Chapter 7 chapter Five

The world is not benevolent, and treats everything as a straw dog. The sage is not benevolent, and treats the people as a straw dog.Between the heaven and the earth, it is like a mouth, empty and unyielding, moving and getting better.It is better to keep the center than to talk too much. The Saint and the Hound From the first chapter of "Laozi", "There is always nothing, and you want to see its wonder. There is always something, and you want to see its essence. These two come from the same place but have different names, and they are both called Xuan. Mystery is also mysterious, the door of all wonders." to " Dao Chong and use it or not, Yuan Xi is like the origin of all things.” They all use expressions that seem different but are the same, and the body is the same and the difference is used, explaining the unity of the Tao and the difference in function. The same body but different levels.In this chapter, a shocking famous saying is put forward in particular, which has caused a lot of opinions in later generations, and each expresses his own opinion.Even, because of this, Lao Tzu was identified as the originator of conspirators, or that Lao Tzu despised Confucianism, belittled benevolence and righteousness, and regarded all humanistic moral concepts as a disguise of knowledge.Different people have different opinions, each sticks to one end.Who is a heresy and who is a right view is originally a subjective determination of each thought, and it is not surprising.But Lao Tzu said straightforwardly in classical Chinese: "Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and all things are treated as dogs. Sages are not benevolent, and people are treated as dogs." The words follow the words, isn't this a sharp and ironic meaning?Actually, not so, not necessarily.

In order to explain the reason, we must first explain the connotation of the two terms in this article.One is "straw dog" and the other is "benevolence". A "straw dog" is a dog made of grass, but of course it is not a real dog.To be honest, it was very common for our ancestors to eat dog meat. It is not surprising that the compatriots in Guangdong still like to eat dog meat. It is a legacy of the customs of the ancestors.The ancients said that a family has six animals for food, and dogs are one of the six animals.Therefore, it was very common to use dog meat as sacrifices in ancient sacrifices.After the Shang and Zhou dynasties, dog meat was gradually exempted from the sacrificial offering.However, in some ceremonies, it is still necessary to tie a pictographic dog with grass instead of killing a real live dog. This is the origin of "straw dog".Before the humble dog is on the altar, it is still cherished and taken care of by people, which is very important.When the ceremony is completed, the used hound dogs will be regarded as waste and thrown away at will, not worth paying attention to.This is just like the folk worship that has been handed down to the present. Sometimes it is simplified a bit. Instead of killing live pigs, a pig’s head is made of rice flour to worship. raided. The word "benevolence", in the text of this chapter of "Laozi", of course represents the "benevolence" of benevolence and righteousness advertised by various schools of thought in the Zhou and Qin Dynasties. Appearance.

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it was common for the feudal lords to quarrel, plunder the lives and properties of common people, their children and treasures, cede territory to rule the roost, and disable the people to succeed.Therefore, intellectuals and scholars are running around calling for benevolence and justice, revealing the ancient sages and sages, asking people how to recognize the benevolence of heaven and love, and how to govern the world with benevolence and benevolence in order to make the world peaceful.Not only Confucianists are like this, but other schools of thought probably all promote benevolence and righteousness and call for benevolence and righteousness.No matter what kind of brilliant theory or what kind of transcendent thinking, if used for a long time, it will produce the opposite evil, and become only empty slogans without real meaning.For example, the Buddha said "equality", but after thousands of years in India, the class gap is still extremely unequal.In the same way, our ancestors have taught benevolence and righteousness for thousands of years, but it is a pity that how many people's deeds and how long their history can truly conform to the benevolence and righteousness!Another example is Jesus, who clamored for "fraternity", but in the two thousand years of Western culture, in which era did fraternity truly appear for the world's human beings!This is exactly the reason why Lao Tzu sighed, "When the Dao is abolished, there is benevolence and righteousness. When wisdom comes out, there is great hypocrisy."

