Calm and sunny day. Sakura leaves fly by with the fresh wind. A monk sits in a temple in a motionless position and looks into nowhere with a detached expression. His body is relaxed and his breathing is slow and measured. There seems to be emptiness and fullness all around him. Not a single phenomenon can affect this monk's deep immersion into the secrets of his own self.
This goes on for a long time. The sun, having met the lonely figure with its rays, is already slightly beginning to say goodbye. At this moment, the monk's body comes to life and begins to move. Awakening is slow, it takes time to come to your senses in the full sense of the word. Now he got up and walked quietly along the path that leads to a small house. Simple food and the same room await him there. There is nothing superfluous in the monk’s house, only the essentials for life.
It was a short trip back in time to see the image of the great thinker Lao Tzu and the essence of his teaching, which became one of the three main
Who is Lao Tzu?
According to the legend, this is the son whom a woman gave birth to under a plum tree. She carried him for 81 years and gave birth through the hip. He was born old and with a gray head. This greatly surprised the woman, and she called him “old child,” which is what Lao Tzu means in Chinese. There is also another interpretation of his name - “old philosopher”. His birth occurred in 604 BC.
It is worth noting that there is no reliable information about his life and birth. Research is still underway as to whether there was a person with that name at all. Therefore, here we present the data about him that is written in authoritative sources.
As an adult, Lao Tzu served the emperor and was a library tutor during the Zhou dynasty. For many years, studying and reading ancient treatises, the thinker matured and gained wisdom. Being in old age, he decided to leave his native country and went to the west riding a green bull. At the border checkpoint he was stopped by the emperor's servant and recognized the great thinker. He asked the sage to leave his wisdom for posterity before leaving. It was at this request that Lao Tzu’s famous book, “Tao Te Ching,” was written. Its length is five thousand hieroglyphs.
Concept of Tao
Tao literally means “way”. The basis of all things and the law by which everything happens in this world. so multifaceted and deep that it is impossible to specifically describe it in words. Sometimes this concept is referred to as the force that moves the world. It has neither beginning nor end. It is in every particle of existence, and permeates the world through and through. Without this power, the future is impossible and the past crumbles. It is she who defines the concept of “now” as a way of existence.
In his treatise on the Tao, Lao Tzu describes how the force moves the entire world and fills all beings. The structure of the world is completely determined by Tao, and cannot be otherwise. But at the same time, Tao is an infinite number of options for which path the existence of a separate object can take. Therefore, there are opinions that with the help of this book any creature can gain immortality. This stems from the fact that the Tao, the path of which man must follow, can lead to the eternal source of life.
The concept of "De"
All changes in the world are caused by patterns or, in other words, by routes between the past and the future. This path personifies the Tao. At the same time, this power manifests itself through another facet of this world - De. Hence the title of the book, “Tao Te Ching.”
The concept of “De” is a property or ideal concept of the existence of everything in this world. Tao manifests itself in reality through the existence of De. This is the best option for the manifestation of matter, which is the flow from one form to another through the path of Tao. Some interpretations describe the similarity of this concept with determines how an object will exist, and to some extent echoes this concept.
The treatise describes the correct existence of man, which is personified by De. If one gets rid of passions, pride, excesses and other vices, then the path to a perfect life will be opened for a person, in which he will be filled with energy through De.
What is the book "Tao Te Ching" about?
The title means "Book of Tao". The author took it upon himself to describe what controls the whole world. This treatise consists of individual sayings and short descriptions. It is written using very ancient Chinese characters, which modern inhabitants have almost forgotten. The main theme of the treatise, so to speak, is a description of how one must behave, live and feel in this world in order for true enlightenment to be revealed to a person.
According to Lao Tzu's description, Tao is something faceless, which, however, can take form in all things. Any attempts to fit this concept into a specific framework run into contradictions. The phenomenon has a form, but you look at it and don’t see it. It is written about Tao that you hear it, but cannot hear it, you catch it, but cannot catch it.
Such contradictions run like a red thread in the texts. The main factor in this situation is the author’s desire to describe what is beyond the understanding of the ordinary person, whom he considered himself to be. If you try to define a concept, it inevitably slips away, taking on a different appearance or manifestation. As a result, there are attempts in the texts to describe the Tao as something vague and dull.
Taoism
Based on the written treatise, an entire religion with the same name arose. The followers of this teaching tried to comprehend the full depth of the meaning of what was stated through renunciation and compliance with the way of life that is described. Often the interpretations of what was stated were different, and many monks entered into an argument about the meaning of what was written. This situation gave impetus to the spread of various schools of Taoism, which understood the essence of what was written in different ways.
With the help of the teaching, you can understand that Tao is the connection of the human mind with the wisdom of nature. This is the main goal of many followers who have introduced various techniques to speed up this process. Complexes of gymnastic exercises and breathing techniques were developed. Such methods have gained great popularity in the modern way of understanding ancient scripture.
Teachings of Taoism
Evaluating the ideals of Taoism, one can understand that the main role in it is played by calmness and simplicity, as well as harmony and naturalness in human behavior. All attempts at active action are considered meaningless and only waste energy. When existing on the waves of the flow of life, effort is not needed, it only gets in the way. From tranquility comes peace in society and a harmonious life for everyone.
Sometimes actions are compared to water, which does not interfere with anyone’s movement and flows around obstacles. A person who wants strength and power must follow the example of water, which flows but does not interfere. To achieve better results in life, you need to go with the flow and try not to disrupt the flow with your actions. Also, according to the treatise, a person should not have addictions. They blind him and create the illusion that he cannot live without them.
Everyone's path in Taoism
If a person is driven by passion or has excesses in his actions and aspirations, then he is far from his true path. Any attachment to earthly things creates conditions in which a person begins to serve not himself, but specific things. This is possible if you do not listen to the aspirations of the soul and do not search for your path.
A detached attitude towards material wealth and pleasures allows you to hear the voice of your soul and, in accordance with it, begin your Tao Tzu - the path of the sage. On this path there is no question about whether it is the right one. The person becomes comfortable and his mind becomes clearer. If you remain in long thought and listen to your inner voice, over time you will come to understand the world as a universal substance for the life of every being.
Managing non-action
When China was ruled, development in the country was stable and calm. The leaders adopted the principle of Taoism, which implied that there was no need to interfere with the development of society. The inaction of the authorities in terms of governance allowed the people to live in peace and prosperity. They used their strength to develop and improve living conditions.
Modern writers and Taoism
Many personal growth and success coaches have adopted the principles of Taoism into their practice. In her book “The Tao of Life,” Irina Khakamada describes the principles that are taken from this religion. According to her, she made a certain extract from the entire text. Not all provisions are equally applicable to a Russian person and a Chinese person. Therefore, there are now a great many such shortened manuals. “The Tao of Life” is a guide book. It describes as specifically as possible the ancient principles that should be followed for a harmonious life.
In addition, at least one full translation of a treatise from an ancient language into a modern one is published every year. All of them represent another interpretation of truths that were written more than two and a half thousand years ago.
Khakamada Irina also presents her book “The Tao of Life” as one of the translations, but it was made more for the Russian people.
Followers who write their book "Tao"
One of the famous followers of Taoism is Anna Averyanova, who publishes books under the pseudonym Ling Bao. She did a great job of deciphering Taoist texts. He has his own understanding of this religion and writes a continuation of the book “Tao”. Bao Ling has been studying ways for humans to achieve superconsciousness for many years. In addition, she also deals with the issues of the subconscious and the immortality of the human mind.
Bao Ling describes the secrets of the Tao in the same style as the original texts of Lao Tzu. Thanks to comprehensive development and long practices around the world, she has developed her own system of understanding this religion. This is one of the differences from the way Irina Khakamada writes, whose “Tao” is more practical.
Martial arts
Martial arts also appeared on the basis of spiritual improvement. One of them was Vovinam Viet Vo Dao, which literally means “the combat path of the Viet.”
This martial art originated among village fans of fighting and soon grew into a whole hobby of the Vietnamese people. In addition to the technique of strikes and grabs, high moral and spiritual training was practiced there. She was placed at the head of all technology. It is believed that a Viet Vo Dao warrior without a spiritual foundation will not be able to defeat the enemy.
Energy "Tao"
The path is based on the energy “Qi”. She, according to scripture, is the absolute energy of all living things in this world. There is the concept of “Qi”, a person and the whole world that surrounds him. This energy helps a person to establish a connection between himself and the world around him.
The Taoists have developed a whole technique for comprehending the power of “Qi”. It is based on correct breathing using Tai Chi. This is a set of exercises and techniques that help the body tune in to receive energy. The most talented Taoists who practiced this technique could go without water or food for a long time. There were also cases when it reached unimaginable limits.
There are several techniques in Taoism that help restore connection with Qi energy. They are part of the most ancient Qigong technique. In addition to Taoist breathing practices, martial arts and meditation are used. All these systems are designed to serve one purpose - filling with Qi energy and comprehending the Tao.
Channels of filling a person with energy
According to the treatise, a person can receive energy whenever and wherever he wants. To do this, he uses special channels. But not all people work at a good level. Often, energy pathways are clogged with poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle. The modern model of man involves the use of technological progress in order not to waste one’s energy. This way of life entails many negative consequences. A person becomes passive and is not interested in developing. Everyone does things and devices for him. He becomes only a consumer.
With low consumption, Tao Te becomes clogged, and a person literally becomes dependent on external stimulants. This may be chemicals or other methods.
Special techniques are used to activate and expand channels. They represent the diet and its specific composition. Special exercises allow you to develop the spine and other parts of the body. It is through the spine that the main and largest energy flow passes. Therefore, special attention is paid to him.
Self-healing by listening to the body
Many practitioners have learned from the book "Tao" the secrets of how to listen to the body and understand the work of the internal organs. Such mastery is available only to those who have been practicing Taoist techniques for a long time. After reaching a certain level, a person begins to feel his body in the literal sense of the word. All organs seem to be transformed into a system that can be changed for healing.
Sometimes masters resort to the practice of healing other people. For this purpose, special centers of alternative medicine are opened where patients are admitted.
Symbolism of Taoism
The famous symbol "Yin and Yang" is used to explain the essence of Tao. On the one hand, the symbol shows that everything changes and flows from one form to another. On the other hand, opposites complement each other. For example, bad cannot exist without good, and vice versa. There is no absolute victory of one element; only a balance between them can be achieved.
The symbol simultaneously displays the struggle and balance of two elements. They are presented in the form of a cycle that has no end. At the same time, the black and white parts cannot be absolute, since they have particles of opposites in themselves.
Tattoos
To identify a person with the religion of Taoism, there is a technique for applying tattoos. They also represent smooth lines. They are often symmetrical and contain images of mythical characters. The culture of applying such tattoos came from ancient China, where they were very popular.
Wellness system
There is also the so-called “Show Tao” school. Literally translated, this means “The Path of Tranquility.” It is a set of measures to improve health and true peace of mind. They include both martial arts and breathing practices that help to achieve good health and calm. The Show Tao system is very close to the philosophy of Taoism and therefore it is believed that it can be part of it. The school's students call themselves "calm warriors" and improve their skills for peace of mind.
There are many practical guides out there to help you lead a healthy spiritual and psychological life. For example, there are tips to find peace and harmony in life:
- Relieve stress with an inner smile. You may not show it on the external level, but it must appear inside a person.
- Talk less. Every word that is spoken in vain or inappropriately wastes Qi energy.
- Worry dissolves into action. Instead of being nervous with folded arms, you need to start taking active action.
- The mind must develop. If it is not involved, then degradation begins.
- You need to control your sex drive.
- Be moderate in your diet. You need to leave the table when you are still a little hungry.
- Moderation in all effects on the body.
- The more joy in life, the more Qi energy comes to a person. Therefore, we must rejoice at everything around us.
Taoism and love
The concept of “Tao” is inextricably linked with love. Through the relationship of two people of the opposite sex, the tree of life grows and fills both with energy. The Taoists considered sex to be something so natural and necessary that they wrote practical manuals for it. At the same time, there is not a shadow of lust or perversion in the texts with explicit illustrations. In accordance with the treatise “The Tao of Love,” a man must begin to completely control his sense of pleasure and effectively manage it. This is necessary primarily to satisfy a woman who needs special participation.
The doctrine of love has three main concepts:
- A man gains enormous strength and wisdom if he chooses the right mode of his ejaculation and desire. New opportunities will open up for him when abstinence is practiced. Thanks to this, he will be able to satisfy a woman to the fullest.
- The ancient Chinese believed that a man's uncontrollable pleasure was not the most enjoyable moment in sex. There is a deeper experience, described in The Tao of Love, which gives true pleasure. To achieve this mastery, you need to practice for a long time.
