Teachings and prose from this classic go back in time as far as recorded history in China. Some of the philosophy enshrined in the Tao Te CHing easily predates the earliest appearences of civilization itself. It goes as far back as pre-neolithic times. Don’t we all wonder if the uncivilized wanderers of the stone age contemplated the meaning of life? This book is merely just another piece of the grand puzzle that is the philosophical history of China ( a very small piece).
The classic progression of the TaoTeChing goes as the following: an unspecified group during an ancient, but unrecorded time develops the philosophy of the Tao in an unspecified place (probably Mesopotamia or the Indus valley); then comes a split within the belief system between the Vadaresque mystics(who are in favor in the tribal hierarchy) and the Obiwonesque monks who practice simple Taoism without the Barnum and Bailey sideshows. The sequence continues with the mystics failing thier royal masters and kingdoms are lost(XIA). Those who succeed them(Shang) then throw out the baby with the bathwater by condemning ALL Taoist belief systems. The plot sickens when the Taoist belief system is appropriated by Neo-confucianists. After the confucianists put their spin on Taoism, the Buddhists also “borrow” quite a bit of the Taoist belief system(gleefully abetted by the open-minded Bon monks of Tibet). Now we have the “post-modern” western and eastern forms of Taoism. Most of these forms lack the original simplicity of the original belief system.
Some would say “What a shame! All that watering down of a great, simple belief system.”
Others, however, might say that the confucianists, Buddhists and even the Christians have “contributed” to Taoism. One might even include writings of the deranged mystical Taoists (I-Ching) as a contribution to Taoism.
My son, Thomas, asked me how “big” the book would be. I told him it would be very thin; less than 100 pages. He replied “great, then I can read it”. After accounting for the apparent laziness of my son’s nature, it occured to me he was right. The Way should be brief. Chinese poetry is brief. LaoTzu and Chuang Tzu are brief. It is good to be brief. Should I write more than they?
In the end, however, Taoism will always be simple. It is one of the simplist, but most profound belief systems in the history of the world. No god, no religion, no institutions, no priests, no ceremonies. Be good...do good....or is it do good...be good? Be one with nature. The Tao is part of you and you are part of It. How simple?
there are many ways but the Way is uncharted;
there are names, but not Nature in words:
Nameless, indeed, is the source of creation,
but things have a Mother and She has a name.
the secret waits for the insight
of eyes unclouded by longing;
those who are bound by desire
see only the outward shell.
these two come paired, but distinct
by their names.
of all things profound,
say that their pairing is deepest;
the Gate to the root of the world.
paraphrase
The Tao is different from and more comprehensive than all other “ways”.
“The Religion With No Name” is often referred to in the study of comparative religions. It is most likely Taoism.“Eyes unclouded by longing” could possibly be a Buddhist reference to losing desire to gain Nirvanna.The Buddhists were quite fond of “borrowing” Taoist pieces and using them as “original” Buddhist scripture. “The gate to the root of the world” means all things are connected.The piece appears to be, at least in part, to have been lifted from Chuang Tzu. (there are names, but not Nature in words).This means that Confucianists are out of touch with nature, but Taoists understand the Way.
since the world points to beauty as such,
there is ugliness too.
if goodness is taken as goodness,
wickedness enters as well.
for is and is-not come together;
hard and easy are complimentary;
long and short are relative;
high and low are comparative;
pitch and sound make harmony;
before and after are a sequence.
indeed the wise man’s office
is to work by being still;
he teaches not by speech,
but by accomplishment;
he does for everything,
neglecting none;
their life he gives to all,
possessing none;
and what he brings to pass
depends on noone else.
as he succeeds,
he takes no credit
and because he does not take it,
credit never leaves him.
paraphrase
This poem illustrates the “Yin-Yang” opposites of Taoism. (beauty-ugliness), (hard-easy), (long-short) etc. Also, “virtue is its own reward” is evident in the later segment of the poem; (he takes no credit.....credit never leaves him). This saying is usually attributed to Confucius (Kung Fu Tzu), but most likely comes from a much earlier period of Taoism.
if those who are excellent find no preference,
the people will cease to contend for promotion.
if goods that are hard to obtain are not favored,
the people will cease to turn robbers or bandits.
if things much desired are kept under cover,
disturbance will cease in the minds of the people.
the wise man’s policy, accordingly,
will be to empty people’s hearts and minds,
to fill their bellies, weaken their ambition,
give them sturdy frames and always so,
to keep them uninformed, without desire,
and knowing ones not venturing to act.
be still while you work
and keep full control
over all.
paraphrase
Elements of Confucianism are apparent in the first stanza: “those who are excellent” and “contend for promotion” are two phrases which smack of the meritocracy of Confucianism. In the second stanza we see the familiar reminder to the king to remember the “mandate of heaven” (you rule because the people believe in your virtue).Finally, we are instructed to be still in the third stanza.This piece has more of a Confucianist tone to it than an ancient Taoist feeling
the Way is a void,
used, but never filled.
An abyss it is;
like an ancestor
from which all things come.
It blunts sharpness,
resolves tangles.
It tempers light,
subdues turmoil.
a deep pool It is,
never to run dry.
whose offspring It may be
i do not know;
It is like a preface to God.
paraphrase
The writer goes on to describe “the Tao” as something similar to the universe. It is undefinable because of Its scope.The reference to “God” is curious, because Taoists did not believe in monotheism.This piece has the “feel” of a later, revisionist (Confucianist) touch.Originally, it may have been written by Chuang Tzu because of its intense prose, but the last line may not be his.
Chung Tzu mentions God by name in only one of his writings (“Lao Tzu’s Wake”) and by another name “Maker” in one other piece(“Metamorphasis”). It is highly unlikely that he would make his first appearence in “Tao Te Ching” giving glory to God since God is one of the least important elements in his vast majority of writings.
c.tafero
is then the world unkind?
and does it treat all things
like straw dogs used in magic rites?
the wise man too,is he unkind?
and does he treat the folk
like straw dogs made to throw away?
betwen the earth and sky
the Space is like a bellows,
empty but unspent.
when moved its Gift is copius.
much talk means much exhaustion;
better far it is to keep your thoughts!
paraphrase
This is the first full poem that complains about something.Therefore,I
would have to attribute it to Chung Tzu,the master complainer of Taoism.
The phrases “world unkind”,“empty space”,“much talk”,and especially “keep
quiet!
” clearly give it the quality of a Chung Tzu piece.The infinitely
vast majority of spiritual Taiosts rarely complained,if ever,in their prose.
the valley spirit is not dead;
they say it is the mystic female.
her gateway is,they further say,
the core of earth and heaven.
constantly,and so forever,
use Her without labor.
paraphrase
“Mystic female” refers to the “Yin-Yang” opposites in the I-Ching.Valley represents the opposite of mountain which would be the male counterpart in I-C hing.
(Yin = valley; Yang = mountain).The last phrase of the poem refers to the effortlessness of the Tao and how we should live our lives the same way.
the sky is everlasting
and the earth is very old.
why so?
because the world exists not for itself;
it can and will live on.
the wise man chooses to be last
and so becomes the first of all.
denying self,he too is saved.
for does he not fulfillment find
in being an unselfish man?
paraphrase
In the first stanza the Tao is compared to the sky and earth. Heaven and Earth are an oft-repeated motif of Chinese History and Philosophy in Taoism.The second stanza is another reminder to whichever king was in power to remember the “mandate of heaven”. (another oft-repeated motif)
the highest goodness,water-like,
does good to everything and goes
unmurmuring to places men despise;
but so,is close in nature to the Way.
