Extensive interpretation of Tao te Ching
(52)
道德經演義（五十二）
There was a
beginning of the universe which may be regarded as the Mother of Universe.
天下有始，以為天下母。
From the Mother,we may know her sons.
既得其母，以知其子;
After knowing the sons, keep
to the Mother.
既知其子，復守其母;
Thus one’s whole life may be
preserved from harm.
沒身不殆。
Stop one’s apertures, close
one’s doors, and one’s whole life is without toil.
塞其兌，閉其門，終身不勤。
Open one’s apertures, be busy
about one’s affairs, and one’s whole life is beyond redemption.
開其兌，濟其事，終身不救。
He who can see the small is
clear-sighted; he who stays by gentility is strong.
見小曰明，守柔曰強。
Use the light. And return to
clear-sightedness.
用其光，復歸其明，
Thus cause not yourself later
distress. --This is to rest in the Absolute.
無遺身殃，是為習常。
On Leveling All Things ( 1) (98-110)(52。1)
莊子演義內篇齊物論(一)(98-110)(52。1)
98 Thing
itself can’t be judged as a successful creature or a failure creature. It
changes when condition changes.
所以事物本身也無所謂成毀，它只是在時空條件下不斷地變化罷了。
99 In macro view, thing squirms and turns in realm of Tao but it could not jump
out of the realm of Tao.
宏觀地看，它們都是在道的範圍裡蠕動、翻滾。但是，終不能跳出如來佛的手掌心。
100 Men of perfection by practice know this theory so they don’t criticize,
blame, praise, follow or suggest everything at random. They just take the world
as it is and treat everything around them and everything happening continually
in an ordinary manner.
修行完備的人知道這個道理，所以不會隨便批評、指責或讚美、追隨、亂出點子。他們只是隨遇而安，用平常心看待週遭以及自身陸續發生的事事物物。
101 They blunt their sharp points, and unravel the complications of things;
they temper their brightness, and bring themselves into agreement with the
obscurity of others. They melt into environment without imprudently trying to
be unique. Act when necessarily and to be when necessarily. They let thing
happen under the reasonable conditions. Doing like so, it means that you fit
Tao.
他們挫其銳、解其紛、和其光、同其塵，與環境水乳交融，絕不輕易地別出心裁。行其當行，為其當為，讓事務在合情合理的狀況下開花結果，水到渠成。能夠做到這樣就差不多合於道矣！
102 When Tao works on a thing, it does in silence most of the time. The same
goes to the fact that flower blooms and withers.
道在促成一件事時，大部分都是在默默中、無聲無息中完成的。花朵在我們不知覺時開了，又謝了。
103 Practitioner of Yoga repeats some actions daily. Days passing, his body
becomes soft and he can bend now bent in past he couldn’t. He becomes healthy
and what’s more suddenly knows acupuncture, massage and cure. He suddenly has
telepathy to gods. All these form without being sensed. The phenomenon of
forming is the model way of Tao’s operation.
瑜伽行者，每天默默地重複做一些動作，一段時間下來，身體變柔軟了，原本彎不下的腰，彎下去了，身體變好了；突然間自己懂得點穴，按摩，為人治病；突然之間發覺自己與神靈有了相應的感覺。這些事，都是不知不覺中逐漸形成的，這種事物形成的現象，就是道的標準運作模式。
104 Everyday many people who practice worship gods to pray for bless, or read
up lection industriously and try to find the way of practice, in Buddha
temples, churches and Taoism temples. They don’t know that practice is actually
lesser difficult than those. All they should do is to practice meditation and
Yoga industriously and keep their ordinary daily life in the way of blunting
their sharp points, unraveling the complications of things; tempering their
brightness, and bring themselves into agreement with the obscurity of others.
Worship gods is right but unnecessary.
有許多修行人每天在廟裡，在教堂中，在道觀裡膜拜神明，祈求神明幫助他或勤讀經文，企圖找到修行之方。其實他們不知道，追尋不用那麼麻煩。將自己平日的生活按“挫其銳，解其紛，和其光，同其塵”的方式，以平常心去做。勤練打坐、瑜伽，就能完成。對神靈的膜拜不是不對，只是沒有那麼必要罷了。
其分也，成也；其成也，毀也。凡物無成與毀，復通為一。唯達者知通為一，為是不用而寓諸庸。
庸也者，用也；用也者，通也；通也者，得也。適得而幾矣。因是已，已而不知其然，謂之道。
105 In the suburban monkey park, the monkeys were very dissatisfied with the
allocation of food – three bowls of bean in the morning and four bowls in the
evening. So they all went on strike.
