Chapter 19 of Tao Te Ching coeurs: True and Simple

Chapter 19

Rejecting wisdom and arguing 1 will benefit the people a hundred times; Never fake and abandon fraud 2, the people are filial; Never give up profits, thieves have nothing. These three think that article 3 is insufficient. Therefore, the order has its own place: see the simplicity 4, and be selfish and selfish 5.

Note

1. Abandon the debate by refusing wisdom: most versions are "abandon wisdom by refusing holiness", while Guodian simplified version is "abandon debate by refusing wisdom", which was revised by Professor Chen Guying according to the ancient version. In the book, there are 32 words * * * in the word "saint", in which Laozi uses the word "saint" to describe the highest level of personality cultivation, and "absolute saint" is inconsistent with Laozi's claim. The word "abandon wisdom" is found in Zhuangzi, and it is suspected that the note-giver made a mistake.

2. absolutely reject falsehood and deceit: most of the popular books in this world are "absolutely benevolence and abandon righteousness", and Chen Lao changed them according to Guodian's simplified books.

3. Text: Chen Lao's comments are literary ornaments and clever ornaments. Personally, it can also be understood as "official document" and "slogan", which is similar to the meaning of propaganda slogan, because I have mentioned later that the above three points are not enough to govern the world.

4. Be humble: it means to keep the original natural color. Plain, undyed silk, is extended to simplicity. Park, uncut wood, is extended to simplicity.

5. Be less selfish and less desirous: There is another sentence after "be less selfish and less desirous" in this chapter. According to the simplified version, Chen Lao adjusted "be carefree in learning" to the beginning of the next chapter.

Today's translation: People can get a hundredfold benefit by abandoning clever arguments; Abandoning fraud, the people can restore the nature of filial piety; Abandon cunning and profit, thieves will naturally disappear. All three are clever decorations, which are not enough to govern the world. Therefore, we should make people belong: keep simple and reduce selfish desires.

The Classic of Tao Te Ching and the Wisdom of Life

When the second edition of Lao Zi by Professor Chen Guying was published, Guodian bamboo slips had not yet been unearthed, so the first two sentences of this edition were still "abandoning wisdom and benevolence". At that time, combined with the understanding of the previous chapter "The road is abandoned and there is righteousness", I felt that Lao Zi advocated "abandoning benevolence and righteousness" It seems that people's self-consistent system is quite powerful. As long as they believe, they can always justify themselves, hehe. However, from another aspect, it also shows that Chen Lao's rigorous scholarship and open mind, and his courage to deny and correct his own writings are indeed the demeanor of everyone, so he has been pursuing his proofreading and annotation translation so far.

The Tao Te Ching has been handed down to this day, and the contemporary version is quite different from the original works left by Laozi, which is unknown. The "Tao" understood by future generations from their own perspective may only be their own understanding. Just like the sentence written by the teacher on the blackboard in the first psychology class a few years ago, which has now forgotten the source: the world in our eyes is not the world itself, it is just the world in our eyes. Therefore, it is a false proposition to argue about who is right or wrong in the understanding of the Tao Te Ching, because we don't know whether this Tao Te Ching in our hands is still the true biography of Laozi. If it's true, the argument will be lost, because Lao Tzu has repeatedly emphasized that "the person who sees himself is unknown, and the person who sees himself is not obvious". You should insist that you are right, and other understandings that are inconsistent with you are wrong, and attack them. That obviously doesn't get the true meaning of Lao Tzu, let alone "benefiting everything". What Lao Tzu taught you is "not seeing yourself", "not being natural", "being good" and "indisputable. If it is not true, the argument is even less meaningful. Therefore, it is better to believe what you want to believe, to verify and falsify in practice, and to realize your own "Tao" than to endlessly struggle to draw a positive conclusion about right and wrong. This dualistic thinking mode itself deviates from Laozi's philosophy of unity of opposites.

"Never give up arguing", don't think you are smart, argue less with others, save your precious time and a lot of unnecessary interpersonal conflicts, improve work efficiency, and increase the index of life harmony. "People benefit a hundred times" is the inevitable result.

