Chapter 13 1. Lao Tzu’s Way

Chinese traditional culture has two pillars, one is Confucianism and the other is Taoism.It is generally believed that Confucianism puts more emphasis on ethics and moral cultivation, while Taoism emphasizes the awareness and liberation of wisdom.The difference between the two can be distinguished by three simple concepts. First, Confucianism is human-centered and emphasizes human sociality; Taoism is not human-centered and emphasizes human nature.Taoism appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.It was a troubled time at that time, the soldiers were in chaos, and the common people suffered unspeakably.A question that people at that time had to think about was: How can the world be resolved in such chaos?The line adopted by Confucianism is to reform politically, but Taoism believes that this approach is like laughing at a hundred steps at fifty steps, and may not be effective.Taoism believes that no one is immune in troubled times, and to survive, one must change the way of thinking.

The Confucian way of thinking is human-centered and conceived from a human perspective, so we must respect and help others so that human society can develop sustainably.However, reforming human society through political or educational means can never be completely successful, because new generations are born continuously, and when old problems are improved, new problems will appear again, without end.Also, the efforts of the few to help the many must have limited effect.Therefore, the implementation of Confucianism to the end often makes everyone feel very heavy and tired.Even if this generation is reformed, it is unknown what the next generation will be like.

Taoism has seen through this point, and believes that thinking about problems with people as the center is bound to be futile in the end. It is better to change the angle and go beyond the human standard.To go beyond the human standard, we must first let nature take its course and try to avoid man-made fabrications, because the more man-made fabrications, the more troubles we will have.For example, "Laws prosper, and thieves abound" ("Lao Tzu Fifty-seven Chapters"), the more laws and regulations are designed, the more people will break the law; on the contrary, if there are no laws and regulations, there will be no so-called illegal problems. You can also live more comfortably.Another example is "Everyone in the world knows that beauty is beautiful, but it is evil. Everyone knows that what is good is good, but it is not good." ("Lao Tzu. Two Chapters") After setting the standards of truth, goodness, and beauty, there will be untrue, Unkindness and unbeauty appear; on the contrary, if there is no standard, everyone can be happy and at ease, without deliberately doing good things, because there are no so-called good things to do; don't worry about losing face, because all you need to do is to live.Therefore, everything in the human world is relative, and Taoism requires us to try to get rid of human-centered ideas, open our eyes and hearts, and look at everything from the perspective of the entire universe.Only by not being bound by time and space can the mind be free and at ease.

Second, Confucianism regards "Heaven" as the supreme existence, highlighting the historical background; Taoism regards "Tao" as the supreme existence, showing the vision of the universe.Any school of philosophy must make some conclusions about the truth or ontology of the universe.Traditional Chinese thought regards "heaven" as the ultimate source of the universe. "The Book of Songs Daya" says that "the people are born to benefit the people, and there are things to follow. The people's admiration is Yide."The ancients called the emperor the "Son of Heaven", which fully proves that "Heaven" is the supreme ruler in the eyes of the ancients.Confucianism inherits this concept and regards "heaven" as the highest existence.When Confucius encountered difficulties twice, he lifted up the "heaven", such as saying: "Heaven has not lost its elegance, so what should Kuang people do?"

Taoism is different. Taoism replaces "heaven" with "Tao", and "heaven" is downgraded to be called "earth" together. "Heaven and earth" refer mainly to nature. less than human society.However, although nature is self-sufficient, it is not the ultimate source after all.Taoism believes that the ultimate source of the universe is "Tao", "Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things" ("Laozi Chapter 1"), "Tao" breeds all things and is the beginning and destination of everything;" "Tao" exists in all things, but it transcends all things, "independent without changing, traveling around without perishing".With "Tao" replacing the status of "Heaven", many Western scholars believe that Taoism is the most revolutionary thought in ancient China.

Third, Confucianism looks forward to "harmony between man and nature", from seeking the good to choosing the good to the ultimate good; Taoism hopes to "unify with the Tao". The "virtue" of "Heaven and Man Harmonious Virtue" is the virtue of goodness, that is to say, if a person wants to do good, he must constantly cultivate virtue. "Unity with the Tao" means that people want to become a Taoist or a practitioner of the Tao. After realizing the "Tao", the whole state of human life will be different.How to realize the "Tao"?Lao Tzu's method is "to achieve the extreme of emptiness, and to keep quietness" - the pursuit of emptiness is to reach the extreme, and the pursuit of emptiness is to be completely sure. Emptiness can be quiet, and it can be empty. After being empty, the "Tao" will show its light.

In the past, it was believed that there are three kinds of people who will have more experience in learning Taoism.The first type is older people, who have a certain amount of experience, can be said to be weather-beaten, well-informed, and have a more profound experience of life; the second type is frustrated people. Frustrated people are not necessarily old. But the road is unlucky, always in adversity, and the experience of life is more complicated; the third is very smart people, from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Tang and Song Dynasties, many Chinese literati, many like Taoism, the vocabulary used in their works, the meaning of their lives The sentiment shown is completely different from that of literati who advocate Confucianism.As Su Dongpo mentioned in "Ode to the Former Red Cliff": "Only the cool breeze on the river and the bright moon in the mountains can be heard by the ear and become a sound, and when the eye meets it, it can be seen as a color. It is inexhaustible to take and use." This is obviously Taoism's appreciation of nature can be said to open the heart to communicate with nature, unlike Confucianism, which is mainly defined in human society.

