@三棱心苦心钻研 more than ten years of the Tao Te Ching, the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching has been carefully sorted out and drawn into a main line map of the "Tao can be Tao, the name can be named", vividly and three-dimensionally showing the endless essence of Lao Tzu's thought. I am convinced that this illustrated interpretation will be a feast of knowledge and wisdom for those who are eager to learn, understand and master the Tao Te Ching and put it into practice.
This article is long, but the further it goes, the more exciting it is, it is recommended to pay attention to the collection!
Like a pearl necklace, the main line of the Tao can be said and the name can be named
Below, in the form of questions and answers, this "main line map of the Tao can be said and the name can be named like a pearl necklace" is explained:
Question: Is the content of the 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching scattered?
The theme of the Tao Te Ching is very clear: its theme is "Tao can be the way, the very way, the name can be famous, the name is not the name", these 12 short words reveal the way of human beings to get along with the world:
The way of operation of the universe can be recognized and followed by human beings, but the way of social practice formed by human beings following the way of nature is not constant.
The natural causal relationship of the universe can be expressed by human cognition as a certain cognitive logic, and the cognitive logic expressed by human beings according to the natural causal relationship is not constant.
Around this theme, the 81 chapters are like a string of pearls, which vividly interpret the survival wisdom of human beings in the universe through "Tao can be Tao and name can be named", and the vitality and harmony are vividly interpreted:
Chapter 1 is the general theme, which talks about three interlocking contents: (1) the relationship between the Tao and the name - because of the "Tao", so the "name" is necessary;( 2) the relationship between the non-existence and the existence - because of the "name", so that "out of nothing" can human beings have a logical world that exists parallel to the natural world; (3) The relationship between desirelessness and desire--Because human beings live in the parallel worlds of nature and world logic, it is fundamentally required that human thinking must maintain the interaction between "desirelessness" and "desire".
Chapters 2 to 39 focus on "the Tao is the way, the Tao is not the Tao". "The Tao is the Way, the Extraordinary Way" is the process of transforming the way of the natural operation of the universe into the way of practice of human society, which can be regarded as the process of constructing "cognitive logic" and the practice of "those who are good at building it". Chapters 14, 21, and 25 are the "big beads" on the pearl necklace, which expound the underlying principle of "Tao is Tao, and Tao is not Tao". I discussed it in the related article, and the link is placed at the end of the article.
Chapters 41 to 80 focus on "the name can be named, and the name is not famous". "The name can be named, and the name is not famous" can be understood as the process of transforming "cognitive logic" into practice, and the theory into practice, that is, "simplicity is a tool", that is, "those who are good at holding do not take off", that is, "cultivating it in the body, cultivating it at home, cultivating it in the township, cultivating it in the country, and cultivating it in the world", that is, practicing "virtue". Chapters 42 and 51 are the "big beads" on this necklace, which expound the basic principle of "name can be named, but not named".
Chapter 40 can be regarded as a turning point from theory to practice, "the movement of the opposite, the use of the weak way" is a high-level thinking principle summarized and extracted from the practice of "the Tao can be the way, and the name can be named": because we human beings live in the two worlds of nature and logic, our thinking must first learn to "reverse", that is, to correctly feedback the absoluteness and origin of the "nothing" in the objective natural world, and secondly, we must learn to be "weak", that is, to weaken the interference and influence of the subjective logical world "have" on us. The "anti" thinking principle requires us to focus on objectivity in social practice, which is "inaction," while the "weak" thinking principle requires us to let go of subjectivity in social practice, and this is "indisputable."
Chapter 81 is a summary of the whole book, and puts forward the evaluation criteria of "the way of heaven" and "the way of the sage", as long as we human beings adhere to the principle of "anti-weak" and "inaction, non-fighting", then the practice of "the way can be way, the name can be named" will inevitably reach the ideal state.
Although the 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching are divided by later generations, the people who divide the chapters are definitely also wise men, because he has won the interest of Lao Tzu. Therefore, do not use the excuse that the Tao Te Ching has been tampered with to deny the value of 5,000 words. If you can't find out, then you lack discernment.
The pearl necklace is like the Tao Te Ching chapter
Question: Listening to you say this, there is still some truth in "the Tao is the way, the Tao is not the way", but "the name is famous, the name is not the same" still do not understand, please talk about it in depth?
Answer: Don't interpret the "name" in "nameable, non-famous" as "name". There are also interpreters who understand "name" as "concept", and although there has been progress, it still does not cover the meaning of "name". The "name" here is closer to the "form name", that is, the current logic: Yan Fu "Yuan Qiang": "If it is not mathematics and name science, then my mind is not enough to perceive the indispensable reason and the inevitable number." Zhang Binglin, "The Book of Promises: "Its correct name is also the name of the world's various knowledges, and it is thought to be between Zocrates and Alex (Socrates and Alexotle)." Lao Tzu borrowed the meaning of "logic", but it is much broader than "logic" in the modern sense, referring to the causal relationship between things, and summarizing and refining the principles, methods, and ways according to the causal relationship of things.