If we understand these negative principles, we can know the positive philosophy proposed by Lao Tzu.All things in heaven and earth are born naturally and exist naturally.It is a natural thing to give birth to all things, and it is also a natural thing to kill all things.Heaven and earth do not regard the birth of all things as a good thing, and at the same time they do not regard death and killing of all things as a bad thing.The heaven and the earth not only gave birth to all things that grow and nourish all kinds of people, but at the same time, they also gave birth to all things that seem to be opposite and poison all kinds of people.As the tonic grows, so the poison grows.Supplements are not necessarily tonics, because tonics can be fatal.Poison is not necessarily poison, fighting poison with poison can save lives.Heaven and earth do not necessarily treat human beings favorably and despise all things, but human beings are self-sufficient and think that heaven and earth grow all things for people, and they call themselves the spirit of all things.In fact, people are harming and killing all things anytime and anywhere.If all things have animism, it must be said that human beings are the greatest poison to all things.In fact, the heaven and the earth have no intention to create all things equally, and all things cannot return to the heaven and the earth independently.Therefore, it is said: "Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and they regard all things as straw dogs." This means that heaven and earth did not establish a subjective heart of benevolence and love all things to create all things.It's just born naturally, existing naturally, returning to death naturally.From the standpoint of heaven and earth, all things are regarded as equal to human beings, and they are all natural, accidental, temporary existence, and will eventually perish.It is called "existence" when it is born, and it is called "nothing" when it dies. When viewed as equals, is there any difference and preference?It's just that people have human hearts, and based on their own self-consciousness, they believe that heaven and earth have the virtue of being good at life, so they praise the benevolence of heaven and earth.If there is knowledge in the world, wouldn't you laugh at the idiots of idiots and idiots?

Once you understand this principle, you will know that a true sage has a mind like the sky and earth, and is as bright as the sun and the moon. All actions are taken for granted and righteous, and they are done naturally.It is not necessarily because I want to be kind to the world, or I want to love you, so I am willing to do it.If a sage has this intention, he is partial, he has himself, and he is no longer a grand prince.Let's take it a step further, a righteous saint, born in an era of great chaos, really wants to save people for the sake of saving the world. Since he has done something, he will inevitably save one side and hurt the other side.It is absolutely impossible to kill the world for me.And killing one to warn the hundred is tantamount to killing a hundred to preserve the one, which is also a murderous intention, and it is unbearable to do so.So, if a sage wants to save the world, does he have to commit suicide to save the world?Suicide can neither save the world, nor can the world be saved by massacre!That's why the Buddha said that if he wishes to save all sentient beings, he will become a Buddha himself.But since the world of sentient beings is inexhaustible, my vows are also endless.When Jesus was nailed to the cross, he could only pray: "I will atone for the sins of the world!" In fact, the sin lies in the hearts of the people, and no one can atone for others, unless the people of the world can forgive their sins and repent.Therefore, Lao Tzu thought that the people in the world at that time, those who called themselves saints, and those who called on benevolence and righteousness to save the world, were empty words and had no real meaning.Even people who use the name of benevolence and righteousness to fulfill their own selfish desires are deceiving themselves and others. , Take everything as a straw dog. The sage is not benevolent, and the people are like a straw dog" famous saying, to warn the world.But Lao Tzu said, but the heroic emperors after Zhou and Qin really used the people as "straw dogs" to achieve their own selfish desires.Once on the throne, the courtiers all over the world call him the "Holy Son of Heaven", or directly hailed as the "Today's Saint". I don't know where the "Holy" comes from? Where does "Ming" come from?I am afraid that when I was reborn, I could only keep my mouth shut, and I would never dare to add another five thousand words and rewrite the sequel.

