第七章
原文：天长地久。天地之所以能长且久者，以其不自生，故能长生。是以圣人后其身而身先，外其身而身存，非以其无私邪，故能成其私。
罗汉乱弹琴：
天长地久。天地之所以能长且久者，以其不自生，故能长生——我们看到的天长地久，其实天之所以能长，地之所以能久，就在于他们从未考虑过要长要久，反而他们长而且久地存在。
是以圣人后其身而身先，外其身而身存——古之圣人，正是效法了天地只是为众生奉献而不为己而生从而得长生的精神，在立身处世中，总是以群众的利益为先，自身的利益放在后，总是舍身为人，从而自己也获得了最好的生存环境、得到了众人的保护。
非以其无私邪，故能成其私——不是圣人不自私，而是圣人知道该怎样做，才能使自己的“私”得到最好的实现。
这是老子教人通过什么样的途径（“道”）实现自我人生目标的方法。首先他以天地为例，天，从来没想过要为自己谋求一丝私利，无论是日、月、星辰、风雨雷电，都没有因为自己对人类有功有能，而向人类索取丝毫的报酬。大地更是让野兽侵害，植物吸取，任人践踏，从无怨言，从无反抗，这无私的大地却比任何动植物都久。圣人正是效法了天地不自私的精神，无论作什么事，都是把群众的利益放到第一位，人民的生命放到第一位，结果反而是自己也得到了最大的利益，生命也得到了长寿。老子了不起的地方，有亮点：第一点是他承认人都是自私的动物，圣人也概莫能外。第二点是他提出了实现自我利益的最佳途径和方法，是先帮助别人实现其愿望和利益，从而自己的愿望和利益，也就能得到圆满地实现。一句话，一个人只有做到最大的无私，才能得到最大的私。想想老子的这种观点，再想想马克思是在好多年之后和恩格斯一起提出的“我为人人，人人为我”的共产主义理想。然后我们再想想十年文革的“破四旧”，彻底毁灭传统文化，岂不是奇耶，怪邪？
天长地久。天地之所以能长且久者，以其不自生，故能长生——Heaven is long—enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of，or for，themselves. This is how they are able to continue and endure.
是以圣人后其身而身先，外其身而身存——Therefore the sage puts his own person last，and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him，and yet that person is preserved.
非以其无私邪，故能成其私——Is it not because he has no personal and private ends，that therefore such ends are realized？
Lao-Tzu help us to realize the value of life by the way. The heaven and earth do not live for themselves，and do not ask for a reward for the things they do. Therefore the sage puts his own person last，and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him，and yet that person is preserved. The really two great things of Lao-Tzu are：first，everyone is selfish，ordinary people and saints，there is no exception; second，the best way to achieve self interests is to help others achieve their aspirations and interests and then their own wishes and interests can be realized. All that I can say is that the one who have the most selfless thoughts can achieve their own interests. Think about this idea by Lao-Tzu，then the communist ideal “all for one for all”by Marx and Engels，later the Elimination of the Four Stereotypes in 10-year Cultural Revolution，completely destroy the traditional culture. Is is not strange？
2011年12月23日星期五于富力湾
