Name: 道家 | 不費力煉成的藝術！ (TAOISM | The Art of Not Trying)
Uploaded: 2026-02-17T05:27:40.000Z
Duration: 13 min 14 s

情態副詞

Those who stand on tiptoes do not stand firmly.

Those who try to outshine others dim their own light.

Lao Tzu how can we improve when we stop trying to improve?

老子，如果我們停止進步，又該如何進步呢？

Many people waste their efforts trying to better their lives with questionable results.

許多人浪費力氣，想透過一些奇怪的方法來改善生活

They gain knowledge and chase external things while exhausting their bodies and burdening their minds, only to end up in discontent.

他們汲取知識、追逐外在事物，同時耗盡身體、壓垮心靈，最終落得不快樂

The Taoists observed that humans tend to act in ways that are counterproductive.

道家觀察到，人類傾向於做出一些適得其反的行為

And in their attempts to alter the natural way, they only make things worse.

而且他們試圖改變自然的方式，只會讓事情變得更糟

All these strivings, rules, ethics, values surely are invented to benefit humanity.

所有這些努力、規則、倫理、價值觀，當然都是為了造福人類而發明的

But according to the ancient Taoist sages, we should get rid of them all.

但根據古代的道家聖人，我們應該把這些全部都捨棄。

Because all these man made ideas only remove us further from the natural flow of life.

因為這些人為的想法只會讓我們離生命自然的流動越來越遠。

Trying to alter what nature has intended is like swimming against the stream.

試圖改變大自然原本的意圖，就像逆流而上。

這會耗盡我們的精力，而且讓我們一事無成。

This video is about not trying to change the world to gain the world.

這支影片就是要講，不要為了獲得世界而試圖改變世界。

Behind the ever changing universe lies a mysterious and undefinable force that the Taoists call Tao, for the lack of a better word.

在這個不斷變化的宇宙背後，存在著一股神祕且難以定義的力量，道家稱之為「道」，因為沒有更好的詞了。

The Tao is all encompassing and it's beyond everything that our senses can perceive.

道是無所不包的，它超越了我們感官所能感知的一切。

Still, we can know and feel the dao, even though we cannot comprehend it.

儘管如此，我們還是能認識和感受道，即使我們無法理解它。

This symbolizes the tragic attempts by humans to conceptualize things that are beyond their understanding.

這象徵著人類試圖將無法理解的事物概念化的悲劇性嘗試。

They select and discern, but fail to grasp what the universe is truly like.

他們挑選和分辨，卻無法掌握宇宙的真實樣貌。

So they create a deception, an artifice that makes life understandable for humans.

是以他們創造了欺騙，一種讓人類得以理解生活的虛假事物。

But by trying to comprehend, they lose the dao.

但試圖去理解，反而讓我們失去了道。

Five colors blind the eye, Five notes deafen the ear.

五種顏色讓人眼盲，五種音律讓人耳聾。

Still, wrote Lao Tzu in his work the Tao Te Ching, so by arranging colors, notes and flavors, we might enhance our understanding, but

然而，老子在他的《道德經》中寫道，透過排列顏色、音律和味道，我們或許能增進理解，但

And there's so much more outside of these fixed concepts.

在這些固定的概念之外，還有更多更多。

The same goes for the human tendency to make rock solid rules for everything to get a sense of control again, we limit ourselves by doing so because the world is ever changing and what works today may not work tomorrow.

同樣的情況也發生在人類傾向於為萬事萬物制定堅若磐石的規則，以再次獲得掌控感，但這麼做會限制我們自己，因為世界一直在改變，今天有效的方法明天可能就失效了。

Also, from a sense of solidarity and justice, people create immense bodies of ethics, moral codes and rituals that form an artificial way of life.

此外，出於團結和正義感，人們創造了龐大的倫理、道德準則和儀式體系，形成了一種人為的生活方式。

Even though the intentions are good, they try to make things work while building their own prisons.

雖然出發點是好的，但他們試圖在建立自己監牢的同時，讓事情運轉。

現在，我們來聊聊「試圖」這個詞。

I think most of us are familiar with the idea that we should simply act and not try.

我想我們大多數人都聽過「做就好，別試圖」這個概念。

This idea is closely related to the flow state.

這個想法跟心流狀態（flow state）非常有關。

In a flow state, one becomes the act, like a dancer who becomes the dance or the poet.

在心流狀態下，人就是行動本身，就像舞者融入舞蹈，或是詩人。

This is wu wei, a concept that can be literally translated as non doing or doing nothing.