However, people cannot live in this world without the guidance of Confucianism, because everyone starts from the family and then enters the society, so they must try to practice proper relationships between people.If you leave Confucianism, you may face the problem of not knowing how to settle yourself and how to get along with others.Besides, if everyone follows the path of Taoism, who will be in charge of this society?From this point of view, the functions of Confucianism and Taoism in society are somewhat of a division of labor and cooperation.However, if a person likes to be unconstrained and freely choose his way of life, he is obviously more inclined to Taoism.Because Confucianism asks us to fulfill our responsibilities in society and pay attention to moral cultivation, which can easily make people feel pressured.For example, Confucius said "do it when you know what is impossible", clearly knowing that the ideal cannot be realized, but still working hard to do it, this is a very great and very tragic feeling.If things go on like this, it is inevitable that you will feel "why do you have to work so hard?"At this time, if you can turn yourself around, look at life from the perspective of Taoism, and let everything go with the flow, you will get rid of many troubles and constraints in the world, and live a more comfortable, unrestrained and happy life.

The founder of Taoism is Laozi.Regarding the background of Lao Tzu's life, there are still many things that are not clear.According to Sima Qian, Lao Tzu was from Qurenli, Li Township, Ku County, Chu State. His surname was Li, his first name was Er, and his style name was Dan.He is the "History of Zhou Shou's Collection", responsible for managing documents and archives, and can be said to be the library director of the Zhou Dynasty.Since his job is to manage documents and archives, he must have received higher education, and it is conceivable that he has extensive knowledge.

"Historical Records" records that Confucius once "asked Laozi about etiquette".Lao Tzu said to Confucius, don’t be full of fighting spirit all day long, wanting to achieve achievements, and thinking about what to do in the future. This is actually not beneficial to yourself, and I am afraid it will not be easy to live for a long time; if you develop well in society, you will inevitably have sequelae in the future .Confucius listened to his words and said: "When I saw Laozi today, he looked like an evil dragon." Dragons can "ride the wind and clouds to the sky." Confucius believed that Laozi's realm was unfathomable and unattainable.

It is said that later, Lao Tzu rode a green ox to the west of Hangu Pass, intending to live in seclusion, but was stopped by the officials guarding the pass on the way, and he must be asked to leave a few words.Lao Tzu wrote it overnight.Of course, this is impossible, and it cannot be written overnight.Whether this book was written by Lao Tzu alone, or whether it was a collaboration between many people, has not yet been determined.But no matter what, Lao Tzu created the Taoist school and opened up another broader road besides Confucianism.Compared with the two, Confucianism views life from a more positive attitude, starts from sincerity, finds the principles of life and conduct, achieves the purpose of self-cultivation, and makes positive contributions to oneself and society.Taoism not only emphasizes sincerity, but also emphasizes "truth", that is, to break through the human-centered pattern, to see the integrity of everything in the universe, to observe the world from the eternal and infinite level, and to let nature take its course with a mindless attitude. Also known as "Laozi", the book has eighty-one chapters and more than five thousand words.There are countless books annotating it throughout the ages.Among the Chinese cultural classics, "Lao Tzu" is also the book that has been translated into the most Western languages, with more than 200 translations. Even the Russian writer Tolstoy and the German philosopher Heidegger have translated "Lao Tzu".It's a pity that Heidegger didn't understand Chinese. He only translated the first eight chapters, but he couldn't continue to translate, because the explanations given to him by Chinese scholars were different for everyone, so he had to break up unhappy. To learn Taoism, one must first understand what is "Tao". The first chapter of "Laozi" says "Tao, can be Tao, very Tao". Many people can't continue reading these six words, and everyone is dizzy. What is "Tao"?First look at the original text: Dao, Ke Dao, very Dao; Ming, Ke Ming, very famous.Nameless, the beginning of all things; Named, the mother of all things.Therefore, always have no desire to observe its beauty; always have desire to observe its beauty.These two come from the same place but have different names, and they are both called Xuan.Mysterious and mysterious, the door to all wonders. ("Lao Tzu Chapter 1") The Tao, which can be expressed in words, is not the eternal Tao.A name, which can be defined by a name, is