The Short of It:
The secret to life, is accepting death.
50. ‘The Value Set on Life.’
50.1 [People] come forth and live; they enter (again) and die.
50.2 Of every ten three are ministers of life (to themselves); and three are ministers of death.
50.3 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.
50.4 But I have heard that [those] who [are] skilful in managing the life entrusted to [them] for a time [travel] on the land without having to shun rhinoceros or tiger, and [enter] a host without having to avoid buff coat or sharp weapon. The rhinoceros finds no place in [them] 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 [them] no place of death.
50. Esteem Life
Life is a going forth; death is a returning home. Of ten, three are seeking life, three are seeking death, and three are dying. What is the reason? Because they live in life’s experience. (Only one is immortal).
I hear it said that the sage when [they travel] is never attacked by rhinoceros or tiger, and when coming among soldiers does not fear their weapons. The rhinoceros would find no place to horn [them], nor the tiger a place fore [their] claws, nor could soldiers wound [them]. What is the reason? Because [they are] invulnerable.
50. (Untitled).
We come into Life, we enter Death.
Three out of ten [people] follow the way of Life.
Three out of ten [people] follow the way of Death.
Also there are three out of ten who live as [people] and yet they move on to the place of Death.
What a Master [are they], therefore, who [take] hold of life, of real Life!
[They live, their] ears open to goodness, listening to hidden things.
In travelling, [they fear] not the rhinoceros nor tiger.
In entering the war-chariot, [they dread] not the weapons of the soldier.
Can a rhinoceros with [its] horn strike the Inner Life?
Can a tiger with [its] claw tear the Inner Life?
Can a soldier with [their] weapon pierce the valley of Inner Life?
What a Master [are they], therefore, who into the place of Death can bring [their] Inner Life!
The Long Of It:
Since we’re all fated to die, the odds are stacked against life.
Of those who survive the odds, some are rushing towards the grave anyway.
But it’s the wise person who doesn’t cower from death that survives the longest. They accept their fate, and (ironically) sidestep traps that overly-cautious people fall into.
“One good at preserving life does not use life for the sake of living, and this is why [they stay] free of the land of death” (Wang 148).
-TB
