04道德经英译本85种-第250部分

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nce　with　the　Tao；　the　sages　relax；　let　things　be；　and　simply　enjoy　the　process。
　　This　gives　us　a　world　where　gods　and　demons　do　no　harm；　whether　to　one　another　or　anyone　else。　The　rulers　and　the　people　also　coexist　peacefully。　The　goodness　of　this　worldly　manifestation　lets　the　virtue　and　inherent　power　in　everyone　merge　together　and　return　to　the　Tao。
　　Notes
　　In　this　chapter　as　well　as　other　chapters　of　the　Tao　Te　Ching；　governing　a　country　serves　as　a　metaphor　for　running　one's　life。　Thus；　we　can　also　apply　〃cooking　a　small　fish〃　to　practical；　everyday　Tao　cultivation。
　　Just　as　constantly　changing　rules　and　regulations　disrupt　people's　lives；　in　governing　your　own　life　you　also　need　to　be　careful　not　to　second…guess　yourself　too　much。　People　who　succeed　tend　to　make　their　decisions　quickly　and　change　their　minds　slowly；　if　at　all。　Conversely；　people　who　fail　in　life　are　the　ones　who　decide　slowly　but　change　their　minds　at　the　drop　of　a　hat。
　　Once　you　cultivate　the　Tao　to　a　certain　point　and　get　in　touch　with　your　inner　self；　you　learn　to　trust　and　rely　on　the　power　of　your　intuition。　It　is　capable　of　leading　you　to　the　correct　decision　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。　By　contrast；　dwelling　on　too　much　information　has　a　way　of　leading　to　analysis　paralysis　rather　than　better　decisions。
　　Next　time　you　have　a　hunch　or　a　gut　feeling；　go　with　it。　The　more　you　use　your　intuition；　the　more　powerful　and　accurate　it　will　become。
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　　The　large　country　is　like　the　lowest　river
　　The　converging　point　of　the　world
　　The　receptive　female　of　the　world
　　The　female　always　overcomes　the　male　with　serenity
　　Using　serenity　as　the　lower　position
　　Thus　if　the　large　country　is　lower　than　the　small　country
　　Then　it　can　take　the　small　country
　　If　the　small　country　is　lower　than　the　large　country
　　Then　it　can　be　taken　by　the　large　country
　　Thus　one　uses　the　lower　position　to　take
　　The　other　uses　the　lower　position　to　be　taken
　　The　large　country　only　wishes　to　gather　and　protect　people
　　The　small　country　only　wishes　to　join　and　serve　people
　　So　that　both　obtain　what　they　wish
　　The　larger　one　should　assume　the　lower　position　
　　In　this　chapter　Lao　Tzu　points　out　that　the　virtue　of　humility　applies　not　only　to　individuals　and　personal　interactions；　but　also　to　diplomacy　and　international　relations。　In　fact；　the　microcosm　of　the　personal　reflects　the　macrocosm　of　the　national；　so　principles　that　work　in　one　level　operate　equally　well　in　the　other。
　　Thus；　we　can　see　this　chapter　not　only　as　sage　advice　to　sovereign　states；　but　also　to　all　of　us。　In　the　context　of　everyday　living；　the　large　country　would　be　someone　who　has　more　power；　while　the　small　country　would　be　someone　with　less。　Because　everything　is　relative；　we　can　oftentimes　be　called　upon　to　play　either　role。　For　instance；　a　mid…level　manager　can　be　a　small　country　to　senior　executives；　and　at　the　same　time　be　a　large　country　to　the　rank　and　file。
　　The　large　country　may　be　quite　powerful　and　has　a　lot　more　resources　than　small　countries；　but　if　it　does　not　understand　or　practice　the　virtue　of　humility；　it　will　quickly　devolve　from　a　well…respected　world　leader　to　a　despised　empire。　History　shows　clearly　that　empires　come　and　go；　and　when　an　empire　falls；　the　smaller　countries　that　used　to　cower　at　its　feet　will　suddenly　rise　up　against　it。
