10
In holding the soul and embracing oneness
Can one be without straying?
In concentrating the energy and reaching relaxation
Can one be like an infant?
In cleaning away the worldly view
Can one be without imperfections?
In loving the people and ruling the nation
Can one be without manipulation?
In the heavenly gate's opening and closing
Can one hold to the feminine principle?
In understanding clearly all directions
Can one be without intellectuality?
Bearing it, rearing it
Bearing without possession
Achieving without arrogance
Raising without domination
This is called the mystic virtue
In holding to your inner essence and embracing the oneness of your being, can your mind avoid being distracted, and thus going astray?
In focusing on your ch'i (the "breath", or the living energy that courses through the body) and reaching a relaxed, softened state, can you identify with the purity of a newborn child?
In cleansing and getting rid of all the diversions of the materialistic panorama, can you be completely without any lingering attachments?
In caring for the people and governing a nation, can you administer without resorting to manipulative tricks?
When the gateway to the soul opens, the mind is in motion; when it closes, the mind at rest. In the opening and closing of this gateway, can you grasp the yin principle of serenity and quietude?
In approaching a true understanding that reaches out in all directions and encompasses all corners of the world, can you let go of the false knowledge gained through rationalization and intellectual sophistry?
The Tao gives birth to everything and nurtures everything, but does so without becoming possessive.
Creation is full of wondrous and marvelous works of nature. The Tao is the force behind them, and yet does not become presumptuous in such achievements. It gives life every chance to develop and thrive, and yet does not become domineering or controlling because of that.
We call this attribute the mystic virtue. Sages emulate it in their every action. They nurture, encourage, teach and mentor those around them without the need to possess, gloat, or dominate.
Notes
The line "Can one be without straying?" refers to straying from the path of centered oneness. Some translations render "straying" as "separation" or "division," thus obscuring the original meaning and making the line more difficult to understand.
The line "In loving the people and ruling the nation" may seem to be directed at kings and emperors, but actually addresses the individual as well. Think of a kingdom as a metaphor for your workplace, family, social circle, sports team, and even your immediate surroundings, and the practical utility of this section becomes clear.
11
Thirty spokes join in one hub
In its emptiness, there is the function of a vehicle
Mix clay to create a container
In its emptiness, there is the function of a container
Cut open doors and windows to create a room
In its emptiness, there is the function of a room
Therefore, that which exists is used to create benefit
That which is empty is used to create functionality
In a wheel, thirty spokes come together in one hub. The hole in the center of the hub - the place where it is empty - is what makes the wheel useful as part of a vehicle.
When we mix clay to create a container, we notice that it is the empty space in the center of the container that give it the usefulness of holding things.
When we cut open a wall to make space for windows and doors, we notice that it is these openings that make the room truly useful to us. If such openings did not exist, we would have no way of accessing the room!
Therefore, we can see how we create solid objects to provide us with benefits and convenience, but it is actually the emptiness formed by, or embedded in such objects that really provide them with functionality and usefulness.
12
The five colors make one blind in the eyes
The five sounds make one deaf in the ears
The five flavors make one tasteless in the mouth
Racing and hunting make one wild in the heart
Goods that are difficult to acquire make one cause damage
Therefore the sage cares for the stomach and not the eyes
That's why he discards the other and takes this
Overindulgence in colorful, dazzling sights of the material world can lead to eye fatigue.
Overindulgence in loud music and noisy sounds can lead to loss of hearing.
Overindulgence in flavorful foods and confections can lead to the loss of one's appetite.
Overindulgence in exertions such as racing and hunting can lead to an unsettled, agitated, frantic state of mind.
The pursuit of rare treasures and material acquisitions can lead to ruin and shame upon one's character and reputation.
Because of all this, the sage focuses on his inner self. He satisfies his basic needs and does not obsess over the material things his eyes can see.
This is the reason he lets go of materialistic indulgence and embraces the simplicity of the Tao.
13
Favor and disgrace make one fearful
The greatest misfortune is the self
What does "favor and disgrace make one fearful" mean?
Favor is high, disgrace is low
Having it makes one fearful
Losing it makes one fearful
This is "favor and disgrace make one fearful"
What does "the greatest misfortune is the self" mean?
The reason I have great misfortune
Is that I have the self
If I have no self
What misfortune do I have?
So one who values the self as the world
Can be given the world
One who loves the self as the world
Can be entrusted with the world
Both favor and disgrace make us fearful and apprehensive.
The greatest source of adversity and trouble is the ego - the sense of self-importance.
What do we mean when we say that both favor and disgrace make us fearful? Favor is exalted, while disgrace is lowly and despised. We are afraid of getting humiliation. At the same time, we are also afraid of losing recognition. This is why we say both favor and disgrace make us fearful.
What do we mean when we say that the greatest source of trouble is our ego? The reason I've got problems is that my ego gets in the way. If I didn't have this sense of self-importance, what trouble could I possibly have?
Therefore, the humble sage who values the world as much as the self, is the one that can do the world justice. The selfless sage who loves the world as much as the self, is the one that we can trust with great responsibilities.
14
Look at it, it cannot be seen
It is called colorless
Listen to it, it cannot be heard
It is called noiseless
Reach for it, it cannot be held
It is called formless
These three cannot be completely unraveled
So they are combined into one
Above it, not bright
Below it, not dark
Continuing endlessly, cannot be named
It returns back into nothingness
Thus it is called the form of the formless
The image of the imageless
This is called enigmatic
Confront it, its front cannot be seen
Follow it, its back cannot be seen
Wield the Tao of the ancients
To manage the existence of today
One can know the ancient beginning
It is called the Tao axiom
The Tao is not a material object, therefore it cannot be seen or touched. We say it is invisible and colorless because it is without form or substance.
