Translation
Highest good is like water.
Water benefits all things and does not contend,
Dwells in places the multitude loathe.
Therefore it is somewhat like the way.
In being, satisfactory is earthy.
In intention, satisfactory is depth and benevolence.
In speech, satisfactory is truth.
In honesty, satisfactory is order.
In work, satisfactory is ability.
In action, satisfactory is time.
He alone does not contend,
Hence, there is no blame.
1) upper (up; higher; better; first) good (satisfactory; succeed) like (seem; as if) water (river; lakes, seas). 上善若水。(shàng shàn ruò shuĭ)
2) water (river; lakes, seas) good (satisfactory; succeed) sharp (advantage) all things on earth <conj.> and (yet, but) no (not) contend (argue), 水善利万物而不争，(shuĭ shàn lì wàn wù ér bù zhēng)
3) get along (manage <frml> dwell; live) many human (man; people) of place loathe (dislike; hate), 处众人之所恶，(chŭ zhòng rén zhī suŏ ĕ)
4) cause (hence; therefore) several (some) in (at, to, from, by, than, out of) road (way, principle, talk, think). 故几于道。(gù jī yú dào)
5) reside (dwell; live) good (satisfactory; succeed) the earth (land; ground; place; locality), 居善地，(jū shàn dì)
6) heart (mind; feeling; intention; core) good (satisfactory; succeed) deep and benevolence (kindheartedness), 心善渊与善仁，(xīn shàn yuān yú shàn rén )
7) speech (word; say; talk; speak) good (satisfactory; succeed) true (trust; faith; believe), 言善信，(yán shàn xìn)
8) straight (upright; honest) good (satisfactory; succeed) rule (govern; manage; order; peace; control), 正善治，(zhēng shàn zhì)
9) matter (affair; business; trouble; work; responsibility) good (satisfactory; succeed) ability (capability; skill), 事善能，(shì shàn néng)
10) move (stir; act; change; arouse) good (satisfactory; succeed) time (hour; current; present). 动善时。(dòng shàn shí)
11) husband (man <old> a person engaged in manual labor) only (alone) no (not) contend (vie; strive; argue; dispute), 夫唯不争，(fū wéi bù zhēng)
12) cause (hence; therefore) nothing (nil; not have; without) outstanding (particularly; especially; blame). 故无尤。(gù wú yóu)
Fourth Pass: Chapter of the Month
(pandemic era)
YouTube Recordings:
https://youtu.be/KmH4VdFpXrc is a link to unedited ZOOM video of this month’s Sunday meeting. The shorter first part of the meeting begins with a chapter reading followed by attendees’ commentary, if any. A little later on begins the longer open discussion part of the meeting when those who wish to discuss how the chapter relates to their personal experience.
Corrections?
None this time
Reflections
Highest good is like water
First, it may help to be very clear on what “good” really implies. Chapter 2 sheds light. The “good” is the same character (善 shàn) in both chapter 2 and 8. Chapter 2 notes, All realizing goodness as goodness, no goodness already. The dipolar reality we see (good vs. bad, etc.) is a function of our nervous system. See Yin Yang, Nature’s Hoodwink. Even so, the uniquely “good” characteristic of water is that it reaches great conformity. That makes water a fitting metaphor for profound moral character. As chapter 65 observes…
Water benefits all things and does not contend
It helps to consider deeply the nature of benefits and benevolence, i.e., line 6’s In intention, satisfactory is depth and benevolence. Viewed from a very personal point of view, benefit and benevolence will always be interpreted as that which makes ‘me’ personally feel best… benefits my personal life as I subjectively see it. For example, if as a child I fall down and hurt myself, any parent that rushes in to help me is offering benevolence and benefit… at least that is how it appears from the child’s point of view, or anyone who projects their own personal well-being onto the child. That is narrowly focused empathy. A broader and contrary view suggests that the long-term benefit might be to allow the child to feel the full impact of his mistake, and thereby gain deeper insight into his own future actions. Of course, I’m not talking life-threatening mistakes, just minor stuff. Even so, we learn through all of our mistakes, minor to major, from the stumbling as a child on up. Circumventing life’s lessons invites unintended consequences, as any impartial survey of civilization demonstrates.