not a permanent name.Before the name is determined, it is the origin of all things; after the name is determined, it is the matrix of all things.Therefore, the mystery of the origin can only be seen when the desire is eliminated; the vastness of the matrix can only be seen when the desire is preserved.Origin and Matrix, both of which come from one place and have different names, can be called miraculous.There is also magic in the magic, which is the origin of all the mysteries. Translated into vernacular, the meaning is still very profound.First of all, "Tao" is the core concept of Laozi, which represents the ultimate truth. "Tao" also means "say" in classical Chinese. "Tao, Kedao, Very Dao" means that what people's words can express is relatively real, that is, things full of changes.Therefore, the eternal Word is unspeakable.After finishing this sentence, Lao Tzu immediately said, "Name, can be named, very famous". Why do we say "name" immediately after "Tao"?The answer is simple, because it is human beings who think, and human beings need names for thinking, which is the characteristic of human life.For humans, the existence of a thing begins with its having a name. Without a name, it means that it does not exist. "The name refers to the reality", the name is used to refer to the real thing, and its function is a symbol or a symbol, so there is room for adjustment or change.Therefore, for the eternal "Tao", "name" can only be said to be eternal, the two are not at the same level, and once the name is defined and implemented, it becomes a relative name. Before the name is determined, the nameless is the origin of all things, a stage beyond the reach of thought; after the name is determined, the name is the mother of all things, and "mother" means that every mother must have a child, and all things follow.For example, I found an animal that I had never seen before in a mountain today, and it has not yet been named.What animal is that?You can only say "that kind of animal", not what kind of animal it is, because it has no name yet; suppose you name it "bear", after the name "bear" appears, it can be used to refer to the specific bear or bear. that bear. "Name" and "everything" are mother-child relationships that appear at the same time. Then, "Without desire, to see its wonder", people can see everything and understand the mystery of the origin when they have no desire and no subjective prejudice.This sentence refers to the "beginning of all things". "If you have a desire, you can observe its qi", "徼" refers to the vast scope of the mother body, which can be endlessly born and derived from all things. Only with "desire" can one see the size of all things created by "famous".This sentence is for the "mother of all things".For example, if I want to know the ability of a dog, I have to arrange various tests to find out how far it can hear sounds and how far it can see landscapes.This is called "there is desire to observe its origin", which is equivalent to the function of all things, which requires human intervention to understand.If a person is completely "no desire", the focus of attention will not be focused, and "having desire" will want to know the limits and scope of all things, so that they can understand more correctly. "Without desire" and "with desire" are both aimed at people's will and desire.Many people questioned, how could Lao Tzu advocate "desire"?In fact, "desire" is born with "knowledge", and with "knowledge", there is "desire".What Laozi opposes is the deviant desire brought about by the deviant knowledge of ordinary people, so I hope that the common people will be ignorant and have no desire; but don’t forget that Laozi himself or his so-called sages, those who have the Tao, and those who understand the Tao, they have the right If you know, you will also have the right desire.Therefore, "desire" is not necessarily a bad thing. "These two come from the same place but have different names, and they are called the same Xuan". These two refer to "beginning" and "mother", origin and mother body. Although their "names" are different, they come from the same source. "Name", the constant name can be deduced upwards, that is, mysterious and mysterious, it is the "Tao" as the door to all wonders. The content of the first chapter of "Lao Tzu" is the experience of Lao Tzu's lifelong observation and understanding of the principles of life in the universe. He first put forward the core concept of "Tao", pointing out that "Tao" represents the "ultimate reality", and what human language and writing express is relatively real.Then, "name" derives all things, and with names, human thoughts can start to operate.Then it talks about "nameless" and "named", which are aimed at people's reason; "no desire" and "desire", which are aimed at human actions.Because you have desires, you have certain actions, wanting to know the world.But in the end, the goal comes down to appreciating the mystery of "Tao".Interpreted in this way, the beginning and the end of the whole chapter correspond