城外的猴園裡，猴子們對早上三碗、晚上四碗豆子的糧食方配方案非常不滿，因此集體抗議不肯出來耍猴戲為主人賺錢.
106 The master then suggested four bowls in the morning and three bowls in the
evening. The monkeys thought their protest worked and were very satisfied with
the four bowls. The stir by protest hence ended.
猴主因此建議早上四碗、晚上三碗以解眾猴之怨，猴子們認為自己的抗議得到主人的回應，並且早上有四碗豆子吃而大感欣慰，一場抗議風波因此停息。
107 The wise as you know that the two allocations are the same. However, in the
actual daily life, we always seek for more and wish to change something so as
to increase our benefit. Gaining delights us while loss distresses us.
聰明的你當然知道，朝三暮四與朝四暮三其實沒有分別，可是實際上我們自己就會為了許多事努力爭取，希望能有所改變，增加自己的利益，得則喜，失則憂，然而事實上我們逃出了如來佛的手掌心了嗎？顯然沒有。
108 We laugh at the stupid monkeys for the allocations. Do we know that we are
as stupid as the monkeys?
我們笑朝三暮四的猴子愚蠢，我們有沒有發覺自己的愚蠢如猴子們呢？
勞神明為一而不知其同也，謂之「朝三」。何謂「朝三？」曰：「狙公賦芧，曰：『朝三而暮四。』眾狙皆怒。曰：『然則朝四而暮三。』眾狙皆悅。」名實未虧而喜怒為用，亦因是也。
109 Those of perfection by practice understand it. They are indifferent to
right and wrong, and not easily expressing their opinions on matters. They let
thing happen when it should happen, and do thing as it is. They never force the
thing to happen when the condition is insufficient and not well-timed.
修行完備的人明白這個道理，他們對人世間的是是非非都淡然處之、不置可否，讓該發生的就發生，時機不成熟的也不勉強促成，所謂順其自然;
110 The manner and concept are called “Two Deeds”
這種心態及觀念我們稱之為“兩行”。
是以聖人和之以是非而休乎天鈞，是之謂兩行。
Xianchi’s interpretation and
remark (52。1)
咸池評述(52。1)
1 A folk saying
is that we should not remark a hero in terms of his success and failure. It
tells that we should not judge a man by success and failure of a single thing.
有一句俗語說，不要以成敗論英雄，它的含義就是不要以單一事件的成敗優劣來判定一個人的好壞。
2 Another folk
saying is that “call no man happy until he dies”. It means that only when a man
dies should we make an overall remark on him according to his whole life.
另外一句話是
“蓋棺論定”，意思是只有在一個人死了，停止了一切活動之後，我們才能給他計算總帳，才能斷定這個人的一生究竟是如何。
3 We should not
look down on others. Judging a man, we should consider various factors and all
aspects including his advantages and disadvantages. Only in this way can we
obtain a real remark.
我們在看人、看事的時候，千萬不要犯門縫裡看人的毛病，一定要保持視野開闊，心中坦然。將所有正面、反面、陰面、陽面、好的、壞的，各種不同的因素綜合在一起研究; 只有這樣，我們才能夠看到一個比較真實的臉孔。
4 It is something like the evaluation of X in mathematics. Nth power of X has N
roots. In possible field, you have to evaluate the N roots. Thus you will have
right answer. Any part of them can’t be the right answer.
這有點類似數學裡求X的值一樣。“X”N次方的值會有N個，在可能的範圍裡面，你必須求得N個值，然後這個題目才算答得正確，只有朝三或只有暮四都算不對。
Gengsang Chu(6)
(1-7)(52。2)
莊子演義雜篇庚桑楚(六)(1-7)(52。2)
1 “Pu”, a log without cutting and carving, is an
object that integrated materials in terms of the principle of Tao.
