Extensive interpretation of Tao Te Ching (57)
道德經演義（五十七）
Rule a kingdom by the
以正治國，以奇用兵，以無事取天下。吾何以知其然哉？
Through this:
以此：
The more prohibitions there are, the
poorer the people become.
天下多忌諱，而民彌貧。
The more sharp weapons there are, the
greater the chaos in the state.
朝多利器，國家滋昏。
The more skills of technique, the more
cunning things are produced.
人多伎巧，奇物滋起。
The greater the number of statutes, the
greater the number of thieves and brigands exist.
法令滋彰，盜賊多有。
Therefore the Sage says:
故聖人云：
I do nothing and the people are reformed
of themselves.
我無為而民自化。
I love quietude and the people are
righteous of themselves.
我好靜而民自正。
I deal in no business and the people grow
rich by themselves.
我無事而民自富。
I have no desires and the people are
simple and honest by themselves.
我無欲而民自樸。
The Heaven and the Earth(10) (1-24)(57。1)
莊子演義外篇天地(十)(1-24)(57。1)
1 Zi Gong passed a small town
called Hanyin when he traveled back to the State of
子貢到楚國旅遊，在返回晉國時，路過一個名叫漢陰的小鎮。
2 Zi Gong saw a farmer toiling in a vegetable garden
nearby road. The farmer bailed water with a barrel from the well and then
carried the barrel to water vegetable one by one. Shaking his head, Zi Gong considered that this countryside lagged too much
and the way of watering was ineffective. Watering a vegetable costs so much
time, how big a garden the farmer can water within one day? No wonder they are
so poor.
子貢注意到，一位農人在道旁菜園子裡辛苦地工作。這位農人用桶在井裡舀水，然後提著桶為一顆一顆的青菜澆水。子貢搖了搖頭，認為這個鄉下地方實在是太落伍了，工作如此的沒有效率。一個澆水的動作要花那麼多的時間，那他一天又能照顧多大個菜園呢？難怪他們這麼窮。
3 Zi Gong had a sudden sympathy for the farmer. He
felt that he must tell the local people the simple way of irrigation that they
had been employed for years in the State of
子貢一時起了惻隱之心，他覺得有義務告訴當地人，他們在晉國實施多年的簡易灌溉方式。
子貢南游於楚，反於晉，過漢陰，見一丈人方將為圃畦，鑿隧而入井，抱瓮而出灌，搰搰然用力甚多而見功寡。
4 Zi Gong stopped his carriage, stepping down. Over
the ridge of the garden, he said to the farmer. “I know a high efficient
machine that can irrigate a field of a hundred more Mu every day. It saves labor and time. Would you like
to have one?”
子貢叫車停住，他走下車來，隔著田埂，對這位農夫說：「我知道一種機械裝置，它每天可以幫助農人灌溉上百畝農田，省時省力，非常地有效率，你想不想也裝置一台呢？」
子貢曰：「有械於此，一日浸百畦，用力甚寡而見功多，夫子不欲乎？」
5 The farmer looked at the well-dressed stranger. “How
does it look like?”
這位農人看了看這位衣冠楚楚的陌生人，說：「它長得什麼樣子啊？」
為圃者卬而視之曰：「奈何？」
6 Zi Gong said, “This is a wood-made machine. Its
work principle is to use lever with one end light and the other end heavy. The
light end carries water. The operator press slightly the heavy end andthe water is bailed out into the dug drain and then
flows into the field. It is easier to water with the machine. It is called Gao. Have you heard it?”
子貢說：「這是一種木製的機械，主要的結構是一根木棍，利用槓桿原理，一頭重一頭輕，輕的那頭用來提水，人只要輕輕地按重的那頭，水就會自井中舀出注入挖好的水溝中形成持續的水流。有這種工具，灌溉就變得容易了。這種裝置叫槔。你聽說過嗎？」
曰：「鑿木為機，後重前輕，挈水若抽，數如泆湯，其名為槔。」
7 Laying down his barrel, the farmer laughed. “Oh, Gao. I don’t like it as well as all other machine
tools. My teacher told me that a man who would like to use machine to save
labor and time, inclines to the shortcut or secure advantages through pull or
influence; a man like this is ready to resort to dubious shifts and to cheat
his superiors and defraud his subordinates, of which a man of practice should
avoid.