這就是「無為」，字面上的意思可以是「不作為」或「什麼都不做」。

In the context of the flow state, wu wei translates best as effortless action because we act in a smooth and painless manner.

在心流狀態的脈絡下，「無為」最好翻譯成「毫不費力的行動」，因為我們的行動是順暢且不痛苦的。

In the context of this video, however, translating wu wei as non doing or or doing nothing fits best.

不過，就這支影片的脈絡來說，把「無為」翻譯成「不作為」或「什麼都不做」會更貼切。

Doing nothing is often seen as unproductive and as a useless way of being in which there is no progression.

「無所事事」常常被看成是沒有生產力、沒有進展的無用狀態。

But according to the Taoists, nothing is further from the truth.

但對道家來說，這完全是錯誤的。

When we keep in mind that the universe is in flux and in a state of entropy, we'll realize that there's always progression in the natural flow of life.

當我們想到宇宙總是在變動、處於熵的狀態，我們就會明白生命自然的流動中總是有進展的。

So instead of using force and exhausting ourselves, which is the favorite method of today's culture, we we could travel through life much more easily by using intelligence.

所以，與其用盡力氣耗盡自己，這是當今文化偏愛的方法，我們可以用智慧更輕鬆地走過人生。

Because isn't it so that so many times problems seem to solve themselves and that by taking action we often make things worse?

因為很多時候問題好像會自己解決，而我們採取行動反而常常讓事情變得更糟，不是嗎？

When we waste our time trying to improve things, we distance ourselves from the natural cause.

當我們浪費時間試圖改善事情時，我們就遠離了自然的因果。

We repeatedly act in ways that are, according to the Taoists, unnatural and waste our bodies and minds doing so.

我們不斷地以道家認為不自然的方式行動，並是以耗損身心。

Well, it has a lot to do with how we attribute value to certain things.

嗯，這跟我們如何評價某些事物很有關係。

For example, when we're averse to poverty but desire money and fame, and

舉例來說，當我們厭惡貧窮，卻渴望金錢和名聲時，

when we're averse to being lonely but desire to be part of something.

當我們厭惡孤獨，卻渴望歸屬感時。

So we try to eradicate the former and increase the latter, while the latter cannot exist without the former.

所以我們試圖根除前者，增加後者，但後者無法在沒有前者存在的情況下存在。

Also, we think that it's necessary to conform and alter nature based on belief systems.

此外，我們認為有必要根據信仰體系來順應和改變自然。

We try to better the world, while the results of our interventions are kind of questionable.

我們試圖讓世界變得更好，但我們幹預的結果卻有點令人懷疑。

Now, how can we bring these ancient theories into the modern world according to Taoist thinking?

那麼，根據道家思想，我們該如何將這些古老的理論帶入現代世界呢？

In what ways do we modern humans try, while our efforts only leave us with peanuts in the end?

我們現代人都是用什麼方式在努力，結果卻只得到一點點回報？

Let's explore some examples of how we try using the ancient Taoist scriptures, the Tao Te Ching and the Zhuangzi.

讓我們透過老子《道德經》和莊子的古代道家經典，來探討一些我們努力的例子。

The first one is trying to improve the world.

Alan Watts, who was a fervent scholar of Taoism, once pointed out that the goody goodies of society are the biggest troublemakers.

艾倫·瓦特斯，一位熱情的道家學者，曾指出社會上的「好人」其實是最大的麻煩製造者。

Their must save the world attitude often disrupts the natural course simply because they seek to enforce man made ideas of what's good and evil.

他們那種「必須拯救世界」的態度，常常擾亂自然的秩序，原因只是因為他們試圖強加人為的善惡觀念。

An example is communism, which originally sprouted from a desire to change humanity for the better based on equality and honest distribution of goods.

像是共產主義，最初是基於平等和誠實分配財富的願望，想要讓人類變得更好。

However, apart from the discussion if this approach is natural or not, the ways in which the communists spread their ideology were absolutely brutal.

不過，撇開這種做法是否自然不談，共產黨傳播其意識形態的方式可說是極其殘酷。

In the Zhuangzi we find a story about a man named Yen Hui who asked Confucius for permission to travel to the country of Wei after he heard that it's ruled by an incompetent ruler.

在《莊子》裡，我們讀到一個故事，有個叫顏回的人，聽說衛國由一位無能的君主統治，就請求孔子允許他去衛國。

Yen Hui wanted to use everything he learned about governance to improve the country of Wei.