“樸”，一根未經切割、雕刻的原木; 它是大自然依據道的原則，統合物質之下，所構成的整合性物件。
2 “Pu” consists of all possible factors that make it
to become a trunk. Once we cut off and carve the trunk into a utensil, tool, or
building material, the integration of “Pu” is
spoiled. It isn’t a trunk anymore.
“樸”裏面包含了道，以及所有構成樹幹的可能因素。一旦我們將此樹幹剖開，切割，剪裁; 再雕刻成為一件我們想要擁有的工具、器皿、或建材之時;
這棵樹做為“樸”的整體性就被破壞了。它已經不是樹幹，也不再是“樸”了
道通，其分也，其成也毀也。
3 Some one wants to decompose object to study its essence. After decomposing
more times, what he finds at the end of day is nothing but the shell of object
– a pile of molecule and atom.
有的人喜歡將東西分解開，復以此去研究此一物件的本質。然而，在經過不斷地分解之後，他將會發現，他的研究所得，只是這件東西的軀殼; 只是一堆分子、原子而已，此外別無他物。
4 He forgets them who compose in symbiosis with molecule and atom, such as Tao,
self-nature, Buddha-nature, Qi, calmness and
refinement, which you can’t obtain by analysis, dissection and cutting.
他忘記了與分子、原子等基本物質共生的還有道，還有自性、佛性、靈、妙用, 氣等。而這些視力所不能及的東西，卻也不是你個人能力上所能加以分析、解剖、不斷切割;
更不是你所能獲得的。
所惡乎分者，其分也以備；所以惡乎備者，其有以備。
5 You must keep thing in its original and living character; and through
research and experience its growth and changing phenomena, so that you can
learn about its essence and got its whole view.
你必須讓物質完整的保持它“樸”的原貌，讓它活生生的存在你的面前，這樣，你才能通過它的生長、以及變化等一舉一動中去體會、去研究，如此，才有可能得其真髓，知其全貌。
故出而不反，見其鬼；出而得，是謂得死。
6 When Tao emerges, we don’t know where it comes from. When it hides, we don’t
know where it goes.
當道顯現時，我們不知道祂是打從那兒來的。當道隱沒時，我們也不清楚，祂是怎麼溜走的。
滅而有實，鬼之一也。
7 Tao is of entity but it occupies no space. It is of length; however, we can’t
retrace its source. It must be of entity, because it can show itself in
existence. Nevertheless, it becomes nothing when disappearing.
道是有實體的，可是祂卻不佔空間。祂是有長度的，可是祂的來源我們無法追溯。祂必定是有實體的，因為祂能夠實實在在地顯示祂自己。然而，當祂消失時卻又是無影無蹤。
以有形者象無形者而定矣！出無本，入無竅，有實而無乎處，有長而無乎本剽，有所出而無竅者有實。
Xianchi’s interpretation and
remark(52。2)
咸池評述(52。2)
1 Scientific research can be done in micro way and
macro way.
科學研究本身，就具有著宏觀及微觀等不同入手方法。
2 What Chuang Tzu said is macro way, which is like
biologist’s study on ape. They have to live together
with ape in
莊子講的是宏觀的處理方式，這有點像生物學家一樣，他們為了研究猿猴，千里迢迢的跑到非洲叢林裡去與猿猴共同生活。在經歷了十年、二十年毫無間斷的實地觀察之後，他們不但完全熟悉了猿猴的生活，也深刻的瞭解了它們的習性。
3 Medical science researches are helpful in knowing about the body structure.
Through dissection they may find the reason of disease. For example, modern
medical science knows the seriousness of appendicitis. But they know it is not
deadly as long as the inflamed appendix is cut and cleaned in time.
醫學界為了更好的瞭解人體結構，往往通過解剖以找出生病的原因。比如說盲腸炎，近代醫學界知道盲腸炎的嚴重性，但同時他們也知道，只要適時將其割除，消毒乾淨，單純的盲腸炎是不至於會要了人命的。
4 The
knowledge obtained from medical science research is very helpful to improve
human’s health. Cutting log open, we may read its
annual ring; as well as the history of the change of climate and pest and
disease of plant. Therefore scientific research via dissection is necessary.
