按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
All beings will be transformed from within themselves；
Being transformed； they again desire action。
We must learn to still desire
To obtain in the Inner Life Purity of the Name。
Purity of the Name in the Inner Life
Brings absence of desire；
Absence of desire brings stillness；
Thus shall the world be perfected from within itself。
38
To assume virtue without being really virtuous is to be virtuous from duty；
To be less virtuous； yet not to lose real virtue； is to be virtuous from Inner Life。
Supreme virtue comes through activity of Inner Life； then let us actively seek Inner Life。
TO be less virtuous and to practice it； let us be active in the performance of duty。
To assume benevolence and practice it let us actively seek Inner Life。
To assume right conduct and practice it let us be active in the performance of duty。
To assume expediency and practice it is to find that no one honours it； then it bares the arm； and asserts itself by force。
Therefore； when Tao is lost； follow Virtue； when virtue is lost； follow benevolence； when benevolence is lost； follow right conduct； when right conduct is lost； follow expediency。
Those who are Masters of expediency have in the heart only the shadow of faith； and in the mind only confusion。
Those who are Leaders of politeness have only the husk of Tao； which is the source of ignorance。
That is why the greatest of the Masters abide in the real；
They do not abide in the shadow。
They hold to the fruit； they do not hold to the husk。
Therefore they put away the latter and take hold of the former。
39
These are they which from of Old have obtained Unity。
Heaven obtained Unity by purity；
he earth obtained Unity by repose；
Spiritual beings obtained Unity by lack of bodily form；
The valleys obtained Unity by fulness；
All beings obtained Unity by life；
Princes and people obtained Unity by being under the rule of Heaven。
These all obtained permanence by Unity。
The innermost of Heaven is purity； if not so； it would be obscured；
The innermost of Earth is repose； it not so； it would disintegrate；
The innermost of spiritual beings is lack of bodily form； if not so； they would die；
The innermost of valleys is fulness of water； if not so； they would be sterile；
The innermost of creatures is life； if not so； they would perish。
The high honour of prince and people is in their being together under the rule of Inner Life； if not so； they would soon lose harmony；
The root of honour is in humility；
The standpoint of high estate is in lowliness。
That is why prince and people call themselves orphans； solitary men； chariots without wheels。
The active principle of their Unity is in lowliness。
Who can deny this？
If you take a chariot to pieces； you have no chariot （it has lost its Unity）。
Do not desire to be isolated as a single gem； nor to be lost in a crowd as pebbles on the beach。
40
He who returns is sent forth by Tao；
He who is weak is used by Tao。
In the world things are born into existence；
Existing things are born into Inner Life。
41
When great scholars heard of Tao； they diligently followed it。
When mediocre scholars heard of Tao； sometimes they kept it； sometimes they lost it。
When inferior scholars heard of Tao； they laughed at it。
Whether they laugh or whether they follow； Tao remains active。
Therefore the poets have said：
Brightness of Tao seems to be dark；
Progress in Tao seems going back；
The aim of Tao seems confused。
The highest Tao seems lowliest；
Great purity seems full of shame；
The fullest Teh seems incomplete。
Teachers of Teh have lost their zeal
And certain Truth appears to change。
A great square with inner angles；
A great vase unfinished；
A great voice never heard；
A great Image with inner form。
Tao is hid within its Name；
But by Tao the Masters bless；
And all things bring to perfectness。
42
In Tao is Unity of Life；
In Unity is Duality of Life；
In Duality is Trinity of Life；
In Trinity all beings have life。
All beings shun the principle of Inertia；
They hold to the principle of Life。
They are brought into deep harmony by the Breath of the Deep。
That which men dislike is to be called orphans； solitary； wheels without naves；
Yet princes and rulers may thus be named。
Therefore some are increased by being diminished；
And some are diminished by being increased。
That which men have taught I also shall teach：
〃He who is strong and violent shall not meet with easy death。〃
I shall in this way teach fundamentals。
43
In the world when we arrive at gentleness we press forward to overcome all hardness。
To possess Inner Life we enter it by our own private doorway。
We do this in order to know in overflowing fulness the possession of activity of Inner Life。
Overflowing fulness of activity of Inner Life
With power to impart it to others without words …
Few men in the world attain to this。
44
Which is more dear to you； your character or your body？
Which do you treasure more； your body or your wealth？
Which makes you more unhappy； to gain or to lose？
But we must sacrifice much to gain true love。
We must suffer great loss to obtain much treasure；
To know contentment is to fear no shame。
To know how to stop is to avoid destruction。
Thus doing； we shall long endure。
45
Esteem lightly your greatest accomplishment； your patience will not fail。
Reckon your great fulness to be emptiness； your strength will not become exhausted。
Count your rectitude as foolishness；
Know your cleverness to be stupidity；
Recognize your eloquence to be stammering words；
And you will find that
As movement overcomes cold； and as stillness overcomes heat； even sol； he who knows the true secret of tranquillity
Will become a pattern for all mankind。
46
When Tao was manifested to men；
Horses were used for cultivating the fields。
When Tao was hid within itself；
War horses were reared on the frontiers。
There is no sin greater than desire；
There is no misfortune greater than discontent；
There is no calamity greater than the wish to acquire；
Therefore to be satisfied is an everlasting sufficiency。
47
Without going out of my door I know the Universe。
Without opening my window I perceive Heavenly Tao。
The more I go abroad； the less I understand。
That is why the self…controlled man arrives without going； names things without seeing them； perfects without activity。
48
By activity in learning we are daily enriched。
By activity of Tao we are daily diminished； diminished and yet more diminished； until we arrive at activity of Inner Life； and activity of Inner Life becomes stillness of Inner Life。
By the practice of Inner Life stillness we can continually conquer all things。
By the pract