Qiu's Rhetoric（39）

　　Ma Xiaoqiu:Stop at the best and the best is just like water

　　继《秋言物语》的“大学之道”之后，有人问我：《大学》中的＂止于至善＂和《道德经》中的＂上善若水＂，是不是同一个境界？

　　After the section of“The Principle of Da Xue”of Qiu's Rhetoric,someone asked me:Is the"up to the best"in“Da Xue”and the“the best is like the water”in the“Tao De Ching”are at the same realm?

　　要说明这个问题，首先我们要明白＂止于至善＂的真正含义。止于至善是通过我们的心念力、行动力、智慧力使我们的生命完全发挥出利益社会和大众的具体实践，并在不断的具体实践中打造一个和谐美好的人间天堂。

　　To illustrate this issue,we must first understand the true meaning of"up to the best."“up to the best”is the result of our minds,actions,and wisdom that enable our lives to fully realize the specific practices for the interests of society and the masses,and to create a harmonious and beautiful paradise on the earth with our constant concrete practice.

　　再看＂上善若水＂。上善乃高境界的善，这种善的特征、品性和水一样，＂水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶，故几于道＂。水具备利益万物的功能，却从不居功自傲。天下所有有情众生（一切动物）和无情众生（一切植物)都离不开水的滋养。天下所有的污垢，水都能把它洗刷干净，但水却永远处于低位。这就是水接近于＂道＂的特征和品性。

　　Look again at"the best is just like the water".The best is the goodness of the high realm.The character and quality of the good are just like the water,"Water is good and beneficial to all things without disputation,and it bears the evil of all people,so it is less than the Tao."Water has the function of benefiting all things,but never proud of itself.All sentient beings(all animals)and ruthless beings(all plants)in the world are inseparable from the nourishment of water.All the dirt in the world,the water can wash it clean,but the water is always low.This is the characteristic and quality of water close to"Tao".

　　在此，我还想说明的是，水＂故几于道＂就是接近于道而不完全是道。因为水是有名，有相的，而＂道＂是无形、无相、无名的。

　　Here,I would also like to explain that water is closely Tao,it is close to Tao but not entirely Tao.Because water has name with phases,but"Tao"is intangible,without phase,without name.

　　因此，＂止于至善＂和“上善若水”是同一境界而不同名的一种说法，都是接近于＂道＂而不完全是＂道＂。＂道＂乃空性，含养万物而无善恶之分别。＂至善＂和＂上善＂还有善恶之分别，而＂道＂则无善恶分别，容纳一切。

　　Therefore,the notions of"up to the best"and"the best is just like water"are in the same realm with different names.They are all close to"Tao"and not entirely"Tao"."Tao"is empty,but it contains all things without distinction between good and evil.There is still a difference between good and evil in"up to the best"and"the best is just like water".The"Tao"has no difference between good and evil and accommodates everything.

　　2017年6月15日马小秋分享

　　Ma Xiaoqiu shared on June 15,2017