A Confucian interpretation of non action.

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子曰:“为政以德,譬如北辰,居其所而众星共之。
Confucius said:
Motivated to govern in virtue, an example is the north star.
It rests and all the stars coalesce around it.

”共,音拱,亦作拱。政之为言正也,所以正人之不正也。德之为言得也,得于心而不失也。
Gong is pronounced as gong, and can also be supplanted as the character gong (implying an offering made to a superior or ancestors).
The character Zheng (meaning to govern) is actually referring to being upright (upright in governing). So people taking action to make others be upright is not upright. Virtue is speaking of the achievement of something, it is grasped by the heart and not lost.

北辰,北极,天之枢也。居其所,不动也。
The north star is the polar north, the centre of the sky, it always rests there and does not move.

共,向也,言众星四面旋绕而归向之也。

Together refers to direction and is speaking of the stars of the four corners rotating around and returning all along.
为政以德,则无为而天下归之,其象如此。

The govern with the will of virtue means one will practice non action and the world will return itself. Its image is like this.

程子曰:“为政以德,然后无为。
Cheng zi said: to act in governance with virtue , one can then be without action.

”范氏曰:“为政以德,则不动而化、不言而信、无为而成。所守者至简而能御烦,所处者至静而能制动,所务者至寡而能服众。”

Cui shi said: to govern in virtue means to not move and thus transform. Do not speak, but be honest, and non action will be born.
If one can protect this and act in simplicity,they will control that which annoys them. Those who can discipline themselves and arrive at stillness can control movement. He who can serve in this way and can arrive at simplicity and can clothe all people

– Zhu Xi.

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