Extensive interpretation of Tao Te Ching (49)
道德經演義（四十九）
The Sage has no decided opinions and feelings,
but regards the people’s opinions and feelings as his own.
聖人無常心，以百姓心為心。
The good ones I declare good; the bad
ones I also declare good; that is the goodness of Virtue.
善者吾善之；不善者吾亦善之，德善。
The honest ones I believe; the liars I
also believe; that is the faith of Virtue.
信者吾信之；不信者吾亦信之，德信。
The Sage dwells in the world
peacefully, harmoniously.
聖人在天下，歙歙焉。
The people of the world are brought
into a community of heart, and the Sage regards them all as his own children.
為天下渾其心，聖人皆孩之。
Let Be and Let Alone (6) (1-16)(49。1)
莊子演義外篇在宥(六)(1-16)(49。1)
1 Usually, man likes others
agreeing with him instead of disagreeing.
一般人都喜歡別人贊同他的看法，不喜歡別人與他的看法相左。
世俗之人，皆喜人之同乎己而惡人之異於己也。
2 The factor that he likes the agreement and distastes the disagreement shows
that he is arrogant; he deems he is better than others. However, is he who
thinks himself more excellent than other, really more excellent than others?
這種同則喜，異則斥的現象，表示此人的自傲，認為自己總是比別人強。但是你自己認為比別人強就真的比別人強嗎？
同於己而欲之，異於己而不欲者，以出乎眾為心也。夫以出乎眾為心者，曷常出乎眾哉！
3 The wise one should keep his view but never expel others’.
聰明的人應該是保有自己的看法，但是絕不以自己的看法去抗衡大多數人的看法。
4 We better respect and agree on the masses’ view, because it presents the
interest of the masses or it is a concept formed by the historical or
environmental factors. Though it is possible different from ours, it still has
its value and reason to exist.
我們應該尊重大眾的看法，承認大眾的看法，因為，正是這些看法，象徵著大眾的利益，以及因環境歷史背景等形成的觀念。雖然他們的看法與我們的可能不同，但是這並不表示它們就沒有存在的理由與價值。
5 Politician often holds firmly some principles in being to carry them out
forcefully in his countries.
政治家經常是死抱著一些現成的理論，生搬硬套地在自己的國度裡推行。
6 Maybe he sees the successful cases in some places but he doesn’t know what
happen to other, perhaps does a lot of damages in different places or different
times. He doesn’t know that a policy works well to bear a good fruit may be
just because of luck and fortune, not the policy itself.
他也許看到這些政策在某地成功的例子，可是他不知道異地異時而為，所可能造成的傷害。他也不知道，這項政策之所以有好成績，可能只是因緣際會，是運氣好所造成的。
7 For example, Mr.James Earl Carter, the former
President of United states, who had witnessed the worst situation of economy
for four years. When Mr.Ronald Regan was in helm
succeeded Carter, the cycle of economy had reached the bottom and it was ready
to rise. At this time, Mr.Regan carried out the
policy of “deregulation” or called Reaganomics. On inauguration day 1981, he
said "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the
problem." Under the policy of deregulation the economy of
1981年美國總統雷根接任卡特四年壞到極點的經濟狀況時; 實際上經濟循環本身己經到了谷底。雷根此時推行放手讓企業自由發展的政策。他在就職演說裡說：政府不是解決我們問題的良方; 相反的，政府才是我們問題的所在。在這樣的政策指導下，美國的經濟大幅改進，人民生活因而獲得舒解。
8 Does the recover of American economy owe to that policy?
然而，美國經濟的復蘇，肯定是這個政策的功勞嗎？
9 Later, it was demonstrated that some industries that were given too much
“deregulation” caused problems. For example, in 2001,
事後證明，過度地放任某些行業是有問題的。2001年加州電力供應發生問題，電價大漲; 美國企業的財務報表誤導民眾;
熱錢四處流竄等都與政府過度放手有關。
因眾以寧，所聞不如眾技眾矣。而欲為人之國者，此攬乎三王之利而不見其患者也。
10 In 2002, the country began to reflect on the problems, and people expected
civic rights to intervene some sectors of economy. So, if a stubborn politician
stuck to the policy of Mr. Ronald Regan and insisted to carry it out, he would
possibly bring serious disaster to the society.
