04道德经英译本85种-第241部分

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nditioned　to　believe　that　knowledge　is　power；　and　having　more　can't　possibly　be　a　bad　thing。
　　Lao　Tzu　is　uniquely　alone　among　all　the　ancient　philosophers　in　steadfastly　pointing　to　the　pitfalls　of　knowledge。　He　saw　the　link　between　academic　intelligence　and　scholarly　arrogance　clearly；　and　addressed　it　several　times　throughout　the　Tao　Te　Ching　in　no　uncertain　language。
　　One　of　the　problems　with　knowledge　is　that　we　become　very　good　at　using　it　in　a　crafty　and　shrewd　way　to　twist　the　truth。　There　are　examples　of　this　everywhere；　and　one　of　them　applies　to　this　very　chapter。
　　The　first　two　words　of　this　chapter　are　literally　〃end　sagacity。〃　The　meaning　is　that　we　should　put　a　stop　to　this　obsession　with　book　smarts　and　focus　instead　on　the　wisdom　of　living　an　actual　life　apart　from　the　books。　It　is　the　ancient　Chinese　equivalent　of　telling　a　bookworm　to　〃get　a　life。〃
　　But　some　readers　of　the　Tao　Te　Ching　have　such　a　powerful　desire　for　ever　more　knowledge　that　they　do　not　hear　this　message　at　all。　They　interpret　〃end〃　to　mean　〃extreme〃　or　〃ultimate〃　so　they　can　change　the　first　line　to　say　something　completely　different　…　that　if　one　can　gain　the　ultimate　knowledge　so　that　there　is　nothing　more　to　learn　（thus　bringing　about　an　end　to　learning）；　then　people　would　benefit　a　hundredfold。
　　In　this　fashion；　they　have　taken　a　warning　against　the　disconnect　of　knowledge　from　down…to…earth　living；　and　transformed　it　to　a　rallying　cry　to　acquire　ever　more　knowledge。　The　fact　that　this　can　happen　at　all　is　the　very　reason　why　Lao　Tzu　emphasizes　intuitive　wisdom　and　downplays　intelligence。
　　As　we　progress　through　cultivation；　let's　keep　Lao　Tzu's　admonition　in　mind：　Knowledge　isn't　a　bad　thing　in　and　of　itself；　but　book　smarts　is　a　very　different　thing　from　street　smarts。。。　and　school　learning　can　never　compare　to；　or　supplant　life　learning。
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　　Cease　learning；　no　more　worries
　　Respectful　response　and　scornful　response
　　How　much　is　the　difference？
　　Goodness　and　evil
　　How　much　do　they　differ？
　　What　the　people　fear；　I　cannot　be　unafraid
　　So　desolate！　How　limitless　it　is！
　　The　people　are　excited
　　As　if　enjoying　a　great　feast
　　As　if　climbing　up　to　the　terrace　in　spring
　　I　alone　am　quiet　and　uninvolved
　　Like　an　infant　not　yet　smiling
　　So　weary；　like　having　no　place　to　return
　　The　people　all　have　surplus
　　While　I　alone　seem　lacking
　　I　have　the　heart　of　a　fool　indeed　…　so　ignorant！
　　Ordinary　people　are　bright
　　I　alone　am　muddled
　　Ordinary　people　are　scrutinizing
　　I　alone　am　obtuse
　　So　tranquil；　like　the　ocean
　　So　moving；　as　if　without　limits
　　The　people　all　have　goals
　　And　I　alone　am　stubborn　and　lowly
　　I　alone　am　different　from　them
　　And　value　the　nourishing　mother　
　　The　blind　pursuit　of　learning　leads　to　excessive　desires　…　the　more　you　see；　the　more　you　want。　Excessive　desires；　in　turn；　lead　to　anxiety　and　misery。　Once　we　understand　this　and　decide　to　no　longer　subject　ourselves　to　information　overload；　the　anxiety　and　misery　disappear　as　quickly　as　the　mental　clutter。
　　People　tend　to　place　too　much　importance　and　attachment　to　value　judgments　like　good；　evil；　respect　and　scorn。　In　reality　these　are　relative　variables　that　change　according　to　perspective。　How　much　do　they　actually　differ；　when　there　are　no　absolute　standards　to　measure　against？
