Extensive interpretation of Tao Te Ching (48)
道德經演義（四十八）
The student of knowledge aims at learning
day by day; the student of Tao aims at losing day by day.
為學日益，為道日損。
By continual losing g one
reaches doing nothing.
損之又損，以至於無為。
By doing nothing everything is
done.
無為而無不為。
He who conquers the world
often does so by doing nothing.
取天下常以無事。
When one is compelled to do
something, the world is already beyond his conquering.
及其有事，不足以取天下。
Xianchi’s interpretation of
Tao Te Ching (48) a。48
咸池評述道德經演義（四十八）a。48
1 A master
mentioned practices such as Zen and determination. He said that there is a Zen
who is malicious. He meant that it is at risk that a man, who doesn’t practice
dharma or read sutra, takes ventured to practice Zen, quiescence, observation
meditation and determination and so on. He deemed that it is very important to
understand Buddhism theory at first.
曾經，有位法師講到禪、定等修行工夫，他說，定有邪定。他的意思是一個不修法、不讀佛經的人，如果貿然的去修止、觀、定等工夫的話那將是很危險的; 他也認為在修定之前能夠正確的明白佛理是很重要的。
2 My teacher also
said that we should do soul practice, namely reading sutra and understanding
the theory, after some time of practice of supreme yoga.
我的老師也曾經說過，在我們練無上瑜伽一段時間後就應該要靈修，也就是修讀佛經，從而瞭解佛家的道理。
3 In the past
years, in order to follow the rules of soul practice I keep reading sutra.
However, there still is a question in my mind: practice of supreme yoga has
nothing to do with consciousness; consciousness is not allowed to get close to,
touch, and even direct yoga; in all the process of practice we totally consign ourselves
to Qi, kundalini and refinement.
這幾年我自己看佛經就是遵循著靈修這條路在走。然而在我心裡始終還是不免隱藏著一個疑問，那就是，無上瑜伽的練習，本來就是與我們的意識脫鉤的。實際上我們根本就不允許意識觸摸，接近，甚至於指揮瑜伽的練習。在修習上，從頭到尾我們都是完完全全的交由氣、挫火、妙用去進行操作。
4 Now that it is so, what relation is
between the practice of yoga and the knowledge that consciousness absorbs,
including sutra, precepts, determination and so on?
既然如此，那麼由意識去吸收的知識，包括佛經、戒、定等等道理對無上瑜珈的練習又有什麼直接的關連呢？
5 After we
practice yoga, Qi, kundalini and refinement enlarge
its field of activity day by day. They have influence on consciousness and
propel heart to come up to Buddha, which is understandable.
從我們修煉瑜伽的第一天開始，氣、挫火、妙用等的活動範圍及能量就一直在增加之中，因此，由祂所開展出來以影響意識界的心，並且促使心往佛的道路上去走、去親近佛這一點是可以理解的。
6 I doubt that the degree to which heart affects Qi
and kundalini. The wisdom, ability and toughness of heart are incomparable to
them. Before Qi, kundalini and refinement heart is
too petty.
至於心到底會影響氣、挫火到什麼程度，我就要懷疑其能力了。氣、挫火、妙用的智慧、能力、及其堅強度，與我們意識界中的心是完全不能相互比擬的; 心在氣、挫火、妙用面前，簡直可以說是太微小而無足輕重了。
7 Therefore,
right Zen and determination is done before reading sutra and understanding
theory. Or we may say that it has no influence on supreme yoga, despite of
understanding theory or not. When Qi, kundalini and
refinement are extended, heart in consciousness naturally comes up to Buddha
and starts to understand the dharma.
所以，正確的禪定應該是走在讀經、明理的前面; 似乎我們也可以這麼說，明白佛理也好，不明佛理也好，這對修禪定，修無上瑜伽是不會造成什麼影響的。當氣、挫火、妙用獲得伸展、舒張時，意識界的心會心甘情願的去親近佛、以瞭解佛法。
8 Laotse said that the student of Tao aims at losing
day by day. It means the process in which body separates from heart during the
practice of supreme yoga. Someday when Qi, kundalini
and refinement totally dominate our body and heart becomes spectator and stays
in the state of non-actions, the practice of Tao succeeds.
老子說的為道日損，指的應該是練禪定、修習無上瑜伽時身體與心的脫鉤過程。有一天當氣、挫火、妙用完全主導我們身體的修煉，讓心成為旁觀者，成為無為的狀態時，修道就算是成功了。
9 Seeking for
knowledge are to cram our brain with a lot of knowledge and then systemize and
sort them out. The knowledge is expected to use widely in daily life. So, the
more we learn; the wider we search.
求知識、做學問是將一大堆知識想盡辦法地納入一個人的大腦之中，將之系統化、組織化，以期在日常生活中將之廣為運用，因此愈學愈多，愈蒐愈廣。
10 To the
contrary, practice of Zen and supreme yoga requires heart to stand aside to be
a spectator. The practice is guided by Qi, kundalini
and refinement.
而修煉禪定、無上瑜伽時卻正好相反。氣、挫火、妙用等會完全取代心的位置，讓心做一個無為的旁觀者，讓祂自己來全權操盤。
11 The heart is clumsiest and ineptest in choosing the best way among the
eighty-four thousand bundles of the dharma, no matter how hard it has learnt in
the process of practice.
在修行的道路上，不論心怎麼去學，怎麼去蒐集八萬四千法門，心在選擇最適合的修行法上都是極其笨拙而無能的。
12 If in our body there already are a mighty Qi, kundalini
and refinement that can and will guide us to the way of practice, why do we go
far to find a clumsy one?
如果我們身上老早就已經擁有一位全能全知的氣、挫火、妙用守在那兒，祂非但能夠，也願意引領我們去走上那條修行的道路; 既然如此，我們又為什麼非要捨近求遠，捨棄有能力的而去找來一個笨蛋呢？
13 The master perhaps has little idea of the key to Zen, if he asks believers
to understand Buddhism theory and then to practice,
那位要信徒先明理再修禪定的人，他本身大概對禪的入門要訣還不太瞭解吧！