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Chapter of the Week: #62 [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 70
My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice, yet no
one in the world can understand them or put them into practice.
Words have an ancestor and affairs have a sovereign.
It is because people are ignorant that they fail to understand me.
Those who understand me are few;
Those who imitate me are honored.
Therefore the sage, while clad in homespun, conceals on his person a priceless
piece of jade.
Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
Chapter 70
My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice, yet no
one in the world can understand them or put them into practice.
Words have an ancestor and affairs have a sovereign.
It is because people are ignorant that they fail to understand me.
Those who understand me are few;
Those who imitate me are honored.
Therefore the sage, while clad in homespun, conceals on his person a priceless
piece of jade.
Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
Comments
Chapter 62
The way is the refuge for the myriad creatures.
It is that by which the good man protects,
And that by which the bad is protected.
Beautiful words when offered will win high rank in return;
Beautiful deeds can raise a man above others.
Even if a man is not good, why should he be abandoned?
Hence when the emperor is set up and the three ducal ministers are appointed, he
who makes a present of the way without stirring from his seat is preferable to
one who offers presents of jade disks followed by a team of four horses. Why was
this way valued of old? Was it not said that by means of it one got what one
wanted and escaped the consequences when one transgressed?
Therefore it is valued by the empire.
Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
First, it is interesting to note that the actual Chinese for the myriad creatures is wanwu, literally '10,000 things', which in ancient China meant 'every-thing'. This broadens the view by closing any implied distinction between 'living' and 'not living' creatures. Life is much more mysterious when you imagine every-thing is 'living' (so to speak). In fact, the first verse in the original Chinese goes more like this: the way is mysterious among the 10,000 things, the treasure of the gentle man, the protector of the not gentle man. Doesn't the original stretch the view a little more, not only vis-a-vis creatures vs. things, but good vs. gentle? As a word, '[chref=2]good[/chref]' is awfully relative, i.e., what I like is 'good', what I don't is 'bad'.
The beautiful words vs. beautiful deeds of the next verse bring to mind the aphorism, 'actions speak louder than words'. The actual Chinese goes more like this: beautiful word show respect, beautiful action adds to a person.
The actual Chinese is usually much terser. Here, I've made the final verse even more so by lumping jade disks and teams of horses into 'riches'. Thus, although an emperor has 'riches', these are inferior to sitting and entering the way. There is a similar sentiment in something Jesus's said: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Hmmm... does the Western mind need to use more words to convey an idea? Odd if true, although maybe it is just a cultural idiosyncracy or a sign of the times. Certainly, the more commonly held a view is, the less words you need to communicate it. Heck, just waving a flag will do the trick. Perhaps the Tao Te Ching was written for those who were already 'tuned in' to a Taoist-like point of view. The idea perhaps being, why waste words on those who are not going to get it anyway.
Personally, I've noticed that the more words I use, the more I obfuscate issues of perspective. In fact, any explanation of 'the simple' may always miss the point. To understand, you need to already understand. How ironic! Oh well, back to [chref=43]the teaching that uses no words[/chref].