Hello everyone, this is Xiaobo Reading. Today I will continue to read with you this classic work that comprehensively expounds Laozi's Taoist thoughts: "The Wisdom of Laozi".
We have previously introduced the content of the third part of this book, "The Description of the Tao". Next, let us continue to share the content of the fourth part: The Source of Power. Corresponds to the contents of Chapters 37-40 of Laozi's "Tao Te Ching".
Chapter 37: The world is self-righteous
The Tao always does nothing but does everything. If the princes and kings can guard it, all things will transform themselves. If you want to transform it into something, I will suppress it with nameless simplicity. Nameless simplicity, the husband will also have no desires. If you don't want to be quiet, the world will be in order.
This means that Tao always obeys nature, does not create or establish, and seems to always do nothing. However, all things are born from Tao and rely on Tao to grow, but in fact it does everything. If the princes and kings can abide by this way, all things will follow their own nature and grow on their own. However, this state cannot last forever. In the process of growth and reproduction of all things, desires and evil thoughts are inevitable. At this time, only the essence of Tao, "nameless simplicity", can overcome this situation. Once there are no desires and evil thoughts, and can return to calmness and stability, then the world will naturally be on track.
The silence and inaction discussed in the previous chapters represents immortal nature and the source of all power. It is absolutely impossible for us to live in this world without being completely inactive. Therefore, only a combination of tranquility, tranquility, loneliness and inaction is the most appropriate way of life and our wisest attitude towards life.
Chapter 38: Fall
To be virtuous is not virtuous, so it is virtuous; to be virtuous is not virtuous, so it is ungrateful. The superior virtues do nothing but have no thoughts; the inferior virtues do nothing but have thoughts. The superior benevolence does it without thinking, the superior righteousness does it without thinking. If you don't respond to the gift, you will throw it away. Therefore, losing virtue will lead to virtue, losing virtue will lead to benevolence, losing benevolence will lead to righteousness, and losing righteousness will lead to propriety. The husband's propriety is weak in loyalty and leads to chaos. Those who know before are the brilliance of Tao and the beginning of foolishness. Therefore, a true man should be concerned with what is good and not what is weak; he should be concerned with truth and not be concerned with luxury. So go to that one and take this one.
This is the most famous chapter in Laozi's "Tao Te Ching". There are many versions that divide this book into two parts, with this chapter being the first chapter of the next part. However, the author believes that this distinction seems inappropriate. Because the philosophical principles that form Laozi's thoughts are completely included in the first forty chapters, and the next forty chapters deal mostly with practical life issues, such as principles of life and political theory.
Lao Tzu proposed: A virtuous person is virtuous because he treats others virtuously and does not think he is virtuous. A virtuous person takes it upon himself to be virtuous when he treats others virtuously, so he becomes unvirtuous. Because the virtuous person is of the same substance as the Tao, and the Tao does nothing, so he also does nothing. However, those who are virtuous have their heart set on being a Taoist, but there are many things they cannot do.
, he would first salute himself, and if he did not get an answer, he would not hesitate to stretch out his arms and lead others to force themselves to do so. From this point of view, only after losing Tao can one have virtue, only after losing virtue can one have benevolence, and only after losing righteousness can one have courtesy.
Etiquette is a sign of loyalty. When one enters the realm of etiquette, chaos will begin. Wisdom is just the vanity of the Tao and the beginning of ignorance. As for using wisdom to predict the future, it is even more foolish. Therefore, a true man should be upright and honest, focusing on loyalty and not paying attention to common etiquette. He should keep the Tao as his duty and not use wisdom and cleverness.
The subject of this chapter is the Fall of the Word. The reason why Tao has fallen is due to the rise of certain philosophers, especially Confucius's teachings of benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, and music. In Laozi's time, rituals had become red tape, restricting people's hearts, and had been misappropriated by those seeking power, becoming a tool for stealing reputations. Therefore, Laozi criticized rituals as "the thinnest of loyalty and the beginning of chaos."
In the process of the gradual decline of "Tao", "De", "Benevolence", "Yi" and "Li", interpersonal relationships become more and more external, and people's inner spirit is hurt. The spirit of spontaneity and autonomy gradually disappears, and only some norms are used to constrain people's thoughts and behaviors into fixed forms. Taoism places special emphasis on unconscious goodness. Good nature is a manifestation of nature and unintentionality. If one has the intention to do good, he will deviate from the "great road" and lead to the path of destruction.