　　Of　course；　I　always　proceed　cautiously　as　a　Tao　cultivator。　Whatever　the　people　fear；　I　must　approach　with　a　healthy　dose　of　caution。　If　they　consider　something　to　be　bad；　there　is　probably　a　reason。　I　will　handle　it　with　care；　even　though　I　understand　the　relative　nature　of　value　judgments。　In　this　respect；　I　am　not　that　different　from　them。
　　Still；　the　great　Tao　is　so　vast；　seemingly　without　limits。　The　gap　between　the　Tao　and　ordinary　people　is　huge　indeed。　For　the　most　part；　what　they　do　and　how　they　behave　are　quite　different　from　my　way　of　being。
　　For　instance；　see　how　easily　they　become　happy　and　excited；　as　if　enjoying　a　great　feast；　or　hiking　up　to　a　scenic　spot　where　they　can　take　in　the　panoramic　view。　I；　on　the　other　hand；　maintain　my　quietness；　tranquility；　and　the　purity　of　my　original　nature；　like　a　newborn　baby　that　has　not　yet　learned　to　smile。　My　demeanor　is　not　jittery　and　excitable。　Instead；　it　is　slow　and　low…key；　as　if　I　am　a　weary　traveler　without　a　home　to　return　to；　and　is　therefore　in　no　rush。
　　I　notice　how　the　people　have　too　much；　while　I　alone　seem　to　have　too　little。　Their　lives　are　filled　with　things　they　do　not　need；　while　I　carry　no　excess　baggage。　My　way　is　minimalist。　I　possess　the　bare　necessities　of　life　and　and　the　freedom　that　comes　with　having　few　burdens。
　　It　would　certainly　appear　that　I　have　the　heart　and　mind　of　a　fool。　I　seem　so　simple　and　ignorant　compared　to　the　shrewdness　of　ordinary　people。　They　seem　so　brilliant　and　logical。　They　handle　everything　in　a　calculating　way；　while　I　react　slowly　and　cannot　account　for　every　little　thing。　They　scrutinize　every　detail　in　everything　with　a　sharp　eye；　while　I　am　happy　enough　with　a　general　idea　and　fuzzy　approximations。
　　My　mind　is　tranquil　and　still；　like　the　depths　of　the　ocean。　At　the　same　time；　it　is　also　moving　dynamically；　like　the　wind　high　in　the　sky。　This　is　something　that　most　people　are　not　likely　to　understand。
　　I　see　them　frantically　pursuing　various　goals　in　the　world；　displaying　their　many　talents　and　abilities；　trying　to　get　ahead　in　the　rat　race。　Meanwhile；　I　appear　to　be　stubbornly　persisting　in　my　lowly　ways。　Why　am　I　so　different？　It　is　only　because　I　hold　on　to　the　basis　of　life；　the　nurturing　mother　of　all　things　…　the　Great　Tao　itself！
　　Notes
　　When　Lao　Tzu　talks　about　not　being　overly　calculating　and　scrutinizing；　he　is　specifically　referring　to　our　conduct　in　interpersonal　relationships。　Most　people　keep　track　of　〃scores〃　…　slights；　cold　shoulders；　back　stabs；　and　so　on　…　with　great　clarity　and　precision；　so　that　when　the　time　is　right　they　can　dole　out　vengeance　and　〃even　the　score。〃
　　Tao　cultivators　do　not　do　that。　They　take　action　to　protect　themselves；　or　distance　themselves　from　malicious　people；　but　otherwise　let　go　of　personal　affronts　without　needing　to　retaliate　in　kind。
　　People　who　do　not　understand　think　cultivators　must　be　obtuse　to　let　others　take　advantage　of　them　like　that。　They　fail　to　see　that；　as　Gandhi　once　pointed　out；　if　we　all　practice　〃an　eye　for　an　eye；〃　pretty　soon　the　whole　world　will　be　blind。
　　In　the　game　of　life；　those　who　shrewdly　〃win〃　at　the　expense　of　others　will　end　up　losing　big　sooner　or　later。　Tao　cultivators；　in　following　Lao　Tzu's　wisdom；　seem　to　〃lose〃　in　the　short　term；　only　to　end　up；　inexplicably；　as　the　ultimate　winners　in　the　long　run。
