In general, whenever we point to anything as desirable, a wave of disruption ripples through society. People begin to think of ways to get more of the desirable thing, often at the expense of others.
Because of this, a sagacious ruler would refrain from setting aside certain individuals for glorification, or designating certain goods as extremely valuable and putting them on display. These are sure-fire ways of stimulating materialistic desire, which is a bottomless pit.
While the sages empty people's hearts of desires and weaken their ambitions for fame, glory, or material wealth, they would also pay particular attention to the basic needs. As rulers, the sage kings would see to it that the people do not go hungry and enjoy good health. As teachers, the sages would give people teachings that provide spiritual sustenance and promote spiritual health.
When people follow the way of the sages, the few who scheme and plot will find themselves unable to utilize their repertoire of clever ploys. The governance of the sages leaves no room for their contrived tactics, and everything falls into place peacefully and naturally.
Notes
The process described in this chapter - showcasing certain things as valuable and thus stimulating demand - is the basis of advertising and modern consumerism. Every day we see an endless parade of colorful, shiny products in front of us, enticing us and encouraging purchase. Not enough money? No problem! All major credit cards are accepted. Buy it now and pay no interest until next year. This is a limited-time offer, so call now!
The trouble, as many people have already discovered, is that the pleasure of materialistic pursuits is fleeting. We can buy many things, but never lasting satisfaction. We can be surrounded by many of the colorful and shiny products and still feel a profound sense of emptiness.
The solution to this cannot be found on the Home Shopping Network or in the Sears Catalog. It is not available by mail order or on the Internet. You will not see it at the shopping mall or your local stores. It isn't a colorful and shiny product. In fact, it isn't a thing at all.
Ultimately, it is what people really want and need. But because it isn't a thing, it does not look enticing, nor does it encourage purchase or anything else. It cannot be showcased or paraded in front of people - so some of them may never find it. It cannot be put on a credit card and there is no financing available. It doesn't costs anything - so those who do find it may assume it has no value and cast it aside. They may find it only to let it slip through their fingers.
To those who know what it is, no explanation is necessary. To those who do not, no explanation will suffice. Such is the nature of the Tao.
Translation
Quite a few translators render "hard-to-obtain goods" as "rare goods." This is close, but not quite the same thing. The former is the literal, word-for-word translation; the latter is an interpreted meaning.
Goods that are difficult to acquire may simply have a high price tag; they are not necessarily "rare" in the sense of being uncommon or hard to find. For instance, diamond rings are expensive and therefore relatively hard to get, but they are readily available and quite easily found for most people.
In this chapter, Lao Tzu is talking about high-value items (such as jewelry) that are hoarded and thus become the target of thieves. There is no need to bring in the additional context of rarity into the mix. Doing so introduces a subtle distortion in the translation, which should be avoided if at all possible.
4
The Tao is empty
Utilize it, it is not filled up
So deep! It seems to be the source of all things
It blunts the sharpness
Unravels the knots
Dims the glare
Mixes the dusts
So indistinct! It seems to exist
I do not know whose offspring it is
Its image is the predecessor of God
The Tao is like an empty container that you can fill with water and utilize. Yet no matter how much you do this, it will never be filled up because its capacity has no limit. It is a bottomless container; it is infinitely deep.
Despite the emptiness of the Tao, its function is inexhaustible. This emptiness is not the same as "nothingness," for the infinite depths of the Tao conceal the seeds of Creation. There appears to be nothing in the Tao, and yet it contains everything.
The Tao is eternal. It outlasts everything. After millions of year, even the tallest, sharpest mountain peaks will be reduced to gentle rolling hills. After billions of years, even the brightest stars will burn out and shine no more. In the course of time, all problems will be resolved one way or another. The proudest achievements of mankind will be reduced to dust.
The Tao is what we call the source of everything. It is indistinct - we cannot see it clearly, nor can we understand it completely. We do not know how the Tao came to be, or if it came from anywhere at all. Does the ultimate source have a source? We simply cannot say.
All we can say with certainty is that the Tao embodies the principles of Creation. Thus, if there is indeed a God who created the universe, the Tao had to be present before the Creation could take place.
Notes
The Tao is empty; utilize it,
It does not fill up.
The emptiness of the Tao, and its function as the source of all things may seem like a contradiction or a paradox, but this idea happens to coincide with the latest scientific thinking about the origin of the universe.
According to many physicists and cosmologists, the Big Bang can be seen as a singularity event where you actually get "something" from "nothing." MIT professor Dr. Alan Guth expresses it this way: "It is said that there's no such thing as a free lunch. But the universe is the ultimate free lunch."
Blunt their sharpness
Unravel their knots
Dull their glare
Mix their dusts
The Tao is the only constant feature in an ever-changing universe. It has always been there and will always be there. It is entropy, as expressed by the Second Law of Thermodynamics. As time marches on, energy becomes increasingly randomized and dispersed, and all things tend to transition from orderly states to disorderly states, everywhere in the universe.
5
Heaven and Earth are without bias
And regard myriad things as straw dogs
The sage is without bias
And regards people as straw dogs
The space between Heaven and Earth
Is it not like a bellows?
Empty, and yet never exhausted
It moves, and produces more
Too many words hasten failure
Cannot compare to keeping quiet
Straw dogs are literally small dog figurines made from straws. They were used in ancient times for rituals.
Too many words / laws quicken defeat / failure
Cannot compare to keeping quiet
An alternative explanation of the above is that too much bureaucracy, too many rules and regulations quickly leads to weakness and failure; it is better to maintain tranquility and non-action.
This is an often misunderstood passage in Tao Te Ching, even by native speakers of Chinese, because some of the characters have a completely different meaning in ancient usage than in modern times.
For instance, this is a simple character meaning "middle," so many scholars assume the last line has to do with holding to the center, or perhaps holding to the principle of moderation. This would make more sense, though, if the previous line speaks of the danger of extremes. Now that we understand it refers to the maddening "noise" of complex and bureaucratic laws, it makes far more sense that the last line is really talking about silence and tranquility.
6
The valley spirit, undying
Is called the mystical female
The gateway of the mystical female
Is called the root of Heaven and Earth
It flows continuously, barely perceptible
Utilize it, it is never exhausted
The spirit of the valley - a powerful symbol of the female principle - is eternal. It has always been there and will always be. We can call it the mystical female, or the sacred feminine.
The sacred feminine is the universal source of life. Therefore, the doorway to the essence of the mystical female is what we can call the root, origin, or genesis of the entire world.
This essence - life itself - is a continuous flow. We tend to take it for granted and not pay attention to it, but it is always there. And it does not matter how much it is utilized - the power of life is literally inexhaustible.
7
Heaven and earth are everlasting
The reason heaven and earth can last forever
Is that they do not exist for themselves
Thus they can last forever
Therefore the sage:
Places himself last but ends up in front
Is outside of himself and yet survives
Isn't it all due to his selflessness?
That's how he can achieve his own goals
To be "outside of himself" in this context means to be unconcerned with one's well being, to disregard one's body - to sacrifice oneself.
Here we have another example of the Tao paradox: the sage can advance his own "selfish" agenda, by being totally selfless.
Lao Tzu himself is a good example of this. He was content to be a humble, unknown philosopher; he never sought fame and recognition. And yet here we are, reading his words, which have survived the last twenty five centuries and will continue on long after we are gone.
8
The highest goodness resembles water
Water greatly benefits myriad things without contention
It stays in places that people dislike
Therefore it is similar to the Tao
Dwelling at the right place
Heart with great depth
Giving with great kindness
Words with great integrity
Governing with great administration
Handling with great capability
Moving with great timing
Because it does not contend
It is therefore beyond reproach
Water is the most fitting metaphor for the Tao and the nature of sages who follow the Tao. Water nourishes plants and slakes the thirst of animals. Water also assumes the lowest position it can no matter where it happens to be. These observations reveal to us characteristics of both the Tao and the sages.
Water flows to the lowest place not because it intentionally does so, but because it follows its own nature. The sages, like water, also place themselves lower, not because they contrive to do so, but because it is their nature to be humble.
Sages have depth of character. Like a deep body of water, sages are tranquil and composed. A pool of water is not only the surface but also everything below it. Likewise, there is more to a sage than meets the eyes. It may take a while for people to realize this, but the more they get to know the sage, the more they discover.
Water provides its benefits and moves on, without waiting for any benefits in return. Sages benefit others in the exact same way. They give only to give, not because they want recognition or payback. When they provide teachings, assistance or guidance, they do so with no conditions, no strings attached, and no expectations.
Water reflects its surroundings. It does not try to hide or change anything in its reflections. When sages speak, it is with this same sense of integrity and sincerity. People come to trust the sage, because they realize the sage will give them the truth when no one else will.
Water administers to everything equally. Water plays no favorites. It slakes the thirst of the kind person just as it does the unkind person. Taking a cue from this, sages also do not pick and choose the recipients of the benefits they provide. Their impartial administration is conducted without bias and judgment.
Water is versatile. It conforms to the shape of any container to do its work. Following this, the sages also cultivate flexibility and adaptability in themselves. Because the world is constantly changing, they also make constant adjustments to handle new challenges.
Water moves in accordance with Heaven. Whether it takes the form of rain, snow, or hail, water follows the timing of natural events. The sages are the same way. They live each day following the natural flow of events, and take appropriate actions at the appropriate time.
Most importantly, water does not contend. It gives itself to everything without complaints or protests. Like water, sages do not engage in petty squabbles, because their only wish is to be of service. They are at peace with everyone, and that makes them beyond reproach.
Notes
Quick summary of this chapter - Tao cultivators observe water in order to emulate the following characteristics:
Natural humility.
Depth of character.
Giving without expectations.
Sincerity and integrity.
Equal administration.
Versatility and adaptability.
Natural timing.
Non-contention.
9
Holding a cup and overfilling it
Cannot be as good as stopping short
Pounding a blade and sharpening it
Cannot be kept for long
Gold and jade fill up the room
No one is able to protect them
Wealth and position bring arrogance
And leave upon oneself disasters
When achievement is completed, fame attained, withdraw oneself
This is the Tao of Heaven
If you keep filling a container with liquid until it overflows, things will get wet and messy around you. It is better to stop just short of fullness. Similarly, if you pound a blade repeatedly and sharpen it too much, you end up with a blade that is easily broken and won't last very long.
A room that is full of treasures becomes the target of thieves and robbers. It cannot be safeguarded forever. If you become arrogant as the result of great wealth or high position, you are sure to cause yourself big problems, one way or another.
Once you have achieved success and fame, it is best to step gracefully, quietly aside. This is the best way to live - in full accordance with the Tao.
Notes
The central idea: doing anything to excess is a bad idea. Do just enough and nothing extra.
In our translation, the line "cannot be kept for long" is not referring to the activity of pounding and sharpening a blade. It's a reference to the over-sharpened blade that can easily break and therefore cannot last.
Another interpretation of the above is that the sharp edge of the blade cannot be maintained for long.
The "withdraw oneself" phrase does not mean to retreat from society and become a hermit. It means there is no need to brag about your achievements, take on pompous airs, or put on showy displays. Such egotistic acts invariably bring negative consequences.