"Never fake or cheat, and the people will be filial", hypocrisy and cunning are prevalent. People are always afraid of being cheated, so they put on a thick mask for themselves, because we are afraid of being seen through, which is a dangerous exposure. We have to find ways to protect ourselves. In the long run, the good side of nature will be lost. If there is no fraud, everyone will be honest with each other and put down their defenses, and the original virtues such as filial piety will be revealed.

Before I took my children to a public welfare activity, I saw the selfless dedication of the volunteer teacher, and all the participants were influenced. Everyone had a sincere smile on their faces, and everyone was willing to help others as much as they could, and they felt the achievement and joy that their self-worth was fully affirmed. In this atmosphere, there is a quiet and safe warm current flowing, and each other's hearts are fully open and honest, so true, kind and beautiful, you will feel that you have come to Xanadu in a trance.

"Never give up profits, thieves have nothing". People always have desires. The ancients said that "food, color and sex are also important", and Confucius also said that "eat drink man woman, people's great desires can't survive". It can be seen that desire is human nature. Only a sage like Yan Hui can enjoy himself even if he can't meet the most basic needs of life. The normal desire of ordinary people is the driving force of social progress and should be affirmed. However, if the desire is excessively inflated and cannot be satisfied, some people want to get it by improper means, and thieves are born. Therefore, thieves are not born. In the third chapter, Lao Tzu also said that "goods that are not expensive and rare will prevent people from stealing". The so-called cleverness and benefit are "goods that are expensive and rare". Under such a flashy atmosphere, it is difficult for people to remain calm, and jealousy and greed will tempt people to do things that harm others and benefit themselves. Anxiety and impetuousness have almost become common symptoms of society.

in the first three sentences, I put forward the idea of managing the world from the height of creating a good social ecology. Then I went on to say that it is not enough to have an idea. No matter how loud the slogan is, it must be implemented. Next, we need to start from the individual, so as to be "simple and simple, less selfish and less desirous". The individual is the basic element that constitutes the society. Confucianism says "cultivate one's morality, keep the family in order, govern the country and level the world", and puts "cultivate one's morality" in the first place, stressing that "if you are poor, you will be immune to the world". In vernacular, it means: if you have strength, you should benefit all beings for the benefit of the world. If you really have a bad life, then take care of yourself and don't make trouble for others. Laozi is also people-oriented, and the whole Tao Te Ching can also be called a treasure book to guide individuals to cultivate themselves. It is obvious that if individuals are good at the micro level, organizations and society can be good at the macro level. The personal cultivation advocated by Laozi is to return to the truth, reduce selfish desires and remain simple.

how can we be authentic and simple?

go back to the inside and nature.

Mr. Yangming realized in Longchang: I am self-sufficient in nature, and I am not false in seeking outside. Everyone is a complete whole, and completeness is not the perfection we usually understand, but balance and harmony. Stay connected with the inside and experience the incomparable richness. Man is a member of nature in the universe. He feels nature with his "heart" and enters the vastness, just like a drop of water melts into the sea. This drop of water has also become the sea. When he returns to tranquility, he can feel the fragrance of flowers and the singing of birds, and feel the moist rain and cool breeze. We are connected with nature, and we are nature. Is the inner freedom and satisfaction comparable to external things? The vastness and calmness of the heart can be disturbed by material desires? When we enrich ourselves, the way we interact with others will be more appropriate, and others will be nourished through this benign connection. This is the transfer of positive energy, which will form an energy field, and Hui Ze will be with each other.

The simplest regression method I use is mindfulness, and I have shared my gains more than once. The practice of mindfulness can be described as the practical homework of the Tao Te Ching. Whether it is mindfulness meditation, breathing, body scanning or mindfulness yoga, it starts from perceiving the body, establishing a connection with oneself, and returning to the boundless interior. Once you realize the inner breadth and richness, those so-called clever arguments are not enough to make people tempted.

let your little spark light up first. Don't expect to get the "Tao" by epiphany, but believe in the accumulated strength, starting from taking the step at the foot and starting!

Note: The bibliography of the original part is Chen Guying's Revised Supplement to Lao Zi's Annotation and Translation.