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Chapter of the Week: #30 [Archive]
Each week we address one chapter of the Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching can be obscure, especially if you think you're supposed to understand what it's saying! We find it easier and more instructive to simply contemplate how the chapter resonates with your personal experience. Becoming more aware at this fundamental level simplifies life. This approach conforms to the view that true knowing lies within ourselves. Thus, when a passage in the scripture resonates, you've found your inner truth. The same applies for when it evokes a question; questions are the grist for self realization.
Chapter 36
If you would have a thing shrink,
You must first stretch it;
If you would have a thing weakened,
You must first strengthen it;
If you would have a thing laid aside,
You must first set it up;
If you would take from a thing,
You must first five to it.
This is called subtle discernment:
The submissive and weak will overcome the hard and strong.
The fish must not be allowed to leave the deep;
The instrument of power in a state must not be revealed to anyone.
Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
Chapter 36
If you would have a thing shrink,
You must first stretch it;
If you would have a thing weakened,
You must first strengthen it;
If you would have a thing laid aside,
You must first set it up;
If you would take from a thing,
You must first five to it.
This is called subtle discernment:
The submissive and weak will overcome the hard and strong.
The fish must not be allowed to leave the deep;
The instrument of power in a state must not be revealed to anyone.
Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
Comments
Chapter 30
One who assists the ruler of men by means of the way does not intimidate the
empire by a show of arms.
This is something which is liable to rebound.
Where troops have encamped
There will brambles grow;
In the wake of a mighty army
Bad harvests follow without fail.
One who is good aims only at bringing his campaign to a conclusion and dare
not thereby intimidate. Bring it to a conclusion but do not boast; bring it to
a conclusion but do not brag; bring it to a conclusion but do not be arrogant;
bring it to a conclusion but only when there is no choice; bring it to a
conclusion but do not intimidate.
A creature in its prime doing harm to the old
Is known as going against the way.
That which goes against the way will come to an early end.
Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
I see a some 'implied free will' being invoked in this chapter, e.g., dare not, do not. My question: is this inherent in the 'original view', or a manifestation of the translator's mind-emotion set? Naturally, this question pervades everything that can be [chref=1]spoken of[/chref]. All is interpretation, and what is interpretation, but simply a reflection of our own personal needs and fears, desires and insecurities? Thus the Taoist view, [chref=23]to use words but rarely, is to be natural.[/chref] Nevertheless, such chit chat fulfills a deep human social need. Maybe it is more realistic to say, to believe words but rarely, is to be natural. Am I splitting hairs?
Poking into the interpretation problem, Victor Mair's translation resonated deeper with me. For example:
A good general fulfills his purpose and that is all.
He does not use force to seize for himself.
He fulfills his purpose, but is not proud.
He fulfills his purpose only because he has no other choice.
This is called "fulfilling one's purpose without using force".
What is different? I see the Tao Te Ching as a 'report' on how Nature actually works, not about what I dare or dare not do. 'Dare' can easily convey an agenda. I don't see any 'dares' in Nature. If I keep watch I may avoid the lion, if I don't, it may eat me. Does Nature care whether I dare get eaten or not? My loss is the lions gain. So it is with all Nature.
So here, the good general fulfills his purpose, but does not seize power or pride for himself. This approach is a result, a symptom, of what a good general does naturally. The same is true of being a parent (a family 'general'). A good parent does good because he is good, not because he dares not be bad. It comes from within. [chref=51]Circumstances bring us to maturity.[/chref]. With maturity comes the ability to "fulfill one's purpose without using force". Any notion of free will, even 'implied', puts the cart before the horse.
A creature in its prime doing harm to the old is known as going against the way rings true. For example, how humanity in its technological prime is running rough shod over the old planet earth and its wild life. Will this approach not bring us to an early end? We are master innovators. We are the monkey with machine guns. Certainly, [chref=16]woe to him who wilfully innovates while ignorant of the constant[/chref] expresses humanity's [chref=53]by-path[/chref].
Why are we like this? I've observed that the more [chref=3]clever[/chref] we are in one way, the more stupid we are in another. [chref=18]When cleverness emerges, there is great hypocrisy[/chref]. And, what is hypocrisy, but a stupidity that flourishes in the absence of self honest made possible by our clever mind. :oops: