04道德经英译本85种-第18部分

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nd　people　around　me　come　to　simplicity　and　naturalness　of　life。

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　　When　earthly　rulers　rule　in　calm　and　harmony；　people；　too；　are　calm　and　peaceful。　And　they　do　not　aspire　to　anything　outside　this　wellbeing？br》　
　　On　the　contrary；　if　earthly　rulers　act　with　irritation　and　aggressiveness；　then　people　begin　to　suffer。　Wellbeing　is　replaced　then　with　troubles　and　calamities。　And　people　begin　to　seek　the　way　out；　and　some　of　them　find　it　by　coming　to　non…doing　and　becoming　immersed　into　the　Light　of　Infinite　Tao。　Then　luck　and　happiness　result　from　affliction。

　　As　we　can　see；　happiness　and　unhappiness　give　birth　to　each　other？br》　
　　The　wise　is　always　calm；　gentle；　and　just。　He　does　not　want　to　take　something　away　from　others。　He　is　selfless　and　does　not　harm　anyone。　He　is　honest　and　lives　in　harmony　with　Tao；　with　nature；　and　with　other　people。

　　He　is　bright　but　does　not　glitter。

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　　In　order　to　serve　Tao　successfully　by　helping　other　people；　one　has　to　be　able　to　preserve　and　accumulate　the　power　of　consciousness。　This　requires　renouncing　everything　that　wastes　this　power。

　　Such　a　renunciation　on　the　higher　stages　of　the　Path　helps　one　to　grow　one抯　own　Power　of　Te；*　which　can　become　inexhaustible　and　can　help　one　to　cognize　Tao　in　fullness。

　　And　Tao　is　the　Eternal　and　Infinite　Primordial　Foundation　of　every　man　and　of　the　entire　material　world。　The　way　which　unites　one　with　that　Foundation　is　called　root。　
　　*　Power　of　Te；　in　other　terms；　is　the　Brahmanic　component　of　an　individual　consciousness　developed　through　the　methods　of　buddhi　yoga。
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　　The　activity　of　Tao　and　Te　in　relation　to　numerous　individual　souls　of　different　age　can　be　likened　to　cooking　a　meal　of　many　ingredients　in　a　large　cauldron。

　　For　realization　of　the　destinies　of　most　people　which　they　deserved；　Tao　and　Te　use　spirits；　some　of　these　spirit　may　be　of　low　level　of　development。

　　Yet　if　man　approaches　Tao　by　the　quality　of　the　soul；　he　goes　beyond　the　sphere　of　influence　of　such　spirits。

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　　The　Great　Kingdom　of　Tao*　is　located　as　if　behind　the　mouth　of　a　river。

　　The　Ocean　is　below　all　rivers；　and　all　rivers　flow　into　It。

　　The　Ocean　is　calm　and　patient。　It　waits　those　who　approach　It　and　enter　It。

　　The　Ocean　is　a　Great　Kingdom；　but　on　the　Earth　there　are　only　small　kingdoms　composed　of　people。

　　The　Great　Kingdom　takes　care　of　satisfying　with　Itself　all　who　enter　It。

　　So；　let　the　rulers　of　small　kingdoms　take　care　that　all　people　be　satisfied。

　　Then　all　will　receive　everything　what　they　want　？both　in　the　Great　Kingdom　and　in　small　kingdoms。

　　And　let　us　remember　that　the　Great　always　has　to　be　below　all。　
　　*　In　other　terms　？the　Abode　of　the　Creator。
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　　Tao　is　the　deepest　Base　of　everything。　It　is　the　Treasure　of　those　who　aspire　to　It。　But　it　also　acknowledges　the　existence　of　evil　people。

　　Yes；　one　has　to　preach　the　purity　and　kind　behavior　to　all　people。　Nevertheless；　aren抰　evil　people　necessary？

　　They　help　one　to　cognize　the　ephemerality　of　earthly　treasures　and　the　illusiveness　of　hopes　for　eternal　staying　on　the　Earth　in　one抯　current　body。

　　In　interaction　with　them；　the　people　of　good　make　efforts　on　changing　themselves　on　the　path　to　Tao　？so　that　to　become　farther　from　evil　as　much　as　possible。　After　all；　in　order　to　become　unreachable　for　evil；　one　must　perform　concrete　actions　on　developing　oneself　as　a　consciousness？

　　Many　people　would　not　strive　to　become　better　if　evil　people　did　not　揾elp？them！

　　The　earthly　rulers　possessing　absolute　power　and　their　servants　value　their　jewelry　and　luxury　chariots？Yet　in　reality；　they　are　not　better　than　those　living　in　solitude　and　calm　and　walking　the　Deepest　Path　to　Tao！　Wouldn抰　it　be　better　for　those　earthly　rulers　to　lead　calm　life　and　dedicate　it　to　cognition　of　Tao？

　　People　say　that　in　ancient　time　no　one　aspired　to　earthly　wealth；　and　the　criminals　were　not　executed。　In　those　ancient　times；　people　worshipped　Tao？　
　　*　Such　examples　are　given；　in　particular；　in　the　book　How　God　Can　Be　Cognized。　Book　2。　Autobiographies　of　God抯　Students。
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　　Rid　yourself　of　the　vanity　of　mind　and　unnecessary　deeds；　keep　calm；　and　be　satisfied　with　simple　food！

　　Thus　one　begins　walking　the　Path　toward　cognition　of　the　Great　Tao；　Which　is　One　Whole　consisting　of　many　Great　Souls。

　　Also　there　are　many　small　souls　incarnated　into　bodies。

　　Having　cognized　this；　the　wise　knows　that　one　should　requite　hatred　with　good。

　　Start　difficult　work　with　easy　beginning。　Every　great　work　consists　of　small　components。　In　this　way　？gradually　？one　fulfills　great　tasks。

　　If　someone　promises　to　perform　great　work　quickly；　such　a　person　cannot　be　trusted？br》　
　　But　the　wise　never　starts　揼reat　undertakings？in　the　world　of　matter！　Therefore；　he　can　perform　great　work　in　the　spiritual　world。　It　is　not　hard　for　him。

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　　It　is　easy　to　help　him　who　mastered　harmony。

　　It　is　easy　to　show　the　way　to　a　seeker　who　has　not　found　it　yet。　However；　one　has　to　remember　that　a　week　person　can　easily　fall　out　of　the　path。　He　who　is　a　weak　soul　yet　will　run　away　from　difficulties。

　　It　is　better　to　begin　constructing　there　where　one　does　not　have　to　destroy　old　walls。　It　is　better　to　introduce　spiritual　knowledge　there　where　one　is　not　attacked　by　angry　and　fool　people。

　　And　then　？a　great　tree　grows　of　a　small　sapling；　a　nine…story　tower　begins　to　be　constructed　of　a　handful　of　earth；　a　journey　of　thousand　li　begins　with　one　step。

　　In　the　world　of　matter；　entrepreneurs　go　bankrupt；　the　owners　of　property　lose　it。　This　is　why　the　wise　does　not　act　like　this　？and　he　does　not　suffer　failures。　He　possesses　nothing　？and　thus　has　nothing　to　lose。

　　The　wise　does　not　live　in　worldly　passions；　he　does　not　strive　to　gain　something　material　that　requires　much　effort。　He　lives　in　natural　simplicity　and　is　satisfied　with　that　which　was　refused　by　other　people。

　　He　walks　the　Path　to　Tao。

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　　He　who　cognized　Tao　does　not　shows　off　in　front　of　ignorant　people。　He　also　refuses　to　搑ule　the　crowd？　and　therefore　he　can　continue　his　development　and　helping　deserving　people。

　　Confidential　higher　knowledge　about　the　methods　of　development　of　consciousness　can　be　harmful　to　people　who　are　not　ready　for　receiving　it。

　　That　wise；　who　knows　about　this　and　acts　accordingly　to　this　knowledge；　becomes　an　example　for　others。

　　Thus　acts　Great　Te。

　　In　order　to　understand　this；　one　has　to　recognize　that　Great　Te　is　the　Opposite　of　evil　people。　In　relation　to　such　people；　Great　Te　is　located　at　unreachable　distance。

　　This　is　what　Great　Te　is。　It　possesses　the　Highest　Power　and　contains　in　Itself　all　the　multitude　of　living　beings！　It　unites　and　separates　people；　It　controls　everything！　It　is　the　Ruler　deserving　the　most　strong　love　and　respect！

　　By　learning　from　It；　you　will　achieve　the　highest　wellbeing！

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　　Great　rivers　became　so　powerful　because　they　flow　down　into　the　sea　accumulating　in　themselves　water　from　the　neighborhood。

　　The　wise；　who　desires　to　help　people；　also　has　to　put　himself　below　others。　Therefore；　though　he　is　superior　to　people；　he　is　not　a　burden　for　them　？and　people　do　not　harm　him。　People　gladly　follow　him　and　do　not　turn　away　from　him。

　　He　does　not　compete　with　anyone　and　therefore　he　is　unconquerable。

　　He　constantly　advances　further　？yet　people　do　not　envy　him。

　　He　does　not　struggle　with　anyone　？thus　no　one　in　the　whole　world　can　force　him　to　act　against　his　will。

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　　Tao　is　Great　and　do　not　have　equals　or　similar　to　It！

　　It　resides　so　deeply　and　is　so　subtle　that　one　cannot　catch　It　or　force　It　to　do　something！

　　I　possess　three　treasures　valuable　to　me：　the　first　is　benevolence；　the　second　is　frugality；　and　the　third　is　that　I　do　not　stand　ahead　of　others。　I　am　benevolent；　thus　I　can　be　brave。　I　am　frugal；　thus　I　can　generous。　I　do　not　stand　ahead　of　others；　thus　I　can　be　a　wise　leader。

　　He　who　is　brave　without　love；　generous　without　frugality；　who　tries　to　be　ahead　of　others　and　pushes　others　away　？such　a　person　suffers　failure。

　　One　of　the　contrary；　he　who　is　full　of　love　achieves　victory。　And　he　is　unconquerable　because　Tao　constantly　guards　him。

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　　The　wise　leader　is　never　bellicose。　The　wise　soldier　does　not　get　angry。　He　who　can　win　does　not　attack　first。　He　who　can　lead　people　does　not　humiliate　them；　but　puts　himself　into　a　lower　position。

　　Such　are　the　laws　of　Te　that　denounce　anger；　self…praise；　and　violence。　In　this　way　act　Those　Who　represent　Te　and　guide　people　to　Primordial　and　Eternal　Tao。

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　　The　military　arts　teaches：　I　do　not　begin　first；　I　have　to　wait。　I　do　not　advance　even　an　inch；　but　rather　retreat　a　foot。　It　is　called　to　act　without　action；　to　win　without　violence。　In　this　case；　I　have　no　enemies；　thus　I　can　avoid　wasting　power。

　　There　is　no　affliction　worse　than　to　hate　enemies！　Hatred　toward　enemies　is　the　path　that　leads　to　the　loss　of　the　most　important　？Tao！

　　Thus　in　battle　those　achieve　victory　who　avoided　it。

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　　My　words　are　easy　to　understand　and　realize。　Yet　many　people　cannot　understand　them　and　cannot　realize。

　　Behind　my　words；　there　is　the　Origin　of　everything。　Since　those　people　do　not　know　It；　they　do　not　understand　me。

　　He　who　cognized　Tao　is　quiet　and　unnoticeable；　though　he　behaves　with　dignity。　He　wears　simple　clothes　and　hides　the　treasure*　within。　
　　*　Wisdom。
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　　He　who　possesses　knowledge　and　keeps　silence　about　it　is　honorable。

　　He　who　has　no　knowledge　yet　pretends　to　be　knowing？is　not　healthy。

　　He　who　is　wise　heals　himself。　The　wise　never　falls　ill　because　he　rids　himself　of　the　causes　of　illness。　He　abides　in　Tao。　How　can　he　be　ill　then？

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　　He　who　lives　with　fear　cannot　become　strong。　The　strength　of　consciousness　can　be　gained　only　if　one　lives　without　fear。

　　So　rid　yourself　of　the　ability　to　despise　others！　He　who　despises　others　is　despicable　before　Tao！

　　Rid　yourself　of　violence　in　relations　with　others！　He　who　d