If the good of the house is from land,
or the good of the mind is its depth,
or love is the virtue of friendship,
or honesty blesses one’s talk,
or in government goodness is in order,
or in business skill is admired,
or the worthof an act lies in the timing,
then peace is the goal of the Way
by which noone ever goes astray.
paraphrase
:
The first stanza is a testament to humility.
Humility leads to peace.
The second stanza relates to the results of humility.
Peace in the household,peace among friends,
peace within government.
All are results of humility.
to take all you want
is never good
as to stop when you should.
scheme and be sharp
and you’ll not keep it long.
one never can guard
his home when it’s full
of jade and fine gold.
wealth,power and pride
bequeath their own doom.
when fame and success
come to you,then retire.
this is the predestined Way.
paraphrase
: This piece is a non-to-gentle reminder to the King and his court that “the mandate of heaven” should be upheld for very good reasons. The abrasiveness of the passage (“don’t be greedy or there will be hell to pay”) is apparently the influence of Chuang Tzu,if not Chuang Tzu himself.
can you govern your animal soul,
hold to the One and never depart from it?
can you throttle your breath,
down to the softness of breath in a child?
can you purify your mystic vision
and wash it until it is spotless?
can you love all your people,rule over the land
without being known?
can you be like a female
and passively open and shut heaven’s gates?
can you keep clear in your mind the four quarters of earth
and not interfere?
quicken them; feed them.
quicken,but do not possess them.
act and be independent.
be the chief,but never the lord.
this describes the Mystic Virtue
paraphrase
: The “Tao” will lead the king to possess the “mandate of heaven”. Be gentle.
be soft,be pure of heart and love all equally. A reminder to mind your own business in the last line of stanza one. Subject matter in first line reminded me of Hesse in “Steppenwolf”.
thirty spokes will converge
in the hub of wheel,
but the use of the cart
will depend on the part
of the hub that is void.
with a wall all around
a clay bowl is molded,
but the use of the bowl
will depend on the part
of the bowl that is void.
cut out the windows and doors
in the house as you build,
but the use of the house
will depend on the space
in the walls that is void.
so advantage is had
from whatever is there,
but usefulness rises
from Whatever is not.
paraphrase
: probably the one of the greatest Taoist illustrations of the Way. the hub or empty center of the wheel is a classic. i can almost hear Master Po instructing grasshopper in this poem. truly,a great piece.
the five colors darken the eye.
the five sounds will deaden the ear.
the five flavors weary the taste.
chasing the beasts of the field
will drive a man mad.
the goods that are hard to procure
are hobbies that slow walking feet.
so the wise man will do
what his belly dictates
and never the sight of his eyes.
thus he will choose this,but not that.
paraphrase
: again,the Buddhist influence and the principle of desire causing dissatisfaction in the first stanza. the second stanza may have led to the Confucian saying “don’t let your eyes get bigger than your stomach” it is probable that Chuang Tzu,at the very least,influenced this piece, if not wrote it.
favor,like disgrace
brings trouble with it.
high rank,like self,
involves acute distress.
what does that mean,to say
that “favor,like disgrace
brings trouble with it”?
when favor is bestowed
on one of low degree,
trouble will come with it.
the loss of favor,too
means trouble for that man.
This,then,is what is meant
by “favor,like disgrace
brings trouble with it.
”
what does it mean,to say
that “rank,like self,
involves acute distress”?
i suffer most because
of me and selfishness.
if i were selfless,then
what suffering would i bear?
in governing the world,
let rule be entrusted
to him who treats his rank
as if it were his soul.
world sovereignty can be
committed to that man
who loves all people
as he loves himself.
paraphrase
: Stanza one to three is concerned with yin-yang principles and the fact that the further you go up in the world,the further you can fall.Stanza four confirms that we are often our own worst enemy.
(I’m sure most readers will agree).Stanza five again reminds us of the mandate of heaven and includes a segment by Chuang Tzu that is later used in the Christian bible “love all people as you love yourself”.
they call It elusive
and say that one looks,
but It never appears.
they say that It indeed is rare,
since one listens,but never a sound.
sublte,they call It,
and say that one grasps It,
but never gets hold.
these three complaints amount to only One,
which is beyond all resolution.
at rising,It does not illuminate.
at setting,no darkness ensues.
It stretches far back
to that nameless estate
which existed before the creation.
describe It as form yet unformed;
as shape that is still without shape;
or say It is vagueness confused.
one meets It and It has no front.
one follows and there is no rear.<
if you hold ever fast
to that most ancient Way
you may govern today.
call truly that knowledge
of primal beginnings
the clue to the Way.
paraphrase
:
Stanza one discusses some of the subtleties of the Way using Yin-Yang style.
The second and third stanzas continue to describe the Way in Yin-Yang style.
The fourth stanza gives us the usual warning to the King.Not much in this
piece not mentioned in previous pieces.
c.tafero
the excellent masters of old:
subtle,mysterious,mystic,acute,
were much too profound for their times.
since they were not then understood,
it is better to tell how they looked.
like men crossing streams in the winter,
how cautious!
as if all around there were danger,
how watchful!
as if they were guests on every occasion,
how dignified!
like ice just beginning to melt,
self-effacing!
like a woodblock untouched by a tool,
how sincere!
like a valley awaiting a guest,
how receptive!
like a torrent that rushes along,
and so turbid!
who,running dirty,comes clean like still waters?
who,being quiet,moves others to fullness of life?
it is he who,embracing the Way,is not greedy;
who embraces wear and tear without needing renewal.
paraphrase
: the first stanza extols the ancient Taoist philosophers. the second stanza mentions their wonderful qualities of cautiousness,quietude,humility and receptiveness. the final stanza mentions greed,a probable reference to the king.
c.tafero
touch Ultimate Emptiness,
hold steady and still.
all things work together;
i have watched them reverting,
and have seen how they flourish
and return again,each to his roots.
this,i say,is the Stillness;
a retreat to one’s Roots;
or,better yet,return
to the will of God,
which is,i say,to constancy.
the knowledge of constancy
i call enlightenment and say
that not to know It
is blindness that works evil.
but when you know
what eternally is so,
you have stature
and stature means righteousness
and righteousness is kingly
and kingliness divine
and divinity is the Way
which is final.
Then,though you die,
you shall not perish.
paraphrase
: This entire piece may have been relocated later into Christianity,not in it’s entirety,but in its general moral belief system: if you do right during your earthly life,you will live forever in heaven with God.Again the reference to God in the 3rd stanza is puzzling and not a usual reference of ancient Taoist tradition.This is most likely a later revised piece written by a Confucianist (emphasis on Constancy).The final half of the piece,is in fact,a monument to the Confucian belief system,despite also being a warning to the king.Neo-Confucianist revisionists most likely at work here.
as for him who is highest,
the people just know he is there.
his deputy is cherished and praised;
of the third,they are frightened;
the fourth,they despise and revile.
If you trust people less than enough,
some of them will never trust you.
he is aloof,as if his talk
were priced beyond the purchasing;
but once his project is contrived,
the folk will want to say of it:
“of course!
we did it by ourselves!
”
paraphrase
: The entire piece is a criticism of both common and kingly behavior. The Way is involved merely in the word “trust”.All other references are either critical of the king (or his immediate underlings) and then of the “folk” in the latter part of the second stanza (we did it by ourselves!).A curious piece insulting many and helping few. Could have been written by Chuang Tzu because of its highly critical nature.
the mighty Way declined among the folk
and then came kindness and morality.
when wisdom and intelligence appeared,
they brought with them a great hypocrisy.
the six relations were no more at peace,
so codes were made to regulate our homes.
the fatherland grew dark,confused by strife;
official loyalty became the style.
paraphrase
: This is the one of the most difficult piece in TaoTeChing to interpret.