to each other, and the levels are orderly. The subsequent chapters of the whole book of "Laozi" give full play to its principles in turn. What is Tao?This is really a big question.Throughout the ages, I am afraid that no one can explain it clearly in a few words.Lao Tzu's description of this issue is very special, and it can be said that it fully expresses the philosophical wisdom of the ancients.He said: things are mixed, and things are born congenitally.Lonely and lonely, independent without changing, traveling around without dying, can be the mother of the world.I don't know its name, but the strong word is called Dao, and the strong name is called Da.Big is death, death is far, and far is reverse. ("Laozi Twenty-Five Chapters") There is a hybrid thing that existed before the heaven and the earth.Silent and soundless, empty and formless, it exists independently and does not change, circulates without stopping, and can be the matrix of all things in the world.I don't know its name, so I reluctantly call it "Tao", and then reluctantly name it "Da".It is vast and boundless and circulates endlessly, it circulates endlessly and stretches far away, stretches far away and returns to its origin. This passage is very rich in meaning.First of all, "Tao" existed before heaven and earth; secondly, "Tao" can be the matrix of all things in the world.In other words, "Tao" is the power that enables the existence and emergence of all things in the world. What are the characteristics of "Tao"?Lao Tzu said two words: Independence without change, Zhou Xing without peril. "Independence" means that it is unique, without any other things beside it, because it itself is an absolute whole and is "exactly true"; , without any increase or decrease. What does "Zhou Xing but not perilous" mean?It means that everything we see is everywhere, and there is Tao everywhere. It circulates and circulates, just like the cycle of spring, summer, autumn and winter, and it will never stop. These two characteristics of "Tao" are worthy of our consideration.why?There is a basic principle in western philosophy when talking about God: self-cause-self is the cause of oneself, and this is God.Everything we see is an "other cause" - something else is needed as a cause.For example, we are all born of our parents, and the parents are the cause other than me, so I am the "other cause".How did the parents come here?They are born to their parents by their parents.If you keep asking questions like this one after another, in the end everything in the universe has something else as its reason. "Other cause" has a beginning, that factor is the beginning, and where there is a beginning, there is an end.If there is no factor to start itself, it is the "self-cause", which must exist forever. There is only one "self-cause", which is called "God" in the West, and "Tao" in Laozi's view.There was nothing before God, and there was nothing before Tao. "Tao" is the root cause, the cause of oneself. The later Zhuangzi understood Laozi's thinking very well.When Zhuangzi talked about "Tao", he used a word "self-origin and self-root", which means oneself as the source and the root, which is exactly the same as the "self-cause" of God in the West. The Bible records that Moses led the Jews out of Egypt. He went to Mount Sinai to pray. At this time, God appeared, showing that the bush was on fire, but it was not burned. Of course, the appearance of God is different from ordinary natural phenomena.Moses asked: "Who are you? Tell me, so I can tell the people." God said: "I am who I am." It means: I have always been like this, I am the original What is, is that God cannot have a past or a future, He is eternal. Moses in the Bible and Lao Tzu in China do not know each other, so why do they talk about similar things?Because all people, following the requirements of thought, must have such a result. Where does everything in the universe come from?Where do I come from?There was no me before, and there will be no me in the future, so do I exist?Descartes said: "I think, therefore I am." But then he said: "I am, therefore God is." Why do I exist?Is this a hallucination?There is only one way to prove that my existence is not an illusion, and it is to find a source of existence, that is, to prove the power that makes me exist.But that power itself cannot be made to exist by other things, but must be made to exist by itself, so that I have real protection.When human beings think about the changes of all things in the universe and want to find a root cause, they can only reach this level at most.Of course, if you claim no roots, that's a different story.If you claim that there is a root, you can explain why the world is full of changes, and it will not be completely empty. Why did Taoism appear?The time of Laozi was slightly earlier than that of Confucius, which is called the period of great chaos at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period.There was an ideological crisis in that era called "nihilism".Many people think that if you live in