西元2002後，美國開始反省，希望公權力適度的介入某些經濟活動。所以，如果一個政治家死抱著雷根的政策，食古不化的運作，可能就會為百姓帶來很嚴重的災難。
11 The precedent and successful policy has no guarantee of second success due
to the changes of time, environment and thought.
前人視為成功的政策，因時代改變，環境改變，人的思想改變等等，都不能確保它們會再度成功。
12 Therefore, politician should not ignore the real current situation and hold
a fixed policy and try to carry it out forcefully. He should be open to the
voice of people and should take people’s wishes and views as his own. Never be
obsessed with a fixed policy just because some other politicians had done it
well.
因此，為政者千萬不能死抱著一個固定的政策強力推行，他應該傾聽百姓的聲音，以百姓的願望為願望，以百姓的看法為看法; 千萬別陷入一般政治家食古不化的迷思之中。
此以人之國僥倖也。幾何僥倖而不喪人之國乎！其存人之國也，無萬分之一；而喪人之國也，一不成而萬有餘喪矣。
13 An incumbent government official must know that it is great and worthy to
possess power and to have an area under his control.
為政者還要知道的是，擁有政權，以及擁有一片疆土，是一件了不得的大事，是一件真正值得擁有的東西。
14 The governmental official should look them as a part of his body and cherish
them. He should not look them as a thing that is irrelevant.
他應該將之視為自己的一部份，善加珍惜，不能只將之視為一件事不關己的東西而已。
15 Only if he cherish them and look them as a part of his body, he can be the
master of a territory; and the leader of its people.
惟有珍惜它，視它為自己的一部份，你才有可能成為這片疆土的主人。
悲夫，有土者之不知也！夫有土者，有大物也。有大物者，不可以物；物而不物，故能物物。
16 Governance of a country should follow this principal; so as to the other
jobs. He, who can look other as himself, treasure them dearly and look all
things as a part of his interest, protect them carefully, is unblocked and free
to roam around the universe. The man with this character is the most honorable
one.
治理國家是如此，其他事物上也應該這樣。能夠視人如已，正視一切事物，將之視為自己切身的一部份，善加珍惜的人，他們就能通行無阻，自由自在地遨遊於天地之間。具有這種性格者，是人類中最值得尊敬的人。
明乎物物者之非物也，豈獨治天下百姓而已哉！出入六合，遊乎九州，獨往獨來，是謂獨有。獨有之人，是之謂至貴。
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark (49。1)
咸池評述(49。1)
1 The people in
台灣土生土長的同胞們必須承認，那些長期居住在大陸的人，其時代背景、生活習性、甚至地域意識等都與他們有所不同。
2 Mainland Chinese should respect also
the ideas and concepts of the people living in
同時，居住在大陸的同胞，他們也應該要尊重台灣同胞的想法及其觀念。最特別的一點就是，對於日本人、對日本文化的認知及其親和性; 住在大陸的同胞與在台灣土生土長的同胞在這方面是有著非常明顯的差異的。
3 People in
台灣土生土長的同胞，曾經接受日本統治達五十年，他們對日本精緻文化的瞭解與感受，是住在大陸的同胞所無法領會的。所以，住在大陸的中國人可千萬不能拿八年抗戰中與日本人所結下的樑子，來強行加諸於台灣土生土長的百姓身上。
4 Speaking truly, people living in
事實上，台灣土生土長的百姓，他們完全沒有南京大屠殺那樣的血海深仇。因此，在與台灣同胞接觸時，大家就必須別無選擇地接受台灣土生土長的百姓之對於日本人、以及日本文化的欣羡之情。
5 Mainland Chinese
shouldn’t bear detest or complain on native Taiwanese for above reason.
大陸的同胞不能因此而對台灣土生土長的百姓產生憎恨、或怨恨之心。
6 This is Chuang
Tzu’s opinion that people’s opinion is ruler’s one. We should not judge others’
with our own.
這就是莊子說的: 以百姓的看法為看法，而並非一廂情願的以個人的看法及經驗，去左右或扭曲大多數當地百姓的習慣與認知。
7 This is the culture that a statesman should possess and that is the
truth how people respect others in a democracy society.
