Learning Wisdom

https://youtu.be/SrQrGNPtzw4 載營魄抱一，能無離乎？   專氣致柔 ， 能如嬰兒乎 ？ 滌除玄覽 ， 能如疵乎 ？ 愛國治民 ， 能無為乎 ？ 天門開闔，能為雌乎？ 明白四達 ， 能無知乎 ？ 生之蓄之 ， 生而不有 ， 為而不恃 ， 長而不宰 ， 是謂玄德。 When the intelligent and animal souls are held together in one embrace, they can be kept from separating. When one gives undivided attention to the (vital) breath, and brings it to the utmost degree of pliancy, he can become as a (tender) babe. When he has cleansed away the most mysterious sights (of his imagination), he can become without a flaw. In loving the people and ruling the state, cannot he proceed without any (purpose of) action? In the opening and shutting of his gates of heaven, cannot he do so as a female bird? While his intelligence reaches in every direction, cannot he (appear to) be without knowledge? (The Tao) produces (all things) and nourishes them; it produces them and does not claim them as its own; it does all, and yet does not boast of it; it presides over all, and yet does not control them. This is what is ...

  https://youtu.be/mun5xvtP_Aw 持而盈之，不如其已； 揣而銳之 ， 不可長保。 金玉滿堂 ， 莫之能守 ； 富貴而驕 ， 自遺其咎。 功遂身退 ， 天之道也。 It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full. If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness. When gold and jade fill the hall, their possessor cannot keep them safe. When wealth and honours lead to arrogancy, this brings its evil on itself. When the work is done, and one's name is becoming distinguished, to withdraw into obscurity is the way of Heaven. #tateching #daodeChing #tao #ancientchinesewisdom #ancientwisdom #philosophy #taoism #mindfulness #laozi #laotzu #daodeching #audiobook #english #translation #老子 #道德經  #白話文 #翻譯

  https://youtu.be/Cz9k7BibY_M 上善若水。 水善利萬物而不爭 ， 處眾人之所惡 ， 故幾於道。 居善地 ， 心善淵 ， 與善仁 ， 言善信 ， 政善治 ， 事善能 ， 動善時。 夫唯不爭，故無尤。 The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the Tao. The excellence of a residence is in (the suitability of) the place; that of the mind is in abysmal stillness; that of associations is in their being with the virtuous; that of government is in its securing good order; that of (the conduct of) affairs is in its ability; and that of (the initiation of) any movement is in its timeliness. And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle (about his low position), no one finds fault with him. #tateching #daodeChing #tao #ancientchinesewisdom #ancientwisdom #philosophy #taoism #mindfulness #laozi #laotzu #daodeching #audiobook #english #translation #老子 #道德經...

  https://youtu.be/blKlgUAdUo0 天長地久。 天地所以能長且久者 ， 以其不自生 ， 故能長生。 是以聖人後其身而身先； 外其身而身存。 非以其無私邪 ？ 故能成其私。 Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. This is how they are able to continue and endure. Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. Is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends are realised? #tateching #daodeChing #tao #ancientchinesewisdom #ancientwisdom #philosophy #taoism #mindfulness #laozi #laotzu #老子 #道德經 #daodeching #audiobook #english #translation, #白話文 #翻譯

  https://youtu.be/r5vRpt9lxCs 谷神不死，是謂玄牝。 玄牝之門，是謂天地根。 綿綿若存 ， 用之不勤。 The valley spirit dies not, aye the same; The female mystery thus do we name. Its gate, from which at first they issued forth, Is called the root from which grew heaven and earth. Long and unbroken does its power remain, Used gently, and without the touch of pain. #tateching #daodeChing #tao #ancientchinesewisdom #ancientwisdom #philosophy #taoism #mindfulness #laozi #laotzu #老子 #道德經 #daodeching #audiobook #english #translation, #白話文 #翻譯

  https://youtu.be/BaRyHWq5y2w 道沖而用之或不盈。 淵兮似萬物之宗 ；   挫其銳 ， 解其紛 ， 和其光 ， 同其塵 ； 湛兮似或存。 吾不知誰之子 ， 象帝之先。 The Tao is (like) the emptiness of a vessel; and in our employment of it we must be on our guard against all fulness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as if it were the Honoured Ancestor of all things! We should blunt our sharp points, and unravel the complications of things; we should attemper our brightness, and bring ourselves into agreement with the obscurity of others. How pure and still the Tao is, as if it would ever so continue! I do not know whose son it is. It might appear to have been before God. #tateching #daodeChing #tao #ancientchinesewisdom #ancientwisdom #philosophy #taoism #mindfulness #laozi #laotzu #老子 #道德經 #daodeching #audiobook #english #translation, #白話文 #翻譯

  https://youtu.be/lBFk_8H6TpU 不尚賢，使民不爭； 不貴難得之貨，使民不為盜； 不見可欲，使民心不亂。 是以聖人之治 ， 虛其心 ， 實其腹，弱其志，強其骨。 常使民無知無欲。 使夫智者不敢為也。 為無為，則無不治。 Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to keep the people from rivalry among themselves; not to prize articles which are difficult to procure is the way to keep them from becoming thieves; not to show them what is likely to excite their desires is the way to keep their minds from disorder. Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government, empties their minds, fills their bellies, weakens their wills, and strengthens their bones. He constantly (tries to) keep them without knowledge and without desire, and where there are those who have knowledge, to keep them from presuming to act (on it). When there is this abstinence from action, good order is universal. #tateching #daodeChing #tao #ancientchinesewisdom #ancientwisdom #philosophy #taoism #mindfulness #laozi #laotzu #老子 #道德經 #daodeching #audiobook #english #translation, #白話文 #翻譯

  https://youtu.be/DYVTdrbFTqU 天下皆知美之為美，斯惡已。 皆知善之為善，斯不善已。 有無相生，難易相成， 長短相形，高下相盈， 音聲相和，前後相隨。 是以聖人處無為之事 ， 行不言之教 ； 萬物作而弗始，生而弗有， 為而弗恃，功成而不居。 　 夫唯弗居 ， 是以不去。 All in the world know the beauty of the beautiful, and in doing this they have (the idea of) what ugliness is; they all know the skill of the skilful, and in doing this they have (the idea of) what the want of skill is. So it is that existence and non-existence give birth the one to (the idea of) the other; that difficulty and ease produce the one (the idea of) the other; that length and shortness fashion out the one the figure of the other; that (the ideas of) height and lowness arise from the contrast of the one with the other; that the musical notes and tones become harmonious through the relation of one with another; and that being before and behind give the idea of one following another. Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his instructions without the use of speech. All things spring up...

  https://youtu.be/Asuioi12G4M 道可道 ，非常道。 名可名 ， 非常名。 無 ， 名天地之始 ； 有，名萬物之母。 故常無，欲以觀其妙； 常有，欲以觀其徼。 此兩者 ， 同出而異名 ， 同謂之玄。 玄之又玄 ， 眾妙之門。 The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name. (Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all things. Always without desire we must be found, If its deep mystery we would sound; But if desire always within us be, Its outer fringe is all that we shall see. Under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful. #tateching #daodeChing #tao #ancientchinesewisdom #ancientwisdom #philosophy #taoism #mindfulness #laozi #laotzu #老子 #道德經 #daodeching #audiobook #english #translation, #白話文 #翻譯

  https://youtu.be/VO-U70lwEvA 天地不仁 ， 以萬物為芻狗 ； 聖人不仁 ， 以百姓為芻狗。 天地之間 ， 其猶橐籥乎 ？ 虛而不屈 ， 動而愈出。 多言數窮 ， 不如守中。 Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with. May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows? 'Tis emptied, yet it loses not its power; 'Tis moved again, and sends forth air the more. Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see; Your inner being guard, and keep it free. #tateching #daodeChing #tao #ancientchinesewisdom #ancientwisdom #philosophy #taoism #mindfulness #laozi #laotzu #老子 #道德經 #daodeching #audiobook #english #translation, #白話文 #翻譯

The Art Of War_Chapter 13 The Use of Spies  English audio book, full Mandarin original text and English translation https://youtu.be/Oc6wJIkYNOA 用間 Chapter 13 The Use of Spies    孫子曰：凡興師十萬，出征千里，百姓之費，公家之奉，日費千金，內外騷動，怠于道路，不得操事者，七十萬家，相守數年，以爭一日之勝，而愛爵祿百金，不知敵之情者，不仁之至也，非人之將也，非主之佐也，非勝之主也。故明君賢將，所以動而勝人，成功出于眾者，先知也；先知者，不可取于鬼神，不可象于事，不可驗于度；必取于人，知敵之情者也。 Sunzi said: Raising a host of a hundred thousand men and marching them great distances entails heavy loss on the people and a drain on the resources of the State. The daily expenditure will amount to a thousand ounces of silver. There will be commotion at home and abroad, and men will drop down exhausted on the highways. As many as seven hundred thousand families will be impeded in their labor. Hostile armies may face each other for years, striving for the victory which is decided in a single day. This being so, to remain in ignorance of the enemy's condition simply because one grudges the outlay of a hundred ounces of silver in honors a...