this troubled world, you will die in the end anyway. Why should I endure these pains? It is better to die sooner than later.So many people commit suicide, many people kill people, and war becomes a common phenomenon.At this time, people will ask, do people live only to die?What is the meaning of life?Laozi's thoughts are calm on the surface, but very enthusiastic in his heart.He was worried that human beings would fall into the plight of nihilism. After experiencing this kind of wisdom, he couldn't bear to enjoy it alone, so he said it and hoped to tell everyone, do not be afraid. There is a root, and this root is "Tao".Why?The reason is very simple.If there is no "Tao" as the final foundation, where did all this come from and where will it go?What are all these changes for?Changes don't last, but there used to be.We have also existed in a certain time and space under a certain condition, and since we have existed, we have a reason and purpose for our existence.So the existence of "Tao" is too important.Why does Western philosophy like to talk about God or existence itself?Because you can't stand a world where there's only change.If the life we ​​see only changes to the end and is over; if everything disappears after another ten billion years, then we really have to ask, why bother to live this life?What are you going to do in this life?What is the difference between doing and not doing it?What impact will it have on the world if it is made or not?If it ends in a very sad conclusion, we cannot accept it.Therefore, although no one can prove the existence of "Tao", it must exist.Lao Tzu said, I don't know its name, so I can barely call it "Tao", and then I can barely call it "Da". The "big" is not something you can grasp with your senses or reason.At the beginning of the chapter, I wrote a fable about the roc bird, saying, "The Kun is so big, I don't know how many thousands of miles it is. When it turns into a bird, its name is Peng. The back of the Peng, I don't know how many thousands of miles it is. When it flies in anger, its Its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky." Why did Zhuangzi write this?It is to make this bird "big" beyond your imagination.Because what people can think and imagine is limited, but "Tao" is an incredible thing that goes beyond words and beyond your thinking and imagination. Lao Tzu said that "Tao" is vast and boundless, it circulates endlessly, stretches far, and finally returns to the root. It is still a whole. This whole is "Tao", which is the root of all changes in the universe.Everything in the universe will disappear, and Tao will always exist.There is only one purpose in human life, which is to cherish opportunities while you are alive, to develop the potential of wisdom, and to realize what is "Tao".That is to say, I realized that my life did not come to this life in vain. It has a root and foundation, and I should try to combine it with "Tao". After "unifying with the Tao", we will feel that our life is like a drop of water melting into the ocean, which will never dry up. When mentioning "nature", many people think of "nature".But the word "nature" appears five times in Laozi, none of which refers to the natural world. "Natural world" Lao Tzu used four words to describe: everything in the world.In other words, everything in the universe is nature.The "naturalness" mentioned by Lao Tzu refers to the state of oneself, the original appearance of oneself. Xiyan, naturally.Therefore, the wind does not last forever, and the showers do not last all day.Who is for this?world.Heaven and earth can't last long, let alone people? ("Laozi Twenty-Three Chapters") Talking less is in line with your own state.So the wind doesn't last a morning, and the rain doesn't last a whole day.Who caused this phenomenon?It is heaven and earth.Even the special operation of heaven and earth cannot last long, let alone people? "Xi Yan" means talking less.Not only will there be no loss to others if many things are reserved, but it may also reduce troubles. Speaking out will only create misunderstandings.There is a folk proverb in the West: "The more you talk, the deeper the misunderstanding." If you don't speak, there will be no misunderstanding.The best debate is silence, where one speaks eloquently without saying a word.Eloquence is eloquent and words are like flowing water, but sometimes it is not as powerful as silence.There is a little story: a certain old lady does not speak all day long, and when someone asked her why, the old lady replied: "I knew one thing when I was a child, there is a limit to what a person can say in this world, and all the words can be spoken." Then die." "Nature" is the state of oneself.Later, I will talk about "what's more about people?" What about people?It means that talking is a special ability of human beings, and talking less is in line with your own state.why?Because "the wind never ends, and the rain never lasts all day", the strong wind will not blow all morning - I have obviously never been to Taiwan, when Taiwan