這位農人放下手上的水桶笑著說：「哦！你是說槔啊！我不喜歡它，也不喜歡所有機械的工具。我的老師告訴我，凡是喜歡使用機械以求省時省力者，他們在處事上也一樣的喜歡尋捷徑走後門。而做事喜歡尋捷徑走後門的人，他們就一定會投機取巧，欺上矇下，而這些都是一位修行者應該避免的。
8 My teacher preached it that ingenious conception in mind expels purity and
simplicity, without which it is impossible to reach composure and tranquilness. All practices are impossible without a
composed, tranquil and peaceful heart.
我的老師也曾這麼說過：『機心存於胸，則純白不備，純白不備，則沉穩寧靜就變得不可能』，沒有一顆沉穩寧靜的心，修行就上不了路。。
9 We have the Gao you
mentioned but I just dislike using it.”
你說的槔我們這兒也有，只是我不喜歡用它罷了。」
為圃者忿然作色而笑曰：「吾聞之吾師，有機械者必有機事，有機事者必有機心。機心存於胸中，則純白不備；純白不備，則神生不定，神生不定者，道之所不載也。吾非不知，羞而不為也。」
10 Zi Gong learned from Confucius for some time. He
was regarded as one of main disciples of Confucius. Today hearing “A man with
an unrestful spirit, Tao will not come to him” by the
farmer, he felt very abashed and lowered his head without a word.
子貢在孔子那兒學習已經有相當長的一段時間了，他也一直被公認為是孔子的大弟子之一，今天從這位鄉下農人這兒聽到“神生不定者，道之所不載也”
這樣的教訓，真把他羞的無地自容，他不覺低下了頭，一句話也說不出來。
子貢瞞然慚，俯而不對。
11 The farmer detected the atmosphere of embarrassment. He tried to break the
deadlock. “Who are you? Judged from your dress, you must be somebody. ”
我們這位農夫朋友也感覺到氣氛的尷尬，他試圖打破僵局：「你是誰啊！看你的裝扮應該是位大人物吧！」
有間，為圃者曰：「子奚為者邪？」
12 Zi Gong seemed to pick up some confidence. He
thought that it is time to save his face back. Zi
Gong replied seriously, “I am a disciple of Confucius.”
子貢的信心似乎又恢復了些，心想這可能是自己挽回面子的時候。因此，他正色地回答說：「我是孔子的弟子。」
曰：「孔丘之徒也。」
13 “Oh.” The farmer responded, “You are one of the groups who read many books
and try to act as the sages. Your group ran around many countries for years and
tried to benefit the masses by the ideal that few people agreed on, by which
you publicize your fame. However, I think that it is kind of you to stop to
help a countryside farmer. Nevertheless, you must take off the lofty look from
your face and wipe off your pride from your heart. By these, it is possible to
continue your practice. If not, you have difficulty in looking after yourself, let
alone the governance of a country. Well, you go on to travel. I have no time to
talk more with you.”
「哦！」農人應道：「你們不就是那一群讀了許多書，試圖扮演聖人的角色，長年來東奔西跑地想要利益眾生; 抱著沒有多少人認同的理想，到處宣揚以建立自己的名聲的修行者嗎？我看你這個人不錯，頗有愛心，願意停下來幫助一個鄉下農人，不過，你必須將你臉上高人一等的容貌清除掉，將你心中驕傲的心態抹殺掉，這樣你的修行之路才有可能走下去，如果不這樣做的話，你甚至連自己都照顧不好，更不要說治理天下了。好了！你還是上路吧！我也沒閒工夫跟你多聊了。」
為圃者曰：「子非夫博學以擬聖，於于以蓋眾，獨弦哀歌以賣名聲於天下者乎？汝方將忘汝神氣，墮汝形骸，而庶幾乎！而身之不能治，而何暇治天下乎！子往矣，無乏吾事。」
14 With the little regained confidence, Zi Gong fell
into the bottom of depression again. Lowered his head, Zi
Gong stepped slowly back to his carriage. In silence, he tasted what the farmer
said and felt depressed as if his effort of years became futile.
