生命和心灵的层次（中英文对照）

生命的五个层次即：道、德、仁、义、礼——其中，道与德是属于无为的生命类型，而仁、义、礼则属于有为的生命类型。

第一，活在第一时空境界的“道”。

所谓“道”就是整个宇宙能客观存在的根，道是取之不尽、用之不竭的总规律、总力量、总本源、总宝藏、总归宿。

第二，活在第二时空的“德”。

道与德是不可分离的，但又是有所区别的。“道”是客观规律，而“德”是指人类认识并按客观规律办事。德的根就是道，凡是符合道的行为就是有德；反过来，不符合道的行为就是无德。

有德者就是顺道而行的人，他们对任何事情都上下通达并极其负责；他们来到这个世界，就是为世界的和谐、为社会的安定、为生命的幸福而来的。同时，有德者又超越了人世间的生命，是成功了却依旧把功劳归于天下、归于他人的人。所谓“德者得也”，有德者就是那些最高层次地实现了自己理想抱负、并与自然规律同频共振的人。

老子讲的“上德”是“无以为”和“无为”，它不脱离客观的自然规律，如果人类没有功利的意图，不单凭主观意愿办事，这样做的结果自然会得到宇宙无为而无不为的最高祝福！所以，如果置身于上德这个境界的人，只要符合相应时空的标准，就一定是非常好的生命状态。但即使是到了这个境界，也不是就此一劳永逸了。一旦心性降低，他们也无法立足原地，继续接受宇宙时空中最全面的加持与祝福！

第三，活在第三时空的“仁”。

仁表示人心中所有的大爱、博爱以及对苍生人世的同情、珍爱等，仁者也属于很高层次时空的境界。

为什么说失德而后仁呢？因为，仁已经不是德的全部了。所以，讲到“仁”，生命就已经有所“失德”了。但是，仁者是自我实现的人，也就是说，仁者必须尽忠职守地担起与自己能力相匹配的责任；必须竭尽所能地做成自己职责以内的事情，这样才会使他感到“我正在成为我所期望的那个样子”，这样他才会感到快乐和满足。

置身于仁者的境界时空里，虽然很难得到最高宇宙时空的加持，但能入世建功立业、出人头地、光宗耀祖。当然，欲念一旦强烈过头，仁者也往往会迷失其中，而进入生生世世的轮回跌宕中。所以，仁者属于“为之而无以为”，虽然承载了些道的精华，所说所行却还是没有完全符合道。尽管如此，仁者还是属于高层次境界，若要往“孔德之容，唯道是从”的修炼方向走，从重积善、重积德开始，在反复严格的心性磨砺之下，他们也会从顿悟、渐悟中突破一层层时空。那么，仁者同样可以往上走，得到更高时空的殊胜加持与祝福。

第四，活在第四时空的“义”。

讲到义，就更只是在讲社会关系层面的东西了——义比仁更有所失德，所以说“失仁而后义”。

即使是上义，也很难做到无为之义了。因为“义”是一种由社会共识形成的、对人世间各种人情关系的行为约束；“义”是相互关系中对另一方的道义问题，是以承认并尊重另一方为前提的，所以“义”是有为的。如果到达了“上义”的层面，他们也可以为了国家、为了道义而牺牲自己。

但在生活中，我们看到的更多义者，就是那种肯为朋友两肋插刀之类的兄弟情义。因此，义字当头时，人甚至会忽视是非曲直、道德伦理，演变成“意气用事”，这就是走向愚蠢的开始了。所以老子说“失仁而后义”，这是“有为”范畴中显示出来的不同层次——义是为了感情而容易迷失了返回生命第三层楼的本源之路的。老子并不是不重视“义”，他的本意是：人来到这个世界上，还是更应该进入重德、守德与积德的高层时空境界中，这样才能得到功圆道满的上天呵护。

最后，活在第五时空的“礼”。

“礼”通常是由上层阶级所规定的社会行为约束；“礼”往往只追求外形外物，而不重视内在修养。所以，要是把“礼”放在前面，那人这一生就既难悟道、也难重德了。所以，老子以上论述的德、仁、义、礼，不是从德至仁、至义、至礼的相继毁灭、步步退化的线性关系；而是从内核至表皮，由里及表，就像苹果从内核开始烂的原理一样，逐步显现的内外包含的关系。

The five levels of life are: Tao, virtue, benevolence, righteousness, and ritual. Among them, Tao and virtue belong to the type of inactive life, while benevolence, righteousness, and ritual belong to the type of active life.

First, "Tao" living in the first realm of time and space.

The so-called "Tao" is the root of the objective existence of the entire universe. Tao is the inexhaustible general law, total strength, root origin, total treasure, and ultimate destination.