Is it a lamentation of the lost blessings of ancient Taoism,or the lost
self-discipline of Confucianism?
The opposites of kindness,morality
wisdom and intelligence would infer a loss of the ancient Toist belief
systems,but the reference to the loss of family (six relations) is primarily
a
Confucianist concern.Loyalty is another Confucianist concern.It is
possible
that a revisionist combined the loss of these tenets crosssing back and forth
to both philosophies.
get rid of the wise men!
put out the professors!
then people will profit
a hundredfold over.
away with the kind ones;
those righteous men too!
and let people return
to the graces of home.
root out the artisans;
banish the profiteers!
and bandits and robbers
will not come to plunder.
but if these three prove not enough
to satisfy the mind and heart,
more relevant,then,let there be
a visible simplicity of life
embracing unpretentious ways,
and small self-interest
and poverty of coveting.
paraphrase
: The attack upon Confuciansim (and upon all philosphy in general) continues in piece 19 with a more vitrolic voice.The breakdown of society in the latter Chou created great confusion.It is apparent here in this piece. A longing for the Way is also apparent,but lost in the viciousness of the attack on alternative philosophies.Was this another influence piece influenced by Chuang Tzu.It is difficult to be sure.
be done with rote learning
and its attendant vexations.
for is there distinction
of a “yes” from a “yea”
comparable now to the gulf
between evil and good?
“what all men fear,I too must fear”.
how barren and pointless a thought!
the reveling of multitudes
at the feast of great sacrifice
or up on the terrace
at carnival in spring,
leave me,alas,unmoved,alone,
like a child that has never smiled.
lazily,i drift
as though i had no home.
all others have enough to spare;
i am the one left out.
i have the mind of a fool,
muddled and confused.
when common people scintillate
i alone make shadows
vulgar folks are sharp and knowing;
only I am melancholy.
restless like the ocean,
blown about,i cannot stop.
other men can find employment,
but i am stubborn; i am mean
alone i am and different,
because i prize and seek
my substance from the Mother
paraphrase
: A protest against the slavery of the learning cult in Confucianism.A bit too self-pitying and noble for a true spiritual Taoist,yet it is clear that the the Mother is the Tao and the sentiment is anti-Confucian
the omnipresent Virtue will take shape according only to the Way.
the Way itself is like some thing seen in a Dream,elusive,evading one.
in It are images,elusive,evading one.
in It are things like shadows in twilight.
in It are essences,subtle,but real,
embedded in truth.
from of old until now,
under names without end,
the First,the Beginning is seen.
how do i know the Beginning of All?
what may Its nature be?
by these!
paraphrase
from the beginning of time,the Tao has been present in the form of Virtue. intangible,yet always present,it is embedded in the Truth. the Tao,Virtue and Truth are inseparable.
the crooked shall be made straight
and the rough places plain;
the pools shall be filled
and the worn renewed;
the needy shall receive
and the rich shall be perplexed.
so the wise man cherishes the One,
as a standard to the world:
not displaying himself,
he is famous;
not asserting himself,
he is distinguished;
not boasting of his powers,
he is effective;
taking no pride in himself,
he is chief.
because he is no competitor,
no one in all the world
can compete with him.
the saying of the men of old
is not in vain;
“the crooked shall be made straight.... ”
to be perfect,return to It.
paraphrase
the first and second stanzas are rife with Yin-Yang references (opposites). the first stanza should be very familiar to westerners as it was copied later by Hebrew writers when they constucted parts of their bible.known in the west as the beatitudes that Christ gave in the sermon on the mount and written much later. the passage ends with the extolling of Taoist Virtue and the Way.
sparing indeed is nature of its talk;
the whirlwind will not last the morning out;
the cloudburst ends before the day is done.
what kind of world is this?
the earth and sky!
and if it be that these
cut short their speech,how much more yet should man!
if you work by the Way,
you will be of the Way;
if you work through its virtue
you will work thorough Its virtue;
abandon either one
and both abandon you.
gladly then,the Way receives
those who choose to walk in It;
Gladly too,Its power upholds
those who choose to use It well;
gladly will abandon greet
those who to abandon drift.
little faith is put in them
whose faith is small.
paraphrase
in stanza one we see that great efforts and explosions of energy are comparable and alien to the effortlessness of the Tao.stanza two mentions the immutable connection of virtue with the Tao.stanza three discusses the opportunity of turning to the Way is always available.the last two lines are a quick reminder to the king that he had better be a full partner in the process of the Way or lose his “mandate of heaven”.the last two lines also were later used by Hebrew writers of the bible “o ye of little faith”.
on tiptoe your stance is unsteady;
long strides make your progress unsure;
show off and you get no attention;
your boasting will mean you have failed;
asserting yourself brings no credit;
be proud and you never will lead.
to persons of the Way,
these traits can only bring distrust;
they seem like extra food for parasites.
so those who choose the Way,
will never give them place.
paraphrase
the first stanza of poem 24 is quite similar to the first stanza of poem 23 with its condemnation of “extroidinary displays” of energy in order to impress others.This warning to the king continues in the second stanza and adds that he should not give much credence to the court “parasites” (high officials) who display these traits mentioned in stanza one.
c.tafero
something there is,whose veiled creation was
before the earth or sky began to be;
so silent,so aloof and so alone,
It changes not,nor fails,but touches all;
conceive It as the mother of the world.
I do not know It’s name.
A name for It is Way.
pressed for designation,
I call It great.
great means outgoing,
outgoing,far-reaching,
far-reaching,return
the Way is great,
the sky is great,
the earth is great,
the king is also great.
within the realm these four are great;
the king but stands for one of them.
man conforms to the earth;
the earth conforms to the sky
the sky conforms to the Way;
the Way conforms to Its own nature.
paraphrase
Passage 25 is quite similiar to passage 1 in its description of “The Way” (nameless creation).Nameless is a reference to the Way.Creation and the Way are intertwined from the beginning of time. Stanzas 3 and 4 remind the king that he is a man; and as such,must conform to nature (the Way) which is greater than the sky or the earth.
the heavy is the foundation for the light;
so quietness is master of the deed.
the wise man,though he travel all the day,
will not be separated from his goods.
so even if the scene is glorius to view,
he keeps his place,at peace,above it all.
for how can one who rules ten thousand chariots
give up to lighter moods
as all the world may do?
if he is trivial,
his ministers are lost;
if he is strenuous,
there is no master then.
paraphrase
Passage 26 contains a wonderful reference to the the symbolism of the Tao.
The Tao is solid; and it supports that which is light or shallow.In human
terms this would be a reference to the king to be serious in his pursuit of
the Tao;
even as others who surround him are shallow.
a good runner leaves no tracks.
a good speech has no flaws to censure.
a good computer uses no tallies.
a good door is well shut without bolts and
cannot be opened.
a good knot is tied without rope and
cannot be loosed
the wise man is always good at helping people,
so that none are cast out.
he is always good at saving things,
so that none are thrown away.
this is called applied intelligence.
surely,the good man is the bad man’s teacher
and the bad man is the good man’s business.
If the one does not respect his teacher,
or the other doesn’t love his business,
his error is very great
this is,indeed,and important secret.
parphrase
The first and second stanzas describe th atttributes of the wise man and may
refer to how the king should behave to maintain his “mandate of heaven”.
