Wen | original to Xinzhitang
I do not understand very much that even if a professor in a university talks about Lao Tzu, he should take the legend of Lao Tzu being forced to write a book by Guan Yin when he was out of the customs as a historical fact. This legend must not be tenable, and every thinker in history has written a book and a book to make a statement is an active process.
For any doctrine needs to be simmered in the author's mind for years or even decades before it matures. Thought is an active process, and once thought has borne fruit, thinkers cannot wait to make this achievement public, hoping that it will be passed on through the ages.
Lao Tzu wrote a book saying that it was not because he saw the decline of the Zhou Chamber that he lost faith in the world and wanted to flee from this non-land. Rather, it is to try to change the situation of the world's endless chaos and constant war, so that the world will become peaceful and quiet. Lao Tzu's teachings were addressed to the prince or the Son of Heaven, the ruler of the kingdoms at that time. The core issue to be solved is how to govern the country well.
Lao Tzu was not satisfied with the Hou King's policy of governing the world, because under their rule, the world became more and more chaotic. He wanted to find a new way for the princes to govern the country and formulate a new strategy for doing a good job in politics. But he does not begin with how to govern the country, but with metaphysics that has nothing to do with politics.
"The Tao is the Tao, the Extraordinary Tao", the ineffable "Common Tao", is the mother of all things in heaven and earth. To know that there is all things, we must first know the mother of all things. The Tao gives birth to all things, all things are branches and leaves, and the Tao is the fundamental. The process of knowing all things through the Tao is "the way of the ancients, to the existence of the present", also known as the end of the worship of the present. "The world has a beginning, thinking that the world is the mother." He who has his mother, knows his son, knows his son, and keeps his mother, and is not dead."
If we want to do a good job in politics, we must first grasp the essentials of governing the country. This essential applies not only to politics, but also to all things. This essential is nothing else, but the Word. "The Tao is often nameless, although simple is small, the world is not subject." If the prince keeps it, all things will be his guest. ”
"The Tao always does nothing and does nothing. If the prince can keep it, all things will be self-contained. If I want to do it, I will make the town nameless. The town will be nameless, the husband will have no desire, no desire will be quiet, and the world will be self-determined. ”
This is to tell the princes that if you want to do a good job in politics, you should not be busy formulating policies, but first calm down and learn the Tao.
Why is it that learning the Tao can govern the country well? You see, everything is in order, each has its own place, and never attacks each other. You know why? It is because there is the birth and governance of the "Tao". Therefore, the Tao is the Lord of all things, just as the prince is the Lord of all nations.
But have you ever seen the Tao high? The Tao gives birth to all things, so that all things have their place, but after it is willing to dwell under all things, it is afraid of knowing all things. The result? "If a husband does not live, he does not go." "If the husband does not argue, it is because the world cannot compete with it." Look at the water again, "Benefit all things without dispute, and deal with the evil of all", "The husband is not in dispute, so there is no special." Look at the saint again, "then he is first in his body, and he is in the body outside." Because of its selflessness, it can become selfish. ”
The prince called himself "lonely", "widowed", and "not stubborn", standing tall, never forgetting to brush the sense of existence, and afraid that the common people would forget if he had a little merit. People hated these titles the most, and the princes used them as self-titles. The stronger the sense of existence they brush, the more bored the people are.
What is the secret of governing? It is to imitate the Tao, the water, and the saints, and to take the world with nothing and nothing. Do nothing, do what you don't say. If there is no action, there is no cure.
The prince couldn't figure it out, I worked so hard to govern the country, but the country could not govern it. If I do nothing, the world will be at peace, so what is the reason? Lao Tzu explained: Don't you see it? "There are many taboos in the world, and the people are poor." Minduo sharp weapon, the country is dizzy. There are many tricks in people, and strange things are stirred up. There are many thieves in the laws and regulations," "Its political inspection, its people are in short supply," "If the people are not afraid of might, they are mighty to the fullest," and "The hunger of the people, with the amount of food and tax on them, is hunger." The difficulty of the people is difficult to govern, and what is done on it is difficult to govern. The light death of the people, the thickness of survival on it, is the light death. ”
So the saint said, "I do nothing and the people become self-contained." I am so quiet and self-righteous. I have nothing to do and the people are rich. I have no desire and am self-sufficient. The way of heaven gives but does not take, and the virtue of heaven does not honor, and the merit does not dwell. The Fa-inaction is the Fa-Tian-Dao.
The highest state of learning the Tao is to do nothing, "to learn more and more, to lose more and more for the Tao." Loss and loss, so that nothing can be done. Do nothing and do nothing. Taking the world is often nothing, and its things are not enough to take the world. ”
If the prince can learn the realm of inaction, even if he does not want the world to be peaceful, the world will naturally enter a state of peace and tranquility. Therefore, if the essence of the Tao Te Ching can be summed up in one sentence, it is that inaction is the best law for governing the world.
Image from the Internet If there is any infringement, please contact to delete
If you like the article, please press and hold the image below