老子的道论与生死观

老子对生死问题的看法,与其道论密切相关。老子思想涉及宇宙论、本体论、人生论和政治学,“道”是贯穿其中的主线。在老子那里,“道”具有宇宙发生论和本体形而上学的意义,既是万物发生之始源,又是万物存在之根据,还是万物演化的规律,以及社会人生的法则和准绳。道的本性是自然而然的,天地万物因而也以自然为本性,社会治理、政治方略和人生行为、道德修养同样以自然为宗旨。在生死问题上,老子强调顺应自然之道,其“贵身”论主张安命自足、柔弱居下以得享天年,反对刻意强为和纵欲争利。老子的生死观追求的是效法天长地久之道,生死任其自然,从而做到“死而不亡者寿”。

Laozi's Tao Theory and His Outlook on Life and Death

Laozi's outlook on life and death is closely related to his Tao theory.Laozi's thoughts(involve) cosmism,ontology,philosophy and political science."Tao",as the core of Laozi's thoughts,has cosmogenetic and ontological meanings.It is the origin of every thing on the earth,the basis of existence of everything in the world,the rule of evolution and the social principle and yardstick for the society and life.The nature of Tao is natural,so the nature of everything on the earth is natural,and the ruling of(society,) political strategies,personal behavior and morality should all be based on the nature.With(regard) to the question of life and death,Laozi maintains that we should obey the natural order;his "(Guishen)(Theory") favors self-sufficiency and effeminacy and opposes force,desire and benefit-seeking;and he(argues) that life and death should be natural so that one can exceed the finiteness of life.