The latter part of this passage,however,smacks of neo-Confucianist
revisionism with its high praise of the “teacher”.A true Taoist would have
made the analogy that the “bad” man could also be a teacher to the “good” man.
be aware of your masculine nature;
but by keeping the feminine way,
you shall be to the world like a canyon,
where the Virtue eternal abides.
and go back to become as a child.
be aware of the white all around you;
but remembering the black that is there,
you shall be to the world like a tester,
whom the Virtue eternal,unerring
redirects to the infinite past.
be aware of your glory and honor;
but in never relinquishing shame,
you shall be to the world like a valley,
where Virtue eternal,sufficient,
sends you back to the Virginal Block.
when the Virginal Block is asunder,
and is made into several tools,
to the ends of the wise man directed,
they become then his chief officers;
for “ the Master himself does not carve”.
paraphrase
Passage 28 begins with two stanzas of Yin-Yang comparisons such as
masculine-feminine,white,black and and comparison of the eternal Virtue to
the Tao.
The third stanza has just one Yin-Yang comparison;
glory and honor with shame.
This is a reminder to the king to remember his roots or what is mentioned as the Virginal Block (another reference to the Tao)
as for those who would take the whole world
to tinker it as they see fit,
i observe that they never succeed;
for the world is a sacred vessel
not made to be altered by man.
the tinker will spoil it;
usurpers will lose it.
for,indeed,there are things
that must move ahead,
while others must lag;
and some that feel hot,
while others feel cold;
and some that are strong,
while others are weak;
and vigorous ones,
with others worn out.
so the wise man discards
extreme inclinations
to make sweeping judgements,
or to a life of excess.
paraphrase
Greed never accomplishes its goal.The first stanza marks the stupidity of the greedy man. The second stanza relies on the Yin-Yang opposites to illustrate its points on the balance of the universe. The third stanza reminds us to avoid excess and use moderation in all things (very Confucian).The wise man most likely refers to the king.
to those who would help
the ruler of men
by means of the Way:
let him not with his militant might
try to conquer the world;
this tactic is like to recoil.
for where armies have marched,
there do briars spring up;
where great hosts are impressed,
years of hunger and evil ensue.
the good man’s purpose once attained,
he stops at that;
he will not press for victory.
his point once made,he does not boast,
or celebrate the goal he gained,
or proudly indicate the spoils.
he won the day because he must;
but not by force or violence.
that things with age decline in strength,
you well may say,suits not the Way;
and not to suit the Way is early death.
paraphrase
The ruler of men was probably meant for one king,but this warning may be useful to all kings.Use moderation.This principle is also reflected in Passage 19 which warns of the loss of the “mandate of heaven” if such excesses are practiced.
weapons at best are tools of bad omen,
loathed and avoided by those of the Way.
in the usage of men of good breeding,
honor is had at the left;
good omens belong on the left;
bad omens belong on the right;
and warriors press to the right!
when the general stands at the right,
his lieutenant is placed on the left.
so the usage of men of great power
follows that of the funeral rite.
weapons are tools of bad omen,
by gentlemen not to be used;
but when it cannot be avoided,
they use them with calm and restraint.
even in victory’s hour
these tools are unlovely to see;
for those who admire them truly
are men who murder in delight.
as for those who delight to do murder,
it is certain they never can get
from the world what they sought when ambition
urged them to power and rule.
a multitude slain!
--and their death
is a matter for grief and for tears;
the victory after a conflict
is a theme for a funeral rite.
paraphrase
Another highly critical piece similiar to that of Passage 5.One could easily mark this as a piece from Chuang-Tzu because of this intense criticism.It is more likely,however,that it is a neo-confucianist piece because of its references to “good breeding” and “gentlemen”; things early Taoists cared little about (especially Chuang-Tzu).It is,perhaps,the greatest attack on war and militaristic behavior of any ancient text, regardless of religion or philosphy.
the Way eternal has no name.
a block of wood untooled,though small,
may still excel the world.
and if the king and nobles could
retain potency for good,
then everything would freely give
allegiance to their rule.
the earth and sky would then conspire
to bring the sweet dew down;
and evenly it would be given
to folk without constraining power.
creatures came to be with order’s birth,
and once they had appeared,
came also knowledge of repose,
and with that was security.
in this world,
compare those of the Way
to torrents that flow
into river and sea
parphrase
The unused block of wood has a myriad of possibilities,as does the Tao,in stanza one.This symbol and analogy to the Tao was also used in Passage 28. The second and third stanzas show us the effortlessness of the Tao.The final stanza portrays the Tao as overwhelming and something fruitless to resist.
it is wisdom to know others;
it is enlightenment to know one’s self.
yhe conqueror of men is powerful;
the master of himself is strong.
it is wealth to be content;
it is willful to force one’s way on others.
endurance is to keep one’s place;
long life it is to die and not to perish.
paraphrase
Again,one of the most profound passages of the “Tao Te Ching” is one of the shortest. Close to passage 11 in its staggering clarity and inciseciveness,the first two lines are immortal.It is more important to know thyself than to know others.Stanza two reiterates this principle.Stanzas 3 and 4 give us the rewards for this knowledge.
c.tafero
o the great Way overflows
and spreads on every side.
all being comes from it;
no creature is denied.
but having called them forth,
it calls not one its own.
it feeds and clothes them all
and will not be their lord.
without desire always,
it seems of slight import.
yet,nonetheless,in this
Its greatness still appears.
When they return to it,
no creature meets a lord.
the wise man,therefore,while he is alive,
will never make a show of being great;
and that is how greatness is achieved.
paraphrase
The Way is overwhelming and,at the same time,unobtrusive. In stanza two the mention of desire may be an influence of Buddhism. The final stanza is the usual warning to the king.
c.Tafero
once grasp the great Form Without Form,
and you roam where you will
with no evil to fear,
calm,peaceful,at ease.
at music and viands
the wayfarer stops.
but the Way,when declared,
seems thin and so flavorless!
It is nothing to look at
and nothing to hear;
but used,It will prove
inexhaustable.
paraphrase
The Form Without Form (the Way or Tao) is clearly the model that is later used by Plato in his “non-scientific world” as opposed to Aristotle’s scientific world. Stanzas two and three are attempts to compare the Tao to worldly things.
what is to be shrunken
is first stretched out;
what is to be weakened
is first made strong;
what will be thrown over
is first raised up;
what will be withdrawn
is first bestowed.
this indeed is
Subtle Light;
the gentle Way
will overcome
the hard and strong.
as fish should not
get out of pools,
the realm’s edged tools
should not be shown
to anybody.
paraphrase
Stanza one contains a warning to the king utilizing Yin-Yang opposites; especially the reference to what is thrown over is first raised up.The Tao is relentless.Nothing can stand up to it. Stanza two,with its pleasant bluntness is probably attributable to Chuang Tzu.
the Way is always still,at rest,
and yet does everything that’s done.
if then the kings and nobles could
retain its potency for good,
the creatures all would be transformed.
but if the change once made in them,
they are still inclined to do their work,
i should restrain them then
by means of that unique original simplicity
found in the Virgin Block
which brings disinterest,
with stillness in its train,
and so,an ordered world.
paraphrase
Stanza one describes how inaction transcends activity and makes a quick appeal to the king to be still. In stanza two we see the revisitation of the Virgin Block representing the Tao for the third time (also in Passage28 and Passage32).This is to appeal to the king’s vision of unlimited possibilities rather than just to military solutions.
a man of highest virtue
will not display it as his own;
his virtue then is real.
low virtue makes one miss no chance
to show his virtue off;
his virtue then is naught.
high virtue is at rest;
it knows no need to act.
low virtue is a business
pretending to accomplishment.
compassion at its best
consists in honest deeds;
morality at best
is something done,aforethought;
high etiquette,when acted out
without response from others,
constrains a man to bear his arms
and make them do their duty!
