Chapter of the Week: #65

Carl

But I understand your view and as I write this I know your answer - that is the best we could achieve.

Now that is progress! ;-)

Thanks to you as well.

Carl

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 65
Of old those who excelled in the pursuit of the way did not use it to enlighten
the people but to hoodwink them. The reason why the people are difficult to
govern is that they are too clever.

Hence to rule a state by cleverness
Will be to the detriment of the state;
Not to rule a state by cleverness
Will be a boon to the state.
These two are models.
Always to know the models
Is know as mysterious virtue.
Mysterious virtue is profound and far-reaching,
But when things turn back it turns back with them.

Only then is complete conformity realized.

Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
Read notes on translations
Now, do it too at Wengu!

Carl

[Note: I italicize phrases I borrow from the chapter, and link to phrases I borrow from other chapters to help tie chapters together. While making it more tedious to read, :? the Tao Te Ching is best pondered in the context of the whole.]

So, just who is this ‘of old those who excelled in the pursuit of the way’ perpaining to? The furthest back ‘of old’ I can trace goes back to Nature. Some might say God, which brings this to mind… [chref=4]Darkly visible, it only seems as if it were there. I know not whose son it is. It images the forefather of God.[/chref]

I first realized that nature was hoodwinking me in my mid twenties when I noticed how obsessively drawn I was to the opposite sex. All of a sudden it just seemed irrationally insatiable. I concluded then and there that Nature was pulling the strings, hoodwinking me into feeling every woman worthy of pursuit… if they would have me. :roll: I was there to procreated, period. I’ve been on the lookout for Nature’s hoodwinks ever since, and they seem endless. Most noticeable are the hoodwinks of sensual pleasure: sex, food, fame, power (control), ‘love’, tribe, etc.

Being aware that Nature is hoodwinking me helps loosen, and even sever, some of those strings. Of course, I am a living, biological animal which makes the hoodwink innate and here to stay until death does it part. Yet, this actually works out just fine as long as thoughts don’t amp up the hoodwink., i.e., as long as I don’t [chref=71]think that I know[/chref]. That is perhaps the source of humanity’s greatest difficulty. We actually feel [chref=23]words[/chref] and [chref=32]names[/chref] are real, creating a chain reaction of cause and effect beyond what Nature’s hoodwinks intend -- from a practical point of view anyway. And here I am adding my string of ‘words’ and ‘names’ to the mix. :oops:

The nearly literal:
Of the ancient adept in the way, none ever use it to enlighten people,
They will use it in order to fool them.
The people are difficult to govern because they are too intelligent.
Therefore, governing the country intelligently injures the country.
Not governing the country intelligently blesses the country.
Know these both and investigate their patterns.
Always investigate the patterns.
This is correctly called profound moral character,
Profound moral character is deeply penetrating.
Afterwards, and only then, does it reach great conformity.

The nearly translated:
ancient of good (adept in) do (act, serve as) way, wrong use (because of, in order to) enlighten people,
will (shall, "future tense", ready, prepared) use (because of, in order to, so as to) foolish (stupid, fool) of.
people of difficult govern, use (because of, in order to, so as to) their intelligence (wit) much.
hence (therefore; consequently) use (because of, in order to, so as to) intelligence (wit) govern country,
county of injure (harm, murder, disagreeable).
not use (because of, in order to, so as to) intelligence (wit) govern country,
county of fortunate (blessing; happiness).
know these both, also check (examine; investigate) type (pattern, mode).
always know check (examine; investigate) type (pattern, mode).
correctly call (meaning, sense) black (dark; profound) virtue (moral character; heart; mind; kindness).
black (dark; profound) virtue (moral character; heart; mind; kindness) deep (penetrating, difficult).
then (afterwards) be (so, therefore, only then) until (extremely; most) big (great) in the same direction (with, along, in sequence).