有可能是在為躍起作準備，其結果還是圍繞在希望獲得及失望而歸的同一個圈子裡。
12 If the soft is
weakness and senility, it just is in comedown after leaping. There is no win or
lose.
如果將柔弱解釋為軟弱、衰老，則他也只屬於躍起之後的衰落階段，也無所謂勝與不勝。
13 In my opinion, the key point lies on adherence to the subjective conditions,
instead of to the soft or gentleness. A castle based on the subjective
conditions is built soundly and kept away from the objective conditions without
any deluded thought.
就我看，真正的道理不在柔弱，而在於堅守主觀條件的領域。在主觀條件中建立起堅強的堡壘，與客觀條件保持距離，並且不存妄念。
14 Su Dongpo told us that it is easy for him to write
all kinds of articles if necessary and there are plenty of knowledge in his
brain. It is not difficult for him to make a cause to the emperor as Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun. However, whether to be an official or
not totally depends on what kind of environment it is. The decisions of to be
an official or not are made by him. Once he had no position in the government,
then, he would stay and enjoy the leisure time at home. The most essential
point is that he should always keep in health so as to live a leisure life and
to have happy time with friends.
蘇東坡說的，有筆頭千字，胸中萬卷，致君堯舜此事成難，惟，用捨由時，行藏在我，袖手何妨閒處看。身長健，悠遊卒歲，且鬥樽前。
15 As Su Dongpo did, we should enhance our subject
condition, so that we could roam around in the objective condition freely if we
like to.
對主、客觀條件的態度就應該像蘇東坡這樣，集中精神，厚實自身的主觀條件，悠遊於客觀條件之中。