Not self-generated: not surviving for oneself? Because.

1. Original text

The sky is long and the earth is long. The reason why heaven and earth can be long-lasting is because they do not generate themselves, so they can live forever. So the sage follows his body before his body, and his body exists outside his body. Isn't it because he is selfless? Therefore, it can be done privately. ?

2. Translation

Heaven and earth last forever. The reason why heaven and earth can exist for a long time is because they do not move naturally for their own survival, so they can survive for a long time. Therefore, a righteous saint can stay ahead of others by being modest and uncontested when faced with problems; by putting himself out of control, he can preserve his own survival. Isn't this because he is selfless? So he can achieve himself. ?

3. Notes?

(1) Forever; long, long: both refer to the long time. ?

(2) Because it does not generate itself: because it does not survive for itself. Because. ?

(3) Body: oneself, oneself. The following three characters for "body" are the same. Xian: take the lead, occupy the front position. This means to be above others. ?

(4) Wai Qizhen: Wai is a directional noun used as a verb, causative usage, here it means to ignore it. ?

(5)xie (ye): same as "ye", particle, expressing a questioning tone.

Extended information

Laozi, whose surname is Li and Ming'er, whose given name is Dan, whose first name is Boyang, or whose posthumous title is Boyang. He was born in the late Spring and Autumn Period. His birth and death dates are unknown. He was born in Ku County (ancient county name) of Chen (later moved to Chu) State during the Spring and Autumn Period of the Zhou Dynasty. ? Ancient Chinese thinker, philosopher, writer and historian, founder and main representative of Taoism.

Laozi is a world cultural celebrity and one of the world's 100 historical celebrities. Together with Zhuangzi, he is also known as Laozi and Zhuangzi. In Taoism, Lao Tzu is revered as the ancestor of Taoism and is called the "Tai Shang Lao Jun". In the Tang Dynasty, Laozi was posthumously regarded as the ancestor of the Li surname. ?

Laozi’s surviving works include "Tao Te Ching" (also known as "Laozi"), which is one of the most widely published works in the world. In the 1980s, according to UNESCO statistics, among the world's cultural masterpieces, the Bible had the largest number of translations into foreign languages, followed by the Tao Te Ching.

Laozi’s thought has a profound influence on the development of Chinese philosophy, and the core of his thought is simple dialectics. In politics, Laozi advocates governing by doing nothing and teaching without speaking. In terms of power, Lao Tzu emphasizes the principle that things must be reversed when they reach their extreme. In terms of self-cultivation, Lao Tzu is the ancestor of Taoism's dual cultivation of life and life, which emphasizes the practice of being humble and not competing with others.

Reference source? Baidu Encyclopedia Tao Te Ching

Reference source Baidu Encyclopedia Laozi