剛剛恢復一點兒的信心，這時又跌回谷底。子貢低著頭，慢慢地走回車子，他一句話也沒說，一個人默默地想著這位鄉下農人的話，悵然若失，覺得自己這麼多年的努力，好像全泡湯了。
子貢卑陬失色，頊頊然不自得，行三十里而後愈。
15 Dropping deeply into the mood of disappointment and shame, Zi Gong gradually recovered after rode for thirty li on his way back to the State of
就這樣神情赧然地坐在車裡直到卅里外，他才逐漸回過神來。子貢的隨行弟子看見老師這個樣子，誰也不敢出聲，直到老師神情稍微開朗之後，才開口問道：「老師！你剛剛是跟誰說話啊！為什麼上車後就神情大變，一路上鬱鬱寡歡，心事重重呢？」
其弟子曰：「向之人何為者邪？夫子何故見之變容失色，終日不自反邪？」
16 Shaking his head, Zi Gong whispered, “I always
thought that my teacher, Confucius was the only sage in this world. Today I
found another one.
子貢搖搖頭，低聲地說：「我一直認為，你們的師公是這世上唯一的智者，然而，今天卻讓我發現了另外一位。
17 Confucius taught us to try our best to get a job well done and do it
efficiently, so I believed that the tactics and skill are necessary. Those are
the ways that we should learn. However, the farmer I talked with pointed out
our essential mistakes.
孔先生教導我們，應該努力工作，想辦法將事情辦得妥當而有效率。所以我相信策略、技巧是必要的，也是我們應該學習的聖人之道。可是今天這位鄉下人卻點出了我們根本上的錯誤。
曰：「始吾以為天下一人耳，不知復有夫人也。吾聞之夫子，事求可，功求成。用力少，見功多者，聖人之道。
18 He deemed that the Tao of sage stressed intact and original personality,
without articifice, falseness and glozing, which is called ‘Complete Virtue’. A
man of complete virtue should keep physical intactness, namely keeping body’s
original feature and normal situation. For example, we should not fatigue too
much, going to bed and getting up early; we go on diet, keeping fit; we don’t
dye hair; we don’t seek too much fame and wealth, keeping our health from being
ruined by causes.
他認為，聖人之道，在於講求不著雕斧的完整人格。不做作、不虛假、不文飾，也就是所謂的德全。德全的人首先應注意形全; 也就是身體的原貌、身體的正常狀態。比如我們不過分地勞累，早睡早起，不暴飲暴食，身體不胖不瘦，不染頭髮、不過分追求名利，不讓功名事業給身體帶來太重的負擔等都是形全應該注意的;
19 By keeping physical intactness, it is possible to have a composed, tranquil
and peaceful heart.
形全之後，一顆沉穩寧靜的心才有可能實現。
20 A composed, tranquil and peaceful heart is called ‘Complete Mind’, after
which, the practice is on the right way to seek for Tao.
沉穩寧靜的心，我們稱之謂神全。神全之後修行才算上了路，道才有可能求得。
今徒不然。執道者德全，德全者形全，形全者神全。神全者，聖人之道也。
21 A man of perfect practice focuses his care on the subjective conditions,
disregarding the change of objective conditions. He, who intends to intervene
or boost the change of objective condition, attempts to achieve success of
causes by the skills, tactics and artifices. These are enough to destroy the
sound and peaceful mood so the practice has come to an end.
一位修行完備的人，他專注在自己主觀條件的照顧，對客觀條件的變化，他既不干涉，也不助長。凡是企圖干涉或助長客觀條件之變化者，他們必定企圖利用計謀、策略等技巧以謀取事業、世榮，而這些舉措，都足以破壞沉穩安寧的心境，這樣一來，修行之路就走不下去了。
22 Hence, the right way of practice is to do everything that maintains a
composed, tranquil and peaceful heart and to do nothing that distract and even
spoil a composed, tranquil and peaceful heart.
所以正確的修行之路是: 維護沉穩安寧之心的事就去做; 破壞、干擾沉穩安寧之心的事就別做。
托生與民並行而不知其所之，汒乎淳備哉！功利機巧，必忘夫人之心。若夫人者，非其志不之，非其心不為。
23 He insists on doing something right that even other people may disapprove
of. He doesn’t put a finger on something wrong that even it would bring great
fame and wealth to him. The objective conditions, such as the honor, shame,
praise and disparagement, have no influence on him. By doing that such a man
would be a perfect practice someday.
