Heshang Gong Chapter 29 – 無為 (Non-action)

Heshang Gong Chapter 29 – 無為 (Non-action)

Paul Peng

Heshang Gong Chapter 29 – 無為 (Non-action)

老子河上公章句 · 第29章 · Heshang Gong's Commentary on Laozi

📖 Taoist Scripture🖋 Heshang Gong (河上公)🔢 Chapter 29 of 81🌐 English & Chinese

Heshang Gong Chapter 29 - Non-action - Chinese ink painting

Section 1 — 第1节

Original Chinese

將欲取天下欲為天下主也。而為之,欲以有為治民。吾見其不得已。我見其不得天人心已明矣,天道惡煩濁,人心惡多欲。天下神器,不可為也。器,物也。人乃天下之神物也,神物好安靜,不可以有為治。為者敗之,以有為治之,則敗其質性。執者失之。強執教之,則失其情實,生於詐偽也。故物或行或隨,上所行,下必隨之也。或歔或吹,歔,溫也。吹,寒也。有所溫必有所寒也。或強或糾,有所強大,必有所糾弱也。或挛或隳。截,安也。隳,危也。有所安必有所危,明人君不可以有為治國與治身也。是以聖人去甚,去奢,去泰。甚謂貪淫聲色。奢謂服飾飲食。泰謂宮室臺榭。去此三者,處中和,行無為,則天下自化。

He who wishes to take over the world wishes to become the ruler of the world, and act accordingly, intending to govern the people through active intervention. I see that he cannot help but do so. I have clearly seen that he has already lost the Mandate of Heaven and the support of the people. The Way of Heaven abhors complexity and corruption, while the hearts of the people resent excessive desires. The world is a sacred vessel; it cannot be controlled through force. "Qi" means an object or thing. People are the sacred beings of the world, and sacred beings prefer tranquility; they cannot be governed through active intervention. He who acts will bring about failure. To govern by means of active intervention is to corrupt their innate nature. He who grasps tightly will lose it. To forcefully impose instruction is to lose their true nature, giving rise to deceit and falsehood. Therefore, things may either proceed or follow. What the superior does, the inferior will surely follow; or be gentle or forceful, Xu means gentle. Chui means cold. Where there is warmth, there must also be coldness; or strong or weak, where there is strength, there must also be weakness; or restrained or destroyed. Zai means safety and stability. Hui means danger. Where there is safety, there must also be danger; this shows that a wise ruler cannot govern the state or manage his own life through active intervention. Therefore, the sage removes excess, removes extravagance, and removes indulgence. "Shen" refers to greed for sensual pleasures such as music and beauty. "She" means luxurious clothing, adornments, food, and drink. "Tai" refers to palaces, halls, terraces, and pavilions. By removing these three things, dwelling in harmony, and acting without active intervention, the world will naturally transform on its own.


Paul Peng — Zhengyi Taoist Priest, Longhu Mountain

About the Author

Paul Peng

Paul Peng is a Zhengyi Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, Jiangxi — the ancestral home of the Celestial Masters' tradition. Ordained at 25 after a dream from the Celestial Master, he has practiced for 25 years under Master Zeng Guangliang. He is the curator of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.

Read his full story →
Zurück zum Blog
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
Heshang Gong Chapter 75 – 貪損 (Loss from Greed)

Heshang Gong Chapter 75 – 貪損 (Loss from Greed)

Read More
No Next Article

Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

1 von 4