(寵是功名爵祿，辱乃削位損財。驚，駭也。貴，重也。寄，傳也。愛，惜也。託，附也。此一章示厭寵斯無辱，外身即無患的意思。凡天下人只知寵之為寵，殊不知即就辱了也。言辱生于寵，故皆若驚焉。人只知身之為身可重，殊不知即是重大患了也。言患生身，故均是患焉。且道何以為寵辱若驚耶？有寵即有辱，辱下則寵亦斯下矣。得富而驚，恐莫能守。得貴而驚，恐遺其咎。失富而驚，恐盜重來。失貴而驚，恐禍迭至。不知寵斯辱矣，夫是之謂寵辱若驚。且道何以為貴大患若身耶？我之所以有大患者，因不知後其身而貪功名，不知外其身而營利祿。功名利祿，患也，有患皆生于有身也。及我能後其身而身先，外其身而身存，有身即是無身也，何患之有？夫是之謂貴大患若身。所以不輕用其身為天下者，天下反可傳。惜以身為天下者，天下反可附。則不知有其身，而身反可保也。貴天下猶一身，是寵何辱？愛兆民如一體，是身何患？寵身無可用，而反為天下大用矣，奚用厭焉？)

<note place="inline">"Favor" refers to status, rank, and wealth; "disgrace" means the loss of rank and fortune. "Astonished" means startled. "Precious" means to value. "Entrust" means to transfer. "Cherish" means to treasure. "Depend" means to rely on. This chapter reveals that by rejecting favor, there is no disgrace, and by putting the self aside, there is no affliction.

People generally only know that favor is good, but don't realize it leads directly to disgrace. Disgrace is born from favor, so both cause alarm. People only know the body is something to value, not realizing it itself is the root of great affliction. Afflictions arise from having a body, so it is all suffering.

But what does it mean, that favor and disgrace are both alarming? Where there is favor, there is also disgrace; when disgrace comes, favor is lost. If you gain wealth and are alarmed, you fear you can't keep it. If you gain status and are alarmed, you fear the consequences. If you lose wealth and are alarmed, you fear thieves will come again. If you lose status and are alarmed, you fear disaster will strike repeatedly. Without realizing that favor itself leads to disgrace—this is what is meant by "favor and disgrace are both alarming."

And what does it mean, that valuing great affliction is like valuing the self? The reason I have great afflictions is that, not knowing how to put my self behind others, I greedily pursue fame and status. Not knowing how to set my self aside, I chase after rank and wealth. Status, fame, rank, and wealth—these are afflictions. All afflictions arise because we have a self. But when I am able to put my self behind, the self comes first. When I can set my self aside, the self is preserved. Having a self is the same as having no self—what affliction is there then? This is called "valuing great affliction as the self."

Thus, the one who does not lightly use their self for the world is the one to whom the world can truly be entrusted. The one who cherishes their self as if it were the world will find the world depends on them. Then, by not being obsessed with having a self, the self can be preserved. When you value the world like your own body, what favor could bring disgrace? When you love all people as one body, what self could bring affliction? The self that seeks nothing for itself becomes supremely useful to the world—why would you ever need to reject it?</note>

Daodejing Shunzhu (道德經順朱)

Daodejing Shunzhu (道德經順朱)