Even his name can be a little confusing; it is also sometimes translated as Laozi or Lao Tze

甚至是他的名字都讓人有些困惑；它有時候被翻譯為 Laozi 或 Lao Tze。

Lao Tzu is said to have been a record keeper in the court of the central Chinese Zhou Dynasty

據說老子在公元前 6 世紀曾擔任中國周朝中部

in the 6th century B.C., and an older contemporary of Confucius.

法院的主事官，是舊時代的孔子。

He may also have been entirely mythical—much like Homer in Western culture.

他也可能完全是一個神話人物 - 就像是西方文化裡的荷馬一樣。

Lao Tzu is said to have tired of life in the Zhou court as it grew increasingly morally corrupt.

據說老子因為周朝法院的日漸腐敗而對於生活感到厭倦。

So he left and rode on a water buffalo to the western border of the Chinese empire.

於是他騎著一頭水牛離開，到達中國西部邊界。

Although he was dressed as a farmer, the border official recognised him and asked him to write

儘管他一身農夫裝扮，邊界官員依然認出他來並要求他寫下

down his wisdom. According to this legend, what Lao Tzu wrote became the sacred text

他的名言錄。根據這個傳說，老子所寫的神聖文獻

known as the Tao Te Ching.

即使後世著名的道德經。

After writing this piece, Lao Tzu is said to have crossed the border and disappeared

據說老子在完成這部作品以後，就通過邊境並在歷史中

from history, perhaps to become a hermit.

消失了，或許是成為一個隱士。

In reality, the Tao Te Ching is likely to be the compilation of the works of many authors

實際上，道德經很有可能是許多作家的作品

over time. But stories about Lao Tzu and the Tao Te Ching itself passed down through different

匯集而成。然而關於老子和道德經的故事，在中國不同的哲學流派中

Chinese philosophical schools for over two thousand years.

流傳了兩千多年。

Lao Tzu was the leading figure in the spiritual practice known as Daoism

老子是道教精神實踐的領袖人物

which is more than two thousand years old, and still popular today. There are at least

道教有超過兩千年的歷史，至今仍然十分受歡迎。現在至少有

twenty million Daoists, and perhaps even half a billion, living around the world now, especially

兩千萬名的道教徒，而世界各地的道友可能有五億之多，特別

in China and Taiwan. They practise meditation, chant scriptures, and worship a variety of

是在中國和台灣。他們在寺廟裡練習冥想和誦經，並崇拜

gods and goddesses in temples.

各種神祇。

Daoists also make pilgrimages to five sacred mountains in eastern China in order to pray

道教徒還會到中國東部的五座聖山朝聖，為的是在寺廟裡

at the temples and absorb spiritual energy from these holy places, which are believed

祈禱，並從道友們認為是由眾神統治的聖地中

to be governed by immortals.

吸收精神能量。

Daoism is deeply intertwined with other branches of thought like Confucianism and Buddhism.

道教和其他思想領域像是儒教和佛教緊密地交織在一起。

There is a story about the three great Asian spiritual leaders (Lao Tzu, Confucius, and

有一個關於三位亞洲偉大精神領袖 (老子、孔子、和

Buddha). All were meant to have tasted vinegar.

佛陀) 的故事。他們都曾嚐過醋。

Confucius found it sour, much like he found the world full of degenerate people, and Buddha

孔子覺得它是酸的，正如他發現世界充滿了墮落的人，而佛陀

found it bitter, much like he found the world to be full of suffering. But Lao Tzu found

覺得它是苦的，正如他認為世界充滿著苦難。但是老子覺得

the world sweet. This is telling, because Lao Tzu’s philosophy tends to look at the

世界是甜美的。這說明了一點，由於老子的哲學傾向於看待

apparent discord in the world and see an underlying harmony guided by something called the

世界上明顯不和諧的事物，並觀察經由道＝路徑能夠引導

Dao 道 = the path

其中潛在和諧

The Tao Te Ching

描述道

which describes the Dao, is somewhat like the Bible: it gives instructions (often vague

的道德經在某種程度上就像聖經: 它指導你 (通常是隱晦

and generally open to multiple interpretations) on how to live a good life. It discusses the

而有多種解讀的) 如何過上好生活。它把

“Dao” as the “way” of the world, which is also the path to virtue, happiness, and harmony.

「道」當作「世界之道」來論述，也就是通往美德、幸福和和諧的道路。

"The way" isn’t inherently confusing or difficult. But in order to follow the Dao,

本質上「道」並不讓人困惑難懂。但是如果我們要遵循道

we need to go beyond simply reading and thinking about it. Instead we must learn

僅僅只是閱讀和思考是不夠的。相反，我們要學習的是

flowing, or effortless action.

