January 2010
Commentary
I was struck today by how this chapter’s point of view shifts from ‘out there’ to ‘in here’. The myriad creatures will be transformed of their own accord arguably portrays lords and creatures ‘out there’. Then the view shifts inward, ending with… and if I cease to desire and remain still, the empire will be at peace of its own accord.
To me, this is a round-about way to say that the world we see is a reflection of ourselves; perfection lies ‘in here’, in the eye of the beholder. If I’m right, does the round about way the Tao Te Ching puts it, hit home any more effectively than me saying that the world we see merely mirrors who we are? Not if cognitive understanding must needs have its beginnings in intuitive knowing. In other words, if you don’t ‘gut get it’, nothing said will really hit home. In fact, more words can even get in the way. Of course, this is entirely antithetical to our belief that teaching conveys understanding. Yet, it agrees with my experience.
Years ago I read about ‘projection’, a narrower psychiatry version of my view that the world we think we see is simply a reflection of our senses and emotions (needs and fears). Although, I never really ‘gut got it’ back then. Sure, I understood the words, but didn’t really feel the reality until years later. Believing the illusion of my senses and emotion, I long failed to notice the dead obvious fact that my biology had me seeing reality as something ‘out there’. It is difficult to this day to discern, moment to moment, that what appears to be ‘out there’ is actually ‘in here’. Biology makes seeing the world with such impartiality (a ‘taoist’ point of view) understandably very difficult. Nature’s hoodwink (biology) continuously boggles my mind.
How is it that ‘The way normally does nothing, yet there is nothing not done’? The more I live the immediacy of each moment, the less paradoxical this view. In fact, when I am without desire and still everything gets done all the more. Actually, everything not only gets done, it gets done more efficiently and effortlessly. It turns out that any effort I feel, especially wasted effort, is a result of my desire for an ideal outcome. When I have little thought of self and as few desires as possible, the outcome actually becomes the ideal! Instead of my ideals pushing for particular outcomes, contentment helps me look upon any outcome as ideal.
Alas, need and fear (the origin of desire) traps the human mind in an illusionary world of ideals where we battle demon after evil demon. Yet what are those demons? They are only that which threatens those ideals we cherish. Talk about shooting one’s self in the foot! In a way, this parallels government (and personal) finances. Money comes in through taxes and wages. Money goes out through expenditures. Limiting expenditures correlates to contentment and ‘less is more’, until…
Have you noticed how both the government and the people find limiting expenses extremely difficult? Some want to raise taxes, work more, or win the lottery to support more expenditures. Others want to lower taxes or work less, but never get around to limiting expenditures if they can help it. Both groups only differ in name and ideology. Neither desires not to be full. Although, this is natural. After all, we are only animals. So much so that the sole meaningful difference I see between us and other animals is our hypocrisy. This feels ironic and pitiful, though I’m not sure why. Perhaps this arises from the origin of the ideals — the nagging feelings of what could be.
Translation
The way normally does nothing, yet there is nothing not done.
If kings and noblemen will abide by this,
Everything will self transform.
Transform yet desire rises,
Press it down using nameless simplicity,
Of nameless simplicity, man also handles without desire.
No desire and still, all under heaven will settle themselves.
road (way, principle; speak; think) ordinary (normal; constant; often) nothing (without; not) do (act as; be, mean; support),<conj.> nothing (without; not) no do (act as; be, mean; support).
nobleman (high official) king (grand; great) like (seem; as if > you) can (be able to) guard (defend; keep watch; observe; abide by; close to; near) of,
all things on earth support (bring; handle, will>lead, command) self (oneself; certainly) spend (expend\\change; transform; dissolve).
change (turn; transform; convert; influence) <conj.> desire (wish; want; about to) do (make; rise; get up; write; compose; become),
support (bring; handle, will>lead, command) press down (keep down; ease; guard) of use (take; because of; in order to; so as to; <formal> and; as well as) nothing (without; not) name (fame; reputation) of simple (plain).
nothing (without; not) name (fame; reputation) of simple (plain), husband (man) also (too) support (bring; handle, will>lead, command) nothing (without; not) desire (wish; want; about to).
no desire (wish; want; about to) use (take; because of; in order to; so as to; <formal> and; as well as) still (quiet; calm), land under heaven support (bring; handle, will >lead, command) self (oneself; certainly) calm (stable; decide, fix > surely).
Original
道常无为，
而无不为。
侯王若能守之，
万物将自化。
化而欲作，
吾将镇之以无名之朴。
无名之朴，
夫亦将无欲。
不欲以静，
天下将自定。