typhoon comes, I am afraid it can blow for two days; the heavy rain will not last all day - in fact It may also be the whole day; but in any case, the strong wind will not keep blowing, and the torrential rain will not keep falling. What does it mean?Storms and storms are phenomena caused by heaven and earth. Heaven and earth are at a higher level than humans. Phenomena caused by heaven and earth cannot last long, let alone humans?Lao Tzu believes that any phenomenon that occurs in nature must be ordinary, stable and the most durable. Storms and storms are special phenomena, and special phenomena cannot last; Do not have behavior beyond the routine in doing anything, in order to be truly sustainable. So, what is the relationship between "Tao" and "nature"? "Laozi Twenty-Five Chapters" has discussed it, and this is also the most critical chapter in the whole book. Therefore, the Dao is big, the sky is big, the earth is big, and people are also big.There are four major domains, and people live in one of them.Man follows the earth, the earth follows the sky, the sky follows the Tao, and the Tao follows nature. ("Laozi Twenty-Five Chapters") Therefore, Tao is great, heaven is great, earth is great, and man is also great.There are four elements in the realm of existence, and human beings are one of them.The law of man is the earth, the law of the earth is the sky, and the law of the sky is the way.What the Tao follows is its own state. This passage is very profound.Lao Tzu first proposed four kinds of "bigness". The bigness represents people's unimaginable and incomprehensible with reason or feeling;At most seven feet long and a little fatter, what's the big deal?The "National People's Congress" here comes from the fact that people have an inherent potential that can be raised to the level of comprehending the "Tao". The power of this kind of wisdom is great.Therefore, there are four kinds of existence in the realm of existence, and people are the same in them. This shows Lao Tzu's affirmation of people. The next four sentences are more difficult to understand.First of all, humanly.Humans live on the ground, where grains, vegetables, fruits and other products grow, and they must live according to the living conditions provided by the "land".As the saying goes, "Eat the mountains by the mountains, and eat the sea by the sea". When I live on the mountains, I get all kinds of living resources from the mountains; when I live by the sea, I get the living resources from the sea; Only by taking the law from the living conditions given by the surrounding geographical environment can we survive. This is called "human law and land".Next, the earth follows the sky.Earth refers to geography, and sky refers to the time of day, that is, spring, summer, autumn and winter.The germination and growth of all things on the earth depend on the cooperation of spring, summer, autumn and winter, and the cooperation of seasons and wind, rain, thunder, and electricity. Only when the weather is smooth can they grow naturally.If there is a lot of rain in a place, the vegetation will be lush; if there is little rain, it will become a desert.This is called the geographical environment is affected by the weather.As for the "Tian Fa Dao", because the weather also has rules, the sky also needs a source. One of the interpretations of "Tao" is the rule.The law of heaven is Tao, and the most fundamental rule is to maintain balance, maintain normality, and maintain permanence. Of these three, "human beings follow the earth" can guarantee people's survival and learn appropriate living rules; "earth follows the heavens" because geography is affected by the weather;Finally, "Tao follows nature", here comes the problem.Someone translated this sentence as: "Tao" follows the natural world.But the heaven and the earth are the natural world, people follow the heaven and the earth, the heaven and the earth follow the Tao, and the Tao returns to the heaven and the earth. Isn't this a circular argument?Therefore, the "nature" that Dao adopts is the state of oneself.That is to say, everything in the universe including human beings, as long as they maintain their own state, without any extra thoughts and desires, even the "Tao" must learn from you.Of course, when Lao Tzu said this, it was not that the "Tao" really wanted to follow the law, because "the state of oneself" also came from the "Tao"-inaction, nothing is done, but inaction means everything, and in the end all things that should be done It's all done.If anything remains "as it is", it is walking with the "Tao". In the book "Laozi", there are six chapters dedicated to "Tao", namely: Chapters 1, 4, 14, 21, 25, and 42.Fully understand these six chapters, not only can grasp the core of Taoism, but also can understand the highest state of human wisdom. Tao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, three begets all things.Everything bears yin and embraces yang, and the spirit is full of peace. ("Laozi Forty-two Chapters") "Tao" is manifested as a unified whole, and