October 2008

Commentary

When my mind goes blank I’m tempted to look back at how I (or another) interpreted a chapter. I’ve learned, however, to take a deep breath, just wait and let ‘it come to me naturally‘. I’ve found that I am always happier with my most recent ‘take’ than anything previous, which helps makes trusting this contemporaneous approach to the Tao Te Ching easier. Besides, this approach surely suits any attempt to deal with ‘the indescribable teaching’. (That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.) Come to think of it, this approach also suits any attempt to deal with life… ‘the indescribable experience’!

I prefer using aspirations rather than will. Aspirations arise from a future thinking ability highly developed in humans. Our aspirations become the idealistic laden fantasies to which we cling. Or as they say, “the best laid plans. . . ” We perpetually leap forward to aspirations in lieu of ‘converging on the origin’. The illusion is so powerful it takes forever to realize the promise is never realized, even if and when we realize an aspiration. The promise we feel (nature’s biological hoodwink) is that we will be happy once we satiate our desire. The Taoist (and Buddhist) view sees it otherwise.

D.C. Lau use ‘will’ instead in his translation. ‘Will’ though is far more mysterious in my view. Animals have ‘will’. Perhaps ‘will’ is another name for the survival instinct. We can survive and prosper without aspirations, but not without ‘will’.

Oh there is so much that begs commentary in this chapter! But I know when to stop and meet no danger … right?

Translation

Not to value worthy people, leads people to avoid contending.
Not to value rare goods, leads people to avoid steeling.
Not to catch sight of what suits desire, leads people’s heart to avoid confusion.
This is because of how the wise person governs, empties their hearts, fills their bellies.
Weakens their aspirations, strengthens their bones,
Always leads the people to be without awareness and without longings.
And leads resourceful men to never dare to act as well.
Do without doing, following without exception governs.

no (not) still (yet; value) virtuous (able worthy person),

send (tell to do; use; employ) people no (not) contend (vie; strive; argue).

no (not) expensive (valuable) rare (hard to come by) of goods (commodity),

send (tell to do; use; employ) people no (not) do (act; become; be) steel (rob; thief).

no (not) see (catch sight of) approve (can; may; need doing; fit; suit) desire (longing; wish; want),

send (tell to do; use; employ) people the heart (mind; feeling; intention; center; core) no (not) in disorder (in confusion).

this (that; praise; justify) use (take; according to; because of; so as to; and) sage (wise man) of rule (govern; manage; order),

void (emptiness; empty) his (her; its; their) the heart (mind; feeling; intention; center; core),

solid (true; honest; reality; fruit; seed) his (her; its; their) belly (abdomen; stomach),

weak (lose (through death) his (her; its; their) will (aspiration; ideal), strong (better) his (her; its; their) bone,

ordinary (common; normal; constant; often) send (tell to do; use; employ) people nil (without) know (be aware of; inform),

nil (without) desire (longing; wish; want),

send (tell to do; use; employ) man wisdom (resourcefulness) dare not do (act; act as; serve as) also (too; either).

do (act; act as; serve as) nil (without) do (act; act as; serve as),

standard (norm; imitate; follow) invariably (all without exception ) rule (govern; administer; manage; order; peace).

Original

不尚贤，

使民不争。

不贵难得之货，

使民不为盗。

不见可欲，

使民心不乱。

是以圣人之治，

虚其心，

实其腹，

弱其志，

强其骨；

常使民无知、

无欲，

使夫智者不敢为也。

为无为，

则无不治。