Extensive Interpretation of Tao Te Ching
(6)
道德經演義（六）
The spirit of the Valley never dies. It
is called the Mystic Female.
谷神不死， 是謂玄牝。
The Door of the Mystic Female, is the root of Heaven and Earth.
玄牝之門， 是為天地根。
Continuously, Continuously, it seems to remain.
綿綿若存，
Draw upon it and it serves you
with ease.
用之不勤。
Zhi Travels North (2) (1-9)( (6。1)
莊子演義外篇知北遊(二))(1-9)(
(6。1)
1 No matter from what angular or
at what time and space, look at this silent world, you may find a harmonious
and natural beauty at almost every thing.
在這個寧靜無聲的世界裏，不論從哪個角度，哪個時空，你都能發覺一種自然和諧，渾為天成的美。
2 A dry branch is so beautiful; a grain of sand is so nice; fishes of assorted
colors under the sea and rich multicolored corals are utmost beautiful.
一根枯樹枝是那麼的美; 一粒沙是那麼的可愛; 海底五顏六色的魚，以及花團錦簇的珊瑚更是美到了極點。
3 In nature, the alteration of four seasons and the change of temperature and
humidity are all just to the point. The nature silently arranges the space and
time appropriately to create an environment for all creatures generation after
generation.
自然界四時運作，溫度及濕度的變化都分佈得恰到好處。大自然不發一語，準確無誤地將時空安排的恰如其分，賜給了萬物一個生生不息的生活環境。
4 The nature creates all kinds of strange creatures. They come into being under
the unknown principle of nature.
大自然創造了千奇百怪的生物。它們的形成，都伴依著一種大自然從不明講的原則。
天地有大美而不言，四時有明法而不議，萬物有成理而不說。
5 In watching the natural phenomenon, the man of perfect practice finds such a
beauty and understands that operation of nature is ongoing in silence.
Therefore, he strictly abides by the principle of non-action, not disturbing
its operation by his personal conduct.
修行完備的人在觀察自然現象之中，發現了這樣的美，明白了自然運作的道理，一切都在寧靜無言之中進行著，所以他也謹守無為的原則，不會以個人的行為去干擾自然的運作。
聖人者，原天地之美而達萬物之理。是故至人無為，大聖不作，觀於天地之謂也。
6 The operation of nature is very exquisite. It exists in each individual body,
no exception. Life and death of all creatures are under its control but nobody
knows where the power of the control comes from.
自然的運作是非常精巧微妙的，祂存在於每一個生命體裏，無一例外。萬物的生死、成長及變化，都在其掌控之中，而這股掌控及左右的力量，卻從來也沒有人知曉其來自何方。
7 Big as the universe is, it can’t jump out of Tao’s realm. Small as a feather
is, it shapes up under Tao’s control. Tao is the only dominator; he is the hand
behind the curtain in charge of the change and development of everything.
宇宙再大也跳不出祂的範圍，羽毛再小也是靠祂的巧思而得以形成。宇宙萬物不論再怎麼變，都逃不出道的手掌心。
今彼神明至精，與彼百化。物已死生方圓，莫知其根也。扁然而萬物自古以固存。
8 Tao itself is eternally unchangeable, for which it is sure that change of
four seasons is done in a certain track. Alternation of four seasons never is
in disorder.
道本身是永恆不變的，也正因為其持久不變的特性，所以我們才能夠非常的肯定，陰陽四季的變化，都必定是按照著一定的軌道在運行，春夏秋冬輪替，不會混亂。
9 Tao is dim but it exists for sure. It nourishes all creatures so that they
can live through. In watching all creatures and natural phenomenon, we find the
existence of Tao. The change of all things indirectly proves the way of Tao
that is called the Root Source.
道是那麼的昏喑不明，看不清楚。但是，我們肯定祂一定存在，萬物都是靠着牠的滋潤，才得以存活下來。而我們也於觀察萬物，以及自然現象的發展規律當中，無心插柳的發現了道的存在。這種觀察萬物變化，間接地肯定道的方式，我們稱之為本根。
六合為巨，未離其內﹔秋豪為小，待之成體﹔天下莫不沉浮，終身不顧﹔陰陽四時運行，各得其序﹔惛然若亡而存﹔油然不形而神﹔萬物畜而不知：此之謂本根，可以觀於天矣！
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark (6。1). It is included in Zhi Travels North (2) (1-9)( (6。1)
咸池評述(6。1)(略). 有關評述已包括在莊子演義外篇知北遊(二))(1-9)( (6。1)之中。
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark of
Tao Te Ching (6) a6
咸池評述道德經演義(六)a6
1 We say: “Modest bosom as valley”; and
valley is a place suitable for living. Laotse
stresses that “The spirit of the Valley never dies. It is called the Mystic
Female.”. He also says: “It is empty yet infinitely capable”. In Laotse’s thought, modest or valley is the source, which
supplying energy to the universe. In the beginning part of Tao Te Ching, Laotse mentioned that
mystery is the bridge between universe and all things and supply pipe for all
things to survive and grow. Laotse said “Reaching
from the Mystery into the Deeper Mystery, is the Gate to the secret of All
Life.” The gate of the Mystic Female controls universe and directs its
operation generation by generation.