Dwells in places the multitude loathe
It helps to note that “dwell” is fundamentally a matter of perception for any animal capable of awareness. I assume that spans every creature from amoeba to humans. In other words, after you die, you won’t loathe where you dwell. To gain a deeper appreciation of Dwells in places the multitude loathe consider the experience of chickens raised for human consumption — listen to Pets, Pests And Food: Our Complex, Contradictory Attitudes Toward Animals. For the particular chicken example, listen to minute 33 to 38. Most people would rather remain blissfully ignorant of loathsome places like this. Moral character and blissful ignorance are like oil and water.
Unlike other species, the human “problem” lies in our imagined perceptions, and in how we project our own personal fears and needs onto the world we perceive. That would not be as serious a problem if we realized that we truly don’t know what we think we know. As chapter 71 cautions, Realizing I don’t’ know is better; not knowing this knowing is disease. That not being the case, we see the world as a reality in its own right, rather than merely a projection of our own fears and needs.
The ‘engine’ that allows that perception is our own brain. Its processes determine what we perceive. The huge gap between our biological reality and the imagined reality it creates is quite overwhelming, and naturally so. No animal evolves to second guess its own perceived version of reality. It is quite amazing that we can even attempt to “nearly rise beyond ourselves”. As chapter 52 observes…
The Bhagavad Gita sheds light on perception that Dwells in places the multitude loathe. Note how eager Arjuna is to perceive the big picture, and then how joyful he is to leave that experience and return to normal human perception.
11:4 If thou thinkest, O my Lord, that it can be seen by me, show me, O God of Yoga, the glory of thine own Supreme Being.
11:23 But the worlds also behold thy fearful mighty form, with many mouths and eyes, with many bellies, thighs and feet, frightening with terrible teeth: they tremble in fear, and I also tremble.
11:25 Like the fire at the end of Time which burns all in the last day, I see thy vast mouths and thy terrible teeth. Where am I? Where is my shelter? Have mercy on me. God of gods, Refuge Supreme of the world!
11:45 In a vision I have seen what no man has seen before: I rejoice in exultation, and yet my heart trembles with fear. Have mercy upon me, Lord of gods, Refuge of the whole universe: show me again thine own human form.
The uncomfortable view of life, the world and how it ‘actually is’, is what the multitude loathe. We seek a view that soothes our emotions, i.e., fear and need. We want a comfortable story that lulls us to sleep, so to speak. The Taoist view, however, Dwells in places the multitude loathe. Is it any wonder why the Taoist point of view never became a genuine worldwide religion? No “opiate for the masses” here.
In being, satisfactory is earthy
This harkens to the idea of “keeping your feet on the ground”. The more grounded I feel, the more satisfactory all outcomes of my being become. When I lose earthy, I feel too much adrift in the unknown. Such insecurity spawns needs and fears that drive me to unsatisfactory reactions.
In intention, satisfactory is depth and benevolence
Frankly, nature’s benevolence and benefit is quite different from human expectations and virtues. As this excerpt from chapter 38 hints,
Or even more bluntly…
Feeling maximum empathy and compassion, yet as chapter 10 says, Loving the nation, can you govern the people without acting? Empathy drives our actions in proportion to how seriously we take ourselves, i.e., in “helping” others we are simply helping ourselves vicariously, so to speak. You know… our naturally meddling mirror neurons. That could be another heretical reality the multitude loathe. And now to return to chapter 38…
From a Taoist point of view, it is clear that action can often, if not mostly, be problematic. Why? Because our own personal agenda—fear and need—drive our actions and reactions. No wonder chapter 3 advises wéi wú wéi (为无为)… Doing without doing, following without exception rules, and chapter 48’s wú wéi (无为)… Without doing, yet not undone.
Nonetheless, the story we tell ourselves is one of our actions helping to solve problems. As that proverb puts it, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. As chapter 16 concludes…
In speech, satisfactory is truth
This offers insight into chapter 56’s, Knowing doesn’t speak; speaking doesn’t know. After all, the multitude do tend to “shoot the messenger”. So, what does truth actually mean? Does not silence serve as the foundation of truth? As chapter 25 hints, The outside world passes for the beginning of Heaven and Earth. Still and silent, it alone does not change.
