Below is the chapter from two excellent sources along with the original Chinese text. The first source is from a translation by D.T. Suzuki & Paul Carus in 1913 followed by a translation by Stephen Mitchell in 1988.
Chapter 65
1. The ancients who were well versed in Reason did not thereby enlighten the people; they intended thereby to make them simple-hearted.
2. If people are difficult to govern, it is because they are too smart. To govern the country with smartness is the country's curse. To govern the country without smartness is the country's blessing. He who knows these two things is also a model [like the ancients]. Always to know the model is called profound virtue.
3. Spiritual virtue, verily, is profound. Verily, it is far-reaching. Verily, it is to everything reverse. But then it will procure great recognition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ancient Masters
didn't try to educate people,
but kindly taught them to not-know.
When they think that they know the answers,
people are difficult to guide.
When they know that they don't know,
people can find their own way.
If you want to learn how to govern,
avoid being clever or rich.
The simplest pattern is the clearest.
Content with an ordinary life,
you can show all people the way
back to their own true nature.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some notes on this. When it's said "The ancient Masters didn't try to educate people..." it would probably be clearer to read it as "...didn't try to fill them with concepts, but to empty them of concepts..." This passage is also very similar to one found in a Sarmoun Recital:
He that knows and does not know he knows: he is asleep.
Let him become one, whole. Let him be awakened.
I will put up the full recital at a later date.
2. If people are difficult to govern, it is because they are too smart. To govern the country with smartness is the country's curse. To govern the country without smartness is the country's blessing. He who knows these two things is also a model [like the ancients]. Always to know the model is called profound virtue.
3. Spiritual virtue, verily, is profound. Verily, it is far-reaching. Verily, it is to everything reverse. But then it will procure great recognition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ancient Masters
didn't try to educate people,
but kindly taught them to not-know.
When they think that they know the answers,
people are difficult to guide.
When they know that they don't know,
people can find their own way.
If you want to learn how to govern,
avoid being clever or rich.
The simplest pattern is the clearest.
Content with an ordinary life,
you can show all people the way
back to their own true nature.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some notes on this. When it's said "The ancient Masters didn't try to educate people..." it would probably be clearer to read it as "...didn't try to fill them with concepts, but to empty them of concepts..." This passage is also very similar to one found in a Sarmoun Recital:
He that knows and does not know he knows: he is asleep.
Let him become one, whole. Let him be awakened.
I will put up the full recital at a later date.
No comments:
Post a Comment