the unified whole is manifested as yin and yang two qi, and the yin and yang two qi exchange to form yin, yang, and harmony three qi, and these three qi then produce all things.All things are backed by yin and facing yang, a harmonious body formed by the agitation of yin and yang. Some people feel that this vernacular translation seems to be a little bit behind the original.The original text is catchy to read, "Tao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things", which is not as complicated as the translation.But don't forget the following sentence "everything bears yin and embraces yang", which finds the answer to the previous "two", yin and yang are "two".Tao is of course "one" because Tao is a unified whole.But the "birth" of "Tao begets one, one begets two, two begets three" is not producing, but displaying and forming. "Book of Changes Xici Zhuan" mentioned: "Yi has Taiji, which is to produce two instruments, two instruments produce four images, and four images produce eight trigrams." The "birth" here also means to show. The "birth" in "Three Lives and Ten Thousand Things" means generation. "Tao" is originally a whole, only it exists, "independent and unchangeable"; other things do not exist, they need to obtain "virtue" from "Tao" in order to exist.Therefore, "Tao generates one" means that "Tao" is presented as a unified whole.The unified whole is manifested as Yin and Yang and two qi, that is, "one life and two".The ancients believed that there are two kinds of forces in the formation of all things. Yang Qi represents the active force, and Yin Qi represents the passive force. These two types of energy constitute the "two". "Two begets three", and "three" represents Yin Qi, Yang Qi, and the "harmony" Qi formed by the exchange and interaction of the two.This harmony is not the harmony of "harmony generates wealth", but a state of harmony.The existence of any thing is a harmonious body formed by the combination of yin and yang of certain components; if it is more feminine, it is called female; if it is more masculine, it is called male.For example, if a mountain represents yang, the valley becomes yin.Everything in the universe is male and female.We can use the principle of yin and yang to explain all phenomena, but it is not pure yin or pure yang.As the saying goes, "A single yin cannot grow, and a single yang cannot grow." There is only one yin, and there is no way to grow; only one yang, there is no way to grow.This is how the universe changes.Therefore, yin, yang, and the three qi, "three" produce all things. "All things bear yin and embrace yang" means that both conditions of yin and yang are met, and then "reconcile the qi into harmony", and reconcile the yin and yang into a harmonious state.As long as everything in the universe exists, there must be some kind of yin and yang force in a harmonious state; otherwise, it will be destroyed immediately and cannot exist.For example, a small grass is a harmonious body when it grows, and it is also a harmonious body when it withers.Gong Zizhen said: "Falling flowers are not ruthless things, they can be turned into spring mud to protect flowers more." After a flower withers, it turns into spring mud to protect the next flower. When it turns into spring mud, it is also a harmonious body. These few sentences have always been regarded as Lao Tzu's theory of the creation of all things, that is, discussing how everything in the universe was created from the source of "Tao".This kind of explanation was also tried in the ancient West, but it was never made clear.Why?Because when human beings lived in this world, this world had already existed for billions of years.How do you explain clearly how the universe was formed?The so-called "well frogs don't know how big the sky is, and summer insects are hard to tell ice", if human beings want to explain "the creation of the universe" or "the creation of all things", they can only rely on reasoning and a reasonable imagination.The answer given by Lao Tzu is "Tao", but "Tao" itself cannot be said, "Tao, can be Tao, very Tao". We don't know what the "Tao" itself is, but we barely talk about "Tao". Once we say "Tao", it is different from "Tao". "Lao Tzu Fifty-One Chapters" also mentioned the problem of "Tao begets it": Dao begets it, virtue breeds it, things form it, and utensils make it, so all things respect the Tao and value virtue.Dao is respected, virtue is noble, Fumo's life is always natural. ("Lao Tzu Fifty-One Chapters") It is produced by "Tao", enriched by virtue, shaped by matter, and completed by concrete.Therefore, all things respect "Tao" and value virtue. "Tao" is respected, and virtue is valued. This is what I have always done without any order. "Tao begets it", that is, all things in the universe are born from "Tao", and "Tao" is the root of all things in the universe. The "virtue" of "virtuous animals" has nothing to do with the so-called "benevolence, righteousness and morality".The "virtue" of Taoism is the "get" obtained.That is to say, as long as anything