- The central idea is the obligatory satisfaction of the woman. It is considered a source of pleasure for both partners and is therefore so important.
Meaning of Taoism
Due to their popularity, Taoist schools penetrated to other continents and penetrated into different societies. Some critics have unreasonably rejected this teaching as inappropriate for other people. In their opinion, it was created for the Chinese and has no significant benefit for representatives of other nationalities. However, many people around the world practice the principles of Taoism and achieve exceptional results in the areas of body, mind and spiritual development.
As it turns out, this teaching can be used by both the Chinese and all other nationalities. Its principles are universal and, when studied, help improve the quality of life of every person. It was precisely this goal that Lao Tzu pursued when he wrote his treatises for future generations.
For China itself, this resulted in an entire religion, which for many centuries remains just as mysterious and multifaceted. It may take a lifetime to comprehend it.
For Russian people, separate abbreviated versions of ancient scriptures have been made, which are maximally adapted to this culture. Basically, such guides have a lot of practical recommendations on psychology and self-improvement.
Conclusion
In the light of modernity, Taoism has taken on the form of a spiritual practice that helps a person cope with the problems that arise today. By adopting the principles outlined in the book, each person can independently improve in several directions at once. This can be physical health, psychological and spiritual.
道德經 "Canon of the Way and Grace" (or "Laozi" - "[Treatise] of Master Lao/Old Child"). Ch. canonical the text of Taoism, which underlies its philosophy, mythology, religion, cult and psychophysical. practices. Written in different meter rhymed verses, built on parallelisms and antitheses, with abundant interspersed dialects of the peripheral (“barbarian”) southern state of Chu. Initially, like all ancient philosophies. treatises, was called by the name of its (from the modern term supposed) author - Lao Tzu (a native of Chu). However, in the first centuries AD, with the formation of religions. Taoism, which deified both Lao Tzu himself and his work, it acquired its more well-known meaning-defining title - “Tao Te Ching” or “Tao Te Zhen Jing” (“The True Canon of the Path and Grace”), sometimes lengthened by a combination of such definitions as xin ji xuan yang... (or xuan yang xin ji... - “a new recording of mysterious words...") and tai shang xuan yuan... ("the highest and mysteriously primordial...").
In the ancient classification and bibliographic. the work “Yi Wen Zhi” (“Treatise on Arts and Texts”), included by Ban Gu (1st century AD) in the first dynasty history “Han Shu” (“Book [of the dynasty]”), modeled after “Shi Ji” Han”, tsz. 30), among representatives of Taoism. the schools, together with Lao Tzu from those mentioned by Sima Qian, are called Lao Lai Tzu and Yin Xi. The latter, according to Ban Gu, left his post at the outpost and followed Lao Tzu. In 1934, Guo Mo-jo identified him with Huan Yuan, a 4th-century Taoist. BC, which allegedly recorded the teachings of Lao Tzu in a text consisting of “upper and lower chapters” (“Shi Chi”, tsz. 74), i.e. "Tao Te Jing". Both Fan Wen-lan and Feng Yu-lan debated this extravagant hypothesis. In the Yi Wen Zhi, Laozi is noted in three commentary editions that differ significantly in scope.
Currently time most China and zap. specialists following the famous philosopher and society. The figure Liang Qi-chao believes that the Tao Te Ching was written in the 4th century. BC. by Lao Tzu himself or some of his disciples; this allows us to qualify this work as a well-edited collection of aphorisms that appeared at different times.
Modern The architectonics of the “Tao Te Ching” apparently developed in the 2nd-1st centuries. BC. In the partially preserved bibliographer. catalog “Qi lyue” (“Seven Compendia”), the largest textual scholar of antiquity, Liu Xin (1st century BC - 1st century AD), noted that his father, court canonologist (wu jing bo shi) Liu Xiang (1st century BC), for the first time divided “Lao Tzu” into 81 zhang (stro-fu, paragraph, article): 37 - in the first part (“canon” - jing), 44 - in the second.
In traditional whale. in numerology, this number (81 = 9 x 9 = 3 4) symbolizes the highest completeness (multiplication table tszyu tszyu - literally “nine nine”) of the bright, active, male world-building principle yang (see Yin - yang), to which odd numbers correspond numbers, especially 3 and 9.
In line with similar ideas in the same era, the systems of 81 tetragrams (shou) “Tai xuan jing” (“Canon of the Great Secret”) of Yang Xiong (1st century BC - 1st century AD) and 81 “ difficulties" (nan) classic. medical treatise “Nan Jing” (“Canon of Difficulties”). In religion Taoism, which ontologized the “Tao Te Ching” and presented it in the form of a kind of universal mantra, the 81-member composition of the text correlated with the myth of the birth of Lao Tzu as an 81-year-old man, conceived from the solar yang energy accumulated in a five-color pearl that penetrated into the womb of his mother and the 81-year-old pregnancy that caused her, as well as his 81 rebirths. V.S. Spirin (1976) showed that the division of the “Tao Te Ching”, a multiple of nine, adequately reflects its internal structure, which corresponds to the special terminological meaning of jing (canon) - “textual matrix 3 x 3”. Based on the innovative ideas of V.S. Spirina, A.M. Karapetyants and A.A. Krushinsky (1998) carried out the most complete and detailed reconstruction of the original structure of the Tao Te Ching. Following the same methodology, but connecting the text with the “canon of canons” - “Zhou Yi” (“Zhou Changes”) and receiving a new construction, it was translated in a reorganized and divided into nines form by A.Yu. Holstein (2003).
The 81-part architectonics of the “Tao Te Ching” is captured, perhaps, in the oldest commentary to it - “item-by-item and phrase-by-phrase [explanation]” (Zhang Ju), which belonged to a hermit who bore the nickname He-shang-gun (Venerable Husband/Elder from the River Bank ) and is sometimes identified with Lao Tzu himself. According to legend, this Taoist miracle worker conveyed his explanations of the Tao Te Ching to Emperor Wendi, i.e. lived in the 2nd century. BC, however, some historical figures may also be hiding under this pseudonym. characters who acted in the interval from the 3rd century. BC. BC Commentary by He-shang-gun (English translation: E. Erkes, 1958), written no later than the beginning of the 3rd century. AD (since it was already quoted in 243), divided into the “canon of the path”, consisting of 37, and the “canon of grace,” consisting of 44 zhangs, each of the zhangs/paragraphs in both parts has a title. If it was really created in the III-II centuries. BC, it was in it that such textual architecture was first introduced. Its main substantive feature is the interpretation of the “Tao Te Ching” as a kind of textbook for personal self-improvement and social improvement, suggesting meditative and macrobiotic. practice in the spirit of psychophysiological. “inner alchemy” (nei dan).
In the interpretation of He-shang-gong, the Tao Te Ching formed the basis of the first institutionalized form of religious Taoism - the sect of Heavenly Mentors (Tian Shi), or Correct Unity (Zheng Yi; see Zhengyi-Tao), formed in the 2nd century. n. e. and continues to exist today. 1st (Zhang Dao-ling) or 3rd (Zhang Lu) patriarch in the 1st-3rd centuries. was created by own. orthodox “commentary” (zhu) “Xiang Er” (presumably the name of a certain immortal), discovered by an expedition of an outstanding Frenchman. sinologist P. Pelliot in bud. cave book depositories near Dunhuang (Gansu Province) in 1909. In it, “Tao Te Ching” presents the mystical. a book of revelation intended for cultic purposes. The heavenly mentors used both the abbreviated text of the Tao Te Ching, adjusted to the sacred numerological number 5000 (5 x 1000), and its full version, larger by 540 hieroglyphs.
A fundamentally different, metaphysical understanding of the Tao Te Ching is captured in the “commentary” (zhu) of one of the founders of the “doctrine of the mysterious” (xuan-xue) - the philosopher Wang Bi (3rd century). This theoretically most significant commentary, containing a number of fundamental ideas of xuan-xue, synthesizing Taoism with Confucianism, is considered by some Sinologists (A. Wylie, P. Pelliot) to be the earliest. It gained particular popularity with the emergence of neo-Confucianism, which partially adapted Taoism (the turn of the 1st-2nd millennium), primarily in the “judgments” (lun) about the “Tao Te Jing” by Sima Guang (11th century) and the “commentary” of Wang An- Shi (XI century), generally defining the conf. approach to the treatise. Wang Bi's commentary accompanies the text of the Tao Te Ching in the standard collection Zhu Zi Ji Cheng (Corpus of Philosophical Classics, 1935). There are several English ones. (P.J. Lin, 1977; Chan Wing-tsit, A. Rump, 1979, etc.) and Russian. (A.A. Maslov, 1996) translation of Wang Bi’s commentary - “Lao Tzu (Tao Te Ching) Zhu”, as well as English. translation (R.G. Wagner, 1986) of it identified by Wang Wei-cheng in 1951 with parts of “Tao Tsang” (“Treasury of the Way”, No. 1255 and chapter in No. 1032 according to K. Skipper’s Concordance) and the reconstructed treatise “Lao -tzu wei zhi li liue” (“Lao Tzu’s Deep Thought in Condensed Provisions”) (ed.: Yang Ling-feng, 1956; Low Yu-le, 1980), which is mentioned under this title in the bibliographer. section of the “New History of the Tang Dynasty” (“Xin Tang shu”, “Jing ji zhi”, 11th century), and now more briefly called “Laozi zhi lue” (“Concise [statement] of Laozi’s plan” ).
A major textual critic, “academic polymath” (guo tzu bo shi) Lu De-ming in the beginning. During the Tang era, based on the comments of He-shang-gong and Wang Bi, he wrote an interpreter of “sounds and meanings” (yin yi) “Tao Te Jing”, included in “Zhu Tzu Ji Cheng”. His contemporary, ch. court historian-astrologer (tai shi ling) Fu Yi, compiled a valuable summary of the “ancient texts” (gu ben) of Lao Tzu. Famous Taoists also commented on the Tao Te Ching. scientists of that time: Sun Si-mo and Du Guang-ting. The rulers of the Tang Dynasty bore the same surname Li as Lao Tzu and patronized Taoism. Emperor Xuanzong even wrote a commentary on the Tao Te Ching himself. Therefore, it gained particular popularity; his texts are modeled after the conf. the classics were engraved on the steles, 14 of which have survived to this day. The most important of them is the stela of 708 (Jing-long bei), a text containing 5022 hieroglyphs, which was used by Zhu Qian-zhi in 1958 as the basis for combining all known discrepancies.
During the Tang Dynasty in China, Buddhism began to spread widely and was adapted in various forms, one of the consequences of which was the desire of its adherents to assimilate the Tao Te Ching. Thanks to this trend, about two dozen annotated manuscripts of the Tao Te Ching, mostly Tang, were discovered in the Buddhist book depositories of Dunhuang, with the exception of two or three earlier ones, including those completed by Su Tan in 270 and published by Zhao Tsung-i in 1955.
Taoist connection attempt. interpretations of the Tao Te Ching from Bud. was undertaken in the 7th century. Taoist monk Cheng Hsuan-ying (reconstruction of Meng Wen-tung, 1946) and continued in the “explanation” (tsze), written by one of the greatest Chinese poets Su Shi (Su Tung-po, 11th century). The ambivalently universal meaning and the highest authority of the Tao Te Ching led to its exclusion from the decree of 1281 awakenings. the Mongol emperor of China, Kublai Kublai, was determined to burn all Taoists. books. The most developed bud. commentary on the Tao Te Ching was compiled by the famous Bud. monk De-qing (Han Shan, 16th-17th centuries), who saw the main meaning of the treatise in the principle of “non-action” (wu wei; see Wei).
Modern the text of “Tao Te Jing” also consists of two parts - “Tao Jing” (“Canon of Dao”) and “Te Jing” (“Canon of De”) and is divided into 81 chapters. In 1973 in Mawangdui (Hunan Province) at the archaeological site. Two manuscripts of text written on silk were discovered during excavations. They differ from the well-known one by a different breakdown of certain fragments into chapters and the reverse order of the parts, which allows the treatise to be called “De Dao Jing”.
“Tao Te Ching” belongs to the category of canon, which combines the genres of epic, drama and lyricism. Its canonicity reflects the general principle of construction of the ancient kit. classic texts: this is not a flat, but a three-dimensional text, combining various figures that go back to the archetypal. figures of the yin cube and yang sphere.
The canonicity is also reflected in the beginnings of parts of the treatise. In the first chapter of the first part, the pulsating three-part matrix of Tao is reproduced: the constant Tao, identical to itself, is linguistically and ontologically divided into Tao-non-existence and Tao-being and again converges into the differentiated identity of “the first principle in the first.” The first chapter of the second part reproduces the mirror spiritual matrix of the Chan (“constancy of [two] fives”) - virtue, philanthropy, duty, ritual, trust. These matrices of the three Tao and five De are archetypal. the basis of the Tao Te Ching, they serve as the driving mechanism of philological. deployment of the text, and with it the arts. and philosopher plot.