所謂虛懷若谷，虛有谷的意思，而谷是適合人們居住的地方。老子認為 “谷神不死， 是謂玄牝”; 他又說: “虛而不屈，動而愈出” 。所以在老子的思想裡 “虛”或 “谷” ，它是一種供應能量的源泉。道德經一開頭，老子就說 “玄”
是天地與萬物之間的橋樑，是天地萬物生存，以及成長的供輸管道。老子說: “玄之又玄，眾妙之門”。 而天地就是由玄牝這扇門供應能量，主導宇宙之運作，使之生生不息。
2 “Continuously,
Continuously, It seems to remain. Draw upon it and upon serves you with ease.”
And “It is empty yet infinitely capable.” These two sayings are the same in
meaning. Laotse created these vague pronouns to describe
the phenomenon which are strange to us. It is normal that these pronouns are
mysterious and not easy to understand.
“綿綿若存，用之不勤”與“虛而不屈，動而愈出”是同樣的意思。老子創造了這些對我們來說是似懂非懂的代名詞，藉以形容一個置身於我們這個空間的人所難以體會的現象;
因而其玄，其不易被人瞭解是可以理解的。
3 Therefore, we
have the idea that “Tao that can be told is not the Absolute Tao.
The names that can be given are not Absolute Names.” when we read the
words—“Valley Spirit, Mystic Female, Darker than any Reaching from the Mystery
into the Deeper Mystery.” Laotse was not deliberately
mystifying. What he wanted to talk about is something strange that we can’t see
and touch in our space.
所以，對於“谷神”，“玄牝”，“玄之又玄”，“天地根”等字眼，我們一定要懷著“道可道，非常道；名可名，非常名”的諒解。要知道，這並非是老子在那裡故弄玄虛，實在是他老人家想要告訴我們的東西，在我們一般人的經驗裡是完全看不見、摸不到，更是非常陌生的。
4 It is like that
we explain the function of radio to a man of tribal from primitive forest. Due
to their limited words and experience, we have difficulty in explaining how
sound wave turns into electric wave and how electric wave returns to sound wave,
so that it can transmit to far place.
這就像居住於原始森林中而從未接觸過收音機的部落中人，以他們有限的字彙與生活經驗，我們是很難向他們解釋，聲波是如何轉變成電波; 然後電波在一定頻率下又是如何還原成聲波，因而傳達人們意思於千里之外的道理。
5 We who practice
yoga sense clearly a power in this world that exists in our body and induces
our life. If we can gear up to it, the power brings great ability to us so that
we can do something that common people can’t do. These are theurgy, no-learning
skill, and heaven eye that Buddha mentioned. The power exists in all things to
make them integrate into a very delicate organization system.
我們修煉無上瑜伽的人，內心能夠清楚地感覺到，在這個天地之間，蘊含著一股巨大的力量。祂存在於我們身體內，主導著我們的生活，如果我們與之配合得當，這股力量就能為我們帶來無窮的能力; 讓我們作出一般人所無法想像的各種事情。這就是世尊說的神通、無學宿命、無學天眼等等能力了。而這股力量就存在於萬物之間，使萬物互相結合，並且維繫在一個極其微妙的組織系統中繁衍生息。
6 Noble spirit mentioned by Mengzi is Mystic Female
by Laotse, or Kuntalini by yogi, or self-nature,
Buddha nature and refinement by Buddha. Any name refers by them is the same
thing. We, who study Tao Te Ching, have to
acknowledge modestly that there is a power exists in universe so as to make world
operation so smoothly and it is real and scientific as if sunlight in winter
shining on our body and we feel it warm. Once a man of practice enters Samadhi,
the power immediately turns out to dominate a certain special activities. To
him, it is apparent and real.
這股力量，孟子稱其為浩然之氣，老子稱之謂玄牝，瑜伽行者名之謂挫火Kuntalini，佛家稱之謂自性，佛性，妙用。總之，不論其名稱是什麼，各家所描述的都是同一件東西。我們讀道德經的人，必須虛心承認，有這樣的一股力量存在於天地之間，使得自然界中的一切都能運作得如此順利。祂是科學的，是真實存在的。就像冬日的陽光，照耀在我們的身上，給我們帶來溫暖，並且能夠為我們所察覺。而練功的人只要一進入三昧狀態，這股力量就立刻由暗轉明，在身體內主導著一定的特殊活動。而類似的活動對修煉的人而言，亦具備著某種層次的特別意義，因而對他們來說，祂是顯學，是真實存在的。