People who are good at action will leave no trace.
people who are good at talking will not leave flaws in their words.
people who are good at counting can calculate without chips.
people who are good at closing doors can't open them without a bolt.
people who are good at binding can't untie them without knots.
Therefore, a man with a way is always good at making the best use of his talents, so there will never be useless people in his eyes; He is always good at making the best use of everything, and there will never be useless things in his eyes.
this is called hidden wisdom. Therefore, a good person can be a teacher of a bad person, and a bad person can be a reference for a good person.
if you don't respect the guidance of good people and cherish the reference of bad people, even if you think you are extremely clever, you are actually confused. This is really a profound and subtle truth.
Laozi's revelation (1) There is nothing wrong with good deeds, and there is nothing wrong with good words
In the last article, it was said at the beginning that "attaching importance to light roots, being quiet is a manic monarch", which can be said to be straightforward and without any delay. Laozi's writing will never be delayed, and every sentence and word should be made the best use of.
At the beginning of this chapter, I didn't make sense as usual. Lao Tzu said, "Good deeds have no tracks", and the literal meaning is very easy to understand. You can't see the traces of people who are good at walking. People who have said before about Ming Dow have "four noes", they don't see themselves, they don't naturally, they don't cut themselves, they don't flatter themselves.
The "scholar" after enlightenment adheres to the "four noes" in his work. He is not extreme, arrogant and self-righteous. Showing off is these scattered subjective emotions that will interfere with observation and analysis of objective laws, and this is the reason why people like them are "inscrutable". How can people understand them if they only do things according to the laws of nature without unnecessary procrastination? Even if you are successful, the enlightened person first thinks of the truth that "the full moon will lead to a loss, and the extremes will be reversed", and it is bound to make a wise choice to "retire after success" to save his body.
in this case, the good doer will understand without a trace, which is the external performance of the enlightened person. Good at doing things, but not showing them, leaving no trace to be found.
Laozi advocated "teaching without words", and said, "It is better to keep the middle if you talk a lot and count the poor", which shows that the power of "language" is highly valued. The core of Laozi's philosophy is "inaction". Since "inaction", it is necessary to be "speechless".
Generally, people who don't have a deep understanding of Laozi's thoughts will think that "inaction" is a negative state of life, and doing nothing is inaction? Obviously, Lao Tzu won't make such a low-level mistake. Lao Tzu said throughout that "Tao" and "inaction" are the manifestations of Tao, and any behavior that conforms to "Tao" and "natural law" can be called "inaction".
In the same way, the so-called "silent teaching" does not mean not speaking, but not saying things that violate the laws of nature. Since they will not violate the laws, those who speak well will be flawless. We often say that talking is not rhetoric. The master said that people are called "clever words", and Lao Tzu said that people who really can talk can't feel what he said, but you can only see him doing things.
"Misfortune comes from the mouth". If a person does not reach the state of "flawless words", the more he says, the more mistakes he will make. It may be a matter of one sentence for many people to call for misfortune for themselves. This kind of thing is common in life, and there are countless examples.
But the truth is clear. When you encounter something, you are still controlled by your emotions. You must get it off your chest quickly. Having said that, the mood is released now, and what are the consequences? Ancestors repeatedly warned, "think twice", think about danger, retreat and change, and think well before you say anything. Even if you can't do it well, you can make fewer but many mistakes.
The root of the problem lies in subjective emotions. The behavior mixed with emotions will make things more complicated or even worse. Keeping your mouth shut means keeping your thoughts and emotions under control, and you can grow your wisdom without being controlled by emotions. This is the real practice of life.
"You don't need to plan if you are good at math". People who are good at math don't need abacus and calculator. Many children are very good at mental arithmetic. They are good at math. The brain is faster than the computer. As soon as the figures are reported, the results can be produced immediately, so people who are good at calculating do not need tools, but use their brains.
"Good closing has nothing to do with it, but it can't be opened". Ordinary people close the door with a bolt and a lock, which is traceable. If there is no latch and lock, how can the door be opened? This sentence corresponds to the first sentence, "there is no way to do good", because his behavior is unconstrained and unconstrained, and there is no trace to observe, so you can't understand what he is doing.