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　　The　appearance　of　great　virtue
　　Follows　only　the　Tao
　　The　Tao；　as　a　thing
　　Seems　indistinct；　seems　unclear
　　So　unclear；　so　indistinct
　　Within　it　there　is　image
　　So　indistinct；　so　unclear
　　Within　it　there　is　substance
　　So　deep；　so　profound
　　Within　it　there　is　essence
　　Its　essence　is　supremely　real
　　Within　it　there　is　faith
　　From　ancient　times　to　the　present
　　Its　name　never　departs
　　To　observe　the　source　of　all　things
　　How　do　I　know　the　nature　of　the　source？
　　With　this　
　　The　Tao　is　the　infinite　field　of　limitless　potential。　Therefore；　the　manifestation　of　inherent　power　and　great　virtue　of　all　things　can　only　follow　the　Tao　and　come　from　the　Tao。
　　If　we　were　to　regard　the　Tao　as　a　〃thing；〃　it　would　be　indistinct　and　unclear。　The　Tao　embodies　the　mystery　and　the　unknown。　No　matter　how　close　we　get　to　it；　it　will　remain　forever　beyond　complete　comprehension。　It　will　always　be　one　step　beyond　total　clarity。
　　Within　this　indistinct　and　unclear　Tao；　there　is　the　image　of　the　universe。　The　stars；　the　galaxies　…　the　cosmos　are　contained　within　the　Tao。
　　The　Tao　is　the　ultimate　source　of　everything。　Although　it　will　always　be　vague　and　elusive；　it　embodies　all　the　potentialities　of　the　physical　world。　Material　things　come　out　of　this　void；　seemingly　out　of　nowhere。
　　The　Tao　has　unlimited　depth；　and　it　is　within　this　depth　that　we　find　the　essence　of　life。　The　principle　and　driving　force　of　this　essence　are　undeniable。　When　we　examine　this　essence；　we　have　no　choice　but　to　believe　that　the　Tao　exists　and　is　quite　real。
　　This　is　why　the　Name　…　the　Tao；　the　great　virtue；　and　power　inherent　inherent　in　all　things　…　have　never　gone　away　from　antiquity　to　modern　times。　It　is　not　a　passing　fad　or　temporary　fixation；　it　is　the　enduring　and　eternal　truth。
　　We　can　use　this　truth　to　observe　and　understand　the　universal　source　of　all　Creation。　So　if　people　were　to　ask　me　how　I　can　know　anything　about　the　nature　of　this　mystical　source；　I　would　simply　let　them　know　this　is　it。
　　We　may　never　be　able　to　see　it　with　perfect　clarity；　we　may　never　have　complete　comprehension　of　it。　Nevertheless；　its　existence；　function　and　power　are　absolutely；　positively　beyond　doubt。　It　is　the　Tao。
　　Notes
　　Life；　as　we　know　it；　is　all　based　on　DNA。　In　fact；　one　can　even　say　that　it　is　the　genes　that　perpetuate　themselves　generation　after　generation。　They　surround　themselves　with　sophisticated　and　complex　cellular　mechanisms　in　order　to　enable　this　perpetuation。
　　But；　as　science　writer　Bill　Bryson　points　out；　DNA　is　not　in　itself　alive。　So　at　the　very　core　of　the　phenomenon　known　as　life；　we　come　up　against　this　interesting　puzzle；　a　profound　paradox：　the　fundamental　basis　of　life　is　not　itself　a　living　thing。　How　can　this　be？　How　can　it　work？
　　Study　this　issue　long　and　hard　enough；　and　one　may　come　to　a　startling　realization。　We　are　in　fact　not　biological　machines　that　have　learned　how　to　think。　Instead；　we　are　pure　consciousness　that　has　learned　how　to　manifest　in　the　physical　universe　through　the　workings　of　life。　There　is　something　about　this　metaphysical　consciousness　that　simply　wants　to　be；　and　it　drives　the　process　of　life；　transforming　the　inorganic　to　organic　in　order　to　enable　its　manifestations。
　　This　is　genesis。　It　is　not　completely　understood　and　perhaps　it　never　will　be。　It　is　indistinct　and　unclear；　and　yet　within　it　is　the　seed　of　infinite