Sound also cannot be seen or touched. But unlike sound, the Tao cannot be heard. It cannot be detected by any of our physical senses, because it is metaphysical in nature.
These characteristics above must be always be true. None of them stands alone without the others. Together, they are central to the concept of the Tao.
Since the Tao isn't a visible thing, it is neither bright nor dark. It is immaterial, and yet it gives all material things solid reality. This is why we say it is the image of the imageless, and the form of the formless.
The Tao is infinite in extent, not only in itself, but also in its function, as the endless source of all things. It has no beginning and no end, therefore we cannot see the front or the back of it. "Front" and "back" are concepts that do that apply to something so utterly beyond limits.
The Tao has always been and always will be. It held true for the ancients just as it holds true today. Therefore, we can take the principles that the ancient sages uncovered and apply them in living our lives today. These principles are as relevant in our modern world as they were when they were first envisioned.
From this, we get our underlying assumption in studying the Tao. We take advantage of the work that has already been done, so we don't have to reinvent the wheel. We stand on the shoulders of giants from the ancient beginnings of the Tao in order to see further. This is the most basic axiom - the foundation in our work to build a better understand of spirituality.
15
The Tao masters of antiquity
Subtle wonders through mystery
Depths that cannot be discerned
Because one cannot discern them
Therefore one is forced to describe the appearance
Hesitant, like crossing a wintry river
Cautious, like fearing four neighbors
Solemn, like a guest
Loose, like ice about to melt
Genuine, like plain wood
Open, like a valley
Opaque, like muddy water
Who can be muddled yet desist
In stillness gradually become clear?
Who can be serene yet persist
In motion gradually come alive?
One who holds this Tao does not wish to be overfilled
Because one is not overfilled
Therefore one can preserve and not create anew
We can learn much from the ancient masters. Their understanding of the Tao was so advanced that it may seem too subtle and profound for us. Rather than to force ourselves to understand them, we can learn by observing and emulating their behavior.
They lived life in a cautious way, not given to frivolous or reckless acts. They resolved issues by carefully considering all sides, and would never jump to conclusions. They handled responsibilities with serious regard, and would never do anything in a perfunctory way.
This does not mean the masters were uptight. Quite the contrary. They were always relaxed and unattached as they went about their activities. This took nothing away from their serious concern for others and their careful handling of life's challenges. These ancient masters could be relaxed without being lax, and thus achieve excellence effortlessly. They could be unattached without being uncaring, and thus focus on the process instead of the end product.
Another defining characteristic of the masters is the simplicity they practiced in every aspect of life. In their words, actions, and surroundings, simple and uncluttered plainness is the rule rather than the exception. By keeping everything simple, they gained peace of mind as well as the joie de vivre.
The ancient sages were also known for their openness of mind and heart. They gladly considered new ideas and would never dismiss anything out of hand. They treated everyone, even difficult people, with infinite patience and would never prejudge them.
Despite their spiritual and mental refinements, these masters never put themselves on display. They had no interest in showing off their brilliance. Instead, they were humble and fully of self-effacing humor.
People who did not know the sages very well would never see through the outward appearance to perceive their high levels of intelligence and capabilities. It was only in the course of time that people gradually saw the true picture, like muddy water slowly becoming clear.
The composure and serenity of these masters could be easily mistaken for passivity or apathy. This was because most people could not understand how anyone could embody both tranquility and dynamism simultaneously.
The ancient sages did nothing to clarify whatever misconceptions people around them might have. This was because they were never full of themselves. They never assumed they knew it all. Their definite preference was to cultivate quietly to preserve a sense of calmness in everything they did, without drawing attention to themselves, or creating a disturbance.
16
Attain the ultimate emptiness
Hold on to the truest tranquility
The myriad things are all active
I therefore watch their return
Everything flourishes; each returns to its root
Returning to the root is called tranquility
Tranquility is called returning to one's nature
Returning to one's nature is called constancy
Knowing constancy is called clarity
Not knowing constancy, one recklessly causes trouble
Knowing constancy is acceptance
Acceptance is impartiality
Impartiality is sovereign
Sovereign is heaven
Heaven is Tao
Tao is eternal
The self is no more, without danger
Reach for a state of ultimate emptiness. Maintain a state of the utmost stillness and tranquility.
All living things rise up in lively activity. I watch them and observe their return in the endless natural process of life.
Everything is thriving and flourishing, and eventually everything will return to its origin in the recurrent cycles of nature.
Returning to the point of origin leads to a state of peaceful and serene tranquility.
This tranquility and quietude leads to a return to one's true nature.
The return to one's true self and fulfillment of one's true nature, is a constant, unchanging principle.
Understanding this constant, unchanging principle leads to clarity, illumination and enlightenment.
Those who do not understand the principle of constancy tend to bring upon themselves problems and disasters in a chaotic way.
Knowledge of this constant, unchanging principle leads to an acceptance that encompasses everything.
Such an all-encompassing acceptance and tolerance leads to an objective, impartial frame of mind.
This objectivity leads to authentic personal power - power over one's own destiny.
Authentic power - sovereignty over oneself - leads to a heavenly divinity and a oneness with nature. This heavenly oneness leads to the Tao. The Tao, in turn, leads to everlasting eternity.
Knowing this, one can live out an entire lifetime in harmony and safety. You will be free from worldly hazards until your body no longer exists.
