Extensive interpretation of Tao Te Ching (43)
道德經演義（四十三）
The softest
substance of the world goes through the hardest.
天下之至柔，馳騁天下之至堅，
That-which-is-without-form
penetrates that which-has-no-crevice;
無有入無間，
through this I know the benefit of
taking no action.
吾是以知無為之有益，
The teaching without words and
the benefit of taking no action are without compare in the univese.
不言之教，無為之益，天下希及之。
The Preservation
of Life (2) (1-16)(43。1)
莊子內篇養生主(二)(1-16)(43。1)
1 Someday when Prince of Wenhui made his rounds of
inspection in kitchen, he saw a cook cutting up a bullock.
有一天文惠君到廚房巡視，他看見一位廚子正在分割牛肉。
2 He detected the cook’s particular action of cutting. His hands were wielding;
shoulders were moving; steps and knees were rising up and lowering down. The
actions were of the harmonious rhythm of Jing Shou, something like the dance of the Mulberry Grove.
文惠君發現這位廚子割肉的姿式很特別，他手的揮舞，肩的移動，腳的步伐，以及膝蓋的起伏，都與經首之樂的節奏相吻合，有如桑村之舞。。
庖丁為文惠君解牛，手之所觸，肩之所倚，足之所履，膝之所踦，砉然響然，奏刀騞然，莫不中音，合於桑林之舞，乃中經首之會。
3 Prince of Wenhui was amazed at his actions. He
never saw so graceful motions of cutting meat. Applauding, he praised, “Your
skill of cutting meat is so wonderful.”
文惠君在旁看傻了，他從來沒有想過，廚子切肉的姿勢也可以這麼美。他不由的拍手叫好，並稱讚說:「你切肉的技術實在是太棒了。」
文惠君曰：「嘻，善哉！技蓋至此乎？」
4 Putting down his knife, the cook said, “Thank you for your praising. However,
my cutting up the bullock depends not only on my skill but also on Tao.”
這位廚子將刀子放下回答說：「謝謝你的誇獎，不過我分割牛肉講究的不止是技術而已，我是依道而行的。
5 When I was a new entrant, what I saw was a whole bullock.
當我初學時，我看見的是一整條牛。
6 After continual practice for three years, my attention is more focusing than
before that I see only a given part of bullock at a time.
經過三年的不斷學習後，在專注的要求下我看的就不再是整條牛了。
庖丁釋刀對曰：「臣之所好者道也，進乎技矣。始臣之解牛之時，所見無非全牛者﹔
7 My cutting up the bullock depends on heart, not on eyes. The operation of
heart is out of control of consciousness, as somebody praises me, I can do it
with closing eyes.
我分解牛時不是靠眼睛而是靠心。而心的運作也完全不受意識的控制，就像有人說的我閉著眼睛都能做。
8 The feat like shooting ball, shooting an arrow, the hands of craftsman,
senior master appraising music, as well as my art of cutting meat is wholly
from proficiency. Reaching this degree, you would not need to remember the
principles.
這種功夫，如投籃，如射箭，如工匠之手，如老師父的聽音觀色，都是熟練使然。到達這種程度後，心中不須要再記什麼原則;
三年之后，未嘗見全牛也﹔方今之時，臣以神遇而不以目視，官知止而神欲行。依乎天理，批大卻，導大窾，因其固然。
9 What I am doing is in light of the bullock's natural structure; I slip my
knife between and along the gaps of the bones, without slight touch of the
muscle’s tendon, not to mention the bones.
我只是按照牛體格的自然結構，將刀遊走在骨骼縫隙之間，我甚至連肌肉的筋腱都不去碰它，更不要說骨頭了。
技經肯綮之未嘗微礙，而況大軱乎！
10 A common skillful cook wears out one knife every year. The worse one wears
out it every month. The reason is that their skill of cutting is bad.
一般熟練的廚子，每年都得換一把菜刀。差一些的每個月都得換。其原因就是切割肉的技巧有問題。
11 Almost nineteen years I have used this knife. In the years I cut up
thousands of bullock but it is still as a new one.
可是我這把刀己經用了十九年了; 這期間我分解的牛何止千頭，可是如今它仍然鋒利如新。
良庖歲更刀，割也﹔族庖月更刀，折也﹔今臣之刀十九年矣，所解數千牛矣，而刀刃若新發於硎。
12 The reason for keeping the edge of knife sharp is that I found the gaps
between bones are broader than the edge of my knife. So it can pierce into the
gaps. My knife has been kept new for nineteen years because my knife never
touches bones and only goes around in the gaps.
我能長久保持刀面鋒利的原因是，我發現牛骨與牛骨之間都會有間隙，而我刀的鋒面是極薄的。薄的刀鋒剛好能穿透這樣的縫隙而有餘。就是因為我永遠在骨頭的縫隙間遊走，不碰那堅硬的骨頭，所以我的刀子用了十九年仍然完美如新。
彼節者有閒，而刀刃者無厚，以無厚入有閒，恢恢乎其於游刃必有餘地矣。
13 Not all parts of bullock are so easy to cut. I have to focus my attentions
on the parts where have many entangled bones. My hands stably hold the handle
of knife and turn the blade slightly until all are being cut off.