舉凡他認為正面的、應當做的事，雖然天下人都反對，都不贊成，修行人也堅持做下去。負面的事雖然會獲得大名大利，修行人卻棄之不顧，更不會將之放在心上。客觀條件的榮辱與褒貶等都不能影響他。也唯有這樣的人，才最終有可能修煉完美，成為一個修行完備之人。
雖以天下譽之，得其所謂，謷然不顧；以天下非之，失其所謂，儻然不受。
24 Me, Zi Gong is no more
than a vulgar fellow who bustle around for the fame and interest. It is a
shame! It is a shame!”
我子貢不過是一個為了功名利祿四處奔走，整天忙碌的庸俗之人。慚愧，慚愧！」
天下之非譽，無益損焉，是謂全德之人哉！我之謂風波之民。」
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark (57。1)
咸池評述(57。1)
1
Buddha asks us to keep no-self and be flexibility in mind.
世尊要我們無相、無住而生其心。
2 No-self and be
flexibility are right attitude to the objective condition. The general name of
objective condition is self, and the objective condition is where the self can
establish on.
無相、無住是一種對待客觀條件的正確態度，而客觀條件的總稱就是相; 也就是住的憑藉了。
3
The objective condition also refers to the five skandhas
--form, feeling, perception, impulse and cconsciousness. Buddha thought that
five skandhas are impermanent and impermanence is
suffering and source of trouble. Only if the five skandhas
are thought empty and vain, your heart would be obstacle-free, fear-free and
far away from perverted mind and finally could reach the goal--Nirvana.
客觀條件也是指色受想行識等五蘊。世尊認為五蘊無常，無常是苦，是麻煩的來源，只有將五蘊視為空，視為虛幻，人才能心無罣礙，無有恐怖，遠離顛倒夢想，究竟涅槃。
4 Chuang Tzu used complete virtue, complete form and complete
soul to ask man of practice to reach the obstacle-free state. His way is
different in approaches from but equal in result with Buddha’s.
莊子用德全、形全、神全來要求修行者做到心無罣礙，在這裡，他與世尊的法明顯地是有著異曲同工之妙的。
Zeyang (7) (1-20)(57。2)
莊子演義雜篇則陽(七)(1-20)(57。2)
1 Bai Ju
was one of Laotse’s favorite disciples. He usually
served Laotse in daily life and assisted him to
receive guests. Bai Ju had
done his job so well that Laotse trust in him.
柏矩是老子相當喜愛的弟子。平時他盡心的在老子身邊侍候起居，接待賓客，從無疏漏，深得老子的信任。
2 That autumn witnessed the clearness of weather and the mountains fraught with
beautiful maple leaves. Bai Ju
wanted to travel in this mild weather season, so he suggested his master to
have a tour.
這一年秋天，氣候晴朗，滿山的楓葉實在是美極了。柏矩心想，應該利用這個涼爽的季節出去走走，因此建議老師辦個旅遊。
柏矩學於老聃，曰：「請之天下游。」
3 As a man of perfect practice, Laotse wasn’t charmed by the objective conditions at all. He devoted
himself to improving his subject conditions. Environment didn’t work on him.
老子已經是修行完備的人了，客觀環境的一切對他而言，早已失去了吸引力;他天天專注在自己主觀條件的提升上，無論周遭環境如何演變，對他來說，是起不了什麼調劑作用的。
4 Therefore, Loatse dissuade him. “Why not practice
at home and go around? Mountain is itself; so are water and human. Every place
is as same as the other. It is unworthy of traveling for seeing various
landscapes, different people and learning about different customs.”
因此老子說：「幹嘛放著功不練，到處亂跑呢？山就是山，水就是水，人就是人，各地都是一樣的; 為了看不同的風景，見不同的人;
為了接觸不同的風俗習慣而大費周章的出門旅行是不值得的。」
老聃曰：「已矣！天下猶是也。」
5 Bai Ju thought it rather
boring to stay at the same place all the year and do the same things all the
days. Recalling his disciple doing so many trivia for him without any
complaint, Laotse accepted his suggestion finally.
