絕學無憂，唯之與阿，相去幾何？善之與惡，相去若何？人之所畏，不可不畏。荒兮其未央哉！衆人 熙熙，如享太牢，如春登臺。我獨怕兮其未兆；如嬰兒之未孩； 儽儽兮若無所歸。衆人皆有餘，而我獨若遺。我愚人之心也哉！沌沌兮，俗人昭昭，我獨若昏。俗人察察，我獨悶悶。澹兮其若海，飂兮若無止，衆人皆有以，而我 獨頑似鄙。我獨異於人，而貴食母。
My translation of Chapter 20 of Tao Te Ching:
Profound teaching gives me no worry
Accepting and rejecting my teaching differs little, isn't it?
Good and evil differs little, isn't it?
What others afraid to accept and experience
I don't accept unthinkingly nor afraid to experience
The daunting original state of non-differentiation!
People enjoying growing prosperity as if eternalTreating impending disaster as if coming spring
In solitude I am scared by the coming signal of doom
Like a growing child
Destined to an unpleasant future
People believe they can add more and more
I alone feel we have lost our way
How foolish I am to worry about those who are happy now!
Common folks look bright, I look dark
Common folks are positive, I am negative
I desire calmness of ocean deep, and
I desire calmness of ceaseless high wind
People all ask for more
I stubbornly think we should have less
I am different from others
I understand Tao
I know the Way
Paul's inspiration: Laozi was no Stephen King. He was not a doom sayer. Rather he said we caused our doom through our striving for prosperity which strife was caused by further strife either caused by us or beyond our own control. And the original strife comes from our inborn animal instinct, conscious and Unconscious, which include love of our offspring and cruelty to others through that love. That's why Laozi said: "Good and evil differs little". And a release from such conditioning is the purpose of Taoist practice and enlightenment. And being enlightened, one can deliver love without evil. And the (beginning) step to enlightenment is absolute quietness. But it is only the beginning of a long journey. The Way.
No comments:
Post a Comment