Best be very careful with speech as these passages also suggest…
More speech counts as exceptionally limited; not in accord with keeping to the middle. #5
Infrequent speech is natural. #23
Adept at speech without the flaw of banishment and blame. #27
Great debate seems slow in speech. #45
Speech has its faction, involvement has its sovereign. #72
True speech isn’t beautiful, Beautiful speech isn’t true. #81
In honesty, satisfactory is order.
In work, satisfactory is ability.
In action, satisfactory is time.
Honesty, work, and action are very much inter-related and it all begins with honesty. Chapter 33 observes Knowing self is honesty and chapter 55 adds Knowing the constant is called clear and honest. Any action or work that results from a diminished sense of the constant easily leads to chaos and dead ends, as chapter 16 warned, Not knowing the constant, rash actions lead to ominous results.
A good question to ask now is what impedes our knowing the constant? In a word—Fear! Fear, and all the emotional forces that channel our fear, blinds us to any perceptions that would otherwise help us to nearly rising beyond oneself. Maintaining a presence of “mind” is key to ability and how we react in time. I use the term mind loosely, because this in-the-moment awareness is an essential factor in the survival of all life, e.g., the “dreaming” rabbit gets caught by the coyote. We are rabbits.
He alone does not contend,
Hence, there is no blame.
Deeply accepting the fact that fear moves all life, and that no living thing has any true control over fear, makes it impossible to contend with either others or myself. In truly having no choice, no free will, any attempt to blame anyone for either their “intentional” bad or good deeds is an oxymoron of sorts.
Of course, biologically speaking, blame is a social response that keeps the wheels of interaction between members of social species turning. In non-thinking animals, contention and blame occurs spontaneously in-the-moment. The dogs fight and peace resumes at some point. For humans, perceptions of blame can endure in our imagination persistently. We tend to feel convinced that those perceptions are true in their own right, and not simply projections of our own fears and needs. Again, as chapter 71 cautions, Realizing I don’t’ know is better; not knowing this knowing is disease.
Video Archive https://youtu.be/KmH4VdFpXrc
Third Pass: Chapter of the Month
Corrections?
None this time
Reflections:
Highest good is like water.
Water benefits all things and does not contend,
Dwells in places the multitude loathe.
Therefore, it is somewhat like the way.
Water has no agenda, no preferences that sully its intentions. Hypocrisy comes to mind. When I’m not pushing for my own agenda or preferences, I can be impartial and honest. As soon as my agenda triggers emotion, I set about cleverly rationalizing why my preferences are justified.
This is completely natural, of course, with us usually unaware of most of it. It flies below our cognitive radar. The only time we really notice it is when it is happening in other people — those hypocrites 😉 As I age, I am increasing aware of this natural bio-hoodwink.
In being, satisfactory is earthy. I feel this as keeping my feet on the ground or being grounded. This shows it is just as difficult to be satisfactorily grounded today as it was back then. Of course, that was only 2 to 3000 years ago, and recent history vis-à-vis The Tradeoff.
In intention, satisfactory is depth and benevolence. This addresses the problem of how our preferences — our agendas — sully our intentions. It requires some depth of mind to realize the unsatisfactory nature of such bias. While its satisfactory in the short-term, not so in the long-term.
In speech, satisfactory is truth. Truth and trust go hand in hand, and trust is the jewel that maintains close relationships. However, too much truth can be problematic as the next line addresses.
In honesty, satisfactory is order. If you are too bluntly honest, chaos easily ensues. That’s why they say silence is golden. This reminds me of chapter 26’s The still is the ruler of the restless.
In work, satisfactory is ability. Being competent in whatever your work is what counts — not the kind of work or profession. The following are verses from the Bhagavad Gita that correspond to and expand on this. Particularly 18:47. Note: It helps to take a Taoist view of God to plumb the deepest meaning from the Bhagavad Gita. As chapter 4 hints, It resembles the ancestor of the Supreme Being. In other words, don’t let the word get in the way of this ‘resembles the ancestor’ mystery.
4:14 In the bonds of works I am free, because in them I am free from desires. The man who can see this truth. In his work he finds his freedom.
4:24 Who in all his work sees God, he in truth goes unto God: God is his worship, God is his offering, offered by God in the fire of God.