The plot of the work is the experience of a dual counter process of tragedy and triumph of world evolution and involution in the grandiose picture of cosmogenesis and palingenesis, the birth of the cosmos and the dying of chaos. The new cosmos, as a prologue to future harmony, is born in the form of a hologram of a baby-tao, cherished by a perfectly wise (spiritual) person; chaos, as an epilogue of cosmogony, is absorbed by the heart of a perfectly wise person, who stands between space and chaos. He is the demiurge and architect of the universe, trying to unite humanity. history and the spontaneous cycle of things.
The place of world action is a living spherical. an arena embraced by Heaven and Earth, illuminated by the sun and moon, and decorated with patterns of nature (zi ran). All the events of the world drama are played out here. The storyline, the path of Tao-Te, is supported by three leaders: being-non-existence, as a representative of nature, a sage, in whom Lao Tzu (the Old Man-Baby) is discerned as a representative of the people, and their medium - a perfectly wise man as judge and great master of correcting possible mistakes and shortcomings. Two types of communications are established between the leaders: subphysical (for modern understanding from the other side, metaphysical) communication of silence, where the world plot is pulled to a point and realized in its entirety, and supraphysical (for modern understanding in this way - on the metaphysical side) communication through words, where the world plot is consistently deployed in all areas of life. The silent doing of being-non-existence passes through the three-part and five-part matrices of Tao and De and is voiced in the archetype. the vocabulary of the three Tao and the “constancy of [two] fives” (“These two [Tao] come from [their] identity and are named differently,” Chapter 1). The word from humanity passes through these matrices from the other side and becomes silent in the pulsating nature (“Speech falls silent, naturalness sets in,” chapter 23).
Merging and ordering the rhythms of nature and man. words in archetypical The matrices of Tao-Te define the arts. a style that turns into a worldview. "Tao Te Ching" is a poem. an epic that combines poetry, wisdom and philosophy, aesthetically, morally and mentally shaping the statuesque nature of the universe.
Ch. heroes - cosmos-chaos rotating in itself, the Ancestor of all things and the Mother of the Celestial Empire, the leaders of the world plot - naturalness, the perfectly wise man and Lao Tzu, and with them rulers and officials, learned men and the anonymously present Confucius, teachers and students, military theorists and generals, legislators and guardians of tribal customs. They specify the general plot and style of storytelling.
The treatise describes the stay of each of the leading world plots in three cardinal points of the world stage. Lao Tzu (or whoever is hiding behind him) is poetic. first person story. Here he is with an ordinary person. in awe of levitation downwards, he plunges into the darkness of the primordial universal womb (metaphysics on the other side), using poetic. the method of five-step comparison and narrowing of space and time. In the splashing ocean of the energetic element, he turns into an “embryo that has not yet become a child” and grows together with an umbilical cord with the universal “nursing Mother” (chapter 20). The entire chapter sounds like a hymn to a brave unknown sage who, overcoming the ontological. and psychological the threshold of a person, voluntarily and consciously throws himself into the boiling energy of the universal retort of rebirth, trying to be saturated with life-giving juices and save a jubilant and unsuspecting humanity doomed to death.
But Lao Tzu levitates upward (metaphysics on this side), using poetic. method of expanding space and time. He reaches the “limit of emptiness”, his soul “cleanses and calms down”, the mood of melancholy and fear changes to the opposite. From here he contemplates the world cycle of things and studies the arts. and philosopher creativity of the word. He captures the cyclical cycles of things in five categorical universals - root, peace, fate, constancy and enlightenment. Lao Tzu has everything here: the root sources of world movements, rest in peace before new creations, fate, which preserves the meaning of the leaving and coming of things, constancy, which protects fate from fatal accidents, and, finally, enlightenment, which gives instant -a mental snapshot of the universe in its independence, perfection and self-creativity (chapter 16). This is also a hymn - a hymn to the cosmos-demiurge, ready to bestow upon man the understanding (tao) of his purpose in the world of things. The third cardinal point of Lao Tzu's habitat is physical. world of people. Lao Tzu appears there with the Great Image of Tao, to which all mankind should flock. Celestial Empire and find peace and well-being (chapter 35). Lao Tzu paints an idyllic picture here. a picture of an all-heaven gathering. He opens his lips, and the inexhaustible Tao naturally flows out of them. Everyone should listen to it as if enchanted, but in its essence of nature it is invisible, inaudible and generally imperceptible. Telepathic communication with people is not achieved. Lao Tzu resorts to another technique - re-semantization. He voices the Tao in the words of everyday language, but achieves the opposite effect. Tao expresses itself only in the form of a paradox, which causes not only bewilderment among ordinary people (chap. 70), but also laughter among men of average and lower learning (“Without being ridiculed, they will not consider [tao] for Tao,” ch. .41). Lao Tzu sounds here notes of sadness, tragedy and even hopelessness.
One of the central themes of the Tao Te Ching is the progressive barbarism of civilization with its incompetent corporate rulers (Ch. 53, 75), laws that breed thieves and robbers (Ch. 57), a technically equipped army and devastating wars (Ch. 30). , 31), passions and thirst for glory. Lao Tzu foresees tragedy. the consequences of civilization and is inclined to poetically framed sermons, edification, and a call to rulers. Next to him is always the image of a perfectly wise man. Lao Tzu points to him with his finger as an ideal, primordially national example of life, knowledge and faith. There is also naturalness in the form of pristine, nameless spiritual simplicity, which in its dispassion is ready to curb the willful “creators” (chapter 37).
In a poetic line of the treatise, Lao Tzu prescribed the military doctrine of “non-violence” with the “three jewels” (“mercy”, “simplicity”, “do not dare to stand in front”) and the combat regulations of mutual defense (“It is in defense that troops achieve superiority over each other. The merciful wins,” ch. 69). Civilization is a force that does not need to be fought either peacefully or militarily. Therefore, Lao Tzu established the principles of “non-violence” and “non-action”, ontologically associated with naturalness. From here arises the concept of social palingenesis, repeating the Tao - the path of the pulsation of nature. The conglomerate of kingdom-states seething with war must disintegrate into clan communities (chapter 80). The clans will settle in their ancestral territories, humanity will be picked up by the constant de and returned to the embryonic depths, where Lao Tzu himself visited. From there it will spill out into a new spiritual community of the Celestial Empire (chapter 28).
Lao Tzu does not fight civilization, but he is irreconcilable towards its theory. Theoretical He sees the foundations of civilization in Confucianism, and precisely in the ontology of the word, in poetry and philosophy. Confucius has his own Word, and he advocates “straightening names” - bringing them into line with universal linguistic principles. constants of the spiritual arche-type of “constancy of [two] fives.” Lao Tzu also has his Word, and he advocates the “suppression of names” that have appeared since the beginning of violent rule (ch. 32), and refers to the same constants of the archetype of the “constancy of the [two] fives,” but only from the outside the silence of its universals. Neither the silent Word of Lao Tzu nor the sounding Word of Confucius is understood by people. Therefore, whoever masters the universals of the spiritual archetype in their true, not art form. nominal essence, he will master the spiritual energy of the Celestial Empire.
Lao Tzu gave a whole storyline of criticism of the conf. Words hovering under the mask of archetypes. universals (chap. 17-19, 38). He identified himself with naturalness, leaving the sight of civilization, and called for discarding the conf. values - wisdom and cleverness, false philanthropy and duty, skill and profit. Conf. He regarded etiquette/ritual as “a source of confusion,” “a flower of stupidity,” and “a poverty of faith.” He pronounced a harsh verdict on Confucianism - “lack of culture-wen,” which also means the absence of archetypical characters in the Word of Confucius. universality, wisdom, poetic. communication philosophy meanings.
Often modern Science qualifies the “Tao Te Ching” in style as a work written “rhythmically.” prose,” and regards prose as the best way to express philosophy. Maksim. The treatise shows the opposite and clarifies the historical-philosophical. science. Only poetry based on spiritual archetypes. constants, is capable of bringing philosophy out of myth and awakening archetypal characters in the subconscious of a person. matrix, recreate a holographic on it. images (eidos) of Tao and establish communication with people of wisdom (the connection of man with naturalness - Tzu Zhan: myth-logos) and philosophy (enlightenment of the essential principles of man and nature: logos-myth).
Taoism
Biographical information. The founder of Taoism is considered Lao Tzu(“Old Sage” or “Old Child”), who according to legend was an older contemporary of Confucius. Almost nothing is known about his life. According to legend, in his old age Lao Tzu decided to leave China, and the guard of the outpost through which he passed asked him to leave some of his wisdom to China. Lao Tzu agreed and wrote the book “Tao Te Ching”. Many modern scholars believe that Lao Tzu did not exist at all or lived much later than Confucius, and the Tao Te Ching is a collection of texts by various authors.
Taoism as a philosophical teaching in its classical form was formalized and systematized in the works of Zhuang Tzu (c. 339-329 or 369-286 BC), Le Tzu and Yang Zhu, their students and followers.
Based on the philosophical ideas of Taoism in the 2nd century. BC. the development of religious Taoism begins, which in the Middle Ages was considered one of the three main religions of China (along with Confucianism and Buddhism).
Main works. Lao Tzu. “Tao Te Ching” (“Book of Tao and Te”); Chuang Tzu. “Zhuang Zi” (“Book of Teacher Zhuang”); Le Tzu. "Le Zi" ("Book of Teacher Le").
Philosophical views. Central to Taoism is the problem Tao as the essence of being and De as a manifestation of Tao. Both of these terms, already used in mythology, have become widespread in Chinese culture and have received different interpretations in philosophical teachings, including even within Taoism.
In the Tao Te Ching, Tao is understood primarily as Great Path, which the Universe follows, or as the Cosmic Law, according to which the emergence, development and disappearance of the world occurs, but at the same time Tao is also a substance, i.e. the basis and bearer of this law. Hence Tao can be understood as the substantivized law of all things. Tao is characterized by a noble force - De (virtue), through which Tao manifests itself.
Tao is primary in relation to Heaven, Heaven is primary in relation to Earth, Earth is primary in relation to man.
Tao is an initially and fundamentally dual entity. In the Tao Te Ching one can find the following contradictory characteristics of the Tao (Table 5).
Table 5. Duality of Tao
From this it turns out that there are, as it were, two Taos - Nothingness, having no name (since by naming it we turn it into Being), and Being, having a name.
Non-existence gives rise to Being and, above all, Heaven and Earth. But all the things that make up Existence are fragile, they exist only temporarily, and, having ended their existence, they again return to their essence, i.e. go into Nothingness, which alone is eternal.
Development of ideas of cosmology and cosmogony in Taoism. In “Zhuang Tzu” Tao, in cosmological terms, still appears as a generative principle that precedes the world of “formed things”: “Tao, not being a thing among things, makes things things.”
But at the same time, Qi is considered the substantial fundamental principle of being (this concept is not in the Tao Te Ching). The oldest meaning of this word (hieroglyph) is “steam over sacrificial rice”; later this term received a number of other meanings: ether, atmosphere, air, breath, spirit, temperament, energy, vitality, matter, etc.
In Taoism, in a cosmological sense, Qi is understood primarily as the universal substance of the Universe, constituting the original Chaos (Great Limit). It is from Qi that two opposing forces are released - Yin and Yang and the five elements are formed (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood) and, accordingly, all things that exist in the world and consist of these elements. And it is in Qi that they all eventually
are returning. The existence of the world is understood as a constant cycle of elements (diagram 8).
The doctrine of knowledge. The Tao Te Ching states that the knowledge of Tao is not available to all people, but only to the perfectly wise. These are people devoid of all passions, capable of seeing their harmony behind the struggle of things, peace behind movement, non-existence behind being. Knowledge of Tao consists of silence: “He who knows does not speak. The one who speaks does not know.”
The doctrine of man and society. Man and human society are part of nature, so their development is also determined by Tao. The path of the ascetic is to comprehend the Tao and live in accordance with it. Hence the fundamental principle of Taoist ethics - inaction:“a person with higher Te is inactive and carries out non-action,” he “does not strive to do good deeds, therefore he is virtuous.”
The principle of non-action also underlies the Taoist concept of government. The best ruler is the one who does not interfere in governance and allows everything to take its natural course: “the best ruler is the one about whom the people only know that he exists,” “when the government is active, the people become unhappy.”
The fate of the teaching. Taoism (along with Confucianism, A later - and Buddhism) was the leading philosophical teaching of ancient and medieval China.