Second, "virtue" living in the second realm of time and space.

Tao and virtue are inseparable, but they are different. "Tao" is the objective law, while "virtue" means that human beings understand and act according to the objective law. The root of virtue is Tao, and any behavior that conforms to Tao is virtue; conversely, any behavior that does not conform to Tao is non-virtue.

Virtuous people are those who follow the Tao. They are knowledgeable about everything and are extremely responsible. They come to this world for the harmony of the world, the stability of the society, and the happiness of life. At the same time, the virtuous person is beyond the ordinary life of the world, and is a person who has succeeded but still gives the credit to the world and to others. This is the so-called "virtuous people can get". Those who are virtuous are people who have realized their ideals and ambitions at the highest level and resonate with the laws of nature.

Lao Tzu's "upper virtue" refers to “having nothing to do" and "doing nothing". It does not deviate from the objective laws of nature. If human beings have no utilitarian intentions and do not act on their subjective wishes, the natural outcome of doing like this will be the highest blessing of the universe's doing nothing and having nothing to do. Therefore, if a person is in the realm of upper virtue, as long as he meets the standards of the corresponding time and space, he must be in a very good state of life. But even in this realm, it's not going to be done once and for all. Once their mind is reduced, they will not be able to stand still and continue to receive the most comprehensive blessings and wishes from the universe.

Third, "benevolence" living in the third realm of time and space.

Benevolence means all the great love, fraternity, sympathy and love for the common people in the human heart. The benevolent people also belong to the realm of high-level time and space.

Why is it considered that benevolence comes after the loss of virtue? Because benevolence is not all of virtue. Therefore, when it comes to "benevolence", life is already "losing virtue". However, the benevolent person is a self-fulfilling person, that is to say, the benevolent person must faithfully take up the responsibilities that match his own abilities, and must do his best to do things within his own responsibilities, so that he will feel that "I am becoming what I expect" and that he will feel happy and satisfied.

In the time and space of the benevolent people, although it is difficult to get the blessing of the highest universal time and space, they can stay in the world and make achievements, stand above others, and bring honor to ancestors. Of course, once the desire is too strong, the benevolent person will often get lost in it and enter into the cycle of rebirth. Therefore, the benevolent person belongs to "acts but never deliberately shows his benevolence". Although he carries certain essence of Tao, what he says and does is not completely in line with Tao. Nevertheless, the benevolent people still belong to the high-level realm. If they want to go in the direction of the practice of "the greatest virtue is the gift of following Tao alone", starting from accumulating goodness and virtue, under repeated and strict tempering of the mind, they will also break through layers of time and space from epiphany and gradual realization. Then, the benevolent people can also go up and receive the extraordinary blessings and wishes of higher time and space.

Fourth, "righteousness" living in the fourth realm of time and space.

When it comes to righteousness, it's just something about social relations. Righteousness is losing more virtue than benevolence, so it is said that "when benevolence is lost, there is only righteousness".

Even for upper righteousness, it is difficult to be inactive righteousness. Because "righteousness" is a kind of behavioral restraint formed by social consensus, which restricts various human relations in the world. "Righteousness" is a moral issue for the other party in a mutual relationship. It is based on acknowledging and respecting the other party, so "righteousness" is active. If reaching the level of "upper righteousness", they can also sacrifice themselves for the country and morality.

But in life, more righteous people we see are the kind of brotherhood that is willing to take great risks for their brothers. Therefore, when faced with the matter of righteousness, people will even ignore the right and wrong, morals and ethics, and evolve into "acting on impulse", which is the beginning of stupidity. Therefore, Lao Tzu said that "when benevolence is lost, there is only righteousness", which shows the different levels in the realm of "action"---Righteousness is easy to get lost on the way back to the origin of the third floor of life for the sake of feelings. It is not that Lao Tzu does not care about "righteousness". His original intention is that when humans come to this world, they should enter into the high-level realm of time and space that pays attention to, conserves and accumulates virtue, so that they can be protected by heaven with full achievements of merit and Tao.

Finally, "ritual" living in the fifth realm of time and space.

"Ritual" is usually the restraints of social behaviors prescribed by the upper class. "Ritual" often pursues the outer shape and appearance only and does not pay attention to the inner cultivation. Therefore, if "rituals" are put first, it will be difficult for a person to understand the Tao and attach importance to virtue in his life. Therefore, the virtue, benevolence, righteousness, and ritual discussed by Lao Tzu above are not the linear relationship of successive destruction and degeneration from virtue to benevolence, righteousness, and ritual. It is from the core to the shell, from the inside to the outside; just like the principle that apple starts to rot from the core, the relationship is gradually revealed from the inside to the outside.