這種經由分析後所得到的知識，對人類的健康提供了莫大的幫助。所以將木頭切開可以算出它的年輪數目，瞭解過去許多年大地氣候的變化，以及觀察種種植物的病蟲害等等至為重要的事; 可見，將物種加以切開來分析是絕對具有其必要性的。
5 It is fact that knowledge on self-nature, Buddha-nature, Qi,
and refinement can’t be acquired via dissection
research, but the importance of dissection can’t be
ruled out from research.
至於在自性、佛性、氣、
妙用、 靈方面的研究，祂們的不能用解析以獲得答案這點固然是事實，可是單就此點，卻也不能抹殺解剖分析在科學研究上的地位。
6 We
should not politicize all things and keep political eyes on everything. When
researching nature, we don’t need to connect all
researches to self-nature, Buddha-nature, Qi,
refinement and soul. If all things are shrouded with them, it will hold down
the development of common knowledge, which may sure be harmful to human’s adaptation to natural environment.
我們說凡事就事論事就好，不要泛政治化，不要讓政治無限上崗。因此，在我們研究大自然的過程當中，也同樣的不要將每一件事都與自性、佛性、氣、妙用、靈等掛鉤。因為那是會阻得許多通俗知識的充分發展，這在人類適應自然環境上是有害而無益的。
Lietse (2) (14-17)(52。3)
莊子演義雜篇列禦寇(二) (14-17)(52。3)
14 A man
of practice, in his life, he seeks for nothing but a simple condition that can
maintain his life.
一位修行人在他有生之年，但求一個最起碼能夠維持生命的生活即可。
15 If there is place to maintain life, he just stays there for industrious
practice of Samadhi. He isn’t interested in trying any other life style and
environment.
如果有了一個可以維生的憑籍，那就呆在那兒勤入三昧，任何其他的生活方式，生活環境，都不要再興緻勃勃地去追尋、嚐試。
聖人安其所安，不安其所不安；
16 Common people don’t think so. They hold that it is lagged to stay in status
in quo. A company impetus depends on entrepreneur who keeps taking risks and
trying. Soul of capitalism economy is bold acting forward. If there is no
entrepreneur of animal spirits and no speculator who dares to risk, the
capitalist economy gets stagnant, ebbed and depressive.
一般凡人則不這麼想。他們認為安於現狀就是落伍。企業的推動力更是依靠企業家不斷地冒險、嚐試，才有活力。資本主義經濟的靈魂就在於敢衝，敢做。資本主義經濟如果缺少充滿野獸般活力(animal spirits)的企業家以及無畏於冒險的投機份子，它就會停滯，衰退，走入蕭條。
17 Hence, people are taught as the ones who should dare to risk and try; people
of routinism instead are regarded lagged and would be
washed out.
因此，世人被教育成冒險犯難，勇於嚐試的個性。墨守成規反而成為落伍的一群，是會被淘汰的。
眾人安其所不安，不安其所安。
Xianchi’s interpretation and
remark(52。3)
咸池評述(52。3)
1
My investment plan (Shepherd Plan) is fairly stable and reliable; it supports
wealthily my life.
我的投資計劃
(養羊計劃)
已經非常穩當、可靠，它一直豐碩地扶養了我。
2 Flocks of sheep now are in virtuous cycle. It is really my reposing place. I
shouldn’t figure out the self-righteous plan for the money. Reposing the place,
I am a happy retired old guy.
成群的羊兒至今也已經達到了良性循環的規模。它實在是我的 “安” 所，所以，我不應該再胡思亂想或自以為是的又去計劃什麼資金出路; 我只要老老實實地安其所 “安”，做一個快樂的退休老人就夠了。
Xianchi’s interpretation of Tao Te ching (52) a。52
咸池評述道德經演義（五十二）a。52
1 There was a
beginning of the universe which may be regarded as the Mother of Universe. From
the Mother, we may know her sons. After knowing the sons, keep to the Mother.
Thus one’s whole life may be preserved from harm. Mother is Tao; sons are
virtue and things. If you really learn about the truth of Tao Te Ching, it offers endless help to you in your life and
you don’t fear misfortune.
天下有始，以為天下母。既得其母，以知其子; 既知其子，復守其母;
沒身不殆。母是道，子是德，是物，是勢，如果你真能瞭解道德經的真諦，那你肯定會終身受用無盡，亦不怕災害上身矣。
2 Stop one’s apertures, close one’s doors and one’s
whole life is without toil. Open one’s apertures, be busy about one’s affairs,
and one’s whole life is beyond redemption.