6:1 He who works not for an earthly reward but does the work to be done, he is a Sanyasi, he is a Yogi: not he who lights not the sacred fire or offers not the holy sacrifice.
13:29 He who sees that all work, everywhere, is only the work of nature; and that the Spirit watches this work ‑ he see the truth.
18:12 When work is done for a reward, the work brings pleasure, or pain, or both, in its time; but when a man does work in Eternity, then Eternity is his reward.
18:47 Greater is thine own work, even if this be humble, than the work of another, even if this be great. When a man does the work God gives him, no sin can touch this man
In action, satisfactory is time. Patience is a virtue that makes action always less dangerous.
He alone does not contend, Hence, there is no blame. Personally, I find the blame-game begins within, and then projected outward onto suitable scapegoats to unload some of that burden. We contend with ourselves in that we harbor ideals of how life should be that conflict with the reality — how things are! The battle we wage is internal; the collateral damage happens when we vent our frustrations.
All this reminds me of chapter 44,
This also reminded me of the last section of a post I made on water — Water in Mind. It may offer food for contemplating mind as you watch the moment-to-moment of thought (or silent awareness) flow into the void of time.
A Philosophical Side to Water
I can’t let a whole post go by without an ‘Observation’, now can I? Water has long been a fitting spiritual metaphor. Here’s an angle which I’ve never seen used…
Thought is like water flowing into bottomless space — the silent and void. To paraphrase chapter 5, Much thought leads inevitably to silence. Better to hold fast to the void. This sounds good in principle. Alas, the brain has a mind of its own and thought can’t help but trickle down into its neural space. After all, nature abhors a vacuum. Space just attracts stuff, whether empty shelves, open fields, or trillions of synapses ready and waiting to fire. They estimate that to be between 100 trillion and 1,000 trillion synapses. The process of the mind filling up this synaptic space may be what produces the illusion of time itself. Indeed, when I cease to think, for the short time I’m able, time stands still. That is what I know to be eternity.
Second Pass: Work in Progress
Issues:
Some lines of this chapter (5~10) are three character sentences with the middle serving as a cross between a verb and an adjective, as I see it. This middle word is shàn (善) meaning: good, satisfactory, good deed, good and honest, good (virtuous), wise, benevolent, well-disposed, kind, friendly, make a success of, perfect, be good at, be expert in, be adept in, properly, be apt to, to improve or perfect. I decided satisfactory is conveys the spirit best. Satisfactory speaks to a sense of compromise, which I see expressed throughout nature. I can’t help but feel it is too bad we humans couldn’t model this aspect of nature’s way a little better, i.e., we tend to expect too much, and offer too little in return. Of course, in the wild this is satisfactory!
This satisfactory-ness first appears in line 5. I first changed it to read, In being, satisfactory is location. I took Being from jū (居): reside; dwell; live; residence; house; be (in a certain position); occupy (a certain place); store up; lay by; stay put; be at a stand still. This usage is a little odd considering the modern context of jū. D.C. Lau translated this line as, In a home it is the site that matters. His is certainly true, but not as useful to me as model for living, or at least understanding, which I think the Tao Te Ching aims for.
My problem may be that I took location from dì (地): the earth; land; soil; fields; ground; place; locality. The truer way to put this, for me, would be: In being, satisfactory is being grounded. It is just that I’m not keen on using being twice. Perhaps I should say, In being, satisfactory is grounded (or earthy)? Oh heck with it… I will. Location just doesn’t have ‘heart’, unless line 5 is interpreted as D.C. Lau does.
Line 10 is interesting. I always liked how D.C. Lau put it: In action it is timeliness that matters. He derives timeliness from Shí (时): time; times; days; fixed time; hour; season; current; present; opportunity. I might prefer present (i.e., being present) over timeliness. Plunging in even deeper, I feel that time really encompasses more. Sometimes words, like being present, get overused. Returning to the root can help.
Commentary:
This chapter really zeros in on core things that matter in life. I do translate this series of ‘matters’ differently than D.C.Lau does. Not better, though, just a little different angle on some of them. Taking both translations together adds depth to each for me. I especially like In government it is order that matters, yet the literal Chinese doesn’t really say government. Nevertheless, it is true, as history shows! Indeed, that is the main function of civilization; that and optimizing comfort and security, of course.
