After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 60 老子：第六〇章を読んで

何事も焦って早くやろうとしたり強引にやろうとしたりすると，上手くいかない。かえって状況が悪化したり，結果が芳しくなかったりする。人事を尽くし，天命を待つ。待てずにあれこれやればやるほど，かえって場の流れは悪くなる。場の本来の流れを感受し，押しすぎず引きすぎず，ちょうど良い中庸でもって事を進めていく。敵を制するときも同じである。早く決着しようとしたり強引に抑えようとしたりしてあれこれやれば，かえって手間取ることになる。

No matter what situation, we can not do it well whenever we intend to do it in a hurry or by force. Rather, the situation would get worse or the result would become poor. There is a saying that "Do what you can do and then wait for the will of Heaven." The more we do this or that when we can't wait for it, the worse the flow of the situation around us becomes. We should sense the natural flow of the situation around us, not push nor pull it, but go with it on the right middle way. This is the same to getting control over enemies. If we did this or that in order to end it in a hurry or control them by force, we actually would take more trouble than before.

After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 59 老子：第五九章を読んで

無駄を削ぎ落としていったところに真理がある。武術もそうだが人生もまたそうである。あれが食べたいこれが着たいという欲望は，無駄なことが多い。美味いものや珍しいものを食べたい，綺麗なものや特別なものを着たいと思うとき，本当にそれは人生において必要なのかを問うと良い。名誉や評価も同じである。無駄なものを捨てていった最後に本質だけが残る。それが人間存在の真理である。武術も人生も，真理に触れた人は強い。

A truth appears after scraping off all wastes. This fact applies to not only martial arts but also life. Desires to eat that or to wear this are often worthless. When you want to eat something delicious or rare, when you want to wear something beautiful or special, you should ask yourself whether it is really necessary for your life or not. This is the same to the fame and reputation given to you. An essence remains behind abandoning all wastes. That is the truth of human existence. Concerning martial arts as well as life, people who have gotten to the truth are strong.

After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 58 老子：第五八章を読んで

陰と陽は流転する。善と悪もまた相対的である。だから何事も一面的に裁いたり，断じたりせず，自然の流れを見極める必要がある。無理に正そうとしたり，通そうとしたりすれば，反発が起こる。強引に押すから強引に押し返される。力勝負となれば，体力筋力のある者がいつかは勝つ。武術とは，陰陽の流転を感得し，相手の力と調和して，相手の敵意を中和する術である。そうすれば，たとえ不利な条件でも，しなやかに流れることができる。

Yin and Yang are ever-changing alternately. Good and evil are also relative to each other. Then, it is necessary to not judge nor determine anything one-sidedly but assess the flow of the nature. If you forcibly put something right or push your own interests, you will face opposition. Pushing by force yields pushing back by force. In a competition in power, people who have more physical and muscular strength eventually would win. Martial arts are skills or techniques to feel the flow of Yin and Yang, harmonize with the opponent's power, and neutralize his/her hostility. Doing in that way would enable you to flow flexibly even if you were under a disadvantageous condition. 

After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 57 老子：第五七章を読んで

何かをすれば，何かが起こる。ただ自ずと「なる」のではなく，自ら「する」ということは，作為である。作為ですれば，作為で返ってくる。その作為に「私」が絡めば，「私」が絡んで返ってくる。だから何かをするにしてもせめてそこに「私」を絡めてはいけない。仮に「私」が相手に優ろうとすると，相手の「私」も優ろうとする。そこに争いが生まれる。「私」がしなければ，向こうの「私」もしない。そこに和が生まれる。これが武の奥義である。

If we do something, something happens. It is intentional that we will not be naturally made to do something, but voluntarily do something. When we do something intentionally, we will be given something in return by intentional minds. When our intentional minds are accompanied with our "self (I, ego)," something with others' "self (I, ego)" will come back to us. Therefore, even if we voluntarily do something, we should not do it at least with our "self (I, ego)." If "I" tried to be superior to a person, he/she would try to be superior to "me." There happens conflicts. If my "I" did not do anything, his/her "I" would not do anything too. There happens harmony. This is a secret of martial arts.

After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 56 老子：第五六章を読んで

タオと禅につながる武道家は，無駄なことはしゃべらない。無駄にしゃべれば，災いを生む。我々はつい，「私」にこだわるために，何かを言いたくなる。それは欲求であり，不平であり，虚栄である。武道家であれば，災いを避け，静かに生きる。極力欲を手放し，なるべく目立たず，できるだけシンプルに生きる。それはまるで空気のごとく，そこにあってそこにない存在である。「私」へのこだわりを捨てるから，「私」はもうそこにはいない。

Budo-ka, who are connected with the Tao and Zen, do not say unnecessary things. Unnecessary words will lead to evils. We human beings unintentionally tend to be attached to our "self (I)" and then be tempted to say something. These are desires, complaints, or vanities. Budo-ka would stay away from evils, and live a calm and quiet life. They would let go of as much desires of theirs as possible, keep as modest as possible, and live as simply as possible. They are there but not there, almost as if they are something like air. Their "self (I)" is no longer there since they left the attachment to their "self (I)."