這是一位政治家所應該具備的修養，也是民主政治尊重別人意見的真諦。
Let
Be and Let Alone (8) (1-4)(49。2)
莊子演義外篇在宥(八)(1-4)(49。2)
1 To a man
of practice, the five skandhas are actually empty.
The worldly affairs and things are petty.
對修行者而言，五蘊皆空，世俗的事與物都不是那麼重要的。
2However, even the world affairs and things are petty doesn’t mean that we
could totally exclude all things, not touching them, not using them and not
eating them. Buddha’s disciples often said,” We actually distaste food, but not
eating will cause death. Therefore, we have to eat something. When we dine, we
abide prudently by the commandment of dining -- eat as less as possible--.”
可是，不重要並不表示應該完全排除、不沾、不用、不吃。世尊的門徒常說我們實在不喜歡吃東西，可是不吃就會死，我們只得吃。只是我們吃時謹守“計量思維而食”的戒律，儘量少吃。
賤而不可不任者，物也；
3 The man of practice focuses on personal subjective conditions, keeping
objective conditions at arm length from distracting. However, as a human it is
impossible to absolutely isolate himself from others. Buddha exhorted his
disciples not to pay attention to the woman in contacting, if it is inevitable,
then not to talk with her; if talk is a must, then, talk falsely. So, the fact
is even Buddha can’t avoid people.
修行的人專注在個人的主觀條件上，與客觀條件保持距離，以避免受到干擾。可是做人也不能完全地離群索居，不與其他人接觸。世尊看到了這一點，因而告誡其弟子，與女人接觸時最好不要理她們，非不得已不要跟她們講話，非講不可時要言不由衷的說。
卑而不可不因者，民也；
4 To the man of practice, the attitude to the objective conditions should be
the same. The things surrounding us vary and evolve at any time. No matter we
care them or not, their existences are unchangeable.
修行的人，對客觀條件的態度就應該如此。在我們周遭，有許多事情，是無時無刻不在發生與演變著，不論我們理會它們與否，它們的存在是不會改變的。
匿而不可不為者，事也；
Xianchi’s interpretation and
remark (49。2)
咸池評述(49。2)
1 Substance is
what Buddha mentioned “form”. It is one of the five skandhas
such as form, feeling, perception impulse and consciousness.
所謂物，就是世尊說的色。它是五薀，也即色受想行識之首。
2 The difference between Buddhism and Chuang Tzu is that Buddhism deems that five skandhas are empty and the source of suffering. So, if man of
practice wants to cast off suffering totally to enter into Nirvana, he should
cut off all relationships with the five skandhas.
佛家與莊子的不同之處在於，佛家認為五薀是空、是苦的來源，所以修行者要想徹底地擺脫苦以進入涅槃境，其前提就是要與五薀斷絕一切關係。
3 Chuang Tzu however deem that the world affairs and things
are petty doesn’t mean that man could totally exclude all things, not touching
them, not using them and not eating them. Therefore, speaking strictly, Chuang Tzu is still in this world and the stage of
transmigration, it is in the field of philosophy. Buddhism jumps out of this
world and transmigration, it is in the field of religion.
而莊子則認為，賤而不可不任者，物也；所以嚴格地說，莊子的思想是入世的、在世的，它是隸屬於哲學的領域。而佛家的思想是以跳出輪迴為最終目的的，是出世的，所以，它們是隸屬於宗教的領域。
Xianchi’s interpretation of Tao Te Ching (49) a。49
咸池評述道德經演義（四十九）a。49
1 He who plays
with politics may not hear the people’s voice. Politicians are composed of a
group of men whose interests are the same. To reap their interest, they impose
policy on people. No matter what efforts you made, they will never consider the
interest of common people in deed.
喜歡耍手段、玩弄權術的人，他們是不會真正的去聆聽百姓的聲音的。政治團體說穿了就是一個利益共同體。政客們為了個人或團體的利益，將各式各樣的政策強行加諸在百姓身上。因此，任由你說破了嘴，他們也不會真正的以百姓的心為心的。
2 However, they agree with Laotse in one aspect.
Namely they really look people as kids who are ignorant. Since kids are
ignorant, our politicians believe that they should lead people to a place where
they think it is right and should go. Politicians are not so silly as to follow
the kids’ direction.
