— 《道德经》第十一章
三十輻,共一轂,當其無,有車之用。埏埴以為器,當其無,有器之用。鑿戶牖以為室,當其無,有室之用。故有之以為利,無之以為用。
The thirty spokes unite in the one nave;
And it is on the empty space for the axle,
That the use of the wheel depends.
Clay is fashioned into vessels;
And it is on their empty hollowness,
That their use depends.
The door and windows are cut out from the walls to form an apartment;
And it is on the empty space within,
That its use depends.
Therefore, what has a positive existence serves for profitable adaptation,
And the actual usefulness depends upon the void.
【解】据《河上公注》“三十輻共一轂,古者車三十輻,法月數也。共一轂者,轂中有孔,故眾輻共湊之。治身者當除情去欲,使五藏空虛,神乃歸之。治國者寡能,摠眾弱共使強也。當其無,有車之用。無,謂空虛。轂中空虛,輪得轉行,轝中空虛,人得載其上也。埏埴以為器,埏,和也。埴,土也。和土以為飲食之器。當其無,有器之用。器中空虛,故得有所盛受。鑿戶牖以為室,謂作屋室。當其無有室之用。言戶牖空虛,人得以出入觀視;室中空虛,人得以居處,是其用。故有之以為利,利,物也,利於形用。器中有物,室中有人,恐其屋破壞,腹中有神,畏其形亡也。無之以為用。言虛空者乃可用盛受萬物,故曰虛無能制有形。道者空也。”已经解释得比较清楚了,