顏回想運用他所學的一切治國之道，來改善衛國。

Confucius, however, discouraged him to do so, not only because Wei's highly disagreeable leader probably wouldn't listen, but

然而，孔子卻不鼓勵他這麼做，不僅是因為衛國那位極度難纏的領導者可能根本聽不進去，

also because people in general don't like outsiders coming in telling what's better for them from a place of moral supremacy, as Confucius stated.

而且，正如孔子所說，一般人也不喜歡外人以高人一等的道德姿態，跑來告訴他們什麼對他們更好。

And I if you do not understand man's mind, but

instead appear before a tyrant and force him to listen to sermons on benevolence and righteousness, measures and standards, this is simply using other men's bad points to parade your own excellence.

在暴君面前說教，強迫他聽關於仁義、準則和標準的說教，這簡直是利用別人的缺點來炫耀自己的優越。

We could ask in what way is using other people's faults to create a nice role for ourselves genuine virtue?

我們可以問，利用別人的缺點來為自己創造一個好角色，這算是真正的美德嗎？

We won't improve a situation by one sidedly demonizing groups while placing ourselves on a moral high ground.

我們不會單方面妖魔化某些群體，同時又自居道德高地來改善現況。

This only creates more division, more tension, and

這只會製造更多分裂、更多緊張，

will unlikely change things for the better in a sustainable manner.

而且不太可能以永續的方式讓事情變得更好。

As Lao Tzu puts it in the Tao Te Ching and I do you want to rule the world and control it?

正如老子在《道德經》中所說：「你想要統治世界並控制它嗎？

The world is a sacred vessel and it cannot be controlled.

世界是一個神聖的器皿，無法被控制。

If you try, it may slip through your fingers and disappear.

如果你嘗試，它可能會從你指縫間溜走而消失。

Now the second one is trying to be happy.

No matter if it's the pursuit of money, status, fame, power or knowledge.

不管是追求金錢、地位、名聲、權力或知識。

These ongoing efforts to be happy are the reason why we aren't.

這些持續追求快樂的努力，反而讓我們不快樂。

We think that we're happy when we've got a million dollars in the bank, or when we finally published that book, or when our YouTube channels have 100k subscribers.

我們以為存到一百萬、終於出版了書，或是 YouTube 頻道訂閱數破十萬時，就會快樂。

Sure, we enjoy some momentary pleasure, but that's not happiness according to the Taoists.

當然，我們會有些短暫的愉悅，但這不是道家所說的快樂。

Moreover, by this pursuit we exhaust our bodies and minds.

而且，透過這種追求，我們耗盡了身心。

We while tragically never achieving what we're looking for.

卻悲劇性地永遠得不到我們想要的。

I quote this is what the world wealth, eminence, long life, a good name.

我引用這句話：這就是世人所追求的財富、名望、長壽、好名聲。

This is what the world finds happiness in a life of ease.

這就是世人認為安逸生活中的快樂。

Rich food, fine clothes, beautiful sights, sweet sounds.

美味的食物、華麗的衣裳、美麗的景色、動聽的聲音。

This is what it looks down Poverty, meanness, early death, a bad name.

這就是貧窮、卑鄙、早逝、惡名。

This is what it finds bitter a life that knows no rest, a life, a mouth that gets no rich food, no fine clothes for the body, no beautiful sights for the eye, no sweet sounds for the ear.

這就是一輩子不得安寧、吃不到好東西、身體穿不到華麗衣裳、眼睛看不到美景、耳朵聽不到好聲音的苦。

People who can't get these things fret a great deal and are afraid this is a stupid way to treat the body.

那些得不到這些東西的人，會非常煩惱，害怕這樣對待身體是愚蠢的。

People who are rich wear themselves out rushing around on business, piling up more wealth than they could ever use.

那些富有的人，為了奔波生意而耗盡自己，積累了比他們能用得更多的財富。

This is a superficial way to treat the body.

So when chasing happiness is a blind alley, what should we do instead?

那麼，當追求快樂是死衚衕時，我們該怎麼做呢？

Well, the Taoists give us some suggestions.

But before we go into them, let's look at the third one trying to be something else.

但在我們深入探討之前，先來看看第三點：試圖成為別人。

The Zhuangzi tells us a story about animals in the wind that envy each other for their inborn characteristics.

《莊子》告訴我們一個關於風中的動物互相羨慕彼此天生特質的故事。

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道家 | 不費力煉成的藝術！ (TAOISM | The Art of Not Trying)

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