柏矩卻認為，一整年呆在同一個地方，每天做著同樣的事，實在是太悶，太枯燥了。老子看這位弟子，平常為自己做了那麼多的事，從無怨言。因此，他一定想出去走走，那麼就去走走吧！
6 Laotse said, “Where do you want to go?” Bai Ju became very delighted with
Laotse’s words. He replied, “Let’s go to the State of
老子說：「既然如此，那麼你想要到哪兒去呢？」柏矩見老子鬆口，高興的不得了。他說：「我們就先到齊國去吧！」
又請之，老聃曰：「汝將何始？」曰：「始於齊。」
7 The two headed for the State of Qi. The day there
was an execution held in the market – a criminal was beheaded. The criminal lay
on the ground, with his head away from body. Seeing the brute execution, Laotse felt very sad. He took off his coat to cover the
criminal’s body. He knew that to respect the dead is one of the basic
principles a man of practice should obey.
就這樣師徒兩人一路來到了齊國。這一天在市集上，有罪犯被斬首示眾。罪犯仰臥在地上，身首異位。老子看見這幅殘忍的景象，心中難過得不得了; 他立刻解下身上的外套，覆蓋在受刑人的屍體上。他一向認為，對亡者的尊重，是修行人最起碼應該作的事;
至齊，見辜人焉，推而強之，解朝服而幕之，號天而哭之，
8 Additionally, a man of practice can’t help stopping
to pray when he sees the self-nature being separated from the flesh body,
because theirs are harmonizing to the self-nature of the dead man.
另外一點，就是修行人碰到肉身與自性等分離的當兒，都難免會駐足祈禱一番。因為他們的自性與這亡者的自性是相應的。
9 Holding up his hands, Laotse looked up to the sky,
tear shedding. He said in heart, “You go relaxingly. There is nothing worth of
longing for. In my opinion, a terrible calamity will befall in this world. You
leave now. Why not be lucky?”
老子站在那雙手舉起，仰頭看天，目中不自禁地流下淚來。他心中念道：「你安心的去吧！這世上其實也沒有什麼值得留戀的。在我看，一場大災難即將降臨，你這時離開，又何嘗不是一件幸運的事。」
曰：「子乎！子乎！天下有大菑，子獨先離之。
10 After left the market, beheading in front of the mass still lingered on Laotse’s mind.
離開市集後，斬首示眾這一幕仍然停留在老子的心中。
11 He told Bai Ju,
“Governors warn people of not stealing and not killing, that is the reason why
they behead criminals in front of the mass. Nevertheless, do a person’s
stealing, killing and robbing has nothing to do with the governors?”
他對柏矩說：「為政者都警告百姓不可以偷盜、不可以殺人，他們將罪犯斬首示眾就是這個目的; 然而，百姓偷盜、殺人越貨等行為，難道與當政者就一點關係都沒有嗎？
曰『莫為盜﹗莫為殺人﹗』
12 When a society defines what the honor is and what the shame is, people are
afraid to violate the taboo. Therefore, the complete virtue of people gets
lost.
當一個社會將什麼是榮耀、什麼是羞辱劃定清楚後，百姓就有了懼怕及不安的心; 害怕自己有朝一日會觸犯法律，因此，德全就開始喪失了。
13 When some people of high rank and rich men accumulate the live stuff and
wealth by unfair means, most people have to struggle for their lives.
當社會上有錢有勢的人，為了一己之私而無所不用其極地搜刮財富時，社會上絕大多數為了生存而辛苦掙扎的事就發生了。
14 The standards of honor and shame set by governors make people discontented.
The people of high rank and rich men plunder live stuff and wealth that most
people live on. Most people have to toil all day for living. Do you think that
nobody will take risk in desperation?
當政者樹立榮辱的標準，造成百姓心存芥蒂; 有錢有勢的人搜刮百姓賴以為生的資財，使得百姓的生活環境日趨嚴苛; 這樣的社會，你難道不覺得，一些人會因此挺而走險嗎？
榮辱立，然後睹所病；貨財聚，然後睹所爭。
15 In the ancient time, the governors’ policy focused on people’s bliss. They
undertook all the wrongdoings by themselves. People’s error must result from
the governor’s bad leadership. People always are right. Their wrongdoing is
owing to governor’s error.
從前的主政者，他們的施政都是以百姓的幸福為唯一攷量，百姓永遠是對的，百姓犯錯必是主政者領導無方，其缺失都歸咎於自己的錯誤。
16 The recent governors are different from the past. They keep their policy as
secrets, people are not advised clearly, and however, once people have done any
mistake against the policy, they are condemned seriously. Governor drives
people to do dangerous work, the one dare to reject will sentence through
severe law.
