Straw Dogs and Bellows
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 天 地 不 仁 | Heaven-and-earth are not partial |
| 以 萬 物 為 芻 狗 | And so the many-diverse-creatures are treated as straw dogs |
| 聖 人 不 仁 | The Daoist is not partial |
| 以 百 姓 為 芻 狗 | And so the 100-family-names are treated as straw dogs |
| 天 地 之 間 | Heaven-and-earth's in-between |
| 其 猶 橐 籥 乎 | Its like a bellows !? |
| 虛 而 不 屈 | empty but not broken |
| 動 而 愈 出 | set it in motion and new-life emerges |
| 多 言 數 窮 | to say more would mean less |
| 不 如 守 中 | unlike watching the center |
My Comments:
I'm not entirly sure how the two halves of this chapter relate.
the second half is really quite interesting. I think it is saying that... the area above the earth, below the sky (the biosphere) might be empty, but when you begin pumping the bellows (the various cycles that exist ... like the seasons, the days, the tides, the wind, weather patterns) what happens is kindeling new life, much like a bellows fanning the flames of life.
and then things get really interesting. he says ... I have something really interesting to say about that, but I dont think I could do it justice with words (saying more would only distract from what I'm about to say...) "Unlike watching the center" watching the center (I think) means ... turning your attention towards your core/center/inner self ... I think he's saying ... "try cycling the bellows of the body (the lungs) and focus your attention on your own in-between, and see what gets kindled."