exists, it has obtained the support of "Tao", and "Tao" endows it with a kind of power, so that it can become such a thing, and such a thing itself has a certain nature or endowment, for example, it is a tree as a tree. A tree, as grass, is grass and cannot be changed casually; this nature or endowment is given to it by "Tao", that is, its "virtue". "The shape of things" refers to seeing things from their shapes, and only when there are things can they have a shape; if there is a shape of an object, there cannot be another shape. The "vessel" in "Qi Cheng Zhi" refers to the concrete things, which are also the objects of our feelings and thinking, that is, all things are finally completed by concrete, because when any thing is presented, it is concrete. "Tao" is respected, and "virtue" is honored, which just reflects the objective fact that all things accept and affirm existence. "Natural" refers to itself, not by external forces.That is to say, as long as everything in the universe exists, it is "respecting Tao and valuing virtue", and it is impossible to choose whether to want it or not; as long as it exists, it means that the power of Tao is supporting it; as long as it exists, it means that the endowment (virtue) of all things is operating, This is "Fumo's order is always natural", that is, there is no order, but it has always been like this. To learn Taoism, one must master the method.I remember the first time I gave a lecture in Xidan Book Building in Beijing. After the lecture, a gentleman in a Taoist robe asked me, what is the method of studying Taoism?I said "Laozi Sixteen Chapters" has a standard answer.In fact, many Taoists today look to this chapter for some guidance in their practice. To be quiet, to be quiet.万物并作，吾以观复。夫物芸芸，各复归其根。归根曰静，静曰复命。复命曰常，知常曰明。 （《老子·十六章》） 追求“虚”，要达到极点；守住“静”，要完全确实。万物蓬勃生长，我因此看出回归之理。一切事物变化纷纭，各自返回其根源。返回根源叫做寂静，寂静叫做回归本来状态。回归本来状态叫做常理，了解常理叫做启明。 这段话开头的两个字就是标准答案：第一是虚，第二是静。虚之后，能空能明；静之后，能安能观。虚有什么好处呢？譬如一只杯子，空的时候代表虚，这时它可以装进任何东西；相反，如果杯子里装满了水，别的东西比如咖啡、酒啊，就装不进去了。所以追求“虚”，等于要把一个人内心里的各种杂念、欲望、幻想化解掉，化解之后，让心空了，才能得到一种新的启发。《庄子·人间世》说得好：“虚室生白。”空的房间就显得亮；相反，如果房间里塞满了东西，再亮的灯光也没有用，因为到处都有阴影，光亮根本显示不出来。人也是一样。如果你想得到智慧，就要慢慢去掉内心的各种欲望，去掉之后，心中空了，空才能灵。所谓“虚灵不昧”，一个人的内心虚了就空，空了就明，“明”就是什么都能照见，像镜子一样，不被遮蔽。相反，如果内心充斥着各种世俗的念头，怎么可能觉悟呢？庄子说，“其嗜欲深者，其天机浅。”这里的“天机”不是“天机不可泄露”的天机，而是一种自然的领悟能力。如果一个人的嗜好和欲望太多，他再怎么聪明，也很难觉悟；而有些人悟性很高，是因为他没什么欲望，心中像镜子一样，看到什么立刻觉悟。 其次，要“静”。一个人要思考，首先要安静下来；不能静下来，再好的道理讲了也听不进去。庄子讲过一个有趣的比喻，说有一个人很害怕自己的足迹和影子，怎么办呢？就拚命地跑，想避开足迹，逃开影子，跑到最后累死了。Why?因为你跑得愈快，足迹愈多，影子愈跟得紧；但是如果你走到树阴之下，安静下来，足迹就不见了，影子也没有了。所以，一个人的心能静下来，才能安定，安定之后才能“观”，“观”就是看得清楚。由此可以看出万物的回归路线，“万物并作，吾以观复”，“复”是回归的路线；“观”是观察，道士修行的地方叫“道观”，道观的“观”就来自这里。也就是说，智慧的觉悟要透过观察，观察之后才能觉悟。所以“观”是道家的特色，儒家的特色是修德行善。 到底觉悟了什么呢？他看出了回归之理，也即一切事物不论如何纷纭变化，最后都要各自返回它的根源。这是很重要的观念，所有变化都要回到根源。譬如我们的生命慢慢成长，老了之后，“返老还童”，等于又回到当初童年的状态。草木也是一样，花草树木一直往上长，长到最后，花落归土，叶落归根，都回到根源——泥土里面。亚里士多德也说过：“循环的圆是最完美的运动，它的终点和起点合而为一。” “归根曰静，静曰复命”，复命是回归本来状态。“命”对人而言，是指既定的条件、无可奈何的发展以及最后的结局。譬如生下来是男还是女，这对人来说是既定的条件，是“命”。对“物”（一切事物）而言，“命”是指本来状态和最后归宿。老子认为，本来状态无异于最后归宿，也就是“静”。一切都归于寂静，回归本来状态，这是恒常的道理。也就是说，宇宙万物不要有人为刻意的造作，让它回归本来状态。有人说，这怎么可能呢？人活在世界上，怎么可能没有一种构想或意图，去达成某些事情或计划呢？你可以有，但不能要求非达成不可。老子的观念叫做“无心而为”，我做我该做的事，但不要有刻意的目的，一切顺其自然。因为所有事情都是因缘和合，条件、时机到了，自然会出现这样的结果；条件、时机不到，就不要去勉强。 最后，了解了常理，就是“明”（启明）了。“明”代表光明，内在产生觉悟，获得解脱和超越的智慧。也即从“道”来看这个世界，看到的一切将不再是以前所见的狭隘范围，心胸自然立刻开阔起来，人生的境界从此不同。“明”（启明）是老子对人的最高期许，并由此建立了道家的修行目标。 “为学日益，为道日损。损之又损，以至于无为。”这是老子的名言。意思是如果你追求学问，每天要增加一点，譬如每天到图书馆去看书，要不然每天看二十分钟书也是可以的，只要每天坚持，每天增加，学问一定愈来愈好。但是你如果想要觉悟什么是“道”，就要每天减少一点，减少什么呢？减少可多可少的相对知识、积非成是的世俗偏见，以及个人特有的各种欲望，最后达到无知、无欲、无求的地步。因为这些东西，包括名声、地位、权力、财富，往往只是增加了你的外在，减少和去除它们，才能帮你回归到自己本来的状态。 《老子》里还有一段话也提到类似的想法： No worries. But how far is it from Ah? 美之与恶，相去若何？ 人之所畏，不可不畏？ 荒兮，其未央哉！ 众人皆有以，而我独顽且鄙。 我欲独异于人，而贵食母。（《老子·二十章》） 去除知识就没有了烦恼。奉承与斥责，相差有多少？美丽与丑陋，差别有又多远？众人所畏惧的，我也不能不害怕。遥远啊，差距像是没有尽头……众人都有所施展，唯独我顽固又闭塞。我所要的，就是与别人都不同，重视那养育万物的母体。 “绝学无忧”意即去除知识就没有了烦恼。这句话不适合给一般学生看。学生一看，这太好了，只要不上学，就没有烦恼了嘛。但这里的“学”指的不是一般的学习，而是有心学习的各种知识。因为有知就有欲，世人的“知”用在区分各种价值，但这种区分往往带来烦恼。而且学无止境，《庄子·养生主》说得好：“吾生也有涯，而知也无涯，以有涯随无涯，殆已。”生命是有限的，知识是无限的，用有限的生命追求无限的知识，那是很累的，即使你再怎么辛苦，也无法达到目的。 “唯之与阿，相去几何”，“唯”即“是的”，听长辈说话的时候，年轻人要“唯”，我们现在还说“唯唯诺诺”；“阿”是长辈对晚辈，老对下属说话的口气。皇帝就很少说“唯”，都是别人说“唯”，皇帝就“阿”，喉咙里发出一点声音。所以“唯”代表尊敬，“阿”代表傲慢。“唯”和“阿”在此处做“奉承”与“斥责”解。被别人称赞、奉承，以及被别人批评、斥责，这两者差别有多少呢？哪一个人不是承上启下，对于底下的人“阿”，对上面的人“唯”？所以不要太计较。 “美之与恶，相去若何”，“恶”在古代多指“丑陋”，尤其是跟美放在一起。美和丑是相对的，要看谁在欣赏，谁来判断。譬如我们觉得某某小姐很美，要是到了非洲长颈族，他们一定认为她很丑，为什么？脖子太短了。所以美和丑的标准是不一样的，也不要太计较。 “人之所畏，不可不畏？”别人畏惧的，我也要畏惧。换句话说，你最好不要跟人说，你们怕的我不怕。这种标新立异的话只能给你带来困扰。 “荒兮，其未央哉！”“荒兮”是指遥远、没有尽头；“未央”是指还没有结束，无尽的意思。老子感叹说，我跟别人的差距像是没有尽头啊。因为一般人在世界上都接受相对的价值观，追求名利、权位，看见谁风光就很羡慕、崇拜。这是一般人的标准。但是我不同。老子把悟“道”者称为“我”。我因为领悟“道”，珍惜“道”，懂得以“道”的眼光来看待世界，所以我与一般人的差距很远。 “众人皆有以，而我独顽且鄙”，“以”就是“用”，别人都有用，很有本事，可以发挥才干，只有我顽固又闭塞。接下来这句话很重要，“我欲独异于人”，可见老子并不反对有“欲”，因为没有人活在世界上是没有欲望的，欲望来自于认知，有知才有欲，只是这个“欲”一定要加以分辨。老子认为一般老百姓的欲是有偏差的，因为他的知有偏差，所以老百姓最好“无知无欲”。而圣人，也就是悟“道”者，也是老子自己，他的欲是没有偏差的，因为来自于正确的知。 老子说，我所要的，和别人不一样。别人表面上开开心心，很愉快，要什么有什么。我看起来好像笨笨的，什么都没有。但是我所要的是养育万物的母体。“母”就是“道”，老子说“道”像母亲一样生出万物，所以万物没有贵贱之分，因为都来自于“道”。老子的意思是，我跟别人不一样是因为我和“道”在一起，就好像我们说的“和光同尘”，我外表跟你们同化，我内心不会变化，为什么？因为我和道在一起，我和我的母亲在一起。就像一滴水和海洋在一起就永远不会枯竭；如果离开了海洋，太阳一晒，就干了，风一吹，就没有了。所以“自足于道”，跟自己生命的本源结合，是老子一个基本的观念。