《道德經》 

道德經 第五十章

One out of ten? Actually, not! More like one in a million

8,000 out of 8 billion and their 8 million 徒弟 'disciples'

At the dawn of agriculture, about 8000 B.C.E., the population of the world was approximately 5 million. Over the 8,000-year period up to 1 A.D., it grew to 200 million (some estimate 300 million or even 600, suggesting how imprecise population estimates of early historical periods can be), with a growth rate of under 0.05% per year.

A tremendous change occurred with the industrial revolution: whereas it had taken all of human history until around 1800 for the world population to reach one billion, the second billion was achieved in only 130 years (1930), the third billion in 30 years (1960), the fourth billion in 15 years (1974), and the fifth billion in only 13 years (1987).

During the 20th century alone, the population in the world has grown from 1.65 billion to 6 billion.

In 1970, there were roughly half as many people in the world as there are now.

Because of declining growth rates, it will now take over 200 years to double again.

出生入死 — Born to Die

(Birth to Death ב • (beth/bayt-/house)/Hebrew ⇰ 'Dālet ת for דדֶּלֶ • (délet/door) Phoenician Dālet 𐤃)

出生入死。

Coming to life or entering death

生之徒，十有三；

Three out of ten people are those who embrace life.

死之徒，十有三；

Three out of ten people cultivate dying.

人之生，動之死地，十有三。

Also, three out of ten people are those who are moving toward death.

夫何故？

Why this?

以其生，生之厚。

Because they live their lives in excess (give their lives too much substantiality).

蓋聞善攝生者，陸行不遇兕虎，入軍不被甲兵；

I have heard of those who know how to live (absorb life/extract the essence of life 攝生)

When they travel continents they do not encounter rhinoceros or tigers

Entering a battlefield they are not wounded by weapons.

兕無所投其角，虎無所措其爪，兵無所容其刃。

Rhinos find no place in them to thrust their horns.

Tigers find no place to plant their claws.

Soldiers find no place to lodge their blades.

夫何故？

Why is this?

以其無死地。

Because there is no place of death for them.

三位聖人：文王、伏羲、孔子。

Dao De Jing Chapter Fifty — C. Ganson

50

Life leaves and death enters.

Three and ten parts accompany life;

three and ten parts accompany death;

three and ten parts move toward death.

(Four limbs plus nine orifices.)

Why? The wear of the drive to live.

Why? Living tips the balance toward dying.

It is said that whoever realizes this

is not attacked by the wild buffalo or tiger

and is not vulnerable on the field of battle.

The buffalo's horns find no place to gore,

the tiger's claws no place to tear,

the soldier's weapons no place to pierce.

Why? Because death is not yet within reach.

Dao De Jing Chapter Fifty — James Legge

50 (The value set on life)

Men come forth and live; they enter (again) and die.

Of every ten three are ministers of life (to themselves); and three are ministers of death.

There are also three in every ten whose aim is to live, but whose movements tend to the land (or place) of death. And for what reason? Because of their excessive endeavours to perpetuate life.

But I have heard that he who is skilful in managing the life entrusted to him for a time travels on the land without having to shun rhinoceros or tiger, and enters a host without having to avoid buff coat or sharp weapon. The rhinoceros finds no place in him into which to thrust its horn, nor the tiger a place in which to fix its claws, nor the weapon a place to admit its point. And for what reason? Because there is in him no place of death.

Dao De Jing Chapter Fifty — Arthur Waley

50

He who aims at life achieves death.

If the “companions of life” are thirteen,

So likewise are the “companions of death” thirteen.

How is it that the “death-stops” in man's life

And activity are also thirteen?

It is because men feed life too grossly.

It is said that he who has a true hold on life,

When he walks on land does not meet tigers or wild buffaloes;

In battle, he is not touched by weapons of war.

Indeed,

A buffalo that attacked him would find nothing for its horns to butt,

A tiger would find nothing for its claws to tear,

A weapon would find no place for its point to enter.

And why?

Because such men have no “death-spot” in them.