Contradictory In order to reiterate the consistent meaning of "Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and all things are regarded as dogs. Saints are not benevolent, and people are regarded as dogs" and the following "Saints are not dead, thieves will not stop", "Sages and wisdom are abandoned, and the benefits of the people are a hundredfold", and let us quote From the words in the "(Yue Qu) Box" of "Zhuangzi·Outer Chapter", we can understand why Lao Tzu underestimated the sage and ridiculed benevolence and righteousness at that time, because the world used the name of the sage and pretended to be a signboard of benevolence and righteousness.Just like modern and modern people, who arbitrarily pretend to call for freedom and democracy, are actually an excuse to achieve selfish desires. This is the case for dictators, so why not the true content of Western-style democracy?The whole world is talking, helpless.As Zhuangzi said:

So Zhi Zhi's disciples asked Zhi Zhi, "Is there a way for robbers?"Zhi said: "How suitable is it without evil spirits!"The possession in the husband's delusion room (speculate and estimate his wealth savings in advance), holy also.Be the first (when you act, you must take the lead), brave.After going out (when you succeed, you must first cover your companions and retreat, and you will retreat last), Yiye.Knowing or not (being able to judge whether or not to act) is wisdom.Fenfen (evenly distribute the benefits obtained), benevolence also.The fifth is that there is no one in the world who can become a great thief without being prepared.

From this point of view, a good person cannot stand without the way of a sage;If there are few good people in the world but there are many good people, then the sages will There is less benefit to the world and more harm to the world. It is also mentioned in "Tianyun": "Benevolence and righteousness, the hut of the former kings, can only stay for one night, but not for a long time. It is beautiful and has many responsibilities." On the surface, the thoughts and remarks of Laozi and Zhuangzi seem to be a kind of villain philosophy, especially for narrow-minded religious people, not great religious masters or leaders, or even for die-hards who have strayed into Confucianism, or knowingly committing crimes. Those who dare to use it but refuse to talk about it are hated by the faction, and they think it is "unreasonable talk".In fact, this is the fair philosophy of "natural law" and "conscience".It's fair and comfortable in people's hearts, but generally they can't explain why, or they can't bear to speak too thoroughly. To put it bluntly, anti-Party is boring.When Sima Qian wrote "Historical Records", he used more subtle arguments to reflect the thoughts of Taoism and Lao Zhuang.During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, novelists of folklore literature expressed a lot of ideas in this regard in their novels.The ones that are said with joy and charm are "Mupi Sanke Gu'er Ci" written by Jia Fuxi in the late Ming Dynasty.He was born in Weizao, whose family was ruined and the country was ruined, and he was full of worries about loyalty, so he used this reason to make a lot of complaints, such as saying:

Loyal ministers and filial sons are enemies, killing and setting fire to enjoy glory. The rats in Taicang are full.The old cow plows the land and skins it to death. What crime did the fish in the river commit?Scraping the fresh scales is still too prickly! How many blessings did the tiger cultivate in his previous life?Chewing human flesh is not afraid of clogging teeth! Pheasant and rabbit don't dare to cause trouble, they are chopped into meat sauce and added with chopped green onion! The ancient sword killing people is also called a treasure!The straw sandals on the feet are thrown in the valley!

Wu Qi, who killed his wife, had his seal of Marshal upside down!Pei Jin, who is on top of the lamp, take a bite! The cannibal Bandit Zhi got a good death!What is the reason for Yan Yuan's short life? Could it be that Jade Emperor was coaxed by Zhang San?Where can I check Hei Dongdong's account book? When the good mood comes, the stubborn iron gold color!The sound of copper bells is also bad if you are transported to kill people with anger!Lonely lamp grass in the wind of worldly affairs Hairy!Even if you have those strings of copper coins, you can't wait to see them! bellows art of speaking