Scheme 7. Dialectic of Yin and Yang
Scheme 8. Taoism: the cycle of the five elements
Chapter 2. ANCIENT INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy originated in India in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. based on Vedic mythology, captured in the sacred books - the Vedas. The Vedas were formed in the second half of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. and existed at first only in oral form 1 .
Table 6. Veda
In the first half of the 1st millennium BC. A number of other texts arose that were classified as sacred (Shruti literature), all of these books were considered “revealed”, i.e. received by people from the gods.
Adjacent to the sacred texts is Smriti literature - various kinds of commentaries and interpretations of sacred texts. Smriti literature is no longer considered divinely revealed - these are books created by people to clarify divine truths. The main genre of literature is
1 Writing in India appeared only in the middle of the 1st millennium BC, i.e. Initially - for many centuries - the Vedas existed and were transmitted exclusively orally.
Table 7. System of sacred texts (shruti)
| Type of texts | Main content |
| Veda | Hymns and spells, descriptions of rituals |
| Brahmins |
The book Tao Te Ching (Book of Tao and Te) was written by the great Chinese spiritual ascetic Lao Tzu about two and a half thousand years ago. Lao Tzu in that incarnation was a personal disciple of Huang Di - in those years not incarnate - and achieved complete spiritual self-realization.
Currently, Lao Tzu provides spiritual assistance to embodied people, presenting Tao as Te (explanations are in the text of the book).
The work to create this edition of the translation of the Tao Te Ching was carried out at the request of Lao Tzu.
The book Tao Te Ching is one of the most fundamental textbooks on the philosophy and methodology of human spiritual development. Its full content is revealed to the Russian-speaking reader for the first time.
It is the First Cause of everything.
It controls everything.
It permeates everything with Itself.
It manifests itself as Shining Light.
It - The most subtle!
It is the Main Essence of everything!
It is impossible to describe Its origin: after all, It Itself is the Primordial.
5. Matter - be it the one in the sky or the one on the earth - is impassive towards all beings - be it grass, animals, people. Although she is a support for everyone.
Likewise, a wise person is dispassionate towards other people.
The space above the ground is empty and free, just like the internal space inside a blacksmith's bellows or a flute. Moreover, the more space there is for activity, the more effective it can be.
Anyone who interferes in other people's affairs, and even talks a lot, becomes intolerable to other people.
Therefore, it is always better to follow the principle of non-interference and remain calm.
6. Life and development The most subtle- eternal and endless.
It - Deep Foundation everything else.
It is That on what there is a material world.
Moreover, It acts without resorting to violence.
7. Heaven and earth are durable. They are durable precisely because they do not exist on their own and not for myself. They are created by Tao and exist for him.
A wise person puts himself behind other people, thanks to which he does not interfere with people and can lead them. He does not value the life of his body, but his life is protected by the Tao.
This is because he also exists here not for myself. That is why his personal needs are fulfilled for him.
A wise man exists for Tao and serves Him.
8. The wise man lives like water. Water serves all beings and requires nothing for itself. She is below everyone. In this way it is similar to Tao.
Life should follow the principle of naturalness.
Follow dear heart! Be friendly!
Tell only the truth!
Lead - following the principle of maintaining peace!
Each action must be feasible and timely.
Anyone who does not strive to be ahead of others can avoid many mistakes.
9. Do not pour water into a full container. And there is no point in sharpening the blade too sharply. Or, if the whole hall is overflowing with gold and jasper, then who will be able to guard it?
Excessiveness in everything brings disaster.
When the job is completed, you should leave.
These are the laws of harmony proposed by Tao.
10. To maintain peace, you should feel Oneness with Everything. Then, in particular, false egocentric desires will not be able to arise.
It is necessary to refine consciousness. Let a person become like a newborn in this. If he becomes so refined, he will no longer have delusions.
The government of the country and the people must be carried out in love and without violence.
The gates from the world of matter to the secretive world open when maintaining calm. Understanding this truth arises when inaction.
To educate - without violence, to create - and not to boast, to create - but not to appropriate what has been created, being the eldest among others - not to command! This is the true righteousness of Great De.
11. Thirty spokes are connected in one bicycle wheel. But the use of the wheel also depends on the void between the spokes.
Vessels are made from clay. But their use depends on the emptiness in them.
They make walls, doors and shutters on the windows in the house. But the use of the house also depends on the emptiness in it.
This is how the usefulness of objects and emptiness are combined.
12. He who sees only five colors in the world is like a blind man.
One who listens only to the sounds of the material world is like a deaf person.
One who, while eating, feels only the taste of material food, is deluded.
The one who rushes at full speed in pursuit of prey is insane.
By obtaining jewelry and decorations, you are acting to your detriment.
The efforts of the wise are aimed at making life full, and not at having a lot of things. And he, content with little in the world of matter, chooses Initial.
13. Fame and shame are equally terrible. Celebrity is a great misfortune in life.
What does it mean that fame and shame are equally terrible? This means that people take risks, fight for fame, and then are afraid of losing it.
What does it mean that celebrity is a great misfortune in life? This means that I have great misfortune, because I value my name.
When I do not value my name, then I will not have many misfortunes.
Therefore, a wise man never strives to exalt himself. He only selflessly serves people. And so he can live among them in peace. He doesn't fight with anyone or anything - that's why he's invulnerable.
14. If you look at the Tao, you won’t notice it right away. And that is why they call Him difficult to see.
If you listen to Him, you will not hear right away. And that is why they call Him hard to hear.
If you try to grasp Him, it is not easy to reach Him. And that is why they call Him elusive.
In Him are Those Who Admire Themselves! Moreover, they are all merged into the Tao in One.
Tao is the same above and below.
Tao - being limitless in size - cannot be named after any specific one of Them.
They come from Tao, each manifesting His own individuality - and then return again to the absence of individual manifestation - in Him.
Tao has no bodily image or face. Therefore they speak of Him as hidden and mysterious.
I meet Tao and do not see His face; I follow Him and do not see His back.
By strictly following the eternal Path of transforming oneself as consciousness, one can cognize that Eternal Beginning. This Path is the Path to Tao.
15. Since ancient times, those who were capable of spiritual Enlightenment learned the secretive and difficult to understand small and large steps of this Path.
These ascetics were difficult to identify. I will only outline their image: they were cautious, as if they were crossing a stream in winter, they were cautious, because they were wary of strangers, they were always collected, because they realized the temporary nature of their stay on Earth, they were vigilant, as if they were walking on melting ice , they were simple and not refined, they were vast, like a valley, they were inaccessible to idle glances.
These were those who, while maintaining peace, knew how to transform dirty things into clean things.
These were the ones who contributed to the evolution of Life.
They revered Tao and were content with little in the world of matter. Not wanting much, they limited themselves to what they had and did not look for more.
Those who have come to the knowledge of their true Essence find complete peace. This is the acquisition of common Abodes of all the Achievers.
Genesis in Abodes of the Attained should become permanent. One who has acquired such constancy is called Enlightened, Perfect and Achieved the Supreme Wisdom.
Having reached that Abodes are themselves One "We" Which is Supreme Ruler. That Abode also called Sky. This is the Abode of the Eternal Tao.
Tao is incorporeal. It cannot be “grabbed” by anyone. And therefore It is invulnerable.
17. Supreme Ruler grants the opportunity for the development of consciousness to all His subjects. But He does not seek to benefit or reward them with “earthly things.” He also does not seek to instill fear and trembling in Himself.
The one who only believes stupidly does not know about it. But He who knows Him no longer believes foolishly.
Oh, how profound is this truth!
18. If a country has rejected the Great Tao, conversations begin about “humanism”, “justice”... But in this situation, this kind of philosophizing is only great hypocrisy!
Similarly, when there is discord in the family, demands for “filial piety” and “fatherly love” begin...
And when such chaos reigns in the whole state, slogans of “patriotism”, “love for the fatherland” appear...
19. When this kind of lies and hypocrisy are eliminated, the people will be a hundred times happier. Deceit, thirst for profit, theft, cruelty towards living beings - all this will disappear when people have true knowledge. For all human vices are due to lack of knowledge. It is knowledge that will show people that it is in their personal interests to be simple and kind, to moderate personal “earthly” desires and to free themselves from harmful passions.
20. Stop being faithful to the things you are attached to, and you will be free from grief and self-pity! Only by doing this can one find true support in life! Isn’t it worth giving up the generally accepted hopes and customs for this?
How great is the difference between good and evil!
Do not do what is undesirable to another - with only this one principle it is already possible to reduce chaos and establish order in society.
But for now... all people indulge in idleness... And society is engulfed in chaos...
I am the only one who is calm and does not expose myself to everyone. I am like a child who was not born into this world of idleness...
All people are captivated by worldly desires. And I alone gave up everything that was valuable to them. I am indifferent to all this.
All people live in their egocentrism. I was the only one who chose to get rid of him.
I am floating in the Stream of Consciousness in the Expanse and I don’t know when I will stop...
I - in your heart I will know Tao! Oh, how much it is sophisticated!
What makes me different from others is that I value That which created all our lives.
21. Te comes from Tao. And Tao abides in Primordial Depth.
De is That which acts and moves. It is as mysterious and hidden as the Tao. But It also really exists!
It may have a form.
And It has power. His strength surpasses everything that exists in the world.
You can see it. From ancient times to the present day, the Voice of De, expressing the Will of the Creator of the entire material world, has not ceased.
Where can I see the face of De? - Everywhere!
22. If you are content with little, you will gain a lot. If you chase too much, you will go astray. The wise man heeds this instruction. If only it would bring some sense to the entire Celestial Empire!
The wise man believes not only in his own bodily eyes - and therefore sees It's clear.
The wise man does not consider himself alone to be right - and therefore he knows the truth.
He does not crave fame - but he is revered.
He does not seek power - but they follow him.
He doesn't fight anyone - and that's why he's invincible.
He does not feel sorry for himself - and therefore can successfully improve.
Only those who do not strive to be ahead of everyone are able to live in harmony with everyone.
The wise man takes care of everyone - and therefore becomes an example for everyone.
He is bright, but does not want to shine.
He does not praise himself - but he is already respected.
He does not elevate himself - that is why he is always held in high esteem among others.
In ancient times they said that the imperfect moves towards becoming perfect. Are these empty words? - No! Truly, having found Unity, - you will come to Perfection!
23. Talk less and keep it simple!
The strong wind does not continue all morning, the heavy rain does not fall all day. Who does it depend on? - From heaven and earth.
Heaven and earth - although huge, they cannot give birth to anything eternal. And even more so - a person. Therefore, it is better to serve To the Eternal Tao.
And the one who serves the Tao in his deeds receives the right to achieve Mergence with It.
And where the army passed, devastation reigns. And after wars come years of famine.
A wise commander is never warlike. A wise warrior is never angry. He who knows how to defeat an enemy does not attack. The winner stops there; he does not dare to carry out violence against the vanquished. Having won, he does not glorify himself. He wins - and he is not proud of it. He doesn't like to fight. He wins only because he is forced to. Although he wins, he is not warlike.
If a person, having barely reached his prime, immediately begins to get sick and fade, it is because he lived out of harmony with Tao. The life of such a person on Earth ends prematurely.
31. Weapons are a means of causing misfortune and are worthy of being rejected.
Therefore, a person who follows Tao does not use it.
A worthy ruler is compliant. He only uses force to protect himself. He uses every opportunity to keep the peace.
Glorifying oneself with a military victory means rejoicing in the killing of people. Can anyone respect someone who rejoices in killing people?
And respect leads to well-being. Well-being promotes creativity.
Unfortunately, violence leads.
If many people are killed, then this should be bitterly mourned. The victory should be celebrated with a funeral ceremony.
32. Tao is eternal and has no human form.
Although Tao is a gentle Being, no one in the world can subjugate Him.
If the nobility and rulers of the country began to live in harmony with Tao, then all other people themselves would become calm. Heaven and earth would then merge in harmony, happiness and prosperity would come, the people would calm down even without orders!
To establish order in the country, laws are created. But they shouldn't be too harsh.
Tao is like the ocean. The ocean is lower than all rivers - and therefore all rivers flow into it.
33. He who knows people is intelligent. He who knows himself is enlightened. He who knows how to defeat enemies is strong. He who conquers himself is powerful.
Those who have material wealth live securely. He who acts with great tenacity has a will. But he who indulges his whims is weak and stupid.
Whoever has achieved Mergence with Tao and does not lose it, has achieved the Supreme Being. And, having died in body, he continues to live in Tao, becoming truly Immortal.
34. The Eternal Tao permeates everything with Itself. It exists both on the right and on the left. Thanks to Him, all souls arise and continue to live and develop.
Although Tao is so great and accomplishes these great deeds, it does not desire glory for itself.
It nurtures all beings with love. It does not do violence to them. It does not insist that people fulfill His desires.
It is Great, although it does not insist on it.