He alone does not contend, Hence there is no blame is interesting. These two, contending and blaming (or fault as D.C. Lau puts it) are profoundly, albeit subtly, connected. Blaming, whether directed inward as guilt or outward as blame, seems connected to our sense of fairness (the fairness ‘gene’). Contending, whether inward with our self-image or outward socially, seems connected to our sense of survival (the survival ‘gene’). This impetus drives ‘me first’, or by social extension, ‘my group first’. These two serve opposing needs: a need to have a level, fair, playing field on one hand, and the need to win, and rise to the top of the heap. No wonder we have so much difficulty ‘figuring out life’; we driven in two opposing directions.
Diminishing the contending side, i.e., He alone does not contend, would naturally diminish the blaming side, i.e., Hence there is no blame. Of course, putting this into practice is another matter…
Our words are very easy to know, very easy to do.
Under heaven none can know, none can do.
But, putting it into practice is really only secondary. Understanding that this is happening is extremely useful because the rest follows naturally in time. Sure, the fly in the ointment is always, under heaven none can know and we can only truly understand that which we know. But, I find that even a superficial understanding moderates my our look. There is no need to be perfect! Satisfactory suffices. Besides, that is the benefit of aging; as the decades roll on, visceral knowing steadily deepens.
Suggested Revision:
Highest good is like water.
Water benefits all things and does not contend,
Dwells in places the multitude loathe.
Therefore it is somewhat like the way.
In being, satisfactory is earthy.
In intention, satisfactory is depth and benevolence.
In speech, satisfactory is truth.
In honesty, satisfactory is order.
In work, satisfactory is ability.
In action, satisfactory is time.
He alone does not contend,
Hence, there is no blame.
First Pass: Chapter of the Week
Also, water is somewhat like the way in that it excels in taking the lower position. Given our hierarchical biology (nature), the lower position is also a place the multitude loathe to dwell. That is, unless everyone is down there to keep us company.
Why do we so easily become ungrounded and complicate the simple? Personally, it always comes down to biting off more than I can chew. Just spiting ‘it’ out works well, it is just bringing myself to spit ‘it’ out that’s difficult. Of course, that’s alright for even the sage treats some things as difficult. If that’s true of the sage, then that certainly lets everyone off the hook, yes?
Now for a look at those rules of thumb below.
- In being, good is earth: I could also read that as ‘being grounded is good’. The foundation is most important. If that is wobbly everything built upon it inherits that instability. That is why I finally had to examine the words with which I think (see correlations). Of course now everything is wobbly 😉
- In intention, good is depth and benevolence: Xin (心), the actual Chinese word here, translates as mind, emotion, feeling, intention, core, etc. I wonder if we don’t tend to put much more stock in ‘thinking’ than ‘feeling’? As I see it, it is the ‘feelings’ at our core that directs and drives our ‘thinking’. Benevolent emotions results in benevolent thoughts and actions. Disturbed emotions result in disturbed thoughts and actions. Who determines the emotions we feel? Personally, I’ve never decided to feel a particular emotion, emotions well up from deep inside and visit my awareness. Although, I do have a hand in fanning or dampening those flames.
- In speech, good is truth: I know (viscerally) that truth works best. I reckon it is the promise of short term gain that pushes us to bend the truth. In the end, the unintended consequences of that are long term loss. That’s a by-path as I see it. I much prefer the other way: short term loss, with the ‘unintended consequence’ of long term gain. Now that’s a buy low – sell high strategy that works!
- In honesty, good is order: Be honest up to the point where order is impaired. Then be silent. The Japanese are very skilled in this, which often drives Westerns nuts. As for me, I’ve found this advice exceptionally useful.
- In work, good is ability: As my mother always said, “I don’t care what you do, just do it well”. And ability comes from paying as close attention to the work I’m doing at the moment. That ties right in with this last point.
- In action, good is present: Being present, moment to moment makes all action sacred action. The Bhagavad Gita refers to this as ‘consecrated action’. It is the core principle in yoga. ‘Yoking’ one’s attention (presence of mind, watchfulness, mindfulness, etc.) to the task at hand. Personally, this is the holy grail of consciousness. Talk about biting off more than I can chew!