今天的主政者就不同了。他們將施政列為國家機密，不讓百姓知道，百姓不明白政策方向，稍有違犯則痛加責難。與此同時，主政者又促使百姓去幹些危險的工作，畏縮不前者就立刻施以嚴法峻刑。
17 The service and tax that governors impose on people get more and more heavy.
The escaper is punished by very inappropriate ways. Many people are banished to
the frontier of country or killed.
主政者所加諸百姓身上的勞役、稅捐日愈繁重，凡無法履行義務者就施以極不相稱的懲罰，致使許多人被發配邊疆，不從者就處以亟刑。
18 People are tired out under the severe governance. Some can’t stand and then
take risk in desperation.
百姓在這種苛政下疲於奔命，有些人實在受不了就只好挺而走險。
今則不然，匿為物而愚不識，大為難而罪不敢，重為任而罰不勝，遠其塗而誅不至。
19 We can’t understand it: if the governors discredit their people, how can
they force people to have credit on them? When people can’t afford to pay the
heavy tax, people are forced to play some tricks to escape it. When people
can’t suit a certain environment, they manage to cover their embarrassment.
When people lack money for living, they are desperate to steal and rob.
你想一想，為政者對百姓不誠信，如何強迫百姓對他們誠信? 當無力交付沉重的稅捐時，百姓當然會耍些小手段來逃避苛稅；當百姓不能適應某個環境時，他們就會設法來掩飾自己的尷尬；當百姓沒錢生活時，他們就被迫去偷、去搶；
今立人之所病，聚人之所爭，窮困人之身，使無休時，欲無至此，得乎﹗古之君人者，以得為在民，以失為在己；以正為在民，以枉為在己；故一形有失其形者，退而自責。民知力竭，則以偽繼之。
20 When people do such offence things, whom do we blame? It is the people or
the governors. I think that beheading in the market is not a proper policy.”
當百姓做出這些違法的事時，我們到底是應該責備百姓，抑或是主政者？斬首示眾這件事，我認為是很有問題的。」
日出多偽，士民安取不偽﹗夫力不足則偽，知不足則欺，財不足則盜。盜竊之行，於誰責而可乎？」
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark(57。2)
咸池評述(57。2)
1 The abstaining club at home, the
ruler in teacher’s hand, heaven and hell of religionists, the law of governor,
all those have an intention, it forces people to abide by a certain order and
walk at a certain direction.
家中的戒棍、老師手中的教鞭、宗教家的天堂地獄、為政者的刑罰等都只有一個目的，那就是要人遵守一定的規矩、走一定的方向。
2 It is safe to accord with someone’s will and regulations. He, who infringes
rules, would receive punishment. This is the inevitable result in every
society, all members should follow and there have nothing to complain about.
There must be regulation made in the place where even two or more people live.
If feeling regulations are bad, you don’t need to be a monk, because the
regulations in temple, which monk must abide by, are plentiful.
順遂某人的意志，合乎規定的就沒事，違背規矩的就會受到一定程度的處罰; 這是群居社會的必然結果，沒有什麼好抱怨的。事實上，只要是兩人以上共同生活的圈子都不免會有這種約法三章的事。如果認為規章、戒律不好，那和尚也就不必當了，因為廟裡規矩甚嚴，和尚們必須遵守的清規、戒律才多著呢！
3 Laotse seems to think that it is bad to give people
any regulation; discrimination between honor and disgrace can affect people so
as to make them grudge and fear; the mental obstacles destroy virtue; once
virtue has a flaw, it no longer a complete virtue. It is impossible to practice
if the complete virtue is of problem, since Taoism stresses all the three:
complete virtue, complete form and complete soul.
老莊似乎認為，凡是對人類行為所製定出的任何規章制度都是不好的; 因為榮辱的分際會擾亂人心，使人們心存芥蒂、恐懼，這樣的恐懼心理難免也會損害德性，而德若存有缺陷就不能算是德全了。道家講究的是德全、形全、神全，德全出現問題的話，修行就成為不可能了。
4 With such
analysis, the Taoism theory purely is made for man of practice. It is
absolutely good to the practice of Zen, but it is impossible to be applied in
society.
從這樣的分析入手，我們不難發現，道家的理論其實純粹是為了修行人而設定的。這樣的理論對禪定修身有著絕對的好處，但就是不能廣泛運用在群居的社會之中。
5 All rules and regulations in the infest society are mundane and ready for
people. Practice of Zen; however, is prepared for escaping from transmigration
and aloofness from this world. It hence is normal that their goals and ways are
different.
任何群居社會的規範及原則都是入世的，都是為了世俗世界而做準備的。而禪定修行則是為了逃出輪迴而做準備的，是出世的，目標不同，方法各異，也就不足為怪了。
6 Buddha asks man of practice to do no cause and to seek no worldly glory,
which stands to reason. Doing cause and seeking worldly glory should be in the
field of law. When they are out of the field of law or on the verge of law,
their terror arises. When you drive at the speed that is higher than regulated
speed and policeman stops you, do you feel feared and irritated?
世尊要修行人不做事業、不求世榮是有道理的。做事業、求世榮就得在世俗的法律範圍內運作，當走到法律邊緣或超越法律規定時，恐懼之心難免就會昇起。當你在高速公路上超速駕駛，忽然被員警攔下來的那一刻，在你心中，是不是既懊惱又惶恐呢？
7 Businessman plays tricks to escape tax. Once he receives the notice of
penalty from tax bureau, doesn’t he feel much panic?
商人為了省錢，免不了會耍一些手段以逃避稅捐。一旦收到稅捐處的處罰通知，他們心中的波瀾會小嗎？
8 Accident happens in a factory and workers wound or even die. The boss must
answer for it in law besides large sum of compensation. So, such a factory of
middle size or small size could go into bankruptcy. Does the boss feel easy?
Does the boss have complete soul? The answer is definitely no. For this reason,
the life of man of practice and the life of the man in the infest society is
totally different worlds.
工廠裡發生工安事件，工人受了傷甚至死亡，做老闆的除了要賠償巨額傷亡補償金外，還要揹負法律責任。一家中小企業可能就會這樣而被迫關門，這時，老闆的心情會安寧沉穩嗎？神全有可能存在嗎？ 答案當然是否定的。所以修行人及一般人必定是涇渭分明的兩個世界。
9 It is said that
Great Zen is practiced in downtown. But if you are manager of the market or peddler
of fish whom competing with a lot of peers; your practice in downtown is of
problem.
有人說大禪修於市。可是如果你在市場裡當管理員、做魚販子，有一大堆競爭者，你想要修於市的話，難免會遇到問題。
10 Many people
practices in big temple where there are so many monks and nuns. There are
intricate relations among them. It is inevitable for them to compete with each
other for positions, and argue for the distributions of various labors in
temple. In such a place, they perhaps have difficulty in entering the gate of
practice--complete virtue, complete form and complete soul.
許多人到大廟中去修行，廟中和尚尼姑一大群，彼此之間都維繫著一定的關係。可想而知，那種爾虞我詐、爭奪權位的事難免的也會發生; 各種勞役恐怕也難得公平。在這樣的埸所之中修行，大概也很難求得德全、形全、神全的門徑的。
11 History reveals that it is rational that many successful men of practice in
temple are humble monks, such as cleaner, cooker or firewood monks. They are in
charge of a singular work that is irrelevant to others. They instead take
advantage to gain complete virtue, complete form and complete soul. Monks of
power and rank; however, deal with trivia and shoot troubles all day. They
instead lose the tranquil and stable mind. It is unworthy for them to have hair
cut and abide by regulations, in my opinion.
歷史告訴我們，許多在廟裡修行成功者，大都是出自掃地和尚、伙頭和尚、砍柴和尚是有其道理的。這些人單純的負責著一項與他人不生關連的工作，結果反而得到德全、 形全、神全上的便利; 反觀那些有權有勢的和尚，他們天天處理廟中瑣事，為了替人排解糾紛，最後反而失去了安寧，沉穩的心境。頭是白剃了，戒也白守了，在我看來這是挺冤枉的。
Xianchi’s interpretation of Tao Te Ching (57) a。57
咸池評述道德經演義（五十七）a。57
1 In the view of
modern people, it is difficult to understand this theory of Laotse..