塞其兌，閉其門，終身不勤。開其兌，濟其事，終身不救。既然你已經懂得了道德經，已經明白了天下的至真道理，你就應該閉起眼睛，塞住耳朵，關上門，不要再去研究、不再理會其他道理; 否則，你將永遠不能成為一個修行完備的人。
3 He who can see
the small is clear-sighted; he who stays by gentility is strong. Use the light.
And return to clear-sightedness. Thus cause not yourself later distress. --This
is to rest in the Absolute. Laotse was afraid that
readers couldn’t master the gist when learning. So he pointed out that seeing
what is small is called clear-sighted and who stays by some good conduct is
strong. He held that who tried to understand nature and search for truth need
not read a lot of books or travel around and far to visit famous teachers.
However, learner must calm down to make a close study on natural phenomena
around him. The material and case are at hand. He is really wise and rational
if he acquires the truth of universe by studying on them.
見小曰明，守柔曰強。用其光，復歸其明，無遺身殃，是為習常。老子惟恐你依然不能抓住道德經中習常的重點，所以他又指出見小曰明，守柔曰強。老子認為瞭解自然，知其真理並非是必須千里迢迢的遍訪名師，閱覽群書才可獲得。他認為方法其實非常簡單，只需讓自己的一顆心沉靜下來，活在當下，仔細地觀察、認真地研究生活週遭的各種自然現象即可。而這些生活素材就存在於你我身邊，唾手可得。老子認為能夠通過研究這些現象、事物而獲知宇宙奧秘者，才能算是真正的聰明通理之人。
4 He, who can
keep flexibility and abide by development of things, is the strong. Like
Michael Jordan playing basketball, his muscle is kept so soft and elastic that
it breaks out at anytime. The strength goes with rhyme and beat.
能夠保持彈性，守其事物發展的韻律就是強者。就像喬丹打籃球一樣，他的身體是那麼的柔軟而富有彈性，隨時準備釋放出其無比的爆發力; 而此力是配合韻律，並且是按著節拍而運用的。
5 The said principles are for you to adopt on dealing with matters.
Additionally you should not walk along askew wall and live in dangerous place
so as to prevent from being involved into jeopardy.
根據以上的原則以作為處世的準繩，同時小心謹慎，注意不走危牆，危國不居，不要讓自己身陷危境。
6 Laotse taught us to study the way of operation of all
things around us. From the principles we gain the truth of universe, after
which we drive away at executing it. We must persist in it whole-heartedly and
don’t make new model.
老子要我們平日多留意研究身邊萬物的運作之方，然後再由這些方法中去歸結出宇宙運行的真理，並且在知道這些真理之後就努力的去執行，再也不要三心二意，又去搞什麼新花樣。
7 As people know, long-term and stable investment is flat and wide road, which
is the best way to offer us a stable life. Let’s make up our mind to persist in
it. We should not change the decision when confronting risk; use our limited
wisdom to deal with various changes in the market, such as playing the tricks
of buying low and selling high. If so, you certainly die, as Laotse said.
一切就如大家所熟知的，長期穩定投資是一條康莊大道，是能為我們帶來穩定生活的不二法門。既然如此，那就應該堅定立場，持續地走下去; 切不可聽見一點風聲就改變初衷，運用自己有限的心智去應付市場的千變萬化，玩起低進高出的把戲。要真到了那樣田地，老子說，你就無可救藥了。
8 The essence of
governance by non-action is seeing what is small is called clear-sighted.
Symptom is detected before thing happens; harm is prevented in the beginning.
When slight harm is stopped in its phase, there is no toll and harm in the
future.
見小曰明，此正是老子無為而治的真諦所在。注意事情之於未明，防害於其初發之時，於其尚不嚴重的階段，將小害都一一消弭掉，則終無大害之為患。
9 Being rest in the Absolute: we learn
the way of surviving, living and keeping health from the details in daily life.
This is Laotse’s further meaning.
習常：在日常生活中的細節末角中去學習生存、安身、養身之道。這就是老子此文中的深意了。