當然也不是每個地方都那麼容易處理。當我碰到多骨的部位時，我也得加倍小心，全神貫注。我的手穩定的握著刀把，輕輕地推動刀身，直到解剖完成為止。
14 Now the meat is loose like mud and goes apart from bone to fall down.
這時整塊肉像鬆脆的泥塊，分崩離柝的掉落在地上。
是以十九年而刀刃若新發於硎。雖然，每至於族，吾見其難為，怵然為戒，視為止，行為遲，動刀甚微，謋然已解，牛不知其死也，如土委地。
15 Every time I accomplish the hard work like this, I would lay down my knife
and look around; at that time my heart is full of accomplishment. After work, I
must clean and pack away my knife for next use.
每當我完成這樣的難題，我會放下刀子，環顧左右，心中充滿著成就感。完工後我必將刀子擦乾淨好好地收藏，以備下次使用。」
提刀而立，為之而四顧，為之躊躇滿志，善刀而藏之。」
16 Listening to the cook, Prince of Wenhui praised
him very much and said, “It is wonderful! I have learned the way of regimen and
the way of how to associate with people.
文惠君聽後大聲讚賞。他說: 「從你的解說裡， 我知道了如何養生處世之道，真是好極了。」
文惠君曰：「善哉！吾聞庖丁之言，得養生焉。」
Xianchi’s interpretation and
remark(43。1)
咸池評述(43。1)
1 If what we
sought were the interest and the ideal of good governance and peaceful people,
we should not establish the possible obstruct or ward off them if they are
already there.
如果我們追求的是無往不利，政通人和的理想境界，那麼我們就得提高警覺，避免樹立可能的障礙，以及避開現存的障礙。
2 It is tiresome
to clean obstruct. It embraces too many competitions, which is improper and
time wasting, as Chuang Tzu made Mr. Baoding, a skillful butcher of cattle in the state of
清除障礙是很累人的事，它包含了太多的爭強鬥勝，也平白浪費了許多時間。莊子藉庖丁之口告訴我們，以強勢清除障礙的態度來處理事情是極為不妥的。
3 If we are
modest and humble enough and establish no enemy or obstruct, we can dominate
our actions freely. So, modesty and humbleness are wise way. Even people blame
it is a way of playing fool, it is still good for our self in reducing enemy
and obstruct.
我們如果夠謙卑，能夠不樹敵，不樹立障礙的話，那麼行動的主導權就會掌握在自己手上。特別當形勢比人強，情況對自己明顯不利的時候; 謙卑示人的確不失為一個聰明的好辦法。就算是扮豬吃老虎吧，少個敵人少座山，對自己總是有好處的。
4 Additionally,
it is how to evade present and outer obstruct and inclemency. Chuang Tzu suggested that softness and no-action are
possible ways.
另外就是如何避開外在即有的障礙，以及險惡的環境。 莊子說，柔、無為是可行的辦法。
5 When we meet
obstruct, we take soft attitude and detouring this obstruct, it will force us
to go more steps, but it is not a big deal anyway.
當遇到障礙時，我們以柔軟的身段迂迴避開它，其結果最多只是多走一些路而已，並不會為自己招致任何額外的損失。
6 If we interpret the No-action as
standing there, naturally there has no obstruction before us. But it apparently
is out of accordance with the premise that we must to move, so as to reach a
certain goal. Thus no-action should not interpret as stagnancy. It should be
meant no arming, no hostility, modesty, humbleness, amiableness to people.
“無為” 如果是解釋為: 我定位在那兒不動，自然就無所謂障礙了，但是這似乎又與前題不符，因為我們的前題是要動，要走，要到達目的地，所以我們是非動不可的。“無為” 至此就不應該解釋為不動，而應該是完全不武裝，沒有敵意，和善謙卑、平易近人的與人交往才對。
7 Mr. Baoding warded off bones to subtly break down
cattle. His way reveals the benefit that we ward off obstruct to accomplish
tasks. He also told us that when we dealt with problems, we should learn
carefully about the objective environment. Namely, Mr. Baoding
knew well where the bone clefts were and how to stab and turn.
庖丁避開骨頭，巧妙地分解牛體的做法，告訴我們避開障礙以完成任務的好處。最重要的是，他清楚的告訴了我們，在面對及處理問題時，首先應該詳細地瞭解環境，清楚地知道骨與肉之間的間隙是在那兒，然後再考慮如何下刀、如何避開分解牛體的障礙。
8 From this story we know that doing everything requires carefulness and
composure. We should not be imprudent. We should do it like going across the
river by groping stones.
由此可見，凡事都應該要沉穩細心，一定要摸著石子過河，無論作什麼皆魯莽不得。
9 Therefore, the ways to have the
interest and the ideal of good governance and peaceful people are:
所以，無往不利，政通人和的方法應該是:
(1) Make no obstruct.
不製造障礙。
(2) Collide with no obstruct.