老子的這套說法，如果以現代人的眼光來看是很難理解的。
2 Let’s retrospect Zheng He’s voyage to foreign countries in early Ming Dynasty. We
feel proud for Chinese technology of making ship and knowledge of navigation at
that time. We are proud to know that there were more than thirty thousand
people on hundreds of ships did great voyages through Southeast Asia, India,
and went as far as to the east coast of Africa for as long as 20 years. We feel
pitiful and irritated; however, when we read that in the later time, stiff-mind
ministers in court restricted the ship team, and all Zheng
He’s visiting records were destroyed; they even banned building ocean ship with over three masts.
Since then Chinese lost the opportunity of domination of the world.
回顧鄭和下西洋這段歷史，我們對於明朝初年中國人高超的造船技術、豐富的航海知識，以及三萬人共乘數百艘船，浩浩蕩蕩地經過南洋，印度，一直到達到非洲沿岸長達２０多年的海權盛事，都會感到興奮不已。至於鄭和的航海艦隊後來遭受到朝廷儒臣們的嚴加緊縮，甚至於最後銷毀所有的訪外記錄，不准建造超過三桅之遠洋船隻等; 儒臣們的這些舉措，無異於將中國人可能從此稱霸世界的機會完全自我摧毀，想到這裡，我們不免情緒高漲，並且深深為之扼腕歎息。
3 In 1910s, there was a wave of anti-Confucius surging in Chinese intellects.
The reason mostly was that they hated the stiff-mind Confucian that restricts
Chinese development in science, industry and national defense so that
民國初年，有一股反孔的浪潮在知識界興起，其中最大的原因就是為了痛恨這些老舊的封建思想， 處處限制了中國人在科技、工業、國防等方面的發展; 甚至因此而致使中國淪為外國諸強百般淩辱、任意索取的下場及笑柄。
4) The year of
2002 witnessed
在西元２００２年的今天，中國人又站起來了。眼下我們重新開始反省，對所謂人多技巧、奇物滋起，法令滋彰，盜賊多有等這番話，應是比較能夠客觀的審議了。然而，在物質享受增加，生活水準因為奇物而方便舒適後的今天，社會上又是否真的如老子所說的世風日下，盜賊多有呢？
5 Social problems
is not our topic. We just mention that in the modern society there are few
heroes like Robin Hood and few bandits who occupy hills to be the king.
社會問題不是我們所要討論的課題，我們只提一點，那就是現今社會梁山泊式的好漢是少多了;
據地為王、為寇的盜匪也確是少多了。
6 Laotse’s non-action, tranquility, impunity and desireless are thought difficult to be realized in such
complicated society as today. Modern society can’t run and people can’t live,
without police, judge and powerful government. In a city of millions of
population, people can’t move, reside and even can’t survive without powerful
government. Without traffic police and modern traffic grid, people can’t travel
and go to work. Without sewage treatment plant, there is a problem in water
source. Without garbage process system, urban sanitation can’t be maintained.
Without government support, water and electric power can’t be supplied. In
short, a powerful and effective government is absolutely necessary for the
modern society.
老子的無為、好靜、無事、無欲，在當前這樣複雜的社會結構下是難以實現的。現代社會已經走到沒有員警，沒有法官，沒有強而有力的政府就無法運作的地步了。試想，一個上百萬居民的都市，如果缺少了一個強而有力的政府的引導，百姓立刻就會走不動、住不安; 沒有交通警察、沒有現代化高效的交通網，我們簡直就出不了門，也上不了班。沒有污水處理廠，我們的水源就會發生問題；沒有垃圾處理機制，城市衛生就不能維持；沒有政府出面，水電就供應不了。總而言之，在現今樣樣講求效率的社會當中，一個強而有力、有所作為的好政府是絕對缺不得的。
7 Laotse’s theory can only be applied on life of man of
practice. After man of practice stops his cause and worldly glory, he can calm
down, reduce desires, and do practice of Zen and yoga and Qi,
kundalini, essence and refinement can exert themselves so as to develop their
original potential.
由此可見，老子的這套東西，還是應用在修行者的生活上會比較合適。當修行者不做事業，不求世榮; 整個人靜了下來，清心寡慾之後，禪修、瑜伽就變成可能; 氣、挫火、精、妙用等才能充分發揮祂們的功能，也才能進一步的開發人體內本來就具有的潛能。
8 Society of
human has been incurable. Let’s we, the man of practice, conduct ourselves
virtuously and respectively.
總之，人類社會是已經病入膏肓，不可救藥了，我們修行人還是選擇獨善其身吧！