Tao Te Ching Kapitel 72 – Selbstliebe (道德经 第72章)
Paul PengAktie
Tao Te King — Kapitel 72: Die Liebe zum eigenen Selbst
道德经 第七十二章 · 爱己 · Lao Tzu · Zweisprachige Ausgabe mit klassischen Kommentaren
Originaltext — 原文
Englische Übersetzung — James Legge
When the people do not fear what they ought to fear, that which is their great dread will come on them.
Let them not thoughtlessly indulge themselves in their ordinary life; let them not act as if weary of what that life depends on. It is by avoiding such indulgence that such weariness does not arise.
Therefore the sage knows these things of himself, but does not parade his knowledge; loves, but does not appear to set a value on, himself. As shown in Chapter 33, he who knows himself is enlightened, and he who overcomes himself is strong — self-knowledge without self-display is the mark of the sage. And as Chapter 71 shows, the sage is free from the disease of false knowing precisely because he is always aware of it. And thus he puts the latter alternative away and makes choice of the former.
✦ Zentrale Einsicht
Kapitel 72 beginnt mit einer politischen Warnung: Wenn die Menschen die Autorität nicht mehr fürchten, wird eine größere und schrecklichere Autorität kommen. Der Herrscher darf den Lebensraum des Volkes nicht einengen oder seinen Lebensunterhalt erschöpfen. Dann wendet sich das Kapitel nach innen: Der Weise kennt sich selbst, ohne sich zu zeigen; liebt sich selbst, ohne sich über andere zu stellen. Die Schlusszeile – „das letztere ablegen und das erstere wählen“ – ist eine wiederkehrende Formel im Tao Te King, die immer das Innere über das Äußere, das Subtile über das Auffällige wählt.
Klassische Kommentare — 古典注释
王弼注 Wang Bis Kommentar
Wang Bi warns that when people no longer fear authority, greater authority arrives. Do not narrow their living space or oppress their livelihood. The sage knows himself without displaying himself, loves himself without esteeming himself.
河上公注 Heshang Gongs Kommentar
Heshang Gong says when people do not fear small harms, great harm arrives. The heart should be relaxed, not constricted. The sage knows his virtues without displaying them, loves his body by preserving its essence, and does not value worldly glory.
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 →