絕不硬碰障礙。
(3) Detour.
採用委婉迂迴的方法。
(4) Learn clearly about environment.
清楚地瞭解周遭的環境。
(5) Hold humble attitude.
持著謙卑的態度。
(6) Adopt composed means.
沉穩的處理手法等。
Xianchi’s interpretation of Tao Te Ching (43) a。43
咸池評述道德經演義（四十三）a。43
1 What the most
yielding of all things are Tao and Qi; what the most
hard of all things is the noumenon of Yin and Yang.
When Tao gallops through Yin and Yang, all things come into being and thrive.
天下之至柔，是指道、氣。而天下之至堅，指的是陰陽的本體。當道馳騁在陰陽之中時，則萬物生焉，萬物興焉。
2 Laotse held that the noumenon of
Yin and Yang is what the most hard of all things; nothing can penetrate or
affect it, excepting Tao and Qi.
老子認為陰陽之本體是天下之至堅之物，除了道、氣以外，沒有任何東西可以貫穿它、影響它。
3 Besides Qi and the Tao, there is nothing that can coordinate Yin
and Yang; therefore, the existing and growing of this world need the assistance
of Qi and Tao.
在這個世界上能調和陰陽的除了氣、道之外，實在別無他物; 因此，這個世界的生存，延續及興旺，都必須仰賴道與氣的輔助。
4 Laotse further explained that Tao and Qi
are what the yielding of all things and it is invisible and touch-less. We may
explain it more understandable by ripples. When ripples travel to the beach, in
fact, water itself doesn’t move; it is the coherent water sends the ripples and
the water on verge to the beach. But water in the center of sea actually
doesn’t reach the beach.
老子進一步解釋說: 道、氣是天下之至柔，它是無有，不但沒有實質可見，更是不可觸摸的實體。若以水波來形容也許會有點接近，當風吹動了水面，上面的水，一波波的被推向了岸邊。事實上水本身並沒有動，只是相連接的水，將波浪一一地傳送，最後到達了岸邊，然後將最邊緣的水推上岸; 而遠在海中的水並沒有真正的到達岸上。
5 When we knock a stone, quake waves transfer from this side to the other side
of the stone. The waves do pass through the stone; however, it has nothing to
do with the stone have cleft or not. Therefore, nonexistence possibly enters a
thing with no cleft and only the nonexistence can penetrate through it.
當我們敲擊一下石塊時，其內部震動的波自石頭這一邊傳送到石頭的另一邊，震波確實是傳過去了，可是這樣的傳震方式，卻與石塊的有無縫隙完全無關。所以無有入無間是可能的，也只有無有才會具有穿透無間之中的可能。
6 Base on this principle; man of practice
develops a simple and plain life style to deal with the complicated objective
environment. Although, it is impossible for us to reach a life style of
nonexistence, it is possible to minimize the requirements of our life.
修行人將這個道理運用在生活上，結果發展出了一套簡單、樸素的生活方式，以此來應付各種各樣繁雜的客觀環境。雖然，我們輕短細薄的生活並不可能做到完全的“無有”，可是將“有”削減到最低限度卻是完全有可能的。
7 When we require
less, there are less competitors and enemies in the objective environment. We
are like the Tom and Jack in the street, nobody notices us. Thus we don’t
hamper others and we are free.
當我們在這個社會中所需甚少時，我們的競爭者與敵對者無形中也就減少了。這時候，我們就像是在街上行走的路人甲、路人乙，沒有人會注意到我們，我們的存在也不會對他人構成威脅或妨礙;
只要融入這樣的境界之中，我們也就相對的自由了。
8 In this society
it is impossible to be as the Tom and Jack in the street, and have no business
with others. What can we do then? Laotse thought that
no-action is helpful.
當然，我們在這個社會上討生活，不可能完全做 “路人甲、路人乙”，而不與人打交道，不與人交談的。那麼，這時我們又應該怎麼辦呢？老子認為，“無為” 是對我們有益而無害的。
9 What is no-action by Laotse? Firstly, we have to admit that we live in movement.
If we are stagnant as a stone, we have no trouble or obstruct. But in fact we
are not. As a living creature, we have to deal with outer world, what can we
do?
什麼是老子的 “無為” 呢？首先，我們必須承認，我們是生活在行動之中，如果不動如石頭，那麼我們當然不會遇到阻礙、麻煩; 然而我們不是石頭，我們是一個活生生的人，必須每天或多或少地與外界接觸、周旋，在這樣的情況之下，我們應該怎麼辦呢？
10 Laotse advised no-action. In other words lets to
have a thin, short, simple and plain life style, it including purifying heart,
reducing desires, and doing no cause and seeking for no worldly glory.
老子說 我們應該採取輕短細薄，簡單、樸素的生活方式; 它們包括: 清心寡欲、以及不做事業，不求世榮。
11 In this world that we don’t know where
we come from and to go to, it is our bliss to go through it with less trouble.
在這個不知為什麼而來，也不知要到何處去的世間，能夠減少麻煩，並且順利地通過各種關卡，就算是有福之人了。