Read the Tao Te Ching, chapter 5 of the Tao Te Ching, the way to enlightenment

Original text: Heaven and earth are not kind, and all things are dogs. The saints were unkind and regarded the people as dogs.

Between heaven and earth, what is its defiance? Void but not watery, moving and healing. It is better to be poor than to keep the middle.

Translation: There is no benevolence or unkindness in heaven and earth, and all things are regarded as dogs. The same is true of the saints, who do not exist for benevolence and unkindness, and regard the people as dogs. Isn't the whole heaven and earth like a big bellows? Emptiness is not exhaustive, and the operation is endless. Too many words will be negligent, it is better to stick to the inner quiet.

Study Notes: There were two problems with studying this chapter. First, why did Lao Tzu use the sword dog to express the relationship between heaven and earth and the saints to the unrelated relationship between all things and the people's heavenly way? Second, after discussing the void and endless nature of the Avenue, why is it that the sentence "More words and numbers are poor, it is better to keep the middle" and the void and endless life of the Avenue?

If a person is filial to a relative, he is happy. Why? If a person works hard, he is at ease, why is this? In fact, this is the "Tao" explained by Lao Tzu. The Tao exists in heaven and earth, everywhere, a person acts according to the "Tao", everything is in accordance with the "Tao", although the Tao is not understood, but has already received the relatives of heaven and earth.

Lao Tzu saw this and discovered this law of the Tao. Therefore, he said that heaven and earth are not kind, seemingly unrelated, saints are not kind, seemingly unrighteous, in fact, heaven and earth and saints have relatives and benevolence, otherwise why is there a sentence "The heavens and the earth have no relatives, and they are often with good people"? How can we not be a "dog" but get the benevolence of heaven and earth and the benevolence of saints? The answer is to be a good person.

Lao Tzu's words about the goodness of good people are not "goodness" in the sense of goodness in the universal sense. Rather, it refers to those who follow the laws of the "Tao" and stand in heaven and earth "only the Tao is followed".

It seems that Lao Tzu has made a small trick here, if the person who is close to the Path does not want to be a "dog", then become a "good" person.

Lao Tzu used the term "橐龠" (bellows) to refer to heaven and earth, which is the result of Lao Tzu's observation of the law of the movement of heaven and earth. He found that the heavens and the earth were empty but never dried up, and that all things were endlessly conceived. (Void but not muddy, moving and healing). "How to achieve emptiness"? It needs to be eliminated, it needs to be quiet in the heart, it needs to be cleansed of the mysteries.

How can a person who is close to the Tao not be "poor" in the real world, and the answer given by Lao Tzu is "keeping the middle". In the middle, the heart, keep your own heart, what kind of heart? Calm the empty heart. So how do you achieve a mind of silence and emptiness? The answer given by Lao Tzu is "to lose for the Sake of the Tao day by day." This is also the answer to the second question I encountered during the learning process.

See such a sentence in a book. The tongue is man's weapon and a curse to man. Whether you eat hard or soft rice, the tongue can help you but also harm you. Therefore, if you do not manage your tongue well, you will face the disaster of evil coming out of your mouth. (It is better to be poor in words than to keep the middle), and to encourage with fellow practitioners.