Reasonable people rush to Him - the Great!
35. All Perfect Ones flock to the Great Tao.
Follow this Path too! By doing this you cannot cause yourself any harm, but, on the contrary, you will achieve peace, harmony and fullness of life.
Personally, being in inaction, I wander in the Infinity of Tao. This is beyond words! Tao - The Subtlest and Most Blessed!
36. “Earthly” passion weakens. Unshakable determination fills you with strength!
“Earthly” passion is crippling. Unshakable determination - elevates and strengthens consciousness!
“Earthly” passion enslaves its owner. Unshakable determination makes a person free!
The impassive, soft and pliable defeats the passionate, hard and rough.
37. Tao does not act directly in the world of matter. But, nevertheless, the entire Creation is a product of His creativity.
Act in the same way - and then all living things around will develop in a natural way for him!
When you live in simplicity, without regard for gossip and enmity, in harmony with Tao - then you come to what is called have no attachments or passions!
The absence of “earthly” desires brings peace within oneself - and then order is established around.
38. Man, who represents the Great De, does not force Himself to do good deeds: after all, He naturally manifests Virtue itself.
A person who is far from De may try to force himself to perform good deeds: after all, he is not virtuous in his essence.
Man, who represents the Great De, does not strive for active activity in the world of matter: after all, He acts in inaction.
A person who is far from De lives in vanity and acts under the influence of his passions. In the religious side of life, his activity is reduced only to rituals, but relying on the “magic” of rituals marks the degeneration of religion! Such a person also forces other people to act like him.
This only happens to those who do not have the Tao in their lives. They cannot be trusted: they have already betrayed the Tao - and are ready to betray anyone.
A wise person who has cognized Tao is able to distinguish people by these signs. He chooses to communicate only with good people.
39. There are Those Who have been in Unity with Tao since ancient times. Thanks to Them, the sky is clear and the earth is unshakable, nature is gentle, the rivers are deep, the valleys are blooming, all creatures are multiplying, the heroes of the spiritual Path are role models. This is what Those Who Have Achieved Unity provide!
If it were not for Their help, the sky would not be clear, the earth would crack, nature would cease to give its beauty, the valleys would cease to bloom and turn into desert, creatures would cease to be born and disappear, the heroes of the spiritual Path would cease to serve as an example of virtue and would would be ridiculed and expelled...
The people are the support for rulers. Therefore, those earthly rulers who exalt themselves do not have a strong position. This happens because they do not consider the people as their support. It's their mistake.
If you dismantle the chariot on which you are sitting, what remains?
Do not consider yourself a precious jasper! Be simple - like an ordinary stone!
40. The interaction of opposites is the sphere of activity of Tao.
Supreme Refinement- one of the most important properties of Tao. She is opposed by the crude properties of evil people.
The entire development of embodied beings takes place in the interaction of these opposites.
But the world of matter itself originated from Of the subtlest Primordial...
41. A wise person, having learned about Tao, strives for self-realization in It.
But the unwise, having learned about Tao, either keeps It in his mind, or loses it.
Fools, having heard about Tao, subject Him to ridicule. And those who have known the Tao - They call them lost, crazy... Wisdom seems to them madness..., the highest justice - vice..., righteousness - depravity..., great truth - a lie...
Yes, a great square has no corners, a great sound cannot be heard, a great image is vast...
Yes, the Tao is hidden from their view. It leads only the worthy to Perfection!
42. One once came out of Tao, after a while He invited Two more, and those Two - Three more. And all of them were then engaged in creating various forms of life on the planet.
All these beings are divided into pairs of opposites yin and yang and are filled with energy qi. Their further development occurs from their interaction.
Everyone is afraid loneliness and perceive it as suffering. This also applies to earthly rulers.
They only care about themselves, refusing to help others.
But the right decision is precisely to devote yourself caring for others while forgetting about yourself.
A wise spiritual ascetic who has dedicated his life to the good of all will not be defeated by death. And I prefer these words to all other instructions of all the sages!
Those who have reached Tao merge into It One One.
43. It happens in the world that the weakest defeat the strongest. The reason is that De penetrates everywhere, permeating everything and controlling everyone.
This is why, in particular, I see benefit in inaction.
There is nothing in the world that can be compared in importance with the doctrine of inner silence and benefits inaction!
44. What is more necessary: life or glory? What is more valuable: life or wealth? What is more difficult to survive: gain or loss?
If you save a lot, you will lose a lot! If you save a lot, you will lose a lot!
Know when to stop and you will avoid failure. Know the limit and there will be no risk. So you can live your life in peace, without worries!
He who knows when to stop will not have failures. And the one who knows how to stop in time will avoid trouble. Thanks to this, he can have time to comprehend the Primordial and Eternal Dao.
45. The greatest Perfection can be confused with madness, great volume with emptiness, great crookedness with straightness, great wit with stupidity, a great orator with someone who cannot speak.
Intense movement overcomes cold, immobility overcomes heat.
Peace and harmony will only ensure a correct understanding of everything happening in the world.
46. If a country lives according to the laws of Tao, then horses are busy cultivating the fields.
But when Tao is rejected in the country, war horses rush across the fields.
There is no greater misfortune than unlimited “earthly” passions! And nothing destroys more than the desire to increase “earthly” wealth!
He who knows how to be content with what he has is always happy!
47. Without leaving his yard, a wise man learns about the world. Without looking out of the window, he sees the Primordial Dao. He doesn't go far to learn more.
The wise man does not go anywhere - but knows everything, does not look - but names everything, is outwardly inactive - but achieves everything.
He in heart he finds everything he needs.
That is why the wise man knows what he cannot reach, cannot reach. And he can see what is not visible to the naked eye.
48. He who studies increases his knowledge every day. He who serves Tao reduces his “earthly” desires day after day. In the continuous reduction of “earthly” desires, a person reaches inaction.
Only in inaction It is possible to master all the secrets of the universe! And without inaction this is impossible to achieve.
49. A wise person has no selfish motives. He lives in the interests of other people.
I do good to the good, and I also wish good to the unkind. This is the virtue inherent in De.
I am honest with honest people, and I am honest with dishonest people too. This is the honesty inherent in De.
A wise man lives in peace in his own country. But other people also live here: good - and evil, honest - and deceitful, reasonable - and stupid, selfish - and living in the interests of others, heeding the Tao - and rejecting It.
A wise man looks upon the people as his children.
50. People on Earth are born and die. Out of every ten, approximately three then continue to exist in heaven, three are sent through death to hell, and another three are those who have not achieved success in the development of the soul due to their passion for “earthly” affairs.
The one who mastered true life, walking on the ground, he is not afraid of the rhinoceros and the tiger, and when entering battle, he is not afraid of armed soldiers. There is no place for the rhinoceros to stick his horn into him, no place for the tiger to lay his claws on him, no place for the soldiers to hit him with their swords. Why is this so? This happens because death does not exist for him!
51. Tao creates beings, De nurses them, nurtures them, helps them improve, mature, caring for them, supporting them.
Those beings gradually grow (in souls), improve, and achieve Perfection.
Therefore, there is no person who would not be obliged to honor Tao and Te.
Tao and Te do not force anyone, but enable beings to develop according to their own freedom of choice, naturally.
To create - and not to appropriate, to create - and not to boast, being the eldest - not to command!
These are the principles of life of Great De.
52. Everything in the world of matter has a Source, which is the Mother of the material world.
When the Mother is known, then it will be easier to recognize Her Children.
When the Children are already known, one should not forget about the Mother. In this case, you will live the rest of your life without adversity.
If you throw away your personal desires and free yourself from “earthly” passions, then you will live without fatigue for the rest of your life.
If you “dissolve” your passions and be absorbed in worldly affairs, then there will be no salvation from troubles.
See The finest- this is true clarity of vision.
Preservation refinement of consciousness determines true power.
Contemplate the Light of Tao! Get to know Him Depths! It is a true Treasure! Don’t lose Him and you will avoid all adversity!
53. He who has true knowledge follows the Straight Path.
The only thing I'm afraid of is getting involved in the fuss.
The Straight Path is completely smooth. But people prefer... winding paths.
If earthly rulers direct all their attention to the luxury of their palaces, then the fields are overgrown with weeds and the granaries are empty. Those earthly rulers dress in luxurious clothes, carry sharp swords, are not satisfied with simple food, and accumulate excessive wealth for themselves. This is tantamount to robbery and is a violation of the principles of life proposed by Tao.
54. By getting to know yourself, you will get to know others. By helping others, you will learn everything.
He who knows how to stand firmly cannot be knocked over. He who knows how to lean on cannot be knocked down. Yes, such a person will be remembered by descendants!
When you find the same stability in Tao, you will then shine His Light on other people, like the rising sun!
And take care of help in this - your family, other people living around in your country, then - everywhere! Through this you will gain the power of consciousness - irresistible and limitless!
How did I know all this? - Yes, that’s exactly it...
55. He who lives in Mergence with the Great De is as pure as a baby. Poisonous insects and snakes do not bite Him, ferocious animals do not attack Him, birds of prey do not attack Him. He is refined by consciousness - and firmly merged with Tao.
He evaluates people not by gender and other external characteristics - but looks at their essence: at their souls.
He also perceives everyone as components One, V Unity.
And He has the ability to generate spiritual growth in people.
He can preach all day - but His voice remains strong: after all, He is in constant Mergence with Tao!
Such His life flows in happiness!
Ordinary people, having barely reached the prime of life, immediately begin to fade in old age... This is because they have not achieved Mergence with Tao.
56. Truth cannot be conveyed only through words! Anyone who hopes for this will not fully understand what is being discussed here!
He who discards personal desires, gets rid of “earthly” passions, reduces his needs, achieves a clear understanding, does not strive for glory, and remains in a stable state of consciousness refined to the limit - He represents the Primordial and Deepest Tao.
He cannot be seduced, offended, forced, or persuaded to glorify Him. It is impossible to harm him!
He shines like the sun! He is like a source from which everyone can drink!
He is the Highest Precious among people!
57. From Tao come peace, harmony, justice.
But among people there is cunning, self-interest, deception, violence...
You can enter the Tao only through inaction.
When people strive to accumulate many unnecessary things, they become poor spiritually.
When too many weapons are made, then banditry inevitably grows and riots begin.
When skilled craftsmen direct all their efforts to creating material values, then miraculous phenomena stop happening in the country.
When laws and repression in a country become harsh, the number of dissatisfied people and resistance grow.
That is why the wise man withdraws from vanity and allows events to take place without his direct participation in them.
Changes must start with yourself. I strive for peace and quiet - and others will calm down by watching me. I don’t strive to have many material goods - and the people around me also begin to be content with little. I live without “earthly” attachments and passions - and people around me come to the simplicity and naturalness of life.
58. When earthly rulers rule in peace and harmony, the people are also calm and peaceful. And he does not strive for anything from this well-being.
If earthly rulers act excitedly and aggressively, then the people feel bad. Troubles and misfortunes then replace prosperity. And people begin to think, look for a way out - and some find it, coming to inaction and plunging into the Light of the Infinite Tao. Luck and happiness are what are ultimately born out of misfortune.
As we see, happiness and unhappiness give rise to one another.
A wise person is always calm, soft, gentle and fair. He does not seek to take anything away from another. He is selfless and does not harm anyone. He is truthful and lives in harmony with the Tao, with nature and other people.
And it is bright, but does not shine.
59. In order to successfully serve the Tao, helping people spiritually, one must be able to preserve and accumulate one’s power of consciousness. This requires abstaining from everything that leads to its waste.
Such abstinence at the highest levels of the Path will lead to an increase in one’s own De Forces, which can become inexhaustible and capable of ensuring the completeness of knowledge of the Tao.
And Tao is the Eternal and Infinite Primordial Foundation of every person and the entire material world.
The road connecting to the Base is called root.
60. The activity of Tao and Te in relation to countless individual souls of different ages can be compared to preparing a dish from many ingredients in a huge cauldron.
In relation to most people - when fulfilling the destinies they themselves deserve - De uses spirits, including those who are not at all at high levels of development.
But, if a person approaches the Tao in quality of soul, he leaves the sphere of influence of such spirits.
And many would not strive to become better if it were not for the “help” they received from evil people!
Earthly rulers who have absolute power and their entourage value their jewelry and luxurious chariots... But they, in fact, are no better than those who, being in solitude and peace, follow In the Deep Way to Tao! And wouldn’t it be better for those earthly rulers to start a quiet life and also devote it to comprehending the Tao?
They say that in ancient times people did not strive for earthly wealth, and criminals were not sent to execution. In those ancient times, people revered the Tao...
63. Get rid of the vanity of the mind and unnecessary actions, maintain peace and be content with simple food!
Thus begins the Path to the knowledge of the Great Tao, Which is One One, consisting of many Great Souls.