"Good at tying a knot without being untied", people who really know how to tie a knot can't untie it without a rope. "The heart is like a double screen with a Qian Qian knot in it." When people have troubles in their hearts, why do they need ropes to tie them up? They will tie them up firmly. When they have troubles every day, they will not be idle. "Only when they frown, they will go to their hearts again."
parting from sorrow, being humiliated if surprised, all these things often accompany people's hearts, and people have the ability to find their own troubles, just like spinning in a maze. If you can get out of the maze, you must be a wise man. Lao Tzu said, "Although you have a glorious view, Yan is detached." Don't be trapped by feelings, don't be tired of things, don't be humiliated, and the clouds are smooth.
Lao Tzu's enlightenment (2) What is "attacking Ming"
How is "doing good without any way"? How to achieve "flawless words"? Lao Tzu, for example, described the phenomenon and started deep excavation.
He said, "Because saints are always good at saving people, they don't abandon people." In the eyes of saints, no one can be abandoned, and usefulness and uselessness are always one and the same. We don't see the advantages of each other, but it doesn't mean that the other side has no advantages.
The master said, "Three people must have a teacher". These three people are not necessarily perfect people in the ordinary sense, but people will have advantages and disadvantages, but we should observe each other's advantages and learn to make progress.
When you see each other's shortcomings, you can't cling to them. The shortcomings of the other side come from human nature, so even the shortcomings can be used as a reference for observing human nature. Only by understanding human nature can you overcome your own shortcomings. Zhuangzi said that "the useless side is of great use". If we can really observe human nature and be strict with ourselves, it is indeed of great use.
By the same token, everything is useful. We feel that uselessness is not enough in our own intellectual realm, and we have not found its usefulness.
through careful observation, we can see more advantages of others and more functions of everything, and then make the best use of people and things.
Lao Tzu called this ability to observe and put into action "attacking Ming", which means extending, expanding and inheriting. Literally, it means inheriting and carrying forward bright ideas. Light and darkness are two sides of matter, and light and darkness can be transformed into each other. This is exactly what Laozi has been expounding. "Wealth cannot always be preserved" and "retire after success". To look at problems, we should use dialectical eyes, and everything is useful.
"When the water is full, it will overflow" and "when it is hollow, it will be full". When life is in the dark, it seems that there is no hope and it seems to be a dead end. However, Lao Tzu told us with the principle of "attacking the Ming Dynasty" that if we continue to work hard in the dark, it will be accompanied by the atmosphere, and "the peak turns around, and the dark flowers bloom". This is not a fantasy, but a conclusion that Lao Tzu has drawn by observing the laws of the universe.
When people reach heights, they should be prepared for danger in times of peace. When life reaches darkness, they should believe that the road is not deceitful. Perseverance is bound to see the light.
I can respect everyone. Being good can be a teacher and being bad can be used as a reference. People make the best use of everything, and everything can be analyzed and observed from different angles and dimensions. The realm, mind and vision are closely related.
Respect is not superficial courtesy, but deliberate. Respect is to treat people with advantages as teachers from the heart, and treat people with shortcomings with respect from the heart. The starting point of respect is not our own position and preferences, but what we have learned from them to change ourselves.
Laozi's enlightenment (III) Three levels of wisdom
Cultivation and wisdom can be divided into three levels. The first level is to judge things according to one's own subjective preferences. Everything starts from the subjective emotions that "I" like and "I" think, and no matter what people do, they are self-centered.
second, respect the objective laws, learn to observe problems from a broader perspective, analyze them from different angles, and gradually establish an objective thinking concept, so as to "value their teachers and love their resources". Respect teachers and learn to learn from and reflect.
On the third level, we have fully possessed the value concept of life by the way, and no longer use logical thinking to analyze the difference between objective and subjective, and what we say and do has reached a higher level of "following one's inclinations without breaking the rules". In Laozi's words, "I don't care about my teacher, I don't love his capital, but I am fascinated by wisdom." I changed from external learning to pure internal insight and perception, and my heart did not turn with things. "I love my teacher, and I love the truth more."
For beginners, teaching by teachers is the most important thing. When the master takes the door, the practice lies in himself. From observing others, excessively observing yourself, and further understanding yourself, you can understand others. Seeing others is also looking at yourself, not looking at fame, but seeing truth and humanity. Buddhism said, "Seeing a mountain is a mountain, seeing a mountain is not a mountain, and seeing a mountain is still a mountain."
"It's not expensive to learn from a teacher", let alone to make good use of his resources. We don't want all the good ones, let alone the bad ones. Both good and evil are put aside, returning to the original "Tao" and achieving real "inaction", which seems turbid but clear. This is a state of great wisdom.
When the truth of "attacking Ming" is fully understood, there will be a triple realm of wisdom, which is "the beauty of Tao".