truly,once the Way is lost,
there comes then virtue;
virtue lost,comes then compassion;
after that morality;
and when that’s lost,there’s etiquette,
the husk of all good faith,
the rising point of anarchy.
foreknowledge is,they say,
The Doctrine come to flower;
but better yet,it is
the starting point of silliness.
so once full-grown,a man will take
the meat and not the husk,
the fruit and not the flower.
rejecting one,he takes the other.
paraphrase
Stanza one discusses humility.People who are not humble are of low self-esteem. In stanza two compassion is equated with honesty.Stanza three describes a hierarchy of belief systems; The Way at the top and etiquette at the bottom. Stanza four states that knowledge of the future has nothing to do with Spiritual Taoism.
these things in ancient times recieved the One:
the sky obtained it and was clarified;
the earth received it and was settled firm;
the spirits got it and were energized;
the valleys had it,filled to overflow;
all things,as they partook it came alive;
the nobles and the king imbibed the One
in order that the realm might upright be;
such things were then accomplished by the One.
without its clarity,the sky might break;
except it were set firm,the earth might shake;
without their energy,the gods would pass;
unless kept full,the valleys might go dry;
except for life,all things would pass away;
unless the One did lift and hold them high,
the nobles and the king might trip and fall.
The humble folk support the mighty ones;
they are base the base on which the highest rest.
the nobles and the king speak of themselves
as “orphans”,“desolate” and “needy ones”.
does this not indicate that they depend
upon the lowly people for support?
truly,a cart is more than the sum of its parts.
better to rumble like rocks
than to tinkle like jade.
paraphrase
The One is the Way and is in all things.Stanza two describes what life would be without the Way.The rest of the passage is a homage to humility.
the movement of the Way is a return;
in weakness lies its major usefulness.
from What-Is all the world of things was born
but What-Is sprang in turn from What-Is-Not.
paraphrase
Passage 40 is similar to Passage 25 (return) weakness=strength.This is a basic Yin-Yang premise that is also mentioned in Passage 29. The last two lines reiterates that all things come from the Way.
on hearing of the Way,the best of men
will earnestly explore its length.
the mediocre person learns of it
and takes it up and sets it down.
but vulgar people,when they hear the news,
will laugh out loud,and if they did not laugh,
it would not be the Way.
and so there is a proverb:
“when going looks like coming back,
the clearest road is might dark. ”
today,the Way that’s plain looks rough,
and lofty virtue like a chasm;
the purist innocence like shame,
the broadest power not enough,
established goodness knavery,
substantial worth like shifting tides.
great space has no corners;
great powers come late;
great music is soft sound;
the great Form,no shape.
the Way is obscure and unnamed;
It is a skilled investor,nonetheless,
the master of accomplishment.
paraphrase
In Stanza one we find that good men explore the Way and keep it forever. Many will suffer from ignorance,however,as this is part of the Way because few choose the best path. Stanza two contains many Yin-Yang opposites expressing the Tao. Stanza three is profound in its simplicity in its explanation of the Tao. Stanza four reminds us of the greatness of what appears to be nothing.
the Way begot one,
and the one,two;
then the two begot three
and three,all else.
all things bear the shade on their backs
and the sun on their arms;
by the blending of breath
from the sun and the shade,
equilibrium comes to the world.
orphaned,or needy,or desolate,these
are conditions much feared and disliked;
yet in public address,the king
and the nobles account themselves thus.
so a loss sometimes benefits one
or a benefit proves to be a loss.
what others have taught
i also shall teach;
if a violent man does not come
to a violent death,
I shall choose him to teach me.
paraphrase
Stanza one is a reference to Chuang Tzu. Stanza two and three use Yin-Yang opposites such as sun and shade and loss and gain to illustrate the Tao. Stanza four is interesting and is interpreted in widely varying degrees. Some feel it refers to Mo Ti’s doctrine of anti-violence,while others feel it is yet another brazen challenge by that brazen Taoist,Chuang Tzu.
the softest of stuff in the world
penetrates quickly the hardest;
insubstantial,it enters
where no room is.
by this I know the benefit
of something done by quiet being;
in all the world but few can know
accomplishment apart from work,
instruction when no words are used.
paraphrase
In stanza one we are told the Tao is like rain penetrating stone during a storm; softness petrating hardness. Stanza two states the Tao does this without effort,like water naturally wearing down rock.
c.tafero
which is dearer,fame or self?
which is worth more,man or pelf?
which is hurt more,gain or loss?
the mean man pays the highest price;
the hoarder takes the greatest loss;
a man content is never shamed,
and self-restrained,is not in danger:
he will live forever.
paraphrase
The first stanza asks us some interesting questions; is fame more valuable than life itself? Is money more important than life itself? Is gain or loss more painful? (very tricky question: no pain,no gain? Which is less trouble; a fortune or a living wage? Hoarders lose when they win. Moderation always wins. You can’t cheat an honest man. Lao Tzu ,say hello to Will Rogers
most perfect,yet It seems
imperfect,incomplete:
It’s use is not impaired.
filled up,and yet It seems
poured out,an empty void:
It will never run dry.
the straightest,yet It seems
deviate,to bend;
the highest skill and yet
It looks like clumsiness.
the utmost eloquence,
It sounds more like stammering
as movement overcomes
the cold,and stillness,heat,
the wise man,pure and still,
will rectify the world.
paraphrase
The first stanza initiates the typical Yin-Yang symbolic opposites
(perfect-imperfect,
empty-filled). Never runs dry refers to the Tao.
The second stanza uses the same technique (straight-bend,skill-clumsy)
The third stanza refers to the king and the use of wisdom.Could have been
written or at least influenced by Chuang Tzu due to bluntness of style.
when the Way rules the world,
coach horses fertiliz fields;
when the Way does not rule,
war horses breed in the parks.
no sin can exceed
incitement to envy;
no calamity’s worse
than to be discontented;
nor is there an omen
more dreadful than coveting.
but once be contented,
and truly you’ll always be so.
paraphrase
In the first stanza coach horses are not used because contentment would would deem them unnecessary.War horses would be numerous if contentment did not prevail. In the second stanza envy and discontent can be overcome by the Way.Again, this passage has the feel of Chuang Tzu or someone greatly influenced by him.
the world may be known
without leaving the house;
the Way may be seen
apart from the windows.
the further you go,
the less you will know.
accordingly,the wise man
knows without going,
sees without seeing,
does without doing.
paraphrase
The Way is all places.Travel to know the Way is unnecessary.
The second stanza is profound;
it describes the the inactions of the Tao and
how it achieves great goals with those inactions.
the student learns by daily increment.
the Way is gained by daily loss,
loss upon loss until
at last comes rest.
by letting go,it all gets done;
the world is won by those who let it go!
but when you try and try,
the world is then beyond the winning.
paraphrase
Another exhilerating passage probably borrowed later by one of the writers of the bible. ”what does it profit a man to gain the whole world,but lose his soul? ” The spiritual will overpower the physical.
the wise man’s mind is free
but tuned to people’s need:
“alike to good and bad
i must be good,
for Virtue is goodness.
to honest folk
and those dishones ones
alike,I proffer faith,
for Virtue is faithful.”
the wise man,when abroad,
impartial to the world,
does not divide or judge.
but people everywhere
mark well his ears and eyes;
for wise men hear and see
as little children do.
paraphrase
The man of the Way does not judge;
he merely assists.