The Art Of War_Chapter 12 The Attack by Fire  English audio book, full Mandarin original text and English translation https://youtu.be/h_hWuV8i_Bc 火攻 Chapter 12 The Attack by Fire    孫子曰：凡火攻有五：一曰火人，二曰火積，三曰火輜，四曰火庫，五曰火隊。行火必有因，煙火必素具。發火有時，起火有日。時者，天之燥也。日者，月在箕壁翼軫也。凡此四宿者，風起之日也。 Sunzi said: There are five ways of attacking with fire. The first is to burn soldiers in their camp; the second is to burn stores; the third is to burn baggage trains; the fourth is to burn arsenals and magazines; the fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the enemy. In order to carry out an attack, we must have means available. The material for raising fire should always be kept in readiness. There is a proper season for making attacks with fire, and special days for starting a conflagration. The proper season is when the weather is very dry; the special days are those when the moon is in the constellations of the Sieve, the Wall, the Wing or the Cross-bar; for these four are all days of rising wind....

The Art Of War_Chapter 11 The Nine Situations  English audio book, full Mandarin original text and English translation https://youtu.be/uO-_0solf6U 九型 Chapter 11 The Nine Situations    孫子曰 ： 用兵之法 ， 有散地 ， 有輕地 ， 有爭地 ， 有交地 ， 有衢地 ， 有重地 ， 有圮地 ， 有圍地 ， 有死地。諸侯自戰其地者 ， 為散地。入人之地而不深者 ， 為輕地。我得則利 ， 彼得亦利者 ， 為爭地。我可以往 ， 彼可以來者 ， 為交地。諸侯之地三屬 ， 先至而得天下之眾者 ， 為衢地。入人之地深，背城邑多者，為重地。山林、險阻、沮澤，凡難行之道者，為圮地。所由入者隘，所從歸者迂，彼寡可以擊吾之眾者，為圍地。疾戰則存，不疾戰則亡者，為死地。是故散地則無戰，輕地則無止，爭地則無攻，交地則無絕，衢地則合交，重地則掠，圮地則行，圍地則謀，死地則戰。 Sunzi said: The art of war recognizes nine varieties of ground: (1) Dispersive ground; (2) facile ground; (3) contentious ground; (4) open ground; (5) ground of intersecting highways; (6) serious ground; (7) difficult ground; (8) hemmed-in ground; (9) desperate ground. When a chieftain is fighting in his own territory, it is dispersive ground. When he has penetrated into hostile territory, but to no great distance, it is facile ground. Ground the possession of which imports great advantage to either side, i...

The Art Of War_Chapter 10 Terrain  English audio book, full Mandarin original text and English translation https://youtu.be/G1tLW0cTp-s 地形 Chapter 10 Terrain   孫子曰：地形有通者，有挂者，有支者，有隘者，有險者，有遠者。我可以往，彼可以來，曰通；通形者，先居高陽，利糧道以戰，則利。可以往，難以返，曰挂；挂形者，敵無備，出而勝之，敵若有備，出而不勝，難以返，不利。我出而不利，彼出而不利，曰支；支形者，敵雖利我，我無出也；引而去之，令敵半出而擊之，利。隘形者，我先居之，必盈以待敵；若敵先居之，盈而勿從，不盈而從之。險形者，我先居之，必居高陽以待敵；若敵先居之，引而去之，勿從也。遠形者，勢均，難以挑戰，戰而不利。凡此六者，地之道也，將之至任，不可不察也。 Sunzi said: We may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit: (1) Accessible ground; (2) entangling ground; (3) temporizing ground; (4) narrow passes; (5) precipitous heights; (6) positions at a great distance from the enemy. Ground which can be freely traversed by both sides is called accessible. With regard to ground of this nature, be before the enemy in occupying the raised and sunny spots, and carefully guard your line of supplies. Then you will be able to fight with advantage. Ground which can be abandoned but is hard to re-occupy is called entangling. From a position of...

The Art Of War_Chapter 9 The Army on the March  English audio book, full Mandarin original text and English translation https://youtu.be/y8nsrmzMxns 行軍 Chapter 9 The Army on the March   孫子曰：凡處軍相敵：絕山依谷，視生處高，戰隆無登，此處山之軍也。絕水必遠水，客絕水而來，勿迎于水內，令半濟而擊之利。欲戰者，無附于水而迎客，視生處高，無迎水流，此處水上之軍也。絕斥澤，惟亟去勿留，若交軍于斥澤之中，必依水草，而背眾樹，此處斥澤之軍也。平陸處易，右背高，前死後生，此處平陸之軍也。凡此四軍之利，黃帝之所以勝四帝也。 Sunzi said: We come now to the question of encamping the army, and observing signs of the enemy. Pass quickly over mountains, and keep in the neighborhood of valleys. Camp in high places, facing the sun. Do not climb heights in order to fight. So much for mountain warfare. After crossing a river, you should get far away from it. When an invading force crosses a river in its onward march, do not advance to meet it in mid-stream. It will be best to let half the army get across, and then deliver your attack. If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader near a river which he has to cross. Moor your craft higher up ...