And there are also many small souls embodied in bodies.
A wise person who knows this knows that one must respond to hatred with kindness.
Start a difficult task with an easy beginning. After all, any big business consists of small components. This is how, gradually, a great thing is accomplished.
If someone promises to accomplish a great task “in one fell swoop,” the words of such a person are not trustworthy.
But the wise man does not at all take up “great undertakings” in the world of matter! That is why he does great things in the spiritual world. And this is not difficult for him.
64. It is easy to help someone who has already mastered harmony.
For the seeker who has not yet found his path, it is easy to suggest it. Although we must also remember that the weak can easily fall off the path. And the one who is still a small soul will escape from difficulties.
It’s easier to start building where you don’t have to destroy old ruins first. It is better to introduce spiritual knowledge where you will not encounter hostility from evil and stupid people.
And then - a big tree grows from a small sapling, a nine-story tower begins to be built from a handful of earth, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
In the world of matter, entrepreneurs go bankrupt, property owners lose it. That's why a wise person doesn't act like that - and he doesn't fail. He has nothing - and therefore he has nothing to lose.
A wise person does not live in “earthly” passions, does not strive to obtain from material things that will require great effort. He lives in natural simplicity and is content with what worldly people reject.
He follows the Path to Tao.
65. He who knows the Tao does not expose himself to unenlightened people. He also refuses to “control the crowd” - and therefore can continue to improve himself and help the worthy.
Concealed higher knowledge about methods of developing consciousness can become destructive for people who are not ready for it.
A wise person who knows this and acts according to these principles becomes a role model.
This is exactly how the Great De works.
To understand what has been said, one must see that the Great De is the Opposite in relation to people of vice. In relation to such people, the Great De is in an unattainable distance.
This is what Great De is, possessing the Supreme Power and caring for all countless beings! It connects and separates people, It controls everything! It is the Lord who deserves the strongest love and reverence!
By learning from Him, you will achieve the highest well-being!
66. Great rivers are so powerful because they flow down into the seas, collecting water flowing from all around.
A wise person, wanting to help the people, must also place himself lower than others. Therefore, although he is superior to the people, he is not a burden for the people - and the people do not harm him. People follow him happily and do not turn away from him.
He doesn't compete with anyone - that's why he's invincible.
And he himself continuously moves forward - and people do not envy him.
He does not fight with anyone - and therefore no one in the whole world can force him to act against his will.
67. Tao is Great and has no equal or similar to Itself!
And It is so deep and so thin that it is impossible to grab Him and force Him to do anything!
I have three treasures that I value: the first is philanthropy, the second is frugality, and the third is that I do not dare to be ahead of others. I am a humanitarian, so I can be brave. I am thrifty, so I can be generous. I don’t dare to be ahead of others, so I can become a leader for people.
Those who are brave without love, generous without frugality, those who, trying to be ahead, push others away - all fail.
But the one who, while fighting, remains full of love, wins. And he is unapproachable: after all, Tao constantly guards him.
68. A wise commander is never warlike. A wise warrior is never angry. He who knows how to win does not attack first. He who knows how to lead people does not humiliate them, but puts himself in a low position.
These are the laws of Te, rejecting anger, self-aggrandizement and violence. This is how Those Who Represent Te act, leading people to the Primordial and Eternal Tao.
69. The art of war teaches: I do not dare to be the first to start, I must wait. I don’t dare step forward even an inch, but retreat an arshin back. This is called acting without acting, winning without violence. In this case, there will be no enemy, and I can avoid wasting my strength.
And there is no greater misfortune than hating your enemy! Hatred towards the enemy is the path to losing my most sacred thing - Tao!
So, as a result of battles, those who avoided them win.
70. My words are easy to understand and easy to implement. But so many people cannot understand and cannot implement.
Behind my words is Start Total. Since those people don’t know Him, they don’t understand me either.
Those who know Tao are quiet and unnoticeable, although they behave with dignity. He dresses in simple clothes, and hides precious things inside.
71. He who has knowledge, but knows how to remain silent about it, is on top.
He who does not have knowledge, but pretends to know, is... not healthy.
He who is wise heals himself. A wise person does not get sick because he rids himself of the very causes of illness. He resides in Tao. How can he get sick in this case?
72. He who lives in fear cannot become strong. The power of consciousness can only be gained by living without fear.
Also get rid of the ability to despise others! He who despises others is himself despised before Tao!
Free yourself from violence towards others! He who commits violence will be subjected to violence himself!
Give up the ability to deceive! He who deceives others deceives himself!
Live in love!
And don’t try to show off yourself! A wise person who has cognized his Highest Essence does not indulge in narcissism and does not elevate himself above others.
One who gets rid of egocentrism gets the opportunity to find the Tao.
73. Those who are brave and warlike die. Those who are brave and not warlike will live.
Who knows the reasons for hatred of the militants? Even the sage finds it difficult to explain this.
The Great Tao is at peace, It does not fight with anyone. It wins without violence.
It is silent, but answers questions and comes on its own to those who call upon It.
It - in peace - controls everything.
It selects those worthy into Itself.
74. For those who are not afraid of death, there is no point in threatening them with death!
But the one who threatens death to others, enjoying it, will be defeated himself.
Only Tao knows the theme of life and death. No one is allowed to manage this instead of Him! And the one who decides to do this only harms himself.
75. Looking at most people, you might think that they are constantly hungry. After all, they are constantly concerned about accumulating and multiplying their reserves. And they can't stop at it!
And in business they only care about personal gain - at any cost!
They do not want to understand the principles of life offered by the Tao - about love and care for others and also about inaction.
They live without looking towards the Tao, ignoring the Tao, wasting their life force on something that has no true value. They have too strong a “love of life” - and therefore die early.
But the one who neglects his earthly life for the sake of the common good increases its value before the Tao.
76. The human body is soft and flexible at birth, and hardens after death. All plant creatures are also tender and flexible at birth, but after death they become dry and brittle.
A powerful tree cannot withstand a storm. Or an ax is waiting for him. Flexible and gentle has an advantage here.
He who is gentle and flexible follows the path of life. He who is not flexible and rude walks the road of death.
77. Let the life of the Primordial Tao serve as an example to us!
He who rapes people, humiliates, and robs them is opposed to Tao.
But the one who never acts out of self-interest, gives his excess to others, performs feats not for the sake of glory, lives in peace, without “earthly” passions, immerses himself in the gentle and subtle peace of Tao and helps those worthy on this Path - such a person can be called resembling Tao.
78. Water is gentle and pliable. But it sharpens and crushes the hard. She has no equal in overcoming the tough.
Soft and gentle - overcomes hard and rough. But only the wise understand what the point is...
79. After a great disturbance of emotions, its consequences remain. Calmness can be called good.
Therefore, a wise person takes an oath that he will not blame anyone.
Good people live by this rule. Evil ones - no.
The Primordial Tao is always on the side of the good.
80. I think about the state structure like this:
It is better when the country is small and the population is sparse.
Even if there are many tools, there is no need to use them. There is also no need to use ships and war chariots. It is better for warriors not to fight.
Life in the country must be such that people do not want to leave the country.
It’s good if everyone’s food is delicious, their clothes are beautiful, their housing is comfortable, their life is joyful.
It’s good to look with love at the neighboring state, listen to the roosters crow and the dogs bark there.
It is good that people, having lived here to old age, comprehend Perfection and leave here so as not to return again.
81. True words are not necessarily elegant. Beautiful words are not always trustworthy.
Kind is not necessarily eloquent. The eloquent may not be kind.
The one who knows does not argue, the one who does not know argues.
A wise person is not selfish; he acts for the sake of others.
The Great Tao cares about the welfare of all beings. Everything that It does in relation to living beings does not contain violence and does not harm anyone.
A wise person also acts without violence and does not harm anyone.
“Tao Te Ching” is a very small book containing about five thousand Chinese written characters, but in its influence on the philosophical thought of the East, and later the West, it “weighs” more than hundreds of Confucian and other books in total. On the basis of this one book, one of the three main philosophical systems of China arose, which, regardless of any proportion to the size of the book, took its place next to Buddhism that came from India and “national” Confucianism.
Both the contents of the Tao Te Ching and the question of its authorship have never ceased to cause controversy, with some believing that the author was a contemporary of Confucius, others that he lived a whole century later, and still others that this book is no more , as a collection of sayings compiled already during the Han Dynasty.
According to tradition, the authorship of the Tao Te Ching is attributed to Lao Tzu. But who was Lao Tzu ("Old Sage")? Was it Li Er? Was it Lao Dan, mentioned many times in the books of Zhuang Zhou, among whose “characters” there are many invented by him? Lao Dan was thought to be a native of the Principality of Zhen, which was later captured by the Kingdom of Chu. The historian Si-Ma Qian reports that he was the custodian of the imperial archives in Luoyang, but, saddened by the decline of the Zhou dynasty, left his position. He wrote the Tao Te Ching, supposedly at the behest of the Buddha Guan Yin, and then became a hermit and died at a ripe old age within the kingdom of Qin.
Modern Chinese researchers believe that all three guesses about the author of the Tao Te Ching do not exclude each other. The librarian or archivist Lao Dan probably existed, but the Tao Te Ching may not have been his work. As the capital's archivist, he had access to all the literature that existed at that time and, undoubtedly, became a man of rare erudition. It is quite possible that Confucius also turned to him for information.
It is possible that the Tao Te Ching is a collection of sayings by Lao Dan, compiled by his student or students already in the era of feudal wars. As in Confucian literature, editing has left its traces in the style of the book, but this does not give the right to consider it a forgery, which arose already during the Han dynasty.
The translator of the Tao Te Ching into any European language immediately encounters enormous obstacles. The main one is terminology. To begin with, the key word “Tao” is untranslatable. This, of course, is not the “Way”, not “Reason”, not the “moral principle”, not the “way of action” and not the “cosmos”. The Logos of Hellenistic philosophy comes closest to it, but the introduction of this term would introduce Neoplatonic and Christian shades completely alien to China into the translation. How to translate "Tao"? “Tao” is NOT Truth, it is more specific and active. We encounter the same difficulty when translating the word “De”. This is most likely a combination of goodness and beauty, and not wisdom, virtue or nature.
The next huge difficulty is the choice of text. Eighty lists are known in China, different not only in composition, but also in the order in which the sayings appear. The Tao Te Ching is divided into either two or four parts. Even the most ancient lists diverge from each other, because already at the beginning of our era, excerpts from the Tao Te Ching among different writers did not coincide textually. By the end of the Chinese monarchy, 335 copies of the Tao Te Ching, equipped with notes, were known. Over more than two thousand years, countless errors and rearrangements have accumulated. Many ideograms have become outdated and incomprehensible; in some places they were replaced by “neologisms”. Passages from old commentaries were also often taken as part of the text and included in it.
Scientific criticism of texts arose only in the 17th century, when their comparison and comparison began. Gradually, linguistic criticism was added to this. As a result of the enormous work of many generations of scientists, all interpolations that contained encouragement for “occult science,” witchcraft, or alchemy were excluded from the Tao Te Ching. The main core of the Tao Te Ching is the doctrine of inaction (wu wei), a call to return to simplicity and naturalness, for which people need to free themselves from selfishness and social chains. The thoughts of Lao Tzu, Lao Dan, Zhuang Zhou are opposite to Confucianism and represent a dizzying flight of speculation, a breakthrough into the limits of metaphysics. The teachings of the Tao Te Ching and later Taoism seem so alien to the Chinese mind that it is assumed to be related to Brahmanism and Buddhism. Relations between China and India by land and sea began a long time ago and have never stopped. The book Fa-yuan-fu-lin mentions the persecution of Hindu Buddhist monks in Xi'an as early as 217 BC. Qin-shi Huangdi ordered in 214 BC. destroy all Buddhist temples in China. Such drastic measures indicate that Buddhism was seen as the biggest threat.
Lao Dan and his followers, whoever they were, prepared the way for Buddhism to succeed in the last period of the Han dynasty. But the spread of Buddhism could not but affect the Taoist teaching, which was imbued with borrowings from the Hindu faith. Over time, both religions have become so intertwined that it is now impossible to say where one ends and where the other begins. Lao Tzu and Lao Dan in the 7th and 8th centuries BC. were officially deified - the first, as the Great Supreme Lord of the Mysterious First Cause", the second - as the "Venerable Prince of the Supreme Being". Over time, many fantastic legends and the most absurd superstitions arose, so that today the pure teaching of the Tao can be found only in the "Tao-te- Jing" and in the works of Zhuang Zhou.