順其自然，或是無為。

It’s a sort of purposeful acceptance of the way of the Dao

這是一種有目的接受道的方式

and living in harmony with it.

並與其和諧共存。

This might seem lofty and bizarre, but most of Lao Tzu’s suggestions are actually very

著看似既崇高又怪異，但老子大多數的主張其實都很

simple. First, we ought to take more time for stillness. “To the mind that is still,”

簡單。首先，我們必須花更多時間冥想。老子說:

Lao Tzu said, “the whole universe surrenders.”

「清靜則為天下正。」

We need to let go of our schedules, worries and complex thoughts for a while and simply

我們必須暫時放下我們時間表，憂慮和複雜的思緒並單純地

experience the world.

體驗這個世界。

We spend so much time rushing from one place to the next in life, but Lao Tzu reminds us

我們在生活中花費太多時間匆忙地兩地奔波，但是老子提醒我們

“nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” It is particularly important

「道恆無為，而無不為。」特別重要的是

that we remember that certain things—grieving, growing wiser, developing a new relationship—only

我們必須謹記某些像是 - 悲傷、智慧的增長、一段新關係的發展－只會

happen on their own schedule, like the changing of leaves in the fall or the blossoming of

按照它本身的進度進行，就像秋天樹葉變黃或是我們幾個月前種下

the bulbs we planted months ago.

的球莖如今花朵盛開了。

When we are still and patient we also need to be open.

當我們平而有耐心時，我們也需要開放。

“The usefulness of a pot comes from its emptiness.” Lao Tzu said. “Empty yourself

老子说: 「埏埴以为器，當其無，有器之用。」老子還說:

of everything, let your mind become still.”

「致虛級，守靜篤。」

If we are too busy, too preoccupied with anxiety or ambition, we will miss a thousand moments

如果我們太忙、太專注於焦慮或野心，我們將會錯過身為人類與生俱來

of the human experience that are our natural inheritance. We need to be awake to the way

要經歷的千萬個瞬間。我們必須要注意清晨

sounds of the birds in the morning, the way other people look when they are laughing,

的鳥鳴、人們歡笑的模樣、

the feeling of wind against our face. These experiences reconnect us to parts of ourselves.

微風吹拂過臉龐時的感受。這些體驗能夠將我們自身的某些部分重新連接起來。

This is another key point of Lao Tzu’s writing: we need to be in touch with our real selves.

這是老子著作中的另一個關鍵點: 我們需要和真深層的自我保持聯繫。

We spend a great deal of time worrying about who we ought to become, but we should instead

我們花了很多時間去擔心要成為什麼樣的人，但是我們反而該花時間

take time to be who we already are at heart.

在成為我們心中已然存在的那個自己。

We might rediscover a generous impulse, or a playful side we had forgotten, or simply

我們或許會重新發現大量的衝動、被我們遺忘的頑皮、或是

an old affection for long walks.

以往熱愛的長途步行。

Our ego is often in the way of our true self, which must be found by being receptive to

我們的自我常常阻擋了真我，唯有接納外在的世界

the outside world rather than focusing on some critical, too-ambitious internal image.

而不是專注於一些批判的、野心勃勃的內在形象才能夠找到真我。

“When I let go of what I am,” Lao Tzu wrote, “I become what I might be.”

老子寫道: 「以其终不自為大，故能成其大。」

Nature is particularly useful for finding ourselves.

大自然特別能夠幫助我們找道自我。

Lao Tzu liked to compare different parts of nature to different virtues. He said,

老子喜歡將大自然不同的部分比作不同的美德。他說:

"The best people are like water, which benefits all things and does not compete with them.

「上善若水，水善利萬物而不爭。

It stays in lowly places that others reject. This is why it is so similar to the Dao."

處為人之所惡，故幾於道。」

Each part of nature can remind us of a quality we admire and should cultivate ourselves—the

大自然處處提醒著我們某種特質，我們要仰慕並借此陶冶自我。 - 有如

strength of the mountains, the resilience of trees, the cheerfulness of flowers.

山的力量、樹的堅忍不拔和花朵的欣欣向榮。

Of course, there are issues that must be addressed by action, and there are times for ambition.

當然，有些事情需要透過行動來解決，有時也需要雄心壯志。

Yet Lao Tzu’s work is important for Daoists and non-Daoists alike, especially in a modern

然而老子的著作對於道教徒和非道教徒同等重要，特別是在這個

world distracted by technology and focused on what seem to be constant, sudden, and severe

被科技分散注意力，只專注於持續、突然和劇烈

changes.

變化的現代社會裡。

His words serve as a reminder of the importance of stillness, openness, and discovering buried

他的話提醒我們要保持平靜、開放的心態，並探索我們

yet central parts of ourselves.

內心深藏不露的核心部分，這一點非常重要。