不過另一方面，政客們的想法倒還蠻符合老子的看法。那就是，他們的確真的將百姓視為“孩子”，視為不懂事的孩子。正因為這些孩子們的“不懂事”，所以政治家們才要煞費苦心，費盡心思的帶領這群孩子去走他們所認為應該走、認為是對的方向。因此，對政客們而言，他們根本就不會傻到去聽取孩子們的意見，去孩子們吵著要去的地方。因為，對他們來說，孩子們終歸是無知的。
3 Let’s talk not about politics, let’s
look the sages Laotse mentioned as Buddha,
Bodhisattva, king of the great freedom and God.
就讓我們別談政治吧! 讓我們將這裡的聖人都一律視為佛、菩薩、大自在王、甚至於上帝。
4 If Laotse held that a king should act on the principles: The
good ones I declare good; the bad ones I also declare good; the honest ones I
believe; the liars I also believe. As a king, he should keep his mind in a
state of indifference to all and look country people as his children, loving
them very much. He treats them equally despite of the sage, the wise, the good
and the bad. Accordingly, as Buddha, Bodhisattva, the king of great freedom,
God of heaven, certainly should also have such tolerance.
如果，按照老子的說法，一國之君應該是善者吾善之，不善者吾亦善之；信者吾信之，不信者吾亦信之;
做國君的應該渾其心、蒙著眼，將全國的子民都視為己出的孩子，百般疼愛，不分聖賢、智慧、好壞，都一視同仁的話; 那麼做為佛、菩薩、大自在王、天主、上帝者，當然就更應該持有這樣的胸襟了。
5 If so, there
should not be hell. How can kind Buddha, Bodhisattva, the king of great
freedom, and God see their children suffer in hell due to their mistakes.
Additionally, these children do instinct response to make important choices
from birth to death, which is decided and built into gene when they are
created. Their deeds, such as study, courtship, sex, avarice, wrath, violence
and robber, are weapons that heaven bestow on them. When they use those
weapons, their differences are just degrees. Some of them use it more and
wider; some gracefully; some rudely.
如果是這樣，那就不應該再有什麼地獄了。仁慈的上帝、佛、大自在王等，祂們又怎麼忍心將自己的孩子因為犯錯而送到水深火熱的地獄之中呢？再說，這些子民，他們從出生到死亡，在他們生長的過程之中，大部分重要的抉擇，都是靠直覺在反應，都是上天在創造人類時，就已經將這些功能都一一置入於他們的基因之中; 他們的行為、學習、求偶、性、求生存中的貪、瞋、暴力、搶奪等等，都是上天所給予他們的生存武器。而子民們選用這些工具，也只有程度上的差異而已。有些人用的次數多些，用的範圍廣些，有的比較文雅、有的相對的粗魯些。
6 Each creature
is inevitable to kill others and eat them. If it were sin, each creature should
go hell.
生物間相互殺戮、吞、吃是每一種生物，每一個人都避免不了的事實; 如果這樣也算有罪，那麼是否每個生物、每個人都有罪，都應該下地獄呢?
7 Studying
further, we find that the chief criminal is pinned on Buddha, Bodhisattva, the
king of great freedom, and God. It is them who build criminal motive in
creature’s mind. Creatures should not be blamed. It proves from the opposite
side that Buddha, Bodhisattva, the king of great freedom, and God have
impermanence. In their heart, there are no moral criteria as we image. Kids
just are kids. Despite of obedience and naughtiness, creatures are all their
children.
再進一步研究的話，那個始作俑者、那個罪魁禍首，最終還得算在上帝、天主、佛、大自在王等的身上。是祂們將犯罪的動機預先設置於生物的腦海之中，怪不得眾生。所以，由此足可反証，大自在王、佛、上帝、天主必定是無常心的，在祂們心目中，並沒有如我們所想像的那套道德標準。孩子們終歸就是孩子，乖巧的也好，頑皮的也罷，一律都是祂們的孩子。
8 Children! Go to
the field and play! Be careful of safety and do remember go home after
contented. It doesn’t matter if clothes and body get dirty. Have a bath and
change cloth when back home; I wait you gays for dinner.
孩子們到原野地裡去玩吧！記得注意安全，玩夠了就回家，萬一弄髒了衣服、手腳也都沒關係，回家後洗個澡，換上乾淨衣服; 我等著與你們共進晚餐。