In stanza two the wise man is like a little child; non-judgemental
on leaving life,to enter death:
thirteen members form aliving body;
a corpse has thirteen too:
thirteen spots by which a man may pass
from life to death.why so?
because his way of life
is much too gross.
as i have heard,the man who knows
on land how best to be at peace
will never meet a tiger or a buffalo;
in battle,weapons do not touch his skin.
there is no place the tiger’s claw’s can grip;
or with his horn,the buffalo can jab;
or where the soldier can insert his sword.
why so?
in him there is no place of death.
paraphrase
The first stanza mentions the four limbs and nine orifices of all humans. In the second stanza we see hoe the Way overcomes not only the 13 spots,but all other physical assaults one may encounter.
c.tafero
the Way brings forth,
Its Virtue fosters them,
with matter they take shape,
and circumstance perfects them all:
that is why all things
do honor to the Way
and venerate Its power
the exaltation of the Way,
the veneration of Its power,
come not by fate or be decree;
but always just because
by nature it is so.
so when the Way brings forth,
Its power fosters all:
they grow,are reared,
and fed and housed until
they come to ripe maturity.
you shall give life to things
but never posess them;
your work shall depend on none;
you shall be chief,but never lord.
this describes the Mystic Power.
paraphrase
In stanza one the Way and Virtue are connected. In stanza two the Way is connected with nature. In stanza three the principle of inaction overcoming action is illustrated.
c.tafero
it began with a matrix:
the world had a mother
whose sons can be known
as ever,by Her.
but if you know them,
you’ll keep close to Her
as long as you live
and suffer no harm.
stop up your senses;
close up your doors;
be not exhausted
as long as you live.
open your senses;
be busier still:
to the end of your days
there’s no help for you.
you are bright it is said,
if you see what is small;
a store of small strengths
makes you strong.
by the use of Its llight,
make your eyes again bright
from evil to lead you away.
this is called “practicing constancy”.
paraphrase
We are all children of “the Way”. Do not exhaust yourself in “pursuits”. This is an ancient version of “stop and smell the flowers”. Very 60’s.
when i am walking on the mighty Way,
let me but know the very least i may,
and i shall only fear to leave the road.
the mighty Way is easy underfoot,
but people still prefer the little paths.
the royal court is dignified,sedate,
while farmers’ fields are overgrown with weed;
the granaries are empty and yet they
are clad in rich-embroidered silken gowns
they have sharp swords suspended at their sides;
with glutted wealth,they gorge with food and drink.
it is,the people say,
the boastfulness of brigandage,
but surely not the Way!
paraphrase
Sounds like a Chuang Tzu passage.The Way is obvious and simple,yet the rich and the politically powerful prefer to flaunt their power and wealth; thereby taking the false road to misery rather than the Way.
set firm in the Way;
none shall uproot you;
cherish it well and none shall estrange you;
your children’s children faithful shall serve
your forebears at the altar of your house.
cultivate the Way yourself,
and your Virtue will be genuine.
cultivate it in the home,
and Its Virtue will overflow.
cultivate it in the village,
and the village will endure.
cultivate it in the realm,
and the realm will flourish.
cultivate in the world,
and the Virtue will be universal.
accodingly,one will be judged by the man of the Way;
homes will be viewed through the home of the Way;
and the village shall measure the village;
and the realm,for all realms,shall be standard;
and the world,to this world,shall be heaven.
how do i know the world is like this?
by this.
paraphrase
The Way overcomes all in the first stanza.
We are shown in the second stanza that the Way must be cultivated like crops in nature in order for the Tao to grow.The third stanza speaks of ideals as standards.This smacks of neo-confucianism and may be an indicator of a later piece written by a confirmed confucianist.
rich in Virtue,like an infant,
noxious insects will not sting him;
wild beasts will not attack his flesh
nor birds of prey sink claws in him.
his bones are soft,his sinews weak,
his grip is nonetheless robust;
of sexual union unaware,
his organs all completely formed,
his vital force is at its height.
he shouts all day,does not get hoarse;
his person is a harmony.
harmony experienced is known as constancy;
constancy experienced is called enlightenment;
exhuberant vitality is ominous,they say;
a bent for vehemence is called aggressiveness.
that things with age decline in strength,
you well may say,suits not the Way;
and not to suit the Way is early death.
paraphrase
The man of the Tao is impervious to danger and physical difficulty.He is constant like nature.The last three lines are the same as passage 30 which leads me to believe this was written by a confucianist imitating an early spiritual Taoist.Early Taoists were short and concise in their writings and confucianists tended to go on and on in theirs.Flowery language was another excess of the confucianists not shared by the early Taoists .So when I start hearing stuff like “constancy,enligtenment,exuberent,ominous and the like it sets off an alarm in my head.It tells me the people who started the SAT vocabulary test originated in confucian China,not Princeton,New Jersey; and definitely did not originate in ancient Taoist China.
those who know donot talk
and talkers donot know.
stop your senses,
close the doors;
let sharp things be blunted,
tangles resolved,
the light tempered
and turmoil subdued;
for this is mystic unity
in which the wise man is moved
neither by affection,
nor yet by estrangement,
or profit or loss,
or honor or shame.
accordingly,by all the world,
he is held highest.
paraphrase
A profound passage.Something I need to do more of in the first stanza. Be Quiet! There are identical links in Passage 4 and Passage 52.The general tone of the passage seems to be one of moderation and seeking one’s center and could easily be interpreted as Confucianist because of the emphasis of moderation. In actuality,it is Buddhist beacuse neither the Taoist nor Confucianist masters were overly concerned with the “personal center”.Confucianists were concerned,among other things,about society being ordered.Taoists were primarily concerned about the Way,not the self.
“govern the realm by the right,
and battles by stratagem.”
the world is won by refraining.
how do i know this is so?
by this:
as taboos increase,
people grow poorer;
when weapons abound,
the state grows chaotic;
where skills multiply,
novelties flourish;
as statutes increase,
more criminals start.
so the wise man will say:
as i refrain,the people will reform;
since i like quiet,they will keep order;
when i forebear,the people will prosper;
when i want nothing,they will be honest.
paraphrase
This entire piece seems to be a plea to the king(possibly from Chuang Tzu) to just leave things alone! Limit taboos,cut back on weapons and have fewer laws and lawyers.With less interference people will find the Way.
listlessly govern:
happy your people;
govern exactingly:
restless your people.
bad fortune will
promote the good;
good fortune,too,
gives rise to bad.
but who can know to what that leads?
for it is wrong and would assign
to right the strangest derivations
and would mean that goodness
is produced by magic means!
has man thus been so long astray?
accordingly,the wise man
is square,but not sharp,
honest,but not maligning,
straight,but not severe,
bright,but not dazzling.
paraphrase
Stanza one describes how the Taoist king governs correctly ( a possible reference to legalism) The second stanza contains Yin-Yang opposites behaving like the tides. Stanza three could be seen as an attack on mystical Taoism (that which is not nature). Stanza four is the standard reminder to the king to be a “regular guy” and not to get too pompous.
for ruling men or serving god,
there’s nothing else like stores saved up.
by “stores saved up” is meant forehandedness,
accumulated Virtue,such that nothing
can resist It and Its limit none can guess.
such infinite resource
allows the jurisdiction of the king;
whose kingdom then will long endure
if it provides the Mother an abode.
indeed,it is the deeply rooted base,
the firm foundation of the Way
to immortality of self and name.
paraphrase
This entire passage smacks of Buddhist influence.Taoists and Confucianists do not make references to God.Buddhists do.The second stanza goes on to extoll the virtue of the Way and the usual warning to the king follows.One does not “accumulate” the Way.
rule a large country
as small fish are cooked.
the evil spirits of the world
lose sanction as divinities
when government proceeds
according to the Way;
but even if they do not lose
their ghostly countenance and right,
the people take no harm from them;
and if the spirits cannot hurt the folk,
the wise man surely does no hurt to them.
since then the wise man and the people
harm each other not at all,
their several virtues should converge.
paraphrase
The first two lines describe a “hands off” policy for the king.The Way espouses less government,not more.Stanza two and three suggest that superstitions will lessen if rule by the king is virtuous.
