《老子》“無死地”解

The Exposition about Lao-Tsu (No Dead End)

劉國平(Guo-Ping Liou)

《研究與動態》 12期 (2005/06) Pp. 1-14

摘要

《老子》一書除對政治、人生多所著墨之外及，對「養生」之道，亦嘗提及，但老子所描述的善攝生（養生）者，竟然「陵行不避兕虎，入軍不被（備）甲兵，兕無所投其角，虎無所措其爪，兵無所容其刃。」這就有點奇詭難通，老子也自覺有再說明之必要，因自問曰：「夫何故也？」最後自答之曰：「以其無死地。」然「無死地」三字亦不易解。歷代論者，亦莫衷一是。本文即在疏通此中機竅，突破語障，尋求老子養生之終觀極境，以為研讀《老子》者之一助。

關鍵字

攝生 ； 死地 ； 兕虎 ； 老子 ； 外其身

並列摘要

Lao-Tsu is a book usually mentioned not only policy and being (人生), but also how to bring up a living. While the odd part in that book is it described human who wanted to have a good living was not to run away from wild oxen or tigers when he walked through hills, and he didn't have to prepare weapons and panoply when he faced a war. If one asked ”Why is it?” Lao-Tsu replied, ”Because he has no dead end.”
But, what does it mean by ”dead end”? People have all different explanations. Thus, the purpose of this paper intends to draw on a rational expression, and tries to find a real concept with final conclusion about Lao-Tsu's method to bring up a living. The author hopes this paper could be of help for those who like reading Lao-Tsu.

並列關鍵字

to bring up a living ； dead end ； wild oxen or tigers