　　When　we　apply　this　idea　to　the　individual　level；　we　see　the　wisdom　of　treating　people　well　on　one's　way　up　…　because　it　is　indeed　true　that　one　will　see　all　of　them　again　on　one's　way　down。
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　　The　Tao　is　the　wonder　of　all　things
　　The　treasure　of　the　kind　person
　　The　protection　of　the　unkind　person
　　Admirable　words　can　win　the　public's　respect
　　Admirable　actions　can　improve　people
　　Those　who　are　unkind
　　How　can　they　be　abandoned？
　　Therefore；　when　crowning　the　Emperor
　　And　install　the　three　ministers
　　Although　there　is　the　offering　of　jade　before　four　horses
　　None　of　it　can　compare　to　being　seated　in　this　Tao
　　Why　did　the　ancients　value　this　Tao　so　much？
　　Is　it　not　said　that　those　who　seek　will　find；
　　And　those　with　guilt　will　not　be　faulted？
　　Therefore；　it　is　the　greatest　value　in　the　world　
　　Of　all　the　myriad　things　in　existence；　the　Tao　is　the　most　wondrous　and　valuable。　Good；　kind　people　understand　this　and　treat　it　as　a　cherished　treasure。　Those　who　do　not　understand　the　Tao　may　not　regard　it　as　anything　to　value；　but　the　Tao　still　provides　for　all　the　necessities　they　need　to　stay　alive。　Water；　air；　the　sun。。。　everything　comes　from　the　protective　embrace　of　the　Tao。
　　In　following　the　Tao；　the　good　person　attains　spiritual　refinement；　which　can　then　be　expressed　through　spoken　or　written　words。　These　words　are　uplifting　and　admirable；　so　that　when　they　are　revealed　to　the　public；　they　inspire　people。
　　Good　people　not　only　express　spiritual　truths　through　words；　but　also　demonstrate　these　truths　in　everyday　actions。　Their　honor；　integrity　and　compassion　serve　as　great　examples　for　others。
　　Those　who　have　not　achieved　this　level　of　refinement　are　not　capable　of　inspiring　words　or　actions。　And　yet；　everyone　has　the　potential　to　become　enlightened。　Because　this　is　so；　the　Tao　cannot　possibly　abandon　them。
　　The　highest　and　most　important　ceremony　in　ancient　China　was　the　crowning　of　the　Emperor　and　the　installation　of　the　Emperor's　three　ministers。　In　order　to　emphasize　its　significance；　the　ceremony　including　offerings　of　jade　and　horses。　The　jade　used　in　the　ceremony　was　extremely　rare；　large　and　valuable；　the　horses　were　a　team　of　four；　each　steed　the　fastest　and　finest　in　all　of　China。
　　As　valuable　as　these　offerings　were；　the　Tao　surpassed　them　all。　No　material　thing　could　compare　to　sitting　down　with　an　open　mind　to　discuss；　explain　and　get　into　the　Tao。　When　people　have　attained　an　understanding　that　suddenly　resolves　their　perplexity　and　liberates　them　from　ignorance；　they　too　will　understand　that　the　Tao　is　truly　priceless。
　　Why　did　the　ancients　cherish　the　Tao　so　much？　It　was　not　because　the　Tao　brought　them　riches　or　material　comfort。　Rather；　it　was　because　the　Tao　helped　those　who　searched　for　meaning　in　finding　the　answer　to　the　ultimate　question　of　life。　For　those　who　did　not　know　enough　to　search；　the　Tao　would　not　find　fault　with　them。　Instead；　it　allowed　them　all　the　time　they　needed　to　work　through　their　issues。　With　infinite　patience；　the　Tao　knew　that　one　day；　they　too　would　embark　on　a　search　of　their　own。　This　is　why　we　say　the　Tao　is　the　greatest　treasure　of　all。　The　coronation　of　any　ruler　from　any　time　in　history　would　pale　by　comparison。
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　　Act　without　action
　　Manage　without　meddling