Hopefully,the virtue of the people and the king will converge.
the great land is a place
to which the streams descend;
it is the concourse and
the female of the world;
quiescent,underneath,
it overcomes the male.
by quietness and by humility
the great land then puts down the small
and gets it for its own;
but small lands too absorg the great
by their subservience.
thus some lie low,desinging conquest’s ends;
while others lowly are,by nature bent
to conquer all the rest.
the great land’s foremost need is to increase
the number of its folk;
the small land needs above all else to find
its folk more room to work.
that both be served and each attain its goal
the great land should attempt humility
paraphrase
Stanza one defines true greatness in a great nation and a great king. Humility and quietness are essential for greatness. War and conquest are useless endeavors which lessen a king’s greatness One must stoop to conquer (almost sounds like Shaw)
like the gods of the shrine in the home,
so the Way and its mystery waits
in the world of material things:
the good man’s treasure,
the bad man’s refuge.
fair wordage is ever for sale;
fair manners are worn like a cloak;
but,why should there be such a waste
of the badness in men?
on the day of the emperor’s crowning;
when the three noble dukes are appointed,
better than chaplets of jade
drawn by a team of four horses,
bring the Way as your tribute.
how used the ancients to honor the Way?
didn’t they say that the seeker may find it,
and that sinners who find are forgiven?
so did they lift up the Way and Its Virtue
above everything else in the world.
paraphrase
Stanzas one and two are veiled attacks on Confucianism.Stanzas three and four are pleas for forgiveness in sinners.The last stanza could have been copied by the ancient Hebrews who wrote the Bible chapters which highlight the forgiveness of sins.
act in repose:
be at rest when you work;
relish unflavored things.
great or small,
frequent or rare,
requite anger with virtue.
take hard jobs in hand
while they are easy;
and great affairs too
while they are small.
the troubles of the world
cannot be solved except
before they grow too hard.
the business of the world
cannot be done except
while relatively small.
the wise man,then,throughout his life
does nothing great and yet achieves
a greatness of his own.
again,a promise lightly made
inspires little confidence;
or often trivial,sure that man
will often come to grief.
choosing hardship,then,the Wise Man
never meets with hardship all his life.
paraphrase
Stanza one reminds us to be quiet and to approach the world calmly.
Stanza two reminds us that all great things,including problems,were once
small things.If handled early,an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure (was Ben a Taoist? ).
Stanza three reminds us and the king not to choose the path of least
resistance,but the right path regardless of difficultly. (politicians take
note!)
a thing that is still is easy to hold.
doing spoils It,grabbing misses it;
people are constantly spoiling a project
to avoid making a mess of it,be as careful of the end
so the wise man wants the unwanted;
paraphrase
The first stanza contains the now-famous line that the longest journey begins
with the first step.
The second stanza reminds us not to grab,but be careful and treat all things
with respect.
This passage is full of bromides and therefore probably a product of
revisionist neo-confucianists.For a Taoist to write so much and not mention
the Way is highly unlikely.
those ancients who were skilled in the Way
to know that standard always,everywhere,
paraphrase
A continuence of the overwhelming revisionism of the neo-confucianists in
this passage.The poem implies that “the common people” should not be taught
“the Way”;
how could the rivers and the seas
So then to be ablove the folk,
the wise man so is up above
the world will gladly help along
paraphrase
The first two stanzas discuss how humility helps us to be “better”.
Becoming “better” is a sure clue that this passage was written by a
confucianist(who may have been sensitive to some Taoist teachings).
The wise man in the third stanza is a reference to the king.
The fourth stanza reminds the king to keep his “mandate from heaven”
everywhere,they say the Way,our Doctrine,
i have to keep three treasures well-secured:
given compassion,i can take courage;
bravery today knows no compassion;
in battle,
The Way is often criticized as folly by neo-confucianists.
Stanza two warns the king not to over-reach his ambitions.
Compassion,frugality and humility are extolled here with compassion
(in a Buddhist sense) having a direct line to God. Absolutely not written by
a Taoist.
a skillful soldier is not violent;
you may call this pacific Virtue;
paraphrase
The Way is humble and the king should be humble.
Mastery is practically effortless.This is the second consequtive passage
that mentions God.This is probably a Buddhist influence.The reverence for
a monolithic spiritual entity precludes the possibility of a Confucian or
Taoist.
the stategists have a saying:
this is what they call a campaign
than helpless enemies,
paraphrase
Again,the message of this piece is similar to that of passage 67.
Compassion is the key.The first stanza discusses military strategy and its
uselessness.
Stanza two shows the folly of conquest.
The treasures ofmentioned in stanza three are compassion,humility and
frugality(see passage 67).
my words are easy to understand;
my words have ancestors,my works a prince;
paraphrase
The Way is easy to understand and easy to follow,yet few do both.
The Way is old.It’s founder unknown.However,anonymity is osmething to be
sought out.The practitioner of the Way should be like its founder.
(unknown) This is one of the most profound pieces in Tao Te Ching. 71
to know that you are ignorant is best;
the wise man has indeed a healthy mind;
paraphrase
Socrates copied the principles put forth in this poem ; irony and moral
behavior.
Realizing one’s limitations is mentally heathful.Again the king is the
targe of this advice.
if people do not dread your majesty,
it is the wise man’s way to know himself,
paraphrase
Once again we are talking about the loss of “The Mandate of Heaven” if the
king misbehaves too badly.The stereotype of “The Inscrutable Asian” is
mentioned in stanza two.More advice for the king to keep his emotions to
himself.
a brave man who dares to,will kill;
not by words does god get answers:
paraphrase
If this collection of poetry is written roughly in sequence of events in
China,(and evidence points in that direction) then the end of Taoist and a
great lessening of Confucianist thought is inevitable.The rise of Buddhism
are apparent in the later passages.This passage in particular is not Taoist
or Confucianist.It is most likely Buddhist.Fear of death and its
consequences are the realm of Buddhist writers,not of Taoist or Confucian
writers.Westerners often confuse such passgaes as these as being
representative of the TaoTeChing,when it fact,they are anomalies.
the people do not fear at all to die;
A virtual reproduction of passage 73,with its emphasis on death.
Neither passage is concerned with the Way or with the behavior of the
superior man,but with death and the destruction of the empire.Buddhists
lamenting the decline of civilization in China?
the people starve because of those
the people are so hard to rule
the people do not fear to die;
paraphrase
Its passages like this one that got the philosophers during the Legalist Chin
period buried alive for their beliefs.The strident tone of this passage is
reminiscent of Chuang Tzu,but because of its inclusion in the latter part of
the collection and its recurring theme of “the people do not fear death” (see
passages 73 and 74) it may only be a Buddhist who has copied the same style
as Chuang Tzu.This was a difficult time in Chinese history; a crumbling
empire and the oppression of the ruling class will eventually lead to the
loss of “The Mandate of Heaven”.
alive,a man is supple,soft;
unbending rigor is the mate of death,
paraphrase
It appears as if there is a return to basic Taoist belief systems here.The
Way bends.We should bend or we shall break.Give ground to fight another
day.Be not too proud.Either a prolific Taoist passage or a Buddhist who
was feeling extremely Taoist that day.
is not god’s way much like a bow well bent?
who can benefit the world
paraphrase
The virtues of humility,self-sufficiency and quietness are again represented
in this piece.It does no good to accumulate excessively.The man of the
Tao needs no great fortune.
nothing is weaker than water,
everyone knows this;
because of this,the wise man says
this is pardox.
paraphrase
Primarily a reproduction of passage 43,the passage repeats the principle of
water penertrating rock and soft overcoming hard.The warning to the king,
however,is sterner than usual,and again reminds the king of “The Mandate of
Heaven”.
how can you think it is good
the wise man,therefore,will select
“impartial though the way of god may be, ”
paraphrase
This passage now introduces the Way as “The Way of God.This religious
reference is probably Buddhist ,but not Taoist. It is still in sync,
however,with ancient Taoism’s view of charity.
the ideal land is small;
and neighbor lands are juxaposed
paraphrase
You can feel the poetic lyricism in this writer’s lamentation for the end of
the empire.Resignation is apparent.This passage may have been influenced
by Chuang Tzu,but is more likely written by one of his students.
as honest words may not sound fine,
the wise man does not hoard his things;
god’s way is gain that works no harm;
paraphrase
The final passage of the “Tao Te Ching” appears to have been written by a
Buddhist.
