Learn Daolism with @cn-reader (一起学道德经) #13

[原文]

宠辱若惊，贵大患若身。何谓宠辱若惊？宠为下，得之若惊，失之若惊，是谓宠辱若惊。何谓贵大患若身？吾所以有大患者，为吾有身，及吾无身，吾有何患？故贵以身为天下，若可寄天下；爱以身为天下，若可托天下。

【English】

Both the honor and disgrace can make people frightened. Secular people take honor and disgrace as precious as their own life. What is the feeling of being panic of humiliation or grace? When you feel pleasant of being petted, you are actually inferior in your position. In this way, if you are not favored, you will feel panic. This is called being panic whatever you are favored or humiliated. What is taking disgrace as precious as your life? I have so many trouble because of my body. If I don't possess this body, what trouble would I have? So, if somebody cares his body for the sake of managing the country, we can entrust this important task to him and let him take care of this country.

【Comment】

Lao Zi didn't take honor and humiliation as they are, these are subjective and nothing but human being's illusion. The only thing we should care about is our body, which is concrete and hold our soul. In this way, we should not be obsessed with secular disgrace or honor. I can see numerous heroes in human being's history, who failed or lost their life because of their obsession with grace and honor. Possessed by feeling of disgrace and honor is a major weakness in normal people, they would lose their goals and taken advantage by others.

Those people, who take care of their body not for themselves, but for the benefit or their people in the countries, are worth trusting to govern the countries. The cause for their care of their own bodies are very important, it is not for themselves, which attributes to selfish guys. It should be for the sake of people in the world.

Author: Lao Zi

Translator: @chenlocus