May 2010

Commentary

The way has two sides to it, as I see it here: a subjective one, and a ‘objective one’. Subjective is the personal sense of harmony, or the lack of it, we feel. It all depends on circumstances. Pinned under ton of concrete after an earthquake one would not feel the way was prevailing in the empire (their way anyway). On the other hand, after we have eaten well, are rested, with friends and feel content, we would feel all under heaven, have the way . This fits the view that the world we see is just a reflection of how we feel (desires/needs and insecurities/fears).

And what about the objective one? How about, ‘darkly visible, it only seems as if it were there‘. Perhaps balance is the word that comes closest to describing the way objectively (for me anyway). Although, balance, as a definition of the way, is far more shadowy and indistinct than how I normally define balance. I think of the ‘way of balance’ as an ‘ideal’ to which nature aspires. By aspires, I mean pointed to, driven towards, pull into…etc. Balance is the center, the core around which the universe eternally revolves. Interestingly, this ideal of balance to which nature moves toward (or returns to) can also be seen as the origin of (driving force behind) our ideals of peace and harmony. After all, our consciousness, at its height of impartiality, must certainly reflect the essential qualities of nature. How could it be otherwise?

The needs and fears of living things (desire, covetousness, discontent in humans) are biological hoodwinks to push us to act. The illusion is that only when our fears are allayed and desires sated will we feel eternal peace and harmony – be in balance. Even if we rationally know that contentment will be fleeting, our emotions say otherwise. Our emotions are convince that feeding desire will make us happy. In truth, happiness is momentary, sated desire, like the Greek Hydra, is almost immediately replaced by another need or fear.

This parallels nature naturally. For example, stresses build, like desires and we have an earthquake. The ground settles, tension is relieved for a moment until stress begins to build again. Nature swings like a pendulum, back and forth through the Golden Mean of balance. Balance is immediately lost as soon as its won. Like any ideal, the reality of balance is never realized. Indeed, the process of seeking balance is itself an unbalancing force, which serves to counterbalance balance.

Translation

All under heaven, have the way,
Retreating horses fertilize the fields.
All under heaven, without the way,
Army horses breed in the suburbs.
Of misfortunes, none are greater than not being content with one’s lot.
Of faults, none are greater than longing for gain.
Therefore, in being contented with one’s lot, enough is usually enough indeed.

land under heaven have (exist) road (way, principle; speak; think),

step back (retreat; decline; > yet; while) walk (go; move; visit) horse use (take; so as to_and; as well as) excrement (feces> apply manure).

land under heaven nothing (without; not) road (way, principle; speak; think),

army (military affairs) horse give birth to (existence) in (at) suburbs (outskirts).

misfortunes (disaster; ruin) no one (nothing; none; no; not; don’t) big (large; great; main) in (at) not be content with one’s lot.

fault (blame; censure; punish) no one (nothing; none; no; not; don’t) big (large; great; main) in (at) desire (wish; want; about to; on the point of) get (obtain, gain > satisfied_need; must).

happening (reason; cause; hence) be content with one’s lot of foot (leg; enough; full; as much as) ordinary (normal; constant; often; usually) foot (leg; enough; full; as much as) already (indeed; really; how).

Original

天下有道，
却走马以粪。
天下无道，
戎马生于郊。
祸莫大于不知足。
咎莫大于欲得。
故知足之足常足矣。