These two sentences are not juxtaposed, but progressive: the way of the universe can be recognized and followed by human beings -- and how do human beings recognize and follow the way of nature? The method and way is to explore, discover, summarize, and sort out the causal relationship of everything in the universe and nature (i.e., the images, objects, essences, and beliefs described in Chapter 25) to form a "cognitive logic" that can be cognitive, communicated, and disseminated This process is called "famous, unfamous". The first "name" refers to the inherent logic of operation in the universe and nature, which cannot be used, so it is "nothing" for human beings; the second "name" refers to the cognitive logic (existence) that cannot be used after exploration, discovery, induction, and arrangement, and is used as a verb, and the third "name" refers to various kinds of "cognitive logic (existence)".
To some extent, "extraordinary name" and "extraordinary way" are synonymous, but "extraordinary way" refers to the recognized "cognitive logic" that conforms to the laws of nature, and "extraordinary name" encompasses all "cognitive logic".
The process of "being famous, not being famous" is the process of "making something out of nothing". For example, in the universe and nature, did there originally have the logic of "east, west, north and south"? Is there such a concept as "yin and yang"? Is there a name for animals such as "pigs, horses, cows, and sheep"? Is there an operating system from primitive society to communist society? There is no (none), and in the process of long-term coexistence with the nature of the universe, human beings have gradually produced these "names" (yes). Therefore, "all things in the world are born from being, and some are born from nothing", "nothing, the beginning of heaven and earth, and existence, the mother of all things".
There is a sentence in chapter 21 called "From ancient times to the present, its name is not to be read by the public", which means that since the beginning of human beings, people have been doing the task of giving "cognitive logic" to things, and by doing this, we grasp the essential logical relationship between things.
I think this principle of "the Tao is the way, the very way, the name is famous, the name is not famous" is super simple, but why so many study researchers just can't understand it? Why do they just not accept my point of view? It's really sad!
The Tao is very good, and it is very good
Question: "Tao Ke Dao, Extraordinary Dao" You have made it very clear in the previous three articles, can you focus on which chapters of "Famous and Extraordinary Names" correspond to in the Tao Te Ching?
A: Of course, that's what I'm going to focus on today. Let's start with chapter 42:
Tao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things. All things are negative yin and embrace yang, and they are impulsive and peaceful. The evil of people is only lonely, widowed, and unruly, and the prince thinks it is called. Therefore, the thing may be lost and gained, or the benefit and loss. What people teach, I also teach, those who are strong will not die, I will be the godfather.
(1) The Tao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things. The "Tao" in this sentence means "the Tao can be the Tao". I have repeatedly emphasized that the study of the Tao Te Ching cannot be "one to the end", but can be found in "Why can't we understand the "Tao of Nature"? It is all the fault of "one to the end"!" Through the "Tao can be the Tao", the first step is to "mix the natural chaotic world into one" (Chapter 14), the second step is to "divide into two", the third step is "two into three" (according to the essence of the image in Chapter 21), and so on, and so on, "all things" can be derived. It is also possible for some interpreters to interpret it as heaven, earth, and man, but we must understand that the "heaven, earth and man" here are "heaven, earth and man in the conceptual or logical sense", and cannot be the "heaven, earth and man" of the physical object, otherwise it is subjective conjecture.
(2) All things are negative yin and embrace yang, and they are impulsive and think they are harmonious; so things may be lost and gained, or benefits and lost. In "all things", "yin" is carried and "yang" is embraced, and yin and yang are constantly reconciled like "impulse". The "yin and yang" here refers to "nothingness and existence" - as long as it is "all things", it must contain the natural operating logic "nothing" and the subjective cognitive logic "being". First, the logic of natural operation is constantly developing and changing, and second, the subjective logic of cognition must not only change with the development and change of the material world, but also constantly improve and improve itself. Therefore, in the process of "rushing and harmonizing", things sometimes detract from and gain to gain and sometimes detract from them, which means that "nothing and existence" should be "impulsive and harmonious".
(3) The evil of people is only lonely, widowed, and unruly, and the prince thinks it is called. The people hated loneliness, widowhood, and unhappiness, and the princes called themselves by these words. Here is an example to illustrate how the cognitive logic of the prince and the cognitive logic of the common people are "in harmony".
(4) What people teach, I also teach, those who are strong will not die, I will be the godfather. What others imitate, I also follow suit, and in the imitation, I don't know that those who cling to the "profit and loss" will go to the end without knowing it. I take the way of "rushing and profit and loss" as the criterion of "Tao Kedao". This sentence talks about two issues: First, the great significance of "Tao can be Tao and name can be named" in the inheritance and inheritance of human civilization. Why should human beings "create something out of nothing" through "being famous"? That is, we must transform the innate way of natural operation into a way of human practice that can be identified, utilized, communicated, and disseminated, so when people come to this world, they must first "teach what people teach, and I will also teach them" ("teaching" here means "imitation"); secondly, we must have "the merit of profit and loss"; you must not stick to the old emperor's calendar, you must know how to keep pace with the times, you must be flexible, and you must be flexible, otherwise you will "not die," that is, you will walk into a dead end.
