After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 46 老子：第四六章を読んで

得をしようとすれば損をする。欲には際限がないから，たとえ一時的にその欲が満たされても，その快楽はやがて消失し，さらなる大きな欲望を抱くようになる。そうして欲は結局のところいつまでも満たされないから，苦しみが続くことになる。苦は他人のせいではなく，自分にある。得は損なのだ。自分からわざわざ損をするのは馬鹿げている。であるならば，得しないようにすればよい。むしろ，損するようにすればよい。これが禅の極意である。

The more you desire to get, the more you lose. Desires have no limits. So, even if the desires are satisfied temporarily, the satisfaction will eventually disappear, and you will have even bigger desires. In that way, actually, desires never be fulfilled eternally, and then sufferings last forever. Sufferings do not come from others, but from yourself. Gain is loss. It seems crazy that you bother losing intentionally. If so, you have only not to desire to get more. Rather, the best things to do is to lose. This is the secret of Zen.

After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 45 老子：第四五章を読んで

あまりに大きな山の麓にいると，そこに山があることに気がつかない。あまりにも大きな島に住んでいれば，自分が島に住んでいることを忘れる。同じく，とてつもなく強い人は，その強さに誰も気がつかない。限りなく思いやりの深い人は，その思いやりに誰も気づかない。本当の強さや思いやりを持つ人は，山や島のように，それを決して自ら誇示しないからだ。まるで空気のように，自然にそこに存在する。武の人は，そうやって静かに人々の役に立つ。

When you are at the base of an extremely big mountain, you are not aware that the mountain is there. When you live on an enormously big island, you forget that you live on the island. Similarly, concerning a mighty strong person, no one can notice that he/she is strong. Concerning an infinitely compassionate person, no one can notice that he/she is compassionate. It is because truly strong and compassionate persons never display their strength and compassion, like mountains and islands. They exist there naturally like air. In that way, people of martial arts quietly serve for others.

After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 44 老子：第四四章を読んで

人はつい欲張るけれども，そのせいで無理をして，ついに体を壊すことがある。そうして早死にでもしたら何の意味がない。塩分や糖分をつい過剰に摂取してしまうように，財産や名誉も過剰に求めてしまう。塩分や糖分を取り過ぎれば病気になるように，財産や名誉に取り憑かれればやがて体を壊すことになる。禅やタオの人はこの絡繰りに気づく。だから欲張らない。欲張ると結局，損をするからである。真に武の道にある人はだから，欲張らない。

Human beings unintentionally have too much desires, but it makes them work too hard and sometimes eventually lose their health. Early death due to it would seem really worthless. As if we unintentionally consume too much salt and sugar, we unintentionally seek too much wealth and fame too. As if too much salt and sugar make us sick, being caught up in too much wealth and fame eventually affects our health. People of Zen and the Tao are aware of this mechanism. Therefore, they do not get greedy. It is because greed leads to harm in the end. Accordingly, those who are on the true martial way never get greedy.

After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 43 老子：第四三章を読んで

殊更に強引に何か為そうとするのではなく，その場の流れに合わせて自在に変化し，いつの間にかその場を制している。本当の強さとはこれである。無理に押せば当然，反発が起こる。しかし流れに合わせて捌けば，それはまるで自ずからそうするかのように捌かれる。自分の意思をただ通すのでもなく，一方で相手の意思にただ従うのでもない。自分と相手をも越えた意思に導かれるままに在る。それが水のごとき無為自然である。

It is not that you intend to do something in a particular and forcible way, but that you are changing freely with the flow of where you are, and find yourself controlling the situation around you. This is the truth of genuine strength. If you push something forcibly, it naturally would react against you. However, if you do something with the flow, it would be done as if by itself. It is not that you simply keep your mind straight, while it is not also that you simply obey your opponent's mind. You are with the flow of another mind beyond both yourself and your opponent. That is Wu Wei Zi Ran like water.

After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 42 老子：第四二章を読んで

世界は陰と陽でできている。強引に得しようとすれば結果的に損をするし，人に無理強いすれば結果的に反発を招く。へりくだって一歩退き自分から前に出ることなく，むしろ待っているぐらいの心構えがちょうど良い。無理に敵を制しようと力を込めてひねり倒すのではなく，むしろ相手の力を待って合わせる。＜私＞が自ら為すのではなく，＜私＞を含むこの世界が自ずと為される。その「云為」（道元）こそタオであり禅である。そこに，「一」となった調和がある。

The world is made up of Yin and Yang. If you get something forcibly, then you will make a loss; if you force someone to do, then you will trigger a protest. It would be appropriate that you modestly step backward, not step forward assertively, but rather have an attitude to wait. You should not twist the enemy down with your all strength in order to make him/her surrender by force, but wait for and harmonize with his/her power. It is not that "I" do something in the world, but that the world including "me" is done by itself. That naturally being, which is called "Un-i" by Dogen, is the Tao as well as Zen. There is harmony of "oneness" there.