Original Text
Heaven and earth are everlasting. The reason heaven and earth can be so enduring is that they do not live for themselves, thus they endure forever. Therefore, the wise person puts others first and finds himself ahead of them; remains outside of himself and finds himself preserved. Is it not because he is selfless that he achieves his own fulfillment?
Guide
All things in heaven and earth are born from the Tao, yet within heaven and earth, the Tao manifests in different forms: the Tao of nature, the Tao of nurturing life, the Tao of conducting oneself in society, and the Tao of farming and harvesting. Here, Laozi uses the inexhaustible Tao of heaven and earth to discuss the Tao of human conduct, proposing principles such as "selflessness leads to lasting existence" and "by placing oneself after others, one comes first." Using the perspective of simple dialectics, he explains that benefiting others and benefiting oneself are unified, and that benefiting others often transforms into benefiting oneself. This spirit of humility and selflessness holds positive significance.
Analysis
In this chapter, Laozi believes that heaven and earth are eternal. The reason they can exist forever is that all their operations and changes are not for their own survival; precisely because they do not live for themselves, they can live long. Heaven and earth nurture all things but do not nurture themselves, yet they achieve longevity. Therefore, Laozi hopes that sages can understand this truth. If sages also emulate this virtue of heaven and earth, disregarding personal gains and losses and acting solely for the public good, they too will enjoy longevity like heaven and earth.
The saying "The sage puts himself last and yet comes first, treats his body as external and yet his body is preserved" means that a person of the Way, by letting others take precedence in all matters, instead wins their affection; by placing himself outside all concerns, his life is instead preserved. Examining other chapters of Laozi, his insight into human life is profound, extending not only to physical existence but to the realm of the soul. If a sage humbly stays behind others and prioritizes the world, he will earn the people's love and remain forever in their hearts, thus attaining an imperishable longevity akin to the Way itself.
"Is it not because he is without selfishness? Therefore, he can achieve his own selfish ends." Laozi believed that the sage acts this way not because he lacks selfishness, but to fulfill his greatest selfish desire: attaining longevity. Hence, Laozi said, "Is it not because he is without selfishness? Therefore, he can achieve his own selfish ends." The greatest selfish desire of humans is to achieve longevity. So-called longevity means allowing one's soul to live forever in the hearts of the people. When the people feel the sage's goodness, they wish for him to exist eternally, and his life and soul will never vanish from their hearts.
Laozi revealed the laws of human life based on the laws of the universe, and within these laws of human life, the laws of society are interwoven. His idea of "placing oneself behind and thus coming first" and "placing oneself outside and thus surviving" is the original form of "worrying before the world's worries, and enjoying after the world's joys." In governing a country, as long as one always prioritizes the interests of the people, one will naturally gain their support and love, thereby realizing the value of life and attaining happiness; those who live only for the flesh will not have a long life; those who live for the interests of the people will have their spirit endure as long as society exists, because they live forever in the hearts of the people.
In this chapter, Laozi, from the state of unity between heaven and humanity, views the universe, life, and society as a unified whole, thus requiring people to love without selfishness and live in harmony. Selflessness is a virtue that aligns with the Tao; only by adhering to this virtue can humanity achieve eternal life.