There is a nice attack on confucianism in the first verse.This king would
have warmed the cockles of a Taoist’s heart.Finally, the king is warned for
the last time to be good and soon he is to lose “The Mandate of Heaven”
given no omen,it is easy to plan.
soft things are easy to melt.
small particles scatter easily.
the time to take care is before it is done.
establish order before confusion sets in.
tree trunks around which you can reach with your arms
were,at first,only minuscule sprouts.
a nine-storied terrace began with a clod.
a thousand-mile journey beganwith a foot put down.
so the wise man refrains from doing
and doesn’t spoil anything;
he grabs at nothing and so never misses.
when it lacks only a step to completion.
as you were in the beginning.
he sets no high value on anything because it is hard to get.
he studies what others neglect
and restores to the world what multitudes have passed by.
his object is to restore everything to its natural course,
but he dares take no steps to that end.
did not enlighten people by their rule,
but had them ever held in ignorance.
the more the folk know what is going on,
the harder it becomes to govern them.
for public knowledge of the government
is such a thief that it will spoil the realm.
but,when good fortune brings good times to all,
the land is ruled without publicity.
to know the difference between these two
involves a standard to be sought and found.
is mystic Virtue,justly known as such;
which Virtue is so deep and reaching far,
it causes a return,things going back
to that prime concord which at first all shared.
that it is only the domain of an elite.These words could have only been
written by a neo-confucianist,as a spiritual Taoist would never have
presumrd such nonsense.
become like kings to valleys?
because of skill in lowliness
thaey have become the valley’s lords.
you speak as if you were beneath;
and if you wish to be out in front,
then act as if you were behind.
but is no burden to the folk;
his station is ahead of them
to see they do not come to harm.
the wise man and will bear no grudge.
since he contends not for his own
the world will not contend with him.
is so very like detested folly;
but greatness of Its own alone explains
why it should be thus held beyond the pale.
if it were only orthodox,long since
it would have seemed a small and petty thing!
the first,compassion;
next frugality;
and third,i say that never would I once
presume that i should be the whole world’s chief.
given frugality,i can abound;
if i can be the world’s most humble man,
then i can be its highest instrument.
abundance is,without frugality,
and eminence without humility;
this is the death indeed of all our hope.
’tis compassion wins the day;
defending,
’tis compassion that is firm:
compassion arms the people god would save!
paraphrase
an able fighter does not rage;
a mighty conqueror does not give battle;
a great commander is a humble man.
or say that it is mastery of men;
or that it is rising to the measure of God,
or to the stature of the ancients.
“if i cannot be host,
then let me be a guest.
but,if i dare not advance
even an inch,
then let me retire a foot.”
without a march,
sleeves up,
but no bare arms,
shooting,
but no enemies,
or arming without weapons
nothing is worse;
to them i lose my treasures.
when opposing enemies meet,
the compassionate man is the winner!
to live by them is very easy too.
yet it appears that none in all the world
can understand or make them come to life.
since none know of this,unknown I too remain.
but,honor comes to me when i am least known;
the wise man,with a jewel in his breast,
goes clad in garments made of shoddy stuff.
to know what you do not,is a disease;
but if you recognize the malady
pf mind for what it is,then that is health.
he sees an aberration as it is
and for that reason never will be ill.
a greater dread will yet descend on them,
see then you do not cramp their dwelling place,
or immolate their children or their stock,
nor anger them by your own angry ways.
and never to reveal his inward thoughts;
he loves himself but so,is not set up;
he chooses this in preference to that.
a brave man who dares not,spares life;
and from them both come good and ill.
“god hates some folks,but who knows why?”
the wise man hesitates there too:
god’s way is bound to conquer all,
but not by strife does it proceed.
he calls them not and all things come.
master plans unfold but slowly,
like god’s wide net enclosing all;
its mesh is coarse,but none are lost.
what’s gained,therefore,by threat’ning them with death?
if you could always make them fear decease,
as if it were a strange event and rare,
who then would dare to take and slaughter them?
to slay,but those who substitute for him
are like the would-be master carpenters
who try to chop as that skilled craftsman does
and nearly always mangle their own hands!
paraphrase
Possibly Buddhists showing
that God will protect them in the afterlife and as a result,fear of death is
folly.Again one can see the decline of influence of Taoism and Confucianism
in these later pieces.
above them,who consume by tax
in grain and kind more than their right.
for this,the people are in want.
because of those who are above them,
whose interference makes distress.
for this,they are so hard to rule.
they too demand to live secure;
for this,they do not fear to die.
so they,without the means to live,
in Virtue rise above those men
who value life above its worth.
in death,unbending,rigorous.
all creatures,grass and trees,alive
are placid,but are pliant too,
and dead,are friable and dry.
and yielding softness,company of life;
unbending soldiers get no victories;
the stiffist tree is readiest for the axe.
the strong and mighty topple from their place;
the soft and yielding reise above them all.
the upper part has been disturbed,pressed down;
the lower part is raised up from its place;
the slack is taken up; for thus the way of god
cuts people down when they have too much,
and fills the bowls of those who are in want.
but not the Way of man will work like this;
the people who have not enough are spoiled
for tribute to the rich and surfeited.
from stored abundance of his own?
he alone who has the Way,
the wise man who can act apart
and not depend on others’ whims;
but not because of his high rank
will he succeed; he does not wish
to flaunt superiority.
but when it attacks something hard
or resistant,then nothing withstands it;
and nothing will alter its way.
that weakness prevails
over strength and that gentleness conquers
the adamant hindrance of men,but that
nobody demonstrates how it is so.
that only one who hears the nation’s shame
is fit to be its hallowed lord;
that only one who takes upon himself
the evils of the world may be its king.
to settle a grievance too great
to ignore,when the settlement
surely evokes other piques?
the left-hand part of contract tallies;
he will not put the debt on other men.
this Virtuous man promotes agreement;
the vicious man allots the blame.
it always favors good men.
its people very few,
where tools abound
ten times or yet
a hundred-fold
beyond their use;
where people die and die again
but never emigrate;
have boats and carts
which no one rides.
weapons have they and armor too,
but none displayed.
the folk returns to use again
the knotted cords.
their meat is sweet;
their clothes adorned,
their homes at peace,
their customs charm.
so each may hear the barking dogs;
the crowing cocks across the way;
where folks grow old
and folks will die;
and never once exchange a call.
fine words may not be honest ones;
a good man does not argue,
and an arguer may not be good!
the knowers are not learned men
and learned men may never know.
hard- pressed, from serving other men,
he has enough and some to spare;
but having given all he had,
he then is very rich indeed.
the wise man’s Way, to do his work
without contending for a crown.