　　Taste　without　tasting
　　Great；　small；　many；　few
　　Respond　to　hatred　with　virtue
　　Plan　difficult　tasks　through　the　simplest　tasks
　　Achieve　large　tasks　through　the　smallest　tasks
　　The　difficult　tasks　of　the　world
　　Must　be　handled　through　the　simple　tasks
　　The　large　tasks　of　the　world
　　Must　be　handled　through　the　small　tasks
　　Therefore；　sages　never　attempt　great　deeds　all　through　life
　　Thus　they　can　achieve　greatness
　　One　who　makes　promises　lightly　must　deserve　little　trust
　　One　who　sees　many　easy　tasks　must　encounter　much　difficulty
　　Therefore；　sages　regard　things　as　difficult
　　So　they　never　encounter　difficulties　all　through　life　
　　The　sages　take　proactive　actions　without　any　attachments　or　expectations　of　specific　outcomes。　They　manage　processes　and　affairs　around　them　without　trying　to　manipulate　them。　They　get　a　sense　（a　taste）　of　the　situation　without　becoming　so　involved　and　engrossed　that　they　lose　their　objectivity；　and　thus　impair　their　judgment　and　ability　to　act。
　　Whether　tasks　are　great；　small；　many　or　few；　the　sages　approach　them　the　same　way。　They　also　treat　everyone　with　the　same　degree　of　gentle　kindness；　so　that　even　if　someone　attacks　them　out　of　anger　or　hatred；　they　would　not　fight　fire　with　fire。　Instead；　they　would　respond　with　compassion；　against　which　there　is　no　defense。
　　The　sages　are　masters　at　achieving　large　and　difficult　tasks。　They　make　it　look　so　easy。　How　do　they　do　it？　What　is　their　secret？
　　The　sages　break　tasks　down　to　their　constituent　parts。　If　a　task　is　difficult；　they　start　with　its　easiest　part。　If　a　task　is　large；　they　start　with　its　smallest　component。　These　small　and　simple　tasks　require　little　time　and　effort；　and　when　they　are　complete；　the　success　inherent　in　their　completion　generates　positive　energy。　Sages　would　then　use　this　energy　and　leverage　the　success　to　catapult　them　toward　the　next　smallest　or　easiest　task。　Each　greater　success　generates　greater　energy；　greater　feeling　of　satisfaction；　and　greater　ability　to　handle　the　next　challenge。
　　This　is　how　sages　achieve　great　and　difficult　tasks　with　seeming　ease。　Their　secret　is　simply　that　they　never　tackle　such　tasks　head…on。　To　do　so　would　be　foolhardy　and　counterproductive。
　　Someone　who　makes　promises　quickly　is；　in　all　likelihood；　someone　who　breaks　the　same　promises　regularly。　Therefore；　sages　would　be　very　reluctant　to　make　overly　optimistic　projections　in　regards　to　a　task　at　hand。　Someone　who　thinks　everything　is　easy　is　naive　and　inexperienced。　Therefore　sages　regard　all　tasks　as　either　challenging　or　potentially　challenging。　Their　attitude　in　approach　a　task　is　always　cautious　and　conservative。　Whereas　many　people　promise　too　much　and　deliver　too　little；　sages　promise　little　but　deliver　beyond　expectations。
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　　When　it　is　peaceful；　it　is　easy　to　maintain
　　When　it　shows　no　signs；　it　is　easy　to　plan
　　When　it　is　fragile；　it　is　easy　to　break
　　When　it　is　small；　it　is　easy　to　scatter
　　Act　on　it　when　it　has　not　yet　begun
　　Treat　it　when　it　is　not　yet　chaotic
　　A　tree　thick　enough　to　embrace
　　Grows　from　the　tiny　sapling
　　A　tower　of　nine　levels
　　Starts　from　the　dirt　heap
　　A　journey　of　a　thousand　miles
　　Begins　beneath　the　feet
　　The　one　who　meddles　will　fail
　　The　one　who　grasps　will　lose
　　Therefore；　sages　do　not　meddle　and　thus　do　not　fail
　　They　do　not　grasp　and　thus　do　not　lose
　　People；　in　handling　affairs
　　Often　c