In order to explain the fairness of heaven and the lack of mastery of true saints, Lao Tzu directly pointed out that the birth and death of everything in the world is neither dominated by anyone nor intentionally made by heaven and earth.The good fortune, birth and death of all things come from the emptiness, and return to the emptiness.The moment of temporary and accidental existence is just the dynamic of existence and non-existence.Because there is constant movement that lasts for a moment, they mistakenly believe that movement is existence, and do not admit that the static state of returning to nothing is another appearance of existence.So he said: "Between the heaven and the earth, it is like a mouth, empty and unyielding, moving and getting better." "橐口" is a tool used by the old agricultural society to promote ventilation. As the saying goes, it is called a bellows.It is also one of the metal smelting tools that "Huainanzi" said: "Drumming, blowing and hammering to sell steel". "橐" refers to the shape of a box. "口" refers to the slices of its internal activities.But in the old-fashioned agricultural society, cloth sacks were sewn into two ends with a hollow space in the middle, and were used to store sundries, also called "橐".As for "橐", it is a cloth bag with three sides tightly seamed and one side open. "口" is the seven-hole flute of later generations.In short, "橐口" is something that Lao Tzu uses in popular habits to explain that all activities in this material world are just changes in energy. In fact, everything in this world is in an endless dynamic cycle, and there is no real stillness.The so-called stillness is only a scene similar to cessation without the feeling of movement.Therefore, for the same principle, the "Book of Changes Xici Zhuan" with different expressions says: "Good luck and bad luck are regrettable, and those who move are born." Everything has a fault when it moves.In the act of action, the auspiciousness of the so-called good elements only accounts for a quarter.The evil that is bad, and the bad that is second only to evil—regret and stinginess—account for three-quarters. However, the heaven, the earth and all things, after all, are constantly living in dynamics.Activity is like movement, and movement is the expression of vitality.Therefore, the more it moves, the more it lives.Birth and eternal activity are mutual cause and effect, mutual life. Now that we understand the change and exchange of air between heaven and earth, it is constantly changing, life is endless, existence and non-existence are interdependent, and movement and stillness are the suzerain of each other.Then, you can further understand that all human actions, thoughts, and words are the same.Right and wrong, good and evil, good and bad, subjective and objective, are not sure that there is an absolute standard.If it is necessary to argue theoretically that there is an absolute truth, this absolute is only written, man-made, and temporarily ruled to be exhaustive.In fact, in dynamics, the more you move, the more you come out, and there is no end to one point.Just like the development of mathematics and science, it will never end.Similarly, disputes between right and wrong in the world are becoming more and more dynamic and develop in various aspects, and there is no absolute standard. "There is right and wrong, and one loses one's mind." Only when the spirit in the center lives forever, and does not fall on any side of existence, virtuality, and reality, it will naturally not bend one side.This is the crux of "It is better to keep the center than talk too much".However, there are also those who think that these two sentences of Lao Tzu are the dogma of being wise and protecting one's life and not contending with the world.Especially the Taoists of the later generations who practice the Taoist School of Immortal Alchemy believe that talking is the most debilitating behavior, and it is the biggest reason for short life and bad luck.The so-called "poor number" is a manifestation of bad luck and rough luck.Therefore, monks have the strict admonition of "open your mouth and let your spirit go, and your mind will move with fire and work with cold".Whether this kind of statement is absolutely reasonable or not, let’s draw conclusions from the two sentences of “it’s true, it’s not true” in ancient Chinese, and it’s up to everyone to think about it. If you go to the first floor and understand the function of "橐口" and the bellows, then you can understand that Lao Tzu's saying "It is better to keep the middle than to talk too much" is not entirely to teach people not to speak.Just say what should be said, and stop after saying it, without setting a goal.Don't say too much, don't say nothing.It is the principle of keeping the middle ground to speak all over the world without words, and it is in line with the meaning of "good words without flaws" mentioned by Lao Tzu later in the article.Otherwise, why would Lao Tzu say so much about self-authored five thousand texts!For example, a bellows, when it is in use, blows into wind and helps others to accomplish things.If it is not at the right time, when it is not needed, it will stop leisurely and remain silent.If it's like "Tan Fu scolds his seat, and you Heng beats the drum", it's useless to say it, then it violates the clear teaching that "it's better to keep the middle than to talk too much".