European sinologists have long appreciated the philosophical depth and, most importantly, the poetic beauty of the Tao Te Ching. Back in 1788, the Tao Te Ching was translated into Latin, and then dozens of translations of this book appeared into English, German, French, Russian and other languages. Often excellent, these translations were in many cases made from defective texts, as a result of which many thoughts turned out to be presented confusingly and unintelligibly, or even completely erroneously.
The proposed translation is based on a Chinese text published in Shanghai by the scholar Zheng Lin in 1949, along with a rather imperfect English translation (Lao Tzy, "Truth and Nature"). The text adopted by Zheng Lin is the result of a long process of eradicating interpolations and rearranging the constituent parts. Zheng Lin built on the work of Gao Heng, who carefully compared the ancient Ban Bi list (first half of the 3rd century AD) with twenty-four other ancient lists. The text, cleared by Gao Heng, was published by the highly respected Academia Sinica in 1956.
In the rearranged order, the Tao Te Ching acquired the features of coherence, but even in this new edition there are repetitions that, perhaps, are not justified by the author’s original intention. In his preface, Zheng Lin says: “In the original Chinese, this book is written mostly in poetry.” Not without naivety, he adds: “To translate it into verse would be to limit freedom of expression too much, which would make an accurate translation more difficult, if not downright impossible.” According to some reference books, the Tao Te Ching was written not in poetry, but in rhythmic prose. One could agree with this, but, unfortunately, all the translators, without exception, who saw rhythmic prose in the Tao Te Ching, immediately forgot about the concept of rhythm and turned this almost poem into ordinary prose, full of “esoteric” terms of Greek and Latin origin. The Tao Te Ching was first translated into Russian by Professor D.P. Konishi ("Tao-te-king") in 1892. It was translated into white (or, more precisely, “yellow” or “light black”) verses, greatly shortened, by K.D. Balmont (in "Calls of Antiquity"). The proposed translation was published in 1950 by the USSR Academy of Sciences. It was made by the Chinese Yang-Hsing-shun in Moscow.
1. The Tao that can be expressed in words is not the permanent Tao. The name that can be named is not a permanent name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth, having a name - the mother of all things. Therefore, whoever is free from passions sees it [Tao wonderful mystery], and whoever has passions sees it only in its final form. Both of them are of the same origin, but with different names. Together they are called the deepest. From one deepest to another is the door to everything wonderful.
2. When all people know that the beautiful is beautiful, the ugly also appears. When [everyone] knows that good is good, evil also arises. Therefore, being and non-being give rise to each other, difficult and easy create each other, long and short are mutually shaped, high and low incline to each other, sounds, merging, come into harmony, the previous and the subsequent follow each other. Therefore, a wise person prefers non-action and carries out the teaching silently. Then all things begin to move, and they do not stop [their movement]. He creates and does not possess [what is created], does and does not use [what is made], completes things and is not proud. Because he is not proud, [all creatures] do not leave him.
3. If you do not respect the wise men, then there will be no quarrels among the people. If you do not value precious objects, then there will be no thieves among the people. If you do not see the desired object, then the hearts of the people will not worry. Therefore, the management of a wise person makes their hearts empty and their stomachs full. It weakens their will and strengthens their bones. It constantly strives to ensure that the people do not have knowledge and passions, and those who have knowledge do not dare to act. The implementation of non-action [by a sage] always brings peace.
4. Tao is empty, but when it acts, it seems inexhaustible. Oh, the deepest! It seems to be the forefather of all things. If you dull its insight, free it from chaos, moderate its brilliance, liken it to a speck of dust, then it will seem to clearly exist. I don't know whose creation it is. It precedes the ancestor of phenomena.
5. Heaven and earth have no humanity and they treat all beings as grass and animals. A wise person does not possess humanity and does not violate the natural life of the people. The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows and a flute: [both] are empty and straight from the inside. The stronger the movement [in it], the greater the results. He who talks a lot often fails. Therefore, it is better to observe the middle [measure].
6 . Emptiness [Tao] is immortal, and [I] call it the deepest beginning. I call the entrance to the deepest beginning the root of heaven and earth. [It] is infinite as existence and acts without effort.
7. Heaven and earth are durable. Heaven and earth are durable because they do not exist for themselves. This is why they can be durable. Therefore, a wise person puts himself behind others, which makes him ahead of people. He neglects his life, and thereby his life is preserved. This comes from the fact that the sage neglects personal [interests], and thereby his personal [interests] are realized.
8. The highest virtue is like water. Water benefits all beings and does not fight. She is where people don't want to be. Therefore it is similar to Tao. Life must follow the [laws] of the earth; the heart must follow [the laws of] inner impulses; charity must be consistent with humanity; the word must correspond to the truth; the government [of the country] must be consistent with tranquility; the business must correspond to the possibilities; the action must correspond to the time. And if you don’t fight, then there will be no grumbling [among the people].
9. Whoever fills [the vessel] over the edge and sharpens the blade too sharply cannot preserve them for long. If the hall is filled with gold and jasper, then no one can guard it. If the rich and noble are proud, then they bring misfortune upon themselves. If the matter is completed, the person [must] withdraw. This is the law of the natural Tao.
10. To maintain peace of mind, [a person] must maintain unity. Then [in him] desires will not awaken. If you make the spirit soft, a person will become like a newborn. If his contemplation becomes pure, then there will be no delusion. Love for the people and governance of the country are carried out without intellectualism. The gates of peace open and close with calmness. Knowing this truth makes non-action possible. To give birth to [beings] and raise [them], to create and not possess [what is created], to create and not to use [what is made], being the eldest among others, not to consider oneself a ruler - all this is called the deepest De.
11. Thirty spokes are connected in one hub [to form a wheel], and the use of the wheel depends on the emptiness between them [the spokes]. Vessels are made from clay, and the use of vessels depends on the emptiness in them. Doors and windows are pierced to make a house, and the use of the house depends on the emptiness in it. This is what the usefulness of being and the suitability of non-being mean.
12. Five colors dull vision. Five sounds dull hearing. The five senses of taste dull the taste. Driving fast and hunting excite the heart. Precious things make a person commit crimes. Therefore, the efforts of a wise person are aimed at making life full, and not at having beautiful things. He abandons the latter and confines himself to the former.
13. Fame and shame are like fear. Nobility is like a great misfortune in life. What does it mean that fame and shame are like fear? This means that inferior people gain fame with fear and lose it with fear as well. What does it mean that nobility is like a great misfortune in life? This means that I have great misfortune, because I [value] myself. When I do not value myself, then I will not have misfortune. Therefore, a noble person, selflessly serving people, can live among them. A humane person, selflessly serving people, can be among them.
14. I look at it and don’t see it, and therefore I call it invisible. I listen to it and don’t hear it, so I call it inaudible. I try to grab it and can't reach it, so I call it the smallest. These three [qualities of Tao] are inexplicable. Therefore they merge into one. Its top is not illuminated, its bottom is not darkened. It is infinite and cannot be named. It returns to nothingness again. And so they call it a form without forms, an image without a being. That is why they call it unclear and foggy. I meet him and don’t see his face, I follow him and don’t see his back. By holding on to the ancient Tao and mastering the present existence, one can cognize the ancient principle. This is called the thread of Tao.
15. In ancient times, one who was capable of enlightenment knew the smallest [things] and the deepest [secret]. secretive, so they could not be recognized. Since it was impossible to recognize them, I arbitrarily give [them] an image: they were timid, as if they were crossing a stream in winter; they were hesitant, as if they were afraid of their neighbors; they were important, like guests; they were cautious, as if they were walking on melting ice; they were simple, like untreated wood; they were vast, like a valley; they were impenetrable, like muddy water. These were those who, keeping calm, knew how to make dirty things clean. These were those who, by their ability to make long-lasting movement calm, contributed to life. They observed the Tao and did not desire much. Not wanting much, they limited themselves to what existed and did not create anything new.
16. I will bring the emptiness [of my heart] to the end - I will maintain complete peace, and then all things themselves will grow, and I will wait for their return. All things blossom and return to their beginning. Returning to the beginning is called peace, and peace is called returning to life. Returning to life is called permanence. Knowledge of permanence is called enlightenment, and ignorance of permanence commits evil. He who knows constancy becomes wise, the wise becomes just, and he who is just becomes a sovereign. The Sovereign follows heaven, heaven follows Tao, and Tao is eternal. Until the end of his life [such a sovereign] will not be in danger.
17. The common people knew that they had great men. They loved them and elevated them. Then they feared and despised them. Therefore, whoever is not trustworthy is not trusted [by people]. He who is thoughtful and restrained in words acquires merit and accomplishes deeds, and the people say that he follows naturalness.
18. When the great Tao was eliminated, humanity and justice appeared. When sophistication appeared, great hypocrisy arose. When six relatives are in discord, then filial piety and fatherly love appear. When there is disorder in the state, then faithful servants appear.
19. When sophistication and learning are eliminated, then the people will be a hundred times happier; when humanity and justice are eliminated, then the people will return to filial piety and paternal love; when cunning and profit are destroyed, then thieves and robbers will disappear. All these three things [come] from lack of knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to point out to people that they should be simple and modest, reduce personal [desires] and free themselves from passions.
20. When learning is destroyed, then there will be no sorrow. How insignificant is the difference between promise and flattery, and how great is the difference between good and evil! We must avoid what people are afraid of. ABOUT! How chaotic [the world] is, where order has not yet been established. All people are joyful, as if they are attending a ceremonial meal or celebrating the onset of spring. I am the only one who is calm and does not expose myself to the light. I am like a child who did not come into the world. ABOUT! I'm rushing! There seems to be no place where I could stop. All people are full of desires, but I alone am like the one who has given up everything. I am the heart of a foolish man. Oh, how empty it is! All people are full of light, only I am like the one who is plunged into darkness. All people are inquisitive, only I am indifferent. I am like someone who rushes through the sea and does not know where to stop. All people show their ability and I am the only one who looks stupid and low. Only I am different from others in that I value the power source.
21. The images of the great Te are subordinate only to the Tao. Tao is an unclear and foggy thing. Oh, foggy! Oh, the unclear! It contains images. Oh, the unclear! Oh, foggy! It contains things. Oh, bottomless! Oh, foggy! It contains seeds. Its seeds are completely reliable, and the truth is contained in it. From ancient times to the present day, his name does not disappear. It exists to mark the beginning of all things. Why do I know the beginning of all things? Only thanks to him.
22. Incomplete - becomes complete; crooked - becomes straight; the empty becomes filled; the old is replaced by the new; what is small becomes many. Many things are misleading. Therefore, a wise person maintains unity and becomes an example for everyone. It does not expose itself to the light, so it shines; he does not talk about himself, therefore he is glorious; he does not glorify himself, therefore he is deserved; he does not elevate himself, so he is the eldest among others. He doesn't fight, that's why he's invincible in the world. In ancient times they said that the imperfect becomes perfect. Are these empty words? The true, the perfect subjugates everything.
23. You need to talk less, follow naturalness. The fast wind doesn't last all morning, the heavy rain doesn't last all day. Who does all this? Heaven and earth. Even heaven and earth cannot make anything last, much less a person. Therefore he serves the Tao. A person with Tao is identical with Tao. A person with De is identical to De. The one who loses is identical to the loss. He who is identical with Tao acquires Tao. He who is identical with De acquires De. He who is identical with loss acquires what was lost. Only doubts breed disbelief.
24. He who stands on his tiptoes cannot stand [for long]. He who takes great steps cannot walk [for long]. He who exposes himself to the light does not shine. He who praises himself will not gain fame. Whoever attacks does not achieve success. He who exalts himself cannot become elder among others. Based on Tao, all this is called unnecessary desire and useless behavior. These are hated by all creatures. Therefore, a person who has Tao does not do this.
25. Here is a thing arising in chaos, born before heaven and earth! Oh, calm! Oh, empty! She stands alone and does not change. It operates everywhere and is not in danger [of destruction]. She can be considered the mother of the Celestial Empire. I don't know her name. Denoting it with a sign, I will call it Tao; arbitrarily giving her a name, I will call her Great. Great - I’ll call it transitory. Transient - I'll call it distant. Distant - I’ll call it returning. That is why the Tao is great, the sky is great, the earth is great, and the sovereign is also great. There are four great ones in the universe, and among them is the sovereign. Man follows the earth. The earth follows the sky. Heaven follows Tao, and Tao follows naturalness.
26. The heavy is the basis of the light. Peace is the main thing in movement. Therefore, a wise person works all day long, without leaving a difficult task. Although he harbors brilliant hope, he is in a completely calm state. It is in vain that the ruler of ten thousand chariots, preoccupied with himself, looks at the world so frivolously. Frivolity destroys his foundation, and his haste leads to loss of support.