Chapter 39: The Whole Way
In the past, those who obtained one, the sky would be clear, the earth would be peaceful, the gods would be spiritual, and the grains would be full. , all things can live together, and princes and kings can think that the world is right. One of the reasons. It is said that if the sky is not pure, it is afraid of splitting; if the earth is not peaceful, it is afraid of falling apart; if the gods are not spiritual, they are afraid of resting; if the grains are not full, they are afraid of being exhausted; if all things are not alive, they are afraid of destruction; if the kings are not regulated, they are afraid of collapse. Therefore, nobility is based on lowliness, and high and low are the basis. So the princes and princes claim to be lonely, widowed, and unworthy of the grain, but this is not based on practice? Really? Therefore, there is no public opinion. I don’t want the jade to be like jade and the diamond to be like stone.
The focus of this chapter is on the attainment of Tao by princes and kings. Politicians must be able to be subordinate, stay behind, be humble, and understand the humble characteristics of "Tao". A righteous benevolent king should be like the cornerstone of a building, have the spirit of a camel, be "luoluo like stone", simple and persevering. It means: Everything in heaven and earth has a total source of generation, which is Tao, which can also be called one.
Since ancient times, the sky can be clear and clear, the earth can be peaceful, the gods can be wonderful, the grains can be full, all things can be transformed, and the princes can make the world stable.
These are obtained from one. Otherwise, the sky will collapse if it cannot be clear, the earth will collapse if it cannot be peaceful, the gods will disappear if they cannot be miraculous, the grains will dry up if they cannot be filled, all things will be destroyed if they cannot be transformed, and the princes will be destroyed if they cannot handle the rules of the world. subversion.
Therefore, nobleness is based on lowliness, and highness is based on the following. Let’s look at the prince’s claim that he is lonely, Taoist and widowed. Isn’t it based on humbleness as his starting point? People who understand this truth will never insist on being praised by others, nor will they insist on being criticized by others, because it is unethical to be obsessed with the honor and disgrace of any party, just like taking away any part of a carriage does not make it a carriage. Likewise, the Tao must be complete.
Chapter 40 The Principle of Opposition
Opposition is the movement of Tao; the weak is the use of Tao. All things in the world are born from being, and being is born from nothing.
This chapter is also the essence of Laozi’s thought: the movement of Tao is inherently cyclical, and there is no difference between positive and negative. When there is positive and negative opposition, Tao has moved from stillness to movement. But the application of Tao is all about being weak and humble. All things in the universe also live and breathe from this Tao.
"Anti" can be the opposite of something, or the opposite of a contradiction. "The movement of Tao" can be understood as the movement of things, or the driving force of progress. Therefore, we can understand the first meaning of "the opposite is the movement of the Tao" as: everything has both positive and negative sides, or it is a unity of contradictions, and they will transform into each other. The second level of meaning reveals that the law of change of all things in the world is cyclical and begins again and again. This is a typical dialectical thinking, a way of thinking that looks at problems from a developmental or critical perspective.
The "weak" in the second half of the sentence "The Way of the Weak is used" can be understood as weakness, weakness, shortcomings or shortcomings. It means that it is this kind of weakness that is the greatest effect of "Tao". Most people think that being strong is useful, but in fact only being weak or at a disadvantage can bring out the greatest impact in a person. In addition, a person's weaknesses and disadvantages, viewed from another perspective, may become strengths. Strength and weakness can be converted into each other, just like water can carry or capsize a boat. The deeper meaning of this sentence reflects the Taoist ideological realm of "going with the flow" and "letting nature take its course". All things are mutually reinforcing and restraining each other, yin and yang exist, and pros and cons exist in everything.
This chapter summarizes Lao Tzu’s teachings in just a few sentences. The basis of this thought was originally based on the principle of reaction. There is "reaction" and therefore the Tao moves. In Chapter 25 2, Chapter 25-3 and Chapter 36-1 have elaborated on this point of view. "The opposite is the movement of Tao." The "Tao body" is in constant motion. All things produced by "Tao" are also constantly renewing their movement and development in opposite oppositions and cycles. This is the role and law of "Tao" in all things. .
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