Based on the above analysis, we can see that this chapter is about "name can be named". And many traditional interpretations say that "there is a thing called Tao that gives birth to all things", isn't it funny?
The name is famous, and the name is not very famous
Let's go on to analyze the relationship between Chapter 51 and "extraordinary names":
The Tao is born, the virtue of the animal, the shape of the object, and the potential is formed. It is to respect all things and honor virtue. The respect of the Tao, the nobility of virtue, the life of Fu Mo and the nature of the usual. Therefore, the Tao is born, the virtuous animal is raised, the long is nurtured, the pavilion is poisoned, and the raising is overcome. Born but not had, for the sake of not ashamed, long but not slaughtered. It's called Xuande.
First, let's understand what is meant by "extraordinary name". We all know that "non-permanent name" is originally "non-permanent name", and "non-permanent name" is easy to understand - the cognitive logic "being" expressed by human beings according to the natural causal relationship "nothing" is not constant. This doesn't need to be explained nonsense, it is certainly not constant, and if it is constant, then humanity will stagnate. Let's look at how the text in chapter 51 explains the "non-permanent name":
(1) The Tao is born, the virtue of the animal, the shape of the object, and the potential is formed. First of all, we need to understand what "zhi" is? The traditional interpretation of "all things" is very wrong, and why is it wrong? Because this interpretation is "imaginary" and has no factual basis or logical support. The "zhi" here refers to the "cognitive logic", that is, "being", how is this "being" born? It is born from the natural "nothingness" of the universe by human beings through "Tao can be Tao and name can be named", so it is "Tao is born"; it is constantly accumulated through "virtue (i.e., gain)", so our human "being" is constantly accumulating, so it is "virtue and animal"; this "being" is because the essence of "objectivity" determines its image, appearance, and logic, so it is "the form of things"; because of "potential" The change of continuous profit and loss makes the "have" tend to be perfect and mature, so it is "potential".
These 12 words are a high-level summary of human beings through "famous, unfamous" and "out of nothing".
(2) It is to honor all things without respecting the Tao. The respect of the Tao, the nobility of virtue, the life of Fu Mo and the nature of the usual. Therefore, all things follow the principle of "Tao can be Dao" and attach importance to the method of "name and name" in the process of impulse and profit and loss. The "Dao" here refers to the "Dao Ke Dao", and the "De" refers to the "Name Ke Ming", and the Tao and virtue are natural things, not because of someone's order and authorization.
I understand that there must be people who want to oppose it, and I think that those who want to oppose it should think about it first and then oppose it. This morning I met a "brainless opposition" netizen, in the comment area said that I wrote these things is a waste of time, I looked at his homepage, all of them are negative interpretations of the Tao Te Ching, in his opinion, all explanations are wrong, this is a typical "strong beam must not die". So let's dig into this chapter, who is the subject? I think the subject is "people", not "Tao, virtue"; what are people doing? What is the purpose of "Tao" and "virtue"? It is "impulsiveness and harmony", it is "the use of the Tao of the weak", and it is "Xuande", in a word: how do we human beings treat and use our own "being" that is born from "nothingness". After understanding this theme idea, it is not difficult to understand the text again!
(3) Therefore, the Tao is born, the virtuous animal is raised, the long is nurtured, the pavilion is poisoned, and the raising is overcome. Therefore, all things are created out of nothing because of following the "Tao", and they are better because they attach importance to "morality": "Have" is not only a process of continuous increase, but also a process of continuous cultivation, a process of continuous elimination and a process of continuous trial and error, a process of continuous optimization, and a process of continuous change.
(4) Born but not had, for the sake of not being afraid, long but not slaughtered. It's called Xuande. It derives "being" instead of "being", relying on "being" and not relying on "being", and does not dominate and does not dominate in the development and evolution of "being". The above practical principles are called "Xuande".
Do you see that this chapter is always talking about the "non-permanent name", that is, the source and use principle of "being", and our "being" is "cognitive logic" or governance concepts, institutional paths, etc., which must keep pace with the times and not be conservative. Therefore, the true meaning of "Xuande" is the political wisdom of the concept of governing the country and always keeping pace with the times, and the current political term is "the thought of a certain thought should continue to develop with the development of the times".
To study the Tao Te Ching, don't do it behind closed doors
Friends who have not read my three articles explaining "Tao Ke Dao, Very Dao", the following is the link to the article:
(1) The mystery is revealed as soon as it is revealed: the mysterious "Tao Te Ching" becomes "very easy to know" in seconds!
②天道赠我慧眼慧根：以阅宇宙惚恍窈冥！
(3) The thousand-year-old fog once confessed: the key to "Tao Ke Dao, Extraordinary Dao" turned out to be here!