27. He who knows how to walk leaves no traces. He who knows how to speak does not make mistakes. He who knows how to count does not use counting. He who knows how to close doors does not use a shutter, and closes them so tightly that it is impossible to open them. He who knows how to tie knots does not use rope, and ties them so tightly that it is impossible to untie them. Therefore, a wise person constantly skillfully saves people and does not abandon them. He always knows how to save creatures, so he doesn't leave them. This is called deep enlightenment. Thus, virtue is the teacher of the unkind, and the unkind are his support. If [the unkind] do not value their teacher and virtue does not love its support, then although they [consider themselves] reasonable, [in fact] they are immersed in blindness. This is what is most important and deep.
28. Whoever, knowing his courage, remains modest, [like] a mountain stream, becomes [the main one] in the country. Whoever has become the leader in the country does not leave permanent De and returns to the state of a baby. He who, knowing the festive, preserves the everyday for himself, becomes an example for everyone. He who has become an example for everyone does not differ from the constant De and returns to the beginningless. He who, knowing his glory, remains unknown to himself, becomes the leader in the country. Whoever has become the leader in the country achieves perfection in constant Te and returns to naturalness. When naturalness disintegrates, it turns into a means by which the wise becomes a leader and his great order is not destroyed.
29. If someone tries to take over a country by force, then, I see, he does not achieve his goal. The country is like a mysterious vessel that cannot be touched. If anyone grabs [him], he will lose him. Therefore, some creatures walk, others follow; some bloom, others dry up; some are strengthened, others are weakened; some are created, others are destroyed. Therefore, a wise person refuses excesses, eliminates luxury and extravagance.
30. He who serves the head of the people through the Tao does not conquer other countries with the help of troops, for this may turn against him. Where the troops have been, thorns and thorns grow there. After great wars come years of famine. A skillful [commander] wins and stops there, and he does not dare to carry out violence. He wins and does not glorify himself. He wins and does not attack. He wins and is not proud. He wins because he is forced to. He wins, but he is not warlike. When a being full of strength becomes old, this is called the absence of Tao. Whoever does not observe the Tao will die before his time.
31. A good army is a means of [generating] misfortune; all creatures hate it. Therefore, a person who follows Tao does not use it. A noble person prefers respect in times of peace, but uses violence in times of war. An army is an instrument of misfortune, it is not an instrument of the noble. He uses it only when he is forced to. The main thing is to remain calm, and in case of victory, not to glorify yourself. Glorifying oneself with victory means rejoicing in killing people. Anyone who rejoices in killing people cannot win sympathy in the country. Prosperity is created by respect, and misfortune comes from violence. The flank commanders line up on the left, and the commander stands on the right. They say they should be greeted with a funeral ceremony. If many people are killed, then you need to cry bitterly about it. The victory should be celebrated with a funeral ceremony.
32. Tao is eternal and has no name. Although he is a small creature, no one in the world can subjugate him. If nobles and rulers can observe it, then all beings themselves become calm. Then heaven and earth will merge in harmony, happiness and prosperity will come, and the people will calm down without orders. As order is established, names appear. Since names have arisen, one must know the limit. Knowing the limit makes it possible to get rid of danger. Tao, being in the world, is like mountain streams that flow to rivers and seas.
33. He who knows people is prudent. He who knows himself is enlightened. He who conquers people is strong. He who conquers himself is powerful. He who knows wealth is rich. He who acts with persistence has will. He who does not lose his nature is durable. He who is dead but not forgotten is immortal.
34. The Great Tao spreads everywhere. It can be to the right or to the left. Thanks to him, all beings are born, and they do not stop [in their growth]. It accomplishes great feats, but does not desire glory for itself. By lovingly nurturing all beings, it does not become their master. It never has its own desire, so it can be called small [modest]. All beings return to it, and it does not regard itself as a master. You can call him great. It becomes great because it never considers itself to be so.
35. All the people come to the one who represents the great image [of Tao]. People come and he doesn't harm them. He brings them peace, tranquility, music and food. Even a traveler stops with him. When Tao comes out of the mouth, it is insipid, tasteless. It is invisible and cannot be heard. In action it is inexhaustible.
36. What is compressed expands. What is weakened is strengthened. What is destroyed flourishes. Whoever wants to take something from another will certainly lose his own. All this is called difficult to comprehend. The soft overcomes the hard, the weak defeat the strong. The fish cannot leave the depths. Sharp weapons cannot be shown to people in the state.
37. Tao constantly carries out non-action, thus there is nothing that it does not do. If nobles and rulers observe it, then all beings will change by themselves. If those who change want to act, then I will suppress them with the help of simple being that does not have a name. Without a name - simple being - desires nothing for itself. The absence of desire brings peace, and then order in the country will be established by itself.
38. A person with higher Te does not carry out good deeds, therefore he is virtuous; a person with lower Te does not give up good deeds, therefore he is not virtuous; a person with higher De is inactive and acts through non-action; a person with lower De is active and acts with tension; a person of “highest humanity” acts, and his activity is carried out through inaction; a person of “highest justice” is active and acts with tension; a man of “highest respect” acts, and no one answers him. Then he forces people to respect. That is why “virtue” appears only after the loss of Tao, “humanity” - after the loss of virtue, “justice” - after the loss of humanity, “respect” - after the loss of justice. “Deference” is a sign of a lack of trust and devotion. She is the beginning of troubles. Appearance is the flower of Tao, the beginning of ignorance. Therefore, a great man takes the essential and leaves the insignificant. He takes the fruit and discards its flower. He prefers the first and refuses the second.
39. These are those who have been in unity since ancient times. Thanks to unity, the sky became clear, the earth became unshakable, the spirit became sensitive, the valley became blooming and all creatures began to be born. Through unity, nobles and princes become models in the world. This is what creates unity. If the sky is unclean, it is destroyed; if the earth is unstable, it splits; if the spirit is not sensitive, it disappears; if the valleys do not bloom, they turn into desert; if things are not born, they disappear; if nobles and princes are not examples of nobility, they will be overthrown. The lowly are the basis for the noble, and the low is the basis for the high. Therefore, nobles and sovereigns who exalt themselves do not have a strong [position]. This comes from the fact that they do not consider the ignorant as their support. This is the wrong way. If you dismantle the chariot, there will be nothing left of it. You cannot be as precious as jasper, but you need to become simple as a stone.
40. Opposite is the action of Tao, weakness is a property of Tao. In the world, all things are born into being, and being is born into non-existence.
41. A wise person, having learned about Tao, strives for its implementation. An educated person, having learned about Tao, either preserves it or loses it. The ignoramus, having learned about the Tao, subjects him to ridicule. If it were not subject to ridicule, it would not be Tao. Therefore, there is a saying: whoever recognizes the Tao looks like a dark one; whoever penetrates Tao is like one who retreats; whoever is at the height of Tao looks like a deluded person; a man of the highest virtue is like a simple man; the great enlightened one is like the despised one; boundless virtue is like its deficiency; the spread of virtue is like its plunder; true truth is like its absence. The great square has no corners; a large vessel takes a long time to make; a strong sound cannot be heard; the great image has no form. Tao is hidden [from us] and has no name. But it helps [all beings] and leads them to perfection.
42. Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all beings. All beings carry yin and yang within themselves, are filled with qi and form harmony. People despise those who exalt themselves and call themselves princes and nobles. All creatures become stronger after being weakened and weakened after being strengthened. People spread their teachings, and I do the same. Cruel and tyrants do not die a natural death. I give this as an example in my teaching.
43. In the world, the weakest defeat the strongest. Non-existence penetrates everywhere and everywhere. This is why I know the benefits of inaction. There is nothing in the world that can be compared with the teaching of silence and the benefits of non-action.
44. What is closer to yourself - fame or life? What is more valuable - life or wealth? What is more difficult to survive - gain or loss? He who saves a lot will suffer great losses. He who accumulates a lot will suffer great losses. He who knows when to stop will not fail. He who knows the limit will not be in danger. It becomes durable.
45. Great perfection is like imperfection, its action is endless, great completeness is like emptiness, its action is inexhaustible. Great straightness is like crookedness; great wit looks like stupidity; a great speaker is like a stutterer. Movement conquers cold, peace conquers heat. Calm creates order in the world.
46. When Tao exists in a country, horses respect the land; When there is no Tao in the country, war horses graze in the fields. There is no greater misfortune than not knowing the limits of one’s passion, and there is no greater danger than the desire to acquire [wealth]. Therefore, whoever knows how to be satisfied is always satisfied [with his life].
47. Without leaving the yard, the sage learns about the world. Without looking out of the window, he sees the natural Tao. The further he goes, the less he learns. Therefore, a wise person does not walk, but learns. Without seeing [things] [he] names them. He creates without acting.
48. He who studies increases [his knowledge] every day. He who serves Tao reduces [his desires] day by day. In continuous decline, man reaches the point of inaction. There is nothing that non-action cannot do. Therefore, the conquest of a country is always carried out through inaction. Whoever acts is not able to take over the country.
49. A wise man does not have his own heart. His heart is made up of the hearts of the people. I do good to the good and I wish good to the bad. This is the virtue generated by De. I believe in the sincere, and I also believe in the insincere. This is the sincerity that flows from De. A wise man lives calmly in the world and gathers the opinions of the people in his heart. He looks at the people as his children.
50. [Creatures] are born and die. Out of ten people, three [go] to life, and out of ten - three people towards death. Out of every ten, there are still three people who die from their actions. Why is this so? This happens because their desire for life is too strong. I have heard that whoever knows how to master life, walking on the ground is not afraid of the rhinoceros and the tiger, and entering into battle is not afraid of armed soldiers. The rhinoceros has no place to stick his horn into him, the tiger has no place to lay his claws on him, and the soldiers have no place to hit him with their sword. Why is this so? This happens because death does not exist for him.
51. Tao gives birth to [things], Te nourishes [them]. Things are taking shape, forms are being completed. Therefore, there is no thing that does not exalt Tao and does not value Te. Tao is sublime, Te is respectable, because they do not give orders, but follow naturalness. Tao gives birth to [things], Te nourishes them, nurtures them, perfects them, makes them mature, cares for them, supports them. To create and not to appropriate, to create and not to boast, being an elder and not to command. This is what is called the deepest De.
52. In the under heaven there is a beginning, and it is the mother of the under heaven. When the mother is recognized, her children can also be recognized. When the children are already known, then again you need to remember their mother. In this case, [the person] will not be in danger for the rest of his life. If [a person] abandons his desires and frees himself from passions, then for the rest of his life he will not have fatigue. If he dissolves his passions and is absorbed in his own affairs, then there will be no salvation [from troubles]. Seeing the smallest is called clarity. Maintaining weakness is called strength. By using its brilliance, make it [Tao] clear again. Then for the rest of his life [the person] will not have misfortune. This is called maintaining consistency.
53. If I had knowledge, I would take the high road. The only thing I'm afraid of is action. The main road is completely flat, but people love the paths. If the palace is luxurious, then the fields are covered with weeds and the grain storage facilities are completely empty. [Nobles] dress in luxurious fabrics, carry sharp swords, are not satisfied with [ordinary] food and accumulate excessive wealth. All this is called robbery and bragging. It is a violation of Tao.
54. He who knows how to stand firmly cannot be knocked over. He who knows how to lean on cannot be knocked down. His sons and grandsons forever cherish his memory. Whoever perfects [Tao] within himself, his virtue becomes sincere. Whoever cultivates [Tao] in the family, his virtue becomes abundant. Whoever cultivates [Tao] in the village, his virtue becomes extensive. Whoever perfects [Tao] in the kingdom, his virtue becomes rich. Whoever perfects [Tao] in heaven, his virtue becomes universal. By yourself you can know others; from one family one can know others; from one village you can know the rest; from one kingdom one can know others; You can get to know the whole world from one country. How do I know the world as such? Thereby.
55. He who contains perfect De is like a newborn. Poisonous insects and snakes do not bite him, ferocious animals do not attack him, birds of prey do not grab him. His bones are soft, his muscles are weak, but he holds [the Tao] tightly. Without knowing the union of the two sexes, it has a life-giving ability. He is very sensitive. He screams all day and his voice won't change. It is completely harmonious. Knowledge of permanence is called enlightenment. Enriching your life is called happiness. Tension of spirit in the heart is called perseverance. A being full of strength grows old - this is called a violation of Tao. Those without Tao die before their time.
56. Those who know do not speak, those who speak do not know. He who abandons his desires, renounces his passions, dulls his aspirations, frees his [thoughts] from confusion, moderates his brilliance, brings [his impressions] together, he represents the identity of the deepest. You cannot bring him closer in order to become close to him; it cannot be brought near in order to be neglected; it cannot be brought closer in order to use it; it cannot be brought closer in order to harm it; it cannot be brought closer in order to exalt it